LOOP

Lightning Labs launched Wavelength, a toolkit enabling developers and AI agents to integrate self-custodial Bitcoin payments via a non-custodial API without managing nodes or liquidity. The tool supports on-chain Bitcoin, Lightning payments, and off-chain transfers with interoperability via BOLT 11 invoices. Wavelength is available on Signet and testnet, with mainnet access by invitation.

The CTA is celebrating two major milestones this summer, including progress on the ongoing State and Lake reconstruction project in the Loop and North Side areas.

Contra LLC's proposed second cannabis dispensary in the Loop faces delays due to insufficient community meeting notice and a court ruling that prohibits dispensaries within 1,500 feet of each other, including those with social equity licenses. The proposed location at 170 W. Washington St. is within 1,500 feet of Bud & Rita's, a social equity dispensary that opened this summer.

A man accused of stealing mail and burglarizing properties in Chicago's Loop and North Side has been arrested. The arrest followed a joint investigation by federal postal inspectors and the Chicago Police Department.

Retailers are using AI to detect return fraud, such as label swapping and wardrobing, as fraud rates rise to 9%. Companies like Happy Returns, Narvar, and Loop employ AI to analyze return patterns and automate fraud prevention, improving efficiency in reverse logistics.

Five of 14 people were seriously injured after two boats collided on Lake Michigan near the Loop. The Chicago Fire Department and Coast Guard responded to the incident.

A Chicago man has been charged in connection with a stabbing on the CTA Blue Line in the Loop earlier this month.

Chicago Police are warning of a string of burglaries at retail stores and restaurants in the Loop, Lake View, and Uptown. The incidents are part of a spree targeting businesses in these areas.

Chicago police are searching for three suspects after a 49-year-old man was repeatedly punched on a CTA platform in the Loop.

Police are seeking three individuals wanted for punching a man on a CTA Blue Line platform in the Loop. The incident occurred last week, and authorities are asking for public assistance in identifying the suspects.

Chicago police are seeking help to identify a man accused of stabbing a CTA rider in the Loop. The incident occurred earlier this month.

Portillo’s, a Chicago-based hot dog chain, will open a new restaurant on Michigan Avenue, its fourth in Chicago and 45th in the area. The 5,500-square-foot location is part of a strategic reset following challenges in national expansion and declining same-restaurant sales. CEO Brett Patterson emphasized renewed focus on Chicago, where the brand originated in 1963.

Portillo’s, a popular Chicago-area restaurant chain, will open a new restaurant in the heart of the Loop along Michigan Avenue.

Chicago Police are investigating multiple ATM robberies that occurred early Saturday in Lakeview, Loop, and Chinatown. The incidents are being treated as part of a coordinated investigation.

Two people were injured in a stabbing on State Street in the Loop, Chicago, as reported by fire officials.

A passenger on the CTA Blue Line in Chicago's Loop was stabbed in the neck by another passenger during a fight Wednesday night. The 36-year-old victim was hospitalized with cuts to his neck and body and was listed in fair condition. The attacker fled the scene, and the Chicago Police Department's Area 3 detectives are investigating.

A man was stabbed during a fight on a CTA Blue Line train in the Loop, according to Chicago police. The incident occurred downtown Chicago on the public transit line.

Loop, a San Francisco-based startup, raised $95 million in a Series C funding round led by Antonio Gracias' firm Valor. The funds will be used to develop AI for predicting supply chain disruptions.