As homicides spike, Chicago mayor defends tactics

By DON BABWIN | Associated Press – 11 hrs ago CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago’s mayor and police superintendent publicly defended their new gang-fighting strategy Monday amid growing criticism that the changes are failing and a big reason why the city’s homicide rate has soared this year. After weeks of media …

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18 Deaths Blamed On Recent Heat Wave

CHICAGO (STMW) – The death of eight more people in Chicago over the weekend have been attributed at least in part to heat-related causes, bringing the total of heat-related deaths in Cook County to 18, surpassing the total from last year. Autopsies conducted on Sunday by the Cook County Medical …

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Gun buy-back helps pay for kids’ shooting camp

12 hours ago • The Associated Press CHICAGO — A gun group is using its payout from Chicago’s annual gun buy-back event to send children to a shooting camp — a move that has been criticized by the city’s police department. Approximately 60 guns and several BB guns were given …

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Chicago area pension plans in debt by $27.4 billion

Funds accrue $27.4 billion shortfall between 2001 and 2010 By Jason Grotto, Chicago Tribune reporter 4:08 a.m. CDT, June 25, 2012 The debt from 10 Chicago-area pension plans swelled more than 600 percent to $27.4 billion between 2001 and 2010, according to a study released Monday by the nonpartisan Civic …

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Federal judge strikes down part of Chicago’s gun law

June 19, 2012|By Dahleen Glanton and Liam Ford | Tribune reporters Chicago’s firearm ordinance took another blow Tuesday when a federal judge ruled that the section banning permits for people convicted of unlawful use of a weapon is vague and unconstitutional. The city must now decide whether to appeal the …

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Police To Hold Gun Turn-In Event This Weekend

CHICAGO (CBS) — Using the lure of $100 gift cards, the Chicago Police Department is encouraging people to get guns out of their homes and turn them in this Saturday, during the annual gun turn-in program. As WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser reports, the Police Department is partnering with 20 churches.. …

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Chicago suburb rejects immigrant detention center

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 (06-12) 13:50 PDT Crete, Ill. (AP) A Chicago suburb has rejected a plan to build to build a federal immigrant detention center in the community, putting a stop to a project that generated months of protests by residents and immigrant rights activists. Village trustees in Crete, …

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