Fran Spielman

Calling animal cruelty and abuse a “precursor to crime” against people, the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety also agreed to strengthen penalties against an array of animal neglect offenses. Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), the Council’s resident dog lover ... See more

Chicago parents will not be held accountable for curfew violations, street racing, drug, alcohol and firearms offenses committed by their children. The City Council’s Committee on Public Safety made that decision Tuesday, snuffing out an ordinance champio... See more

Choose Chicago, the city’s convention and tourism agency, says it needs more money to attract conventions and tourists, and rehabilitate a Chicago image tarnished by Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and high-profile crimes. The agency is about to... See more

Chicago’s 311 system was created to prevent people who live and work in the city from calling 911 for quality-of-life concerns that aren’t emergencies. But according to outgoing Inspector General Deborah Witzburg, the system has turned into a “black hole”... See more

When State Rep. Kam Buckner took his first of two rides in a self-driving car in Silicon Valley last year, he felt a bit like George Jetson. He wasn’t scared for his present-day safety. And he was intrigued about the transportation future. “It was differe... See more