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Nearly 300 new laws went into effect in Illinois last week. Here are the ones that caught our attention.

If you’re job hunting in the new year, you’ll be happy to hear that employers in Illinois with 15 or more employees now have to include pay scale and benefits on job postings — including for remote work. Don’t see the information? 

File a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor

. And, yes, you’ll need to bring receipts (e.g., link, picture, or screenshot).

The state minimum wage for workers 18 and up went up a dollar to $15 per hour. Tipped workers will make $9 per hour, a 60-cent increase. 

 is $16.20 and the tipped minimum wage is $11.02. They’ll go up in July.

A landlord cannot evict someone, increase rent, or file a lawsuit as retaliation to a tenant’s complaint. An Injustice Watch investigation last year found the 

legal system is set up to protect landlords

 is a special type of love language in Chicago, but you might have to time your arrival better. A new law prohibits drivers from stopping or parking vehicles on the shoulder near O’Hare.

Forget your ID at home? Misplace your driver’s license? A new law clears the way for digital IDs for Illinoians to accompany their physical cards — but Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias hasn’t yet shared a timeline on the rollout.

5 Illinois Laws Now in Effect in 2025

5 New Illinois Laws to Know

What's being decided in Chicago City Hall and why it matters. We monitor local elections, political news, and Chicago City Council. 

Chicago Election and City Hall News

Local Civics

What will the first month of 2025 bring? We don't know yet. But we are going to quiz you on what's happened in Chicago Januarys past.

What will the first month of 2025 bring? We don't know yet. So let's take a January-themed history quiz about Chicago.

Take This History Quiz About January in Chicago

How Well Do You Know Chicago's January History?

What Chicagoans have been wondering. We break down why things in Chicago are the way they are and how they work.

Chicago, Explained

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping, take comfort in the fact that I haven’t even started. Here are 

You can get posters, umbrellas, and even shower curtains with the L map. Kids can also play with toy trains while dressed as CTA workers 🥺

Tomato season isn’t until the spring, but you can still gift tomato lovers merch like caps, mugs, and aprons from Bob Zeni, 

. Or get a gift card for when plants go on sale in the spring.

Brighten up your loved one’s space with locally grown flowers delivered on a weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly basis. Plus, you’ll be supporting a business committed to employing young people.

Chicago sports teams have seen better days between the 

. That’s why sports fans might prefer vintage apparel from when teams were winning. Stop by this McKinley Park store for T-shirts, bomber jackets, and more.

Not only does the Chicago Show Calendar share a comprehensive weekly list of concerts at indie venues, but the membership also connects concert-goers and offers the occasional free ticket. Bonus: City Cast marketing director Caroline Patton runs the site 🤓

Buy romance book lovers boxes curated by the staff at the Roscoe Village bookstore. You can also add apparel and accessories.

As members, Chicago cinephiles can enjoy discounted tickets to classic, international, and independent cinema at the movie theater in the Loop.

Your foodie will eat up this box full of yummy treats from local award-winning chefs. Items include All Together Now’s honey and Monteverde’s garlic salt and lemon pepper 🤤

Do you have a co-worker whose caffeine obsession rivals Lorelai Gilmore? Get them whole beans from Mexico and Colombia or a gift card for the 

new brick-and-mortar coffee shop in North Lawndale

, so why not give something different this year? Gift a subscription of mead, or “honey wine,” from this Beverly spot.

Before the South Loop boutique closes Dec. 23, you can pick up gifts for kids big and small. That includes everything from an orange scooter to a mini guitar to magic markers.

Forget Bath & Body Works! Gift a candle-making experience in Lakeview 🕯️ Recipients can create a custom scent in a unique vessel.

Save up to 40% on admission at the southwest suburban adventure park that has activities ranging from ziplining to climbing to laser tag.

🛍️ Plus, stores to check out

Never fear, last-minute gift ideas are here for all the Chicagoans on your list. 

Where to Find Last-Minute Gifts in Chicago

Find the best of everything that Chicago has to offer.

Chicago’s Best

Chicago's Best

Growing up, we went to 26th Street in Little Village for everything — eating out with family, shopping, doctor appointments, and much more. Dubbed the “

,” the street has historically been a high-grossing commercial hub in the city. It’s also the heart of a close-knit community that has always provided for the Mexican community.

We pick a mile to walk (on 26th Street between Albany and Ridgeway avenues).

We recommend ~10 things to do in that mile.

Divvy station at 26th and Whipple streets

 is the perfect place for Christmas shopping for multiple people because it has it all — a vibrant mix of vendors sells clothing, shoes, formal wear, home goods, electronics, artisanal Mexican art, and toys.

, the gateway to the “Mexican capital of the Midwest,” became an official landmark in 2019. There is also a beautiful mural outside of 

, a popular establishment that’s been in the community since 1977. 

