WTTW News takes you deeper into the stories that matter most in Chicago and beyond. Here's what we have for you today.  Michael Madigan is depicted in court on Jan. 7, 2025. (Illustration by Cheryl Cook) After months of testimony and arguments, a 12-person jury began deliberations Wednesday in the landmark corruption trial of powerful former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime right-hand man Michael McClain. Here's a rundown of what you need to know about the case. What Are the Charges?

It’s been a very busy news week already. Get caught up with these stories from WTTW News.  Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul speaks at a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (WTTW News) Illinois is wasting little time in joining with other states in asking the courts to immediately block President Donald Trump’s sudden pause of federal funding.

Today’s stories on local politics, arts and nature. Straight to your inbox from WTTW News. Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th Ward) on the floor of the Chicago City Council. (WTTW News) Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th Ward), facing a number of lawsuits and investigations, spent $122,028 in campaign cash to pay five law firms in 2023 and 2024, according to records filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections.

WTTW News hopes you had a good, cozy and relaxing weekend. Start the week off on the right foot by staying ahead of the news. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan exits the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Oct. 31, 2024.

It’s Friday, thanks for sticking with WTTW News during what was a news-packed week. (IR_Stone / iStock) Patty Wetli: Sorry to be a buzzkill heading into the weekend. But this week, a report came across my desk that helped me understand the cost of technology in a way that hadn’t computed with me before (pardon the pun). So I thought I’d share the existential dread with all of you.

It’s almost Friday, which means it can only be Thursday. Get ready for the rest of the week with these stories from WTTW News.

Good morning, Chicago. We survived the arctic blast but snow might be coming.  Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a news conference on Jan. 21, 2025. (WTTW News) Illinois is suing to block President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, while state leaders brace for potential raids aimed at removing individuals in the U.S. without legal documentation. Federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials could be targeting as many as 2,000 Chicagoans, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday morning.

Good news: this freezing weather is almost over. Brew a pot of coffee and cozy up with these stories from WTTW News.  President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States Monday. With his opening rounds of memoranda and executive orders, Trump repealed dozens of former President Joe Biden’s actions, began his immigration crackdown, withdrew the U.S.

For a national holiday, it's a busy day. Today Donald Trump returns to office, and we remember the spirit and mission of Martin Luther King Jr. Trump International Tower and Hotel on the Chicago River. In the run-up to the presidential election, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson repeatedly warned that President Donald Trump would pose an existential threat to Chicago and its residents if voters returned him to the White House.

It’s the weekend. Brace for an arctic blast of freezing, near-zero temperatures coming soon.