Willie Cochran

Posted by John Byrne at 11:50 a.m. The nomination of a new director of Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications will head to the full City Council for consideration after a council committee gave him the OK during a......

UPDATED at 9:43 p.m. Posted by Hal Dardick and John Byrne at 7:10 p.m.; check back for updates on results. City Council incumbents in several wards were beating back challenges tonight but at least two longtime aldermen appeared headed for......

Posted by Hal Dardick at 11:46 a.m. The rap artist taking on the retired cop in a City Council contest on the South Side picked up the support of three former opponents today. Che “Rhymefest” Smith, who faces Ald. Willie......

Posted by John Byrne at 12:05 p.m. Several Chicago African-American aldermen who are safely re-elected today pledged to help to their colleagues who face runoffs. During a closed-door meeting at City Hall, members of the City Council black caucus said.......

Posted by John Byrne at 12:20 p.m. South Side Ald. Willie Cochran announced endorsements from labor and business organizations today as he tries to win re-election in the 20th Ward over rapper Che "Rhymefest" Smith. Cochran was endorsed at a......

Posted by Hal Dardick and Kristen Mack at 4:55 p.m. A political fund aligned with Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday endorsed four more candidates in next month’s City Council runoff elections, including contenders in three races the incoming...

Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:42 p.m. Candidates in Chicago’s 14 aldermanic run-off contests have reported raising $1.6 million in big-dollar contributions since the February election, including more than $200,000 from Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel’s...

Then -- from Emanuel, Burke, big labor pour money into runoffs (April 1) Now -- from Stone, Lyle lose as Chicago City Council gets makeover (current) Then: Ald. Freddrenna Lyle, who has represented the South Side's 6th Ward for 13......

Posted by Kristen Mack at 5:25 p.m. Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel today said his support of a slew of incumbents in Tuesday's aldermanic runoff election doesn't mean he backs business as usual. Of the 10 incumbents, Emanuel is supporting eight of......

Posted by Cynthia Dizikes, Monique Garcia, Dahleen Glanton and Kristen Mack at 7:20 p.m.; last updated at 9:05 p.m. Long-serving 6th Ward Ald. Freddrenna Lyle conceded defeat tonight to challenger Roderick Sawyer, son of former Chicago Mayor Eugene...

Posted by Dahleen Glanton and John Byrne at 8:15 p.m.; updated at 9:30 p.m. South Side Ald. Willie Cochran claimed victory tonight over challenger Che "Rhymefest" Smith in their 20th Ward contest. With 84 percent of precincts in, Cochran had......

Pressured for months by teachers, community leaders and aldermen, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's hand-picked school board is nonetheless expected on Wednesday to approve closing all but a few of the 53 elementary schools the administration wants to shut down....