Are you looking for a street treat that conveniently comes in a cup? Go to 

for aguas frescas, fresh juices, elotes, and ice cream.

 has a large selection for all your music needs: guitars, keyboards, drums, accordions, trumpets, saxophones, sound systems, and DJ equipment. They offer financing to make walking out with your new instrument or sound system much easier.

 for delicious craft cocktails and food! The speakeasy-inspired bar is celebrating five years in the neighborhood. It's conveniently next to parent company and longtime family-owned liquor store 

, which has all wine and champagne 10% off all winter.

 for your grocery needs. Walk to the back for their restaurant which offers enchiladas, gorditas, pozole, and all kinds of Mexican cuisine.

Check out our other guides!

Holiday shopping? Head to Chicago's "second Magnificent Mile."

Walking Guide to Little Village's 26th Street in Chicago

Walk a Mile on 26th Street

Everything to know about Chicago neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Chicago Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

Hey Chicago readers and City Cast Chicago listeners love all types of games — including trivia. So we’re rounding up some of the best spots for (almost) every day of the week.

Head to the newly renovated venue’s taproom for weekly trivia every Sunday from 7–9 p.m. This month’s trivia is all about the holidays ❄️ Yes, it’s open to all ages. Yes, it’s free to play. Yes, you can win prizes.

If you have a case of the Mondays, trivia night at this neighborhood bar should lift your spirits. Not to mention you can get a Miller High Life and a shot of 

Fellow pop culture fans, this gay bar is the place to be to test your knowledge on everything from the “Real Housewives” franchises to “Wicked.”

Join Geeks Who Drink for weekly trivia, $15 pizza, and $5 pints of beer. Plus, South Side Weekly recently dubbed the pub the 

Chicagoans who want to play trivia in a nonalcoholic scene can go to this specialty tea shop for its popular trivia night.

This South Side bar has some of the coolest programming and events in the city, which is why you will definitely catch us checking out their trivia night, too.

Get to the cozy neighborhood pub early to claim your spot for trivia, which kicks off at 8 p.m. Can’t make it in person? You can join remotely! Plus, a $100 cash prize is up for grabs every three weeks …

Chicago cinephiles, assemble! On the third Thursday of the month, compete to see how well you know different films. Then, stick around for a screening.

We’re rounding up some of the best trivia spots for (almost) every day of the week.

The Best Trivia Nights in Chicago

 as of last quarter, Crain’s reported. City officials and business leaders have tried to chip away at the problem — like 

efforts to convert offices into apartments on LaSalle Street

So how can Chicago revitalize the Loop? University of Chicago students are trying to drum up solutions

Professor Justin Marlowe is in charge of the 

. He shared the unique ways students are reimagining downtown Chicago.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What solutions are already impressing you?

“Students recognize the value of green space as a quality of life consideration, but also as a driver of economic development particularly for new tech-centric business models where that's a must-have for younger tech workers who want to be downtown.”

“A couple of groups are actively exploring what it means to do a major 

 downtown, and they've gone so far as to collect data on what it would mean for the Sox or Bears or Red Stars.”

“Students are interested in things we haven't thought about like sustainable agriculture. You could have an entire multi-acre farm operation set up in a building downtown to provide 

fresh produce for the entire neighborhood

You said students are also interested in making downtown equitable. Can Chicago’s downtown be for everyone?

“One of the things that students have had to define early on is exactly what is downtown. And I think for a lot of students who are concerned about the equitable redevelopment of downtown, they've been willing to think about maybe not just a downtown strategy, but multiple downtown strategies serving different parts of downtown.”

“So you could have, in theory, people who are looking for subsidized affordable housing options in the same building with people who are willing to pay quite a bit more for more amenities where they're paying market rate and then some. And that works really well in certain places. In other places, that's just not really an option.”

What other cities are students looking to for examples?

 has had a variety of tax credit programs to encourage [office-to-residential] conversions. They've done some transit investments. They've done some infrastructure investments. They've leaned into their downtown ambassador program to try to create a better quality of life and a lot more events and street life happening downtown.”

“San Francisco has seen a drastic improvement in people coming downtown, crime, and perceptions of the quality of life downtown. There’s a similar sort of playbook there.”

“If you're looking to think about what a pedestrian-friendly downtown looks like, then inevitably you end up looking at someplace like Barcelona.”

Finalists for the Harris Policy Innovation Challenge will be unveiled in the spring.

Downtown office vacancy remains high. So how can Chicago revitalize the Loop?

University of Chicago Students Offer Solutions to Revitalize the Loop

Why Chicago's Downtown Needs Help

What Chicago celebrities, public figures and key citizens have to say about living here.

3 Questions With Chicago Public Figures

3 Questions With

Welcome to November in Chicago, where the days may be shorter but there is no shortage of things to do.

Daylight saving time ends Sunday, which means we’re trading an extra hour of sleep for early sunsets. If cold, dark months hit you hard, you’re in good company. Try going on 

 to eliminate the time change returns. If all else fails, booking a 

 in the dead of winter has always made me feel better 🤓

, which should be postmarked on or before Election Day. You can also drop it off at a secure drop box. If you’re 

, you can vote at any voting center. If you’re voting on 

, go to your assigned precinct polling place or a voting center. And, yes, you can 

How to Have a Very Chicago Thanksgiving™️

 to see the Teddy the Turkey balloon float through downtown early Nov. 28. Then, see the Bears play the Lions at watch parties in 

. However the game ends, we’ll have “

” on standby as a palate cleanser for the locals and Michiganders at my house.

