A pile of challenged books appear at the Utah Pride Center in Salt Lake City on Dec. 16, 2021. (AP Photo / Rick Bowmer, File)
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More than 1,200 challenges were compiled by the association in 2022, nearly double the then-record total from 2021 and by far the most since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago.

(WTTW News)
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An elected school board. A new teachers union contract. The end of a moratorium on school closures. Those are among the biggest education hurdles Chicago’s next mayor will have to navigate over the next four years

Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas. (Provided)

With less than two weeks before Election Day, the candidates for Chicago mayor are still making their case to voters. Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

Robert Boik appears on "Chicago Tonight" on March 22, 2023. (WTTW News)
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A new report says Chicago’s next top cop must be “a dynamic change agent” fully committed to implementing the court order requiring the Chicago Police Department to change the way it trains, supervises and disciplines officers.

(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

The Chicago Police Department spent at least $210.5 million on overtime, 56% more than in 2021 and more than double the $100 million earmarked for police overtime set by the Chicago City Council as part of the city’s 2022 budget, according to data obtained by WTTW News. 

(Oliur Rahman / Pexels)
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The Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation that would phase out single-use polystyrene foam foodware beginning in January 2024.

The legal drama surrounding Former President Donald Trump, here on Aug. 6, 2022, is reaching a fever pitch. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images via CNN.)
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New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has suggested to an attorney for at least one witness in the past 24 hours that they might need to provide more testimony to the grand jury in its hush money probe, according to one source familiar with the probe.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, left, speaks to reporters before the MockCon event at University Chapel at Washington and Lee University on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Lexington, Va. (Scott P. Yates / The Roanoke Times via AP)

From Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, there appears to be little rush to join the field of official presidential candidates. The reluctance reflects the unsettled nature of U.S. politics.

Chicago mayoral candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas face off in a debate hosted by WGN-TV. (WTTW News)

The race for Chicago mayor continues to focus nearly entirely on the crime and violence that both candidates agree threaten the city’s economic vitality. They offered wildly different solutions to the seemingly intractable problem.

Former President Donald Trump. File photo. (WTTW News)

Former President Donald Trump’s prediction that he would be arrested Tuesday didn’t bear out, but he still faces the prospect of indictment. That’s now in the hands of a New York grand jury.

Former President Donald J. Trump watches the NCAA Wrestling Championships, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
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Law enforcement officials are bracing for protests and the possibility of violence after Donald Trump called on his supporters to protest ahead of a possible indictment in New York.

(WTTW News)
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If the ComEd deal faced an uphill climb before Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s defeat, its prospects declined precipitously afterward, handing her what is likely to be one last defeat and all but ensuring that it will be up to Chicago’s next mayor to negotiate a new deal with ComEd.

Voters cast their ballots on Election Day on Feb. 28, 2023, at Healy Elementary School, 3040 S. Parnell Ave. (WTTW News)

Fueled by changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of votes cast by mail soared by nearly 20% in the 2023 election as compared to the 2019 election, according to data from the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

(WTTW News)
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill requiring employers to offer workers a minimum of five days of paid time off. One hour of paid leave is earned for every 40 hours worked.

(WTTW News)
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Millions applied for student loan forgiveness before President Joe Biden’s plan was put on hold amid legal challenges. The forgiveness plan’s fate is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, which just heard arguments on the case.

(WTTW News)

The tension rises between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson in the race for Chicago mayor. Madigan recordings revealed in week one of the “ComEd Four” trial. Northwestern moves on in the NCAA tournament. And the Bears start their revamp.