Stories by WTTW News

As the snow falls, we take a deeper dive into what causes that “lake effect." The veterinary drug linked to a high level of opioid deaths in Cook County. And the issue of mental health front and center in the Chicago mayoral race.

Assessing COVID-19 three years to the day of the first case in Illinois. Why day care providers are waiting for checks from the state. And boosting safