Stories by Paul Caine

Mayor Brandon Johnson creates a task force to get the ball rolling on reparations. President Joe Biden moves to protect “dreamers” and long-time undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens. And Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy quits.

For more than 40 years, PETA has worked to change the way many people think about animals. Attention-grabbing media campaigns have raised the public’s awareness of practices like factory farming, fur production and animal testing — while also drawing backlash at times for the group’s tactics.

Under a new proposal from Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, prosecutors would not file drug, gun and theft charges stemming from an initial traffic stop where there was no other probable cause to make the stop.

One year into Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. Campus encampment cleared at DePaul. And will Springfield help Chicago Public Schools close its deficit?

CPS is anticipating a budget deficit of $391 million for the coming school year as COVID-19 relief funding runs out. That deficit is expected to rise to $700 million the following year.

A new study found that Black Americans are four times more likely to experience homelessness than their White counterparts. But in Illinois the situation is even worse, researchers found, with Black residents eight times more likely to become homeless at some point in their lives.

For the Chicago Bears, this week may just turn out to be one of the most significant in the history of the franchise.

The footage of Chicago police officers firing 96 shots at Dexter Reed following a traffic stop has caused outrage with the city’s Black community and led to demands for change — and accountability — for the police officers involved.

“It’s one thing to say that I think the judgment was in error,” Donald Shelton said in an exclusive interview with WTTW News. “It’s another thing to say that there was a lack of concern for a victim of domestic violence.”

Too close to call in the race for Cook County state’s attorney. Johnson doubles down on his progressive agenda. And Arlington Heights sweetens a property tax deal for the Bears.

Previewing the big Election Day races. Is the migrant shelter measles outbreak under control? And the Bears could build a domed lakefront stadium.