Homicides in Chicago have dropped 12.7 percent, and crime overall has fallen 10.4 percent in the first six months of this year, according to preliminary statistics released today by Chicago Police. When compared to the same period last year, crime has dropped or did not increase in 24 of the 25 Chicago police districts, with fewer incidents of violent and property crimes in every category.

A man was fatally shot at a South Side gas station Thursday night in the South Chicago neighborhood. James Robinson, 26, of 9200 block of South Brandon Ave., was shot at 2357 E. 79th St. and was dead on the scene, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. An unidentified man shot Robinson in the head and left hand at 10:03 p.m. while he was at a gas station, police said. An autopsy ...

Chicago Police fatally shot a 16-year-old boy who allegedly pointed a gun at officers chasing him following a Thursday night home invasion in the West Side's Lawndale community, police said. Rakeem Nance, 16, of the 1900 block of South Troy Street, was shot at 1948 S. Christiana Ave. and was pronounced dead at 11:32 p.m. at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's ...

A police Bomb and Arson unit is investigating a Thursday night incident in which fireworks were used to blow up a portable toilet at Diversey Harbor. Someone apparently used some kind of fireworks to blow up a "Port-A-Potty" at Diversey Harbor Thursday night, according to a Town Hall District lieutenant, who did not know what time the explosion occurred but said there were no reports of ...

County commissioners urged state authorities Thursday to shut down the Cook County Regional Education Office in the wake of a critical audit that revealed that Supt. Charles A. Flowers used a government credit card for personal expenses and approved questionable payments to relatives on his payroll. The decision on what to do about the state-funded suburban education agency ultimately rests ...

A Tinley Park woman is suing a relative over injuries she suffered two years ago at a grade school reunion in Chicago's Beverly community. Margaret Guldan, who broke a wrist in a fall at the All Years Christ the King School Reunion late on the night of July 7, 2007, is suing Anne Bansley, of Beverly, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court. Guldan did not return ...

Independence Day falls on Saturday this year, making today the federal holiday. Here's how services will be affected:Financial markets: U.S. financial markets will be closed today.Banks: Many banks will be open today. Saturday is the federal bank holiday. Mass transit: CTA service will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule today. But beginning about 1 p.m., additional service will be provided on ...

Jim DeRogatis: Like millions of Americans, Christian Kiefer, a history teacher in Sacramento, Calif., spent last Nov. 4 glued to his television, watching as events unfolded in Chicago's Grant Park. Now, on Saturday, Kiefer will be onstage in the same park performing the song he wrote about Obama, "Someone to Wake," as part of Taste of Chicago's celebration of indie rock.

Police shot and critically wounded a man in the West Side's Lawndale neighborhood Thursday night after shots were allegedly fired at officers. About 9:30 p.m., police fired shots and struck someone in the 1900 block of South Christiana Avenue, according to Independent Police Review Authority spokesman Mark Payne. The person, reportedly a man, was shot in his back and taken to Mount Sinai ...

Alleged Ponzi schemer David Hernandez was hit with a lawsuit Thursday, after he signed multiple contracts with an office space leasing company in Chicago but allegedly didn't hold up his end of the contract and now owes the company roughly $270,000. Hernandez -- who was charged with allegedly bilking nearly $12 million from 100 investors in 12 states to fund his company, NextStep Financial ...

DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett is running for Illinois attorney general, making his third bid for statewide office and setting up a possible rematch of his 2002 battle with Lisa Madigan for that post. Birkett announced Thursday he will seek the 2010 Republican nomination for the state's top law enforcement post -- a job now held by Madigan, a Democrat. She has yet to declare ...

Federal authorities are trying to trace the origin of thousands of high-powered fireworks taken from a truck trailer abandoned in west suburban Woodridge. But investigators so far haven't determined the source of the commercial-grade, "very powerful" shells discovered in the trailer, said Special Agent Thomas Ahern, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. It also ...

In the opening of "I Refuse to Learn to Fail: The Autobiography of Dempsey J. Travis," 5-year-old Travis, harassed daily with vicious racial taunting from a group of young whites, runs to his mother for comfort. His mother takes him over to a dresser, where she opens a drawer and pulls out a beautiful black velvet jacket that he examines with admiration.

Chicago aldermen have been raked over the coals by angry motorists for rubber-stamping the 75-year, $1.15 billion lease that privatized parking meters and raised rates sky-high. They ran for political cover today -- by holding a five-hour City Council hearing that explored the possibility of reducing the steep schedule of rate hikes that triggered a spike in vandalism and a dramatic drop in ...

A physician attacked in her Lakeview office this week put up a good fight by grabbing her assailant's knife and never letting go as he tried to rape her, Cook County prosecutors said this afternoon, detailing the woman's bravery. The 36-year-old doctor kept her legs clenched so tightly in Monday's attack, Marquis Allen had to use his 13-inch knife to cut her underwear as they struggled in her ...

A U.S. Postal worker was ordered held without bond this afternoon on charges he sexually assaulted a pair of teenage girls after he threatened and forced them into his personal vehicle in two separate attacks. Tommie Naylor, a mail handler, is suspected in at least two other similar attacks from 2003 and 2005 and possibly others, according to Area 2 Detectives Clifford Martin and Shirley Colvin. ...

A former Orland Park fire lieutenant was sentenced to three years probation today for bilking the Orland Fire Protection District out of more than $190,000 by falsely claiming he was on active duty in the military while he was actually overseas working as an independent contactor. Lawrence Masa, 44, apologized before Cook County Judge Thomas Hennelly sentenced him on theft and official ...

A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier has been charged with a sexual assault that occurred on the South Side in 2006. Tommie Naylor, 41, of the 7900 block of South Yale Avenue, was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated kidnapping, according to a police report. He was arrested at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday on the 7500 block of West Roosevelt Road in ...

Charges have been upgraded for a man who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend several times with a screwdriver and set his South Side apartment on fire during a domestic dispute Saturday night. Ainsley Lewis, 43, of the 7900 block of South Evans Avenue, was charged with aggravated arson, a felony, according to a police report. Charges were approved at 2:56 p.m. Wednesday, according to the report. ...