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After 7 Years, CPD Now in Full Compliance With 25% of Consent Decree: Monitors

The monitors praised CPD for making “significant progress” between July 1 and Dec. 31 in effort to comply with the consent decree, which has been in effect for seven years.

Chicago’s School Board Election Is Coming This Fall — Here’s How It Will Work

For decades, Chicago’s Board of Education has been the only one in Illinois handpicked by the city’s mayor. And for just as long, education advocates have called for that board to be an elected body, representative of Chicago’s diverse residents. This fall, those advocates will get their wish.

No Trial. No Guilty Verdict. How Civil Commitment in Illinois Can Mean Decades Behind Bars

Under two different Illinois laws, people charged with sex offenses are subject to indefinite detention. Some people who’ve only been charged with a crime — never convicted or sentenced — can spend the rest of their lives at a correctional center.

How a Decades-Old Illinois Law Detains Some Convicted Sex Offenders Indefinitely

Under two different Illinois laws, people charged with sex offenses are subject to indefinite detention. Some people who’ve already finished serving their sentences can spend the rest of their lives at a correctional center.

First Piping Plovers Have Landed at Montrose Beach, Birders Welcome Imani and Pippin Home to Chicago

Once again, early bird honors go to Pippin, the unlucky-in-love bachelor who’s marking his third year at Montrose in search of a mate.

April 13, 2026 - Full Show

Efforts to ban no-knock warrants statewide. And WTTW’s Geoffrey Baer rides the rails in a new special.

Should Illinois Ban No-Knock Warrants? State Lawmakers Debate

Anjanette Young has become the leading voice for reform, seven years after a botched police raid at the wrong address left her handcuffed while naked in her Chicago home. Now, a bill bearing her name could reshape how officers execute warrants in Illinois.

Geoffrey Baer Explores Chicago’s Rail System in New Special

Chicago’s rich culture and diversity can be attributed, in part, to the history of its intricate and expansive railway system.

Despite Warnings, Chicago City Council Set to Move Full Speed Ahead on Video Gambling

The vote came after officials with Bally’s Corp. issued the most direct warning to the City Council that its move to green-light video gaming would kneecap the city’s permanent casino, scheduled to open in River West later this year.

Pollinator Gardens Don’t Have To Be ‘Native or Bust,’ Says New Research Supporting the Value of Cultivars

There’s a divide in the pollinator gardening movement between those who advocate for nothing but native plantings and those whose standards are less rigid. New research suggests there’s a middle ground.

Key City Panel Advances Push to Rid CPD of Officers With Ties to Extremist Groups

The City Council’s Workforce Development Committee advanced the measure after a lengthy debate over whether all city employees, not just CPD members, should be banned from “actively participating” in extremist and anti-government groups.

Trump Family Deal Spree Could Open Door for Future Presidents to Profit From Office

The Trump family real estate business is undergoing the fastest overseas expansion since its founding a century ago, each deal potentially shaping everything from tariffs to military aid.

Already Under Financial Pressure, Midwest Soybean Farmers Squeezed Further by Tariffs, Iran War

The high cost of fuel, equipment, and fertilizer — compounded by the Iran war — and also tariffs, perceived “price gouging” by suppliers, and low soybean prices driven by a global supply glut.

Pope Leo Says He Does Not Fear Trump, Citing Gospel as He Pushes Back in Feud Over Iran War

U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday on President Donald Trump’s broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran.

Chicago Spent $58.8M on Police Overtime in 3 Months, 3% Less Than Last Year: Watchdog

CPD’s 2026 budget is $2.1 billion, including $200 million for overtime, records show.