Jim Gardiner

The documents are part of the FBI investigation into the alderman's conduct when he first entered office in 2019.

Construction could start in early summer, but the 45th Ward office is still deciding where improvements will be made, Ald. Jim Gardiner said.

The race has been one of the most-watched aldermanic elections in the city after Megan Mathias narrowly pushed Gardiner into a runoff.

Final results from the Feb. 28 election were in flux for weeks as officials counted mail-in ballots and Gardiner hovered near the majority vote needed to win the race outright.

Gardiner and Mathias had been in a tight race for weeks, and it wasn't clear until the final results came out if they'd head to the runoff or if Gardiner had fended off the challengers.

Gardiner challenger Megan Mathias said she is confident the race will head into a runoff, but the incumbent had 49.9 percent of the vote as of Thursday.

Gardiner has almost 49 percent of the vote and needs more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff, though votes still need to be counted. Megan Mathias is his closest challenger.

Megan Mathias, one of the alderman's five challengers, pledged that retaliation and withholding of ward services will not be tolerated if she's elected.

The event was mostly civil, but one man was escorted out for yelling criticisms about Gardiner.

A controversial project to build 48 apartments never got off the ground. Ald. Jim Gardiner downzoned the land, clearing the way for nine townhomes.

The investigation adds to a series of other investigations, lawsuits and allegations against the alderman, who is seeking a second term.

In depositions made public last week, Gardiner denies going after his critics. His campaign claims he is the victim of a "multi-layered campaign of political harassment."

The field hoping to deny Gardiner a second term includes longtime residents, community activists, an attorney and a business owner.

The business owners want a zoning change to sell alcohol at brunch, a move that neighbors support.

Speed cameras have been added in Jefferson Park, Dunning and along Milwaukee Avenue in front of Schurz High School, close to where drivers hit and killed two cyclists.

City leaders yanked funding for the Six Corners business group in October over contract violations, leaving the busy commercial district without a government-funded group to coordinate key services.

Gardiner, who already faces lawsuits and investigations into his conduct, is seeking a second term. He's shown on Ring camera video approaching an opponent's volunteer in Norwood Park.

Suh joins four challengers who are hoping to be on the ballot for 45th ward alderperson in next year's election.

A library worker, Santoyo said her campaign will focus on health care and abortion access, affordable housing, police accountability and better protections for union workers.