Rose Schmidt

6 days ago | nbcchicago.com | Rose Schmidt

After more than 40 years of public service, Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen is packing up his office and embarking on a new adventure: retirement. In an interview with NBC Chicago, he shared the highs and lows of his career, including his work to combat antisemitism and promote tolerance. The first test of Van Dusen's mayoral career came a few months after he took office in 1999 when Northwestern basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong was murdered in a racially motivated killing spree.

6 days ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

At least four Democrats are interested in running for Dick Durbin's U.S. Senate seat if he retires. They were quietly waiting in the wings, but as time ticks away, the lack of an announcement from Illinois' senior senator is pushing the potential candidates out from the shadows. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton both showed up Thursday to meet with Cook County Democratic committee people, who have been meeting this week with potential candidates for the 2026 election.

1 week ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele was arrested for driving while intoxicated last fall. The case is still pending, but Steele hopes to distance herself from the incident and potentially run for Cook County assessor. In her first interview since the incident, Steele explained to NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern what led up to the arrest on Nov. 10 near Ashland and Winnemac avenues in the city's Ravenswood neighborhood. "So, you were not drunk?" Ahern asked. "I was not.

1 week ago | nbcchicago.com | Randy Gyllenhaal |Rose Schmidt

Chicago aldermen appear to have reached a compromise when it comes to a heated debate over the city's curfew policy as so-called "teen takeovers" spark heightened concerns. According to Chicago Ald. Brian Hopkins, who represents the downtown area, a compromise would include Chicago police being able to implement emergency curfews. "The superintendent has full authority to decide where a curfew is needed, when it's needed, and it'll be applied in those situations.

1 week ago | nbcchicago.com | Mary Ann Ahern |Rose Schmidt

In his first remarks since he left the White House, former President Joe Biden took aim at President Donald Trump’s actions and urged Americans to defend the ‘sacred promise’ of Social Security. Speaking at a convention in Chicago, Biden said that Americans must “never betray the trust” of those who rely on the program, which has been in place for nearly a century. “Social Security is more than a government program. It’s a sacred promise we made as a nation,” he said.