Stories by WTTW News

Community groups outline their hopes for Mayor Brandon Johnson. Why Latinos are leaving the Catholic Church. And meet a local trash man named driver of the year.

Employment efforts for Black youth. The cost of wrongful convictions. Fighting for water justice. And an art exhibit showcasing gay Black men in Chicago during the 1980s. 

More questions about a former gubernatorial candidate who’s also mayor of Aurora. Will state lawmakers meet the budget deadline? And efforts to restore a 100-year-old hotel in Pullman.

Family and friends remember slain Chicago police Officer Aréanah Preston. Spotlight Politics weighs in as the mayor’s allies roll out a $12 billion financial proposal. And an emerging artist committed to community.

The court denied an emergency request from groups challenging the law, which bans so-called assault weapons. The law’s opponents had asked the high court to put the law on hold while a court challenge continues. 

What did Mayor Brandon Johnson do on his first full day in office? Illinois leads the nation in exonerations. The latest on a bevy of issues in Springfield. And the debate over mental health clinics.

Chicago’s 57th mayor takes the oath of office. A look at Brandon Johnson’s priorities in Spotlight Politics. And a live report from Springfield as the legislative session nears an end.

What young Chicagoans hope to see from their new mayor. Resources for people returning from incarceration. And learning sign language at a local library.

South Shore residents rally against plans for a migrant shelter. Controversy over a potential school closure. And a Cook County program clearing medical debt.

What the end of Title 42 means for asylum seekers. Calls for a do-over on Chicago’s elected school board map. And a group of performers celebrate Selena.

Charges are filed in the killing of a Chicago police officer. The latest on the search for the city’s new top cop. And a look back at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s time in office.

The mayor declares a state of emergency over the migrant crisis. The former interim CPD superintendent on the search for a new top cop. And a beloved hot dog institution celebrates its 75-year anniversary.

Familiar faces join us to remember Newt Minow, a public television pioneer. How a coalition of Asian-Americans are advocating for their community. And Lori Lightfoot kicks off her last week as mayor with a farewell speech.

Chicago’s new process for picking a police superintendent is underway. Providing hope to new moms. And how an artist with thousands of red tulips is addressing systemic racism.

South Shore residents sound off on a city plan to shelter migrants. How the Kennedy construction is impacting unhoused people. And a mariachi Mother’s Day performance. 

What South Shore residents think about a plan to move migrants to a local high school. One on one with newly elected U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson. And the challenges facing the city’s Edgewater community.

A juror speaks out about the verdict in the ComEd bribery trial. A new interim police superintendent. Debating the practice of human composting. And celebrating Mexico this week.

Live reaction to the “ComEd Four” verdict. Plans to turn an old South Shore school into a shelter for migrants. A look at the neighborhood around Pontiac Prison. And saying goodbye to Lincoln Park Zoo’s oldest inhabitant.

The community is responding to more migrants arriving in Chicago from Texas. A crucial deadline for Medicaid recipients. The threat of a rising Mississippi River. And the challenges inside Pontiac Prison.

The woman who accused Emmett Till dies at the age of 88. How Chicago’s guaranteed income pilot is working for families. Meet the city’s first poet laureate. And remembering Harry Belafonte.

Eleven men wrongfully convicted of murder seek justice. Woodlawn residents step up to help their new neighbors. And celebrating Cinco de Mayo with two festivals.

A humanitarian crisis in Chicago after a new surge of migrants. How the CTA is trying fill its ranks with bus and rail operators. And James “Big Cat” Williams gives his take on the Chicago Bears’ draft moves.

Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s transition team. A dangerous crossing for kids in Hammond to get to school. And we’re live in Woodlawn for our “In Your Neighborhood” series.

Our Spotlight Politics team on jury deliberations in the ComEd bribery trial and the opening at the state’s attorney office. Former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke joins us. And a plover sighting!

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx says she’s not running for reelection. The search for the next police chief. Some Medicaid patients could be losing their coverage. And bringing the formerly incarcerated home.

After weeks of testimony, the so-called ComEd Four trial is in its final stages. A donor to Mayor Lightfoot faces ethics issues. Changes to child labor laws. And getting new organs to those who need them.