The Latest Breaking News from Northwest Side

Four fires have been reported in North Center since early October, all breaking out around 3 or 4 a.m. “It’s upsetting to feel like in the middle of the night, out of your control, something like this can happen,” one resident said.

The Albany Park Theater Project and Third Rail Projects have transformed a Northwest Side commercial building to tell the stories of four immigrant families creating a community in Albany Park.

James Gardiner faced several scandals in his first term on the City Council; Jessica Gutierrez is poised for a runoff to replace Ariel Reboyras after falling 300 votes short in 2019.

The robberies occurred in the 1700 block of North Sayre Avenue on Jan. 17 and in the 1700 block of North New England Avenue on Jan. 31, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which is offering the reward.

Ald. Jim Gardiner faces five contenders in the Northwest Side ward — and a string of scandals. While the first term incumbent has name recognition, it’s not necessarily the kind of recognition a candidate wants among potential voters.

Sandra Kolalou faces murder and other charges after Chicago police searched a Northwest Side home were she rented a room and found 69-year-old Frances Walker’s head in a kitchen freezer, officials said.

Ald. Roberto Maldonado’s decision earlier this year not to seek reelection in the 26th Ward and Ald. Ariel Reboyras’s announcement in the 30th last year prompted a push for new ideas to address crime and other issues in the Northwest Side wards.

CHICAGO — Regina Michalski made homemade kolaczki and planted beautiful flowers in her Northwest Side backyard every year. Born in Poland in 1926, the “very smart” 96-year-old retired Motorola technician was fluent in German and Russian and lived through the Nazi occupation during World War II, her relatives said.

Mansfield Wallace, 51, and Tabitha Hemphill, 31, knocked on the door of the home in the 8500 block of West Catherine Street around 10:30 a.m. Monday and began fighting with the 80-year-old man when he answered, police said.