Chicago Defender

Nolan Wells‘ mother is speaking publicly about what life has looked like in the days since losing her son. Christine Wonsley posted a video to Instagram on Wednesday (July 16) in which she described the weight of grieving a child while simultaneously fighting for answers about how he died. As a healthcare provider, she said she has talked about grief professionally for years. Being on the other side of it, she said, is something else entirely. “Right now everything is so heavy.

Chicago experienced some of the worst air quality in the world among major cities Thursday as wildfire smoke drifted into the region. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a Red Forecast Air Pollution Action Day, warning that air conditions could become unhealthy — and potentially hazardous — for everyone. Officials say the poor air quality could persist into Friday.

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to temporarily restore approximately $127 million in grant funding that supports Black farmers and other underserved agricultural producers after the Trump administration canceled the program earlier this year. According to Capital B News, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a preliminary injunction requiring the USDA to reinstate funding while a lawsuit challenging the cancellations moves forward.

The findings of the investigation into Nolan Wells‘ death will be presented to a grand jury once the inquiry is complete, Jackson County officials confirmed Wednesday (July 15) — while cautioning that the process does not necessarily mean investigators suspect criminal activity.

Free Public Experience Features Black-Owned Businesses, Interactive Activations, Live Entertainment, Actors, Musicians, Celebrity DJs, and Performances During the 117th NAACP National Convention Tomorrow, the NAACP will officially open The HUB, the Convention’s signature community gathering space and cultural marketplace, on Friday, July 17, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Brandon Johnson and NAACP Board Chair Leon W.

Hal Williams, the veteran actor whose portrayal of Officer “Smitty” Smith became one of Sanford and Son‘s most memorable recurring roles, died Wednesday morning (July 15) at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91. His manager, Zna Portlock Houston, confirmed to TMZ that Williams died of natural causes after experiencing recent health issues.

Program supports Chicago’s creative economy and artists across all 77 neighborhoods As artists across the country continue to face growing demand for funding and resources, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced the recipients of the 2026 Individual Artists Program (IAP) grants, awarding more than $1.3 million to 250 Chicago artists working across visual arts, music, theater, dance, literary arts and film and media arts.

Two important deadlines are approaching for Chicago Treasurer’s Office (CTO) programs to help small businesses and 2026 college-bound Chicago Public School graduates. Chicago Stars Awards Support Small Business The Chicago Stars Awards (CSA) return this year to spotlight the small businesses driving neighborhood investment, local spending, and economic growth across the City.

The district attorney defending a detective seen in a viral video detaining a Black teenager in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is now facing backlash of his own after telling a reporter that Black families lack parental supervision. According to the Atlanta Black Star, the officer seen in the viral video is Detective Tyson Havens of the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit.

As investigators continue working to determine what happened to Nolan Wells, another viral claim circulating online has been debunked. According to Rolling Stone, a photo that spread widely across social media this week was falsely presented as evidence that Wells was alive after he disappeared on Horn Island on July 4. The image showed Wells posing with a group of people at a pool party, prompting some users to claim it proved he had made it off the island before his body was later found.