Stories by WTTW News

Construction on a migrant camp moves forward despite environmental concerns. How property tax bills are calculated. And secret recordings used in Ed Burke’s corruption trial.

Election season is officially underway as candidates begin filing. How retailers faired on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and what that means for the economy.  

Activist Dolores Huerta on her legacy fighting injustice. The pride and pressure that come with being first-generation. And a local biochemistry professor wants to get more Latinos in laboratories.

What local groups are doing to combat rising food insecurity. A push to enhance the Major Taylor Trail on the South Side. And the creator of the animated series “Young Love.”

Ryan Field is getting a revamp after a narrow Evanston City Council vote. What the city’s new 60-day shelter limit means for asylum seekers. And a historic day for Northwestern University’s newest graduates.

Safety officials investigate a CTA train crash that injured nearly 40 people. And celebrating 50 years on air with radio legend Terri Hemmert. 

Chicago is set to get more money from the state to care for migrants. What local Mexican restaurants are bringing to the table for vegans. And why Cicero has worse air quality than its neighbors.

City Council approves the mayor’s $16.6 billion budget. We’re one on one with the city’s budget director. And Chicago has a pension problem — WTTW News explains.

Mayor Johnson’s $16 billion budget is set for a final vote — what to expect. And Northwestern sweetens the deal to try to get approval for its Ryan Field renovations.

Evanston is set to decide the fate of Northwestern’s Ryan Field renovation. A statewide push to allow terminally ill people to decide when they die. And renaming North America’s birds. 

Get ready for fun with this guide to neighborhood street fests, art shows, outdoor concerts and cultural celebrations of all sizes across Chicago and the suburbs.

Lawmakers battle over the future of Chicago’s school board. DACA recipients push for action on federal health insurance coverage. And calls for work permits for longtime undocumented immigrants.

Students at private schools across Illinois are at risk of losing their scholarships. Why food insecurity is on the rise. And how the Grandyman is giving back to local kids.

City Council votes whether to censure one of its members. Why most paper is now banned from Cook County Jail. And former Ald. Ed Burke’s corruption trial begins.

The father of the alleged Highland Park gunman pleads guilty. Jury selection begins in the corruption trial of former Ald. Ed Burke. And debating the paid leave ordinance.

What migrants face as temperatures drop. The story of Chicago AIDS activist Danny Sotomayor. And Chicagoans mark Day of the Dead.

City Council blocks a vote to transform a vacant lot into a migrant shelter. Why it takes so long for wrongfully convicted people to get legal representation. And Cook County’s state’s attorney on the elimination of cash bail.

Why property taxes are way up this year in Cook County’s north and northwest suburbs. City Council votes whether to “Bring Chicago Home.” And a concert featuring songs written in concentration camps.

A $200 million bill to taxpayers — how the Chicago Police Department plans on cutting overtime spending. Illinois passed a law allowing the release of dying and severely disabled prisoners but most requests are denied. And WTTW News Explains on Chicago nicknames.

Chicago’s delegation to the border is back — what they learned. Inequities in the effects of climate change in Lake County. And Carrera de los Muertos kicks off this weekend.

The U.S. House has a new speaker after three weeks. Why Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than White women. And reaction to the mayor’s proposed police budget.

Brighton Park residents protest a “winterized base camp” for migrants in their community. Controversy over the mayor’s deal with the police union. And if you’re hoping to get a CityKey ID card, you may have to wait a bit longer.

Local members of Congress on aid to Israel. What’s behind record opioid overdoses. And a city program that allows drug offenders to choose treatment over arrest.

An alderwoman is battered at a protest over a planned migrant camp. A local museum looks to acquire a vacant fire station. And an award-winning composer workshops with Northwestern music students.

We sit down with Chicago’s newly appointed police superintendent. A look at the impact of residents boycotting CPS’ segregationist policies — 60 years later. And a new musical on jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

City Council budget hearings kick off — our Spotlight Politics team on that and more. And efforts to address homelessness with a housing-first approach.