NEW YORK — Student protests over the war in Gaza have created a new and unpredictable challenge for President Joe Biden as he resists calls to cut off U.S. support for Israel while trying to hold together the coalition of voters he’ll need for reelection. The protests at Columbia University in New York and other campuses have captured global media attention and resurfaced questions about Biden’s lagging support from young voters. His handling of the Middle East conflict is also being closely watched by both Jewish and Arab American voters in key swing states. At best for Biden, the protests ar ..read more

Good morning, Chicago. The Chicago Bears are set to announce a $4.6 billion plan to build a new enclosed stadium and improved lakefront area with half of the money coming from taxpayers, sources said. But the team will have to overcome serious skepticism from several directions. The stadium itself would cost $3.2 billion to build, with another $1.4 billion in proposed infrastructure improvements, according to sources familiar with the plan who spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity. The sources said the Bears plan to pledge $2.3 billion, which includes some financing through the NF ..read more

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court hears arguments Thursday over whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a case charging him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. It’s a historic day for the court, with the justices having an opportunity to decide once and for all whether former presidents can be prosecuted for official acts they take while in the White House. But between a decades-old court case about Richard Nixon, and an obscure constitutional provision about presidential impeachments, there are likely to be some unfamiliar concepts and terms thrown ..read more

When organizers announced their plans for an open swim in the Chicago River in September, residents across the city raised their eyebrows. The days when the river was a dumping ground for the largest slaughterhouse in the world are long past. And, sewage that once flowed directly into the river is now funneled through wastewater treatment plants first. But when powerful storms hit the city, sewage and stormwater runoff spill into local waterways raising bacteria levels. Caitlin Jonassen, a lifelong Chicagoan, said she would not even consider swimming in the river. Last year, she said she was g ..read more

Residents and taxpayers of Barrington School District 220 rated safety and security, and a new auditorium at Barrington High School, as priorities for the school district, officials learned as community input was collected in preparation for a potential multi-million-dollar referendum that would be placed on the ballot in the November election. The data was shared with school board members April 2 by EO Sullivan Consulting, which was hired by the district to collect community feedback through phone and online surveys, four public engagement sessions and referendum advisory committee meetings ..read more

For college senior Nana Ampofo, an unconventional book club inside one of the nation’s largest jails has transformed her career ambitions. Each week, the 22-year-old drives a van of her DePaul University peers to Cook County Jail to discuss books with inmates and recently, the well-known activist Sister Helen Prejean. Ampofo comes prepared with thought-provoking questions to launch the conversations at the Chicago jail about the most recent books they’ve been reading together. One club rule is clear: Discussions about personal lives are encouraged, but no questions are permitted about why othe ..read more

For nearly a decade, the “Black Teen Empowerment Summit” in Township High School District 214 has included students from across the six-school district who take part in what has become an annual tradition. This year, the summit was held April 19 at Rolling Meadows High School, and featured motivational speakers and inspirational activities with goals according to organizers, to promote belonging, personal appreciation, wellness and self awareness. Poet and author Moe-Mentum, of Broadview, was a presenter at the Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 annual “Black Teen Empowe ..read more

NEW YORK — What began last week when students at a New York Ivy League school refused to end their protest against Israel’s war with Hamas had turned into a much larger movement by Tuesday as students across the nation set up encampments, occupied buildings and ignored demands to leave. Protests against the war had been bubbling for months but kicked into a higher gear after more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia University’s upper Manhattan campus were arrested Thursday. Dozens more protesters have been arrested at other campuses since, and many now face ch ..read more

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