‘Tis the season for holiday shopping, and tons of neighborhood chambers of commerce have programming for Small Business Saturday like 

” Chicago embraces the holidays in November between 

 bumping holiday music 24/7 starting Friday, 

🦃 Plus, turkey trivia

Your Guide to November

City Council will meet today to discuss various hot-button issues. Grab the popcorn, 

, and read this primer on what to expect.

Alders who are proponents of ShotSpotter are trying to 

save the controversial gunshot detection technology

 today before the contract expires Sunday, the Tribune reported.

Ald. David Moore, 17th Ward, wants to pass an ordinance allowing Police Supt. Larry Snelling to extend the contract.

 so the executive director of the Office of Public Safety Administration can have that power.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said Monday that ShotSpotter was a “walkie-talkie on a pole.” He and alders have battled over phasing out the system. 

Alders voted 34–14 in the spring to save ShotSpotter

, but Johnson argued he has the sole power to approve city contracts.

Alders will vote to confirm Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th Ward, to lead the city’s powerful zoning committee. Johnson tapped Burnett 10 months after 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa resigned from his post amid 

accusations of a physical confrontation with another alder

. It’d be more responsibility for Burnett, the city’s current longest-serving alder and 

The mayor initially sought to appoint 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez, but 

the progressive alder failed to get support from other council members

We’ll be keeping our eyes and ears peeled for word about potential solutions to the 

. But one thing we know: It will definitely be coming up in more City Council meetings this fall.

What Are the Last-Ditch Efforts to Save ShotSpotter in Chicago?

With Milwaukee in the limelight this week during the Republican National Convention, we’re looking at one of Brew City’s biggest contributions to Chicago: Schlitz beer.

In the mid-19th century, German immigrant Joseph Schlitz had been working at a brewery. When owner August Krug died, 

Schlitz’s proximity to Chicago was important. In the aftermath of the 

, Schlitz donated barrels of beer to support relief efforts. And with local breweries burnt down, Schlitz’s beer sales doubled.

It was at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago that Schlitz made its slogan official: “

Schlitz ran the brewery with Krug’s nephews, the Uihleins. They took over the business when Schlitz died at sea in 1875.

The Uihleins remain a familiar name to Midwesterners today

: Lake Forest billionaires Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein founded packing supply giant Uline more than 40 years ago. They've also emerged as top donors in former President Donald Trump’s re-election bid.

While Pabst Brewing now owns the Schlitz brand, Chicagoans can still see Schlitz signs around town at 

. These pre-Prohibition taverns only sold beer from the Milwaukee manufacturer.

How can you spot one? The Schlitz name is often adorned on a globe on top of buildings like Schubas in Lakeview, the former Southport Lanes bowling alley, East Side Tap, and 

The Lasting Legacy of Schlitz Beer in Chicago

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Chicago. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Chicago Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Riot Fest is moving to the burbs after almost 10 years at Douglass Park, festival organizers announced Wednesday. The fest’s location has long divided organizers, the Park District, and West Siders. Here’s what to know about this year’s fest and its 

The festival's new location at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview Sept. 20–22 comes with a new name: 

. Dozens of acts will play including headliners Fall Out Boy and St. Vincent. Tickets went on sale Wednesday morning after the announcement.

Riot Fest founder Mike Petryshyn, aka “Riot Mike,” posted a video Tuesday night saying “

our exodus is solely because of the Chicago Park District

.” Petryshyn and 24th Ward Ald. Monique Scott are critical of the Park District’s permit approval process. 

But that’s not the only source of tension

Some residents argue that fests limit their access to green space.

Organizers stress the economic opportunities fests present.

Riot Fest is the third fest to relocate from Douglass Park in recent years. It was first pushed out of Humboldt Park by neighbors a decade ago.

The Red Stars are slotted to play against San Deigo Wave FC at SeatGeek Stadium Sept. 21, which is when Riot Fest is now scheduled.

Red Stars President Karen Leetzow released a statement

 saying the team was put in an “unfair” situation that highlights how women’s and men’s professional sports are treated differently.

Riot Fest is moving to the burbs after almost 10 years at Douglass Park.

business

5 New Illinois Laws to Know

How Well Do You Know Chicago's January History?

Where to Find Last-Minute Gifts in Chicago

Latest articles

5 New Illinois Laws to Know

How Well Do You Know Chicago's January History?

Where to Find Last-Minute Gifts in Chicago

Walk a Mile on 26th Street

The Best Trivia Nights in Chicago

Why Chicago's Downtown Needs Help

Your Guide to November

Latest articles

Walk a Mile on 26th Street

The Best Trivia Nights in Chicago

Why Chicago's Downtown Needs Help

Your Guide to November

What Are the Last-Ditch Efforts to Save ShotSpotter in Chicago?

The Lasting Legacy of Schlitz Beer in Chicago

What’s Happening With Riot Fest?