Good morning, Chicago.

Cook County Inspector General Tirrell Paxton asked commissioners to set a minimum budget for his office and add five staff to boost oversight as spending increases.

Some county leaders said a fixed budget may cut financial flexibility during fall hearings — a worry as federal and state funds shrink.

UIC researchers at the Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics were awarded an $8.3M five-year federal grant renewal from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to study how long-term alcohol use harms brain cells—this research will examine genetic and epigenetic factors and may lead to better treatment for alcohol use disorder.

UIC researchers tested hair samples from 160 Black men at local barbershops and found that those living in neighborhoods with high homicide rates had 1.8 times higher cortisol levels than men from lower-crime areas—showing that neighborhood violence raises chronic stress.

The study may lead to greater efforts connecting community groups with health services for better cancer screening and social support.