Stories by Nick Blumberg

Chicago marks the one-year anniversary of the “Operation Midway Blitz” immigration crackdown. And the Bears look to defend their NFC North championship as their season kicks off.

WTTW News spoke with Ron Pitelka, the guy who extracted a 50-ton prehistoric boulder at O’Hare Airport.

NetChoice, a trade association representing the tech industry, sued to block the social media and digital advertising taxes approved as part of the state’s 2026-27 spending plan, which take effect Jan. 1, records show.

The national average of nearly $6.06 is up from $5.85 last week and almost $3.71 this time last year, according to motor club AAA.

The milestone anniversary brought memorial rituals — wreath-laying, flag-flying, moments of silence, vigils and readings of victims’ names — and volunteer projects in tribute to a day that about half of U.S. adults remember as the most historic event of their lifetime.

Chicago is facing an $882 million budget gap. We explore ideas for how to close it. And the impact of Sept. 11 — 25 years later.

Friday will mark 25 years since the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Between the attacks themselves, the lasting health impacts on survivors and ensuing wars, the death toll for Americans is in the tens of thousands.

A budget forecast released by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office shows the city faces an estimated $882.4 million budget shortfall for the 2027 fiscal year.

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority is a new regional body overseeing CTA, Metra and Pace. It was created after years of debate over the future of Chicago-area transit.

Chicago taxpayers have paid $7 million to resolve three federal lawsuits alleging misconduct by Officer Michael Donnelly, including the 2019 improper raid of Anjanette Young’s home, records show.

Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $46 million since the start of 2026 to resolve eight lawsuits brought by people who were injured or on behalf of those killed during police pursuits, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

The Chicago Department of Aviation launched a naming contest for a giant boulder unearthed at the airfield.

A federal judge has denied a motion that sought to block a controversial new Illinois law that will allow terminally ill adults to take life-ending medication, just days before that law is set to take effect.

The dubious promise would most likely cost more than $1 trillion and require congressional approval, and would further exacerbate the country’s nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit and concerns about inflation.

The total cost of defending and settling lawsuits naming disgraced former Chicago Police Detective Reynado Guevara topped $191.8 million in May, according to a WTTW News analysis.

Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

New reforms to public transit are on the horizon — we have the details. And as the summer months end, a look at violent crime in Chicago and what’s being done to prevent it.

A recent NORC at the University of Chicago poll said 44% of Chicagoans think crime is going up, despite CPD data saying otherwise.

After more than three and a half hours of tense questioning, the dispute triggered by the City Council’s decision to green-light video gambling terminals in every Chicago bar and restaurant remained deadlocked.

Chicago’s next mayoral election is less than a year away and the list of candidates — and those considering a run — is growing ever larger. Here’s who is in so far.

The grants from the Department of Agriculture are part of a three-year-old program aimed at making it easier for local farmers to process and distribute food locally. In total, 61 organizations received grants, 16 of them in Cook County and the other 45 distributed among 34 other counties.

The Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight unanimously voted to advance a revised package of reforms first introduced in May 2024, sending it to the full City Council for a final vote on Sept. 23.

Chicago’s Office of Inspector General published a new report evaluating the CFD’s hiring and promotion processes, finding that while the initial firefighter and EMT applicant pool reflected the city’s racial and ethnic diversity, that representation shifted as applicants moved through the hiring process.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office has reached a settlement agreement with the Northern Illinois Gas Company to cut the natural gas utility’s requested rate increase by approximately $140 million.

Starting this month through November, the Chicago Public Library will present book discussions, science talks, films, creative workshops and cultural experiences tied to the book selection. One Book, One Chicago for the first time will include dedicated programming for children and teens.

The park, which serves as an entry to the 606 Bloomingdale Trail, would honor one of Chicago’s most acclaimed street artists.