It’s New Year’s Eve. We hope you have a great day and end 2025 on the right note. Look back on some of the big stories of the year and learn about what to expect if you’re out celebrating tonight. (Sean Pavone / iStock) It’s been a packed year. So much news has happened that even the most diligent local journalism junkie may have missed a headline. Our colleagues at WTTW Playlist created a comprehensive quiz to test your knowledge about the local stories that captured the city’s attention and imagination. From the “Chicago Rat Hole” to the “Chicago Pope,” click the story above to see where you score. Read more Learn about sponsorship opportunities. (WTTW News) Throughout 2025, WTTW News and “Chicago Tonight” tackled the city’s top stories. From "Operation Midway Blitz" to President Donald Trump’s second term, the long fight for Chicago’s 2026 budget and the Chicago Bears’ comeback season, there was a lot to look back on. On “Week in Review,” host Nick Blumberg enlisted Chalkbeat Chicago’s Reema Amin, Yahoo Sports’ Maggie Hendricks, Block Club Chicago’s Melody Mercado and Chicago Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout to talk about what mattered in 2025. Read more Fettuccine Alfredo. (Connie Miller for Milk Street) From nostalgic classics to new twists, our most popular recipes of 2025 serve up a little comfort, plenty of curiosity and dishes with diverse origins inspired by places near and far. As ever, trusted sources like “America’s Test Kitchen,” “Cook’s Country” and Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street continue to shape the way many of us cook at home. Be sure to check out more recipes at wttw.com/food and happy cooking! Read more (Wirestock / iStock) In keeping with tradition, Chicago-area public transit agencies will be offering free rides on New Year’s Eve. The Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace are encouraging residents to celebrate responsibly and take advantage of the free late-night transit services to get around on New Year’s Eve. Here’s how to catch a ride. CTA CTA is offering New Year’s Eve free rides on trains and buses, starting from 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 4 a.m. on Jan. 1. Metra Metra will offer free rides on all trains arriving at or departing from downtown stations after 6 p.m. on Dec. 31. Alcohol will be banned on all trains after 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. All lines will be operating on reduced schedules on New Year’s Eve. On New Year’s Day, all lines will be operating on Sunday/holiday schedules. There will be no service on the Heritage Corridor, North Central and Southwest Service. Pace Pace will provide free bus and ADA paratransit rides from 10 p.m. Dec. 31 until 4 a.m. on Jan. 1. Read more Learn about sponsorship opportunities. What part of Chicago would you like to explore in the new year? Email [email protected] with your responses and your answers might be published. Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
