Daywatch: Cook County court cases to watch for in 2026

Good morning, Chicago.

In 2025, Cook County began the year with a new state’s attorney and ended it with a new chief judge, ushering in another era for one of the largest court systems in the country.

Upon taking office in December 2024, State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke implemented policy changes that were cheered and criticized, including ordering prosecutors to automatically seek pretrial detention in certain circumstances and allowing police officers to bypass the office’s felony review process in some low-level gun-related felony cases.

By the end of the year, former Chief Judge Tim Evans’ nearly quarter-century reign heading the Cook County judiciary was ended when Judge Charles Beach defeated him in a secret-ballot election.

Beach takes the reins at a time when the court system faces a number of challenges, with his office overseeing the often-troubled Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and absorbing oversight for all electronic monitoring defendants.

With changes underway, here are some cases and issues to watch for in 2026 from the Tribune’s Madeline Buckley.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what to know about trail upgrades at Starved Rock State Park, photos from Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in Chicago and a look at who’s coming for concerts this summer.

The interior building where a fire broke out leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Jan. 1, 2026. (Police Cantonale Valaisanne via AP)

Here’s what to know about a deadly fire at a Swiss Alpine bar’s New Year celebration

Swiss investigators are probing what caused a fire in a bar at an Alpine ski resort that left around 40 people dead and another 115 injured during a New Year’s celebration. Here’s what we know about the deadly fire.

Mayor Brandon Johnson answers questions during a news conference after he signed two executive orders regarding the 2026 budget on Dec. 23, 2025, at Chicago City Hall. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

City Hall hiring freezes, including under Mayor Brandon Johnson, have proved to be more of a chill

When Mayor Brandon Johnson faced a long-expected budget deficit this fall, he again turned to a government hiring freeze as a means to save money and show the public that City Hall was taking the problem seriously.

In practice, that “targeted” freeze has proved to be more of a chill, as hundreds of workers were nonetheless brought onto the payroll since the Johnson administration instituted the policy in August, according to city records.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, administers the oath of office to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, center, as his wife Rama Duwaji looks on, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Zohran Mamdani promises to govern ‘expansively and audaciously’ as NYC mayor

Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City yesterday, taking over one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics with a promise to transform government on behalf of the city’s striving, struggling working class.

Paris and Brooklyn Garcia look out on the Illinois River from Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby on Dec. 19, 2025. (Troy Stolt for the Chicago Tribune)

Starved Rock, Illinois’ most popular state park, to get $18M trail upgrades in new year

The new year will bring long-overdue upgrades at Illinois’ most popular state park and one of its top tourist destinations outside Chicago.

Preliminary work already is underway at Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County for an $18 million project that will include the first major improvements in three decades to a 13-mile trail system that winds through sandstone canyons and bluffs along the Illinois River.

Fireworks rise from the river at midnight during the “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” event on West Wacker Drive on, Jan. 1, 2026, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Photos: Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in Chicago

Chance the Rapper led the New Year’s Eve festivities at the corner of Wacker and Franklin in the Loop as Chicago was featured for the first time in the national broadcast of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.” Thousands braved the cold temperatures along the Chicago River for the entertainment and fireworks.

Cities around the world welcome 2026 with thunderous fireworks and heightened security

Parents Shaniqua Jones and Brandon Antwon Whittington hold their newborn son, Brandon Alexander Whittington, on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago after he was born on New Year’s Day at 12:06 a.m. and 41 seconds. (Mount Sinai Hospital)

Meet Brandon Alexander Whittington: The first baby born in Chicago in 2026

Chicago saw in the new year with a number of events, including the city’s debut as part of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” where thousands gathered to usher in 2026.

Six minutes later and about 4 miles away, a quieter celebration took place at Mount Sinai Hospital, when Brandon Alexander Whittington entered the world as what is believed to be the first Chicago baby of 2026.

Packers quarterback Malik Willis rushes against Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. in the third quarter Dec. 20, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Bears by the numbers: Breaking down their potential 1st-round playoff scenarios

Sunday’s 42-38 shootout loss to the San Francisco 49ers marked the first time in 12 years that the Bears lost when scoring at least 38 points.

Here are the other numbers, stats and figures that stood out this week for the Bears.

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Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) goes up for a reverse layup in the first half against the Pelicans at the United Center on Dec. 31, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Tre Jones provides a much-needed creative spark for injury-depleted Chicago Bulls: ‘That’s our recipe to win’

Tre Jones has never been flashy. He’s the type of player who can melt into a game.

But Jones doesn’t need to change his style. There’s a reason his teammates look to him for guidance without hesitation. There’s a reason he’s edging out full-time starters for closing minutes. And there’s a reason Billy Donovan uses one word repeatedly — “winner” — to describe Jones.

Cardi B is coming to the United Center in 2026, Alejandro Fernández to the Allstate Arena and Ed Sheeran to Soldier Field. (Invision/AP/Getty)

Who’s coming for concerts this summer: 50 shows for 2026, from Rosalía to Guns N’ Roses

Announcements have begun for concert tours, music festivals and what’s playing in Chicago this coming summer. Expect more news in the weeks ahead.

A mid-career survey of Firelei Báez at the Museum of Contemporary Art includes “Man Without a Country (aka anthropophagist wading in the Artibonite River),” an installation of 225 collage-drawings on old book pages. (Oriol Tarridas photo)

Art exhibitions for winter 2026: Don’t miss these 10 at the MCA, Art Institute and in Elmhurst

Go see art in 2026. Can’t hurt, might help, and it’s absolutely better than binge-watching trash television, click-buying things no one needs, doomscrolling the apocalypse or feeling helpless in the face of fascism. Remember, commercial galleries and community art centers are gratis entry and most museums have free days for locals. (And those that don’t, should.)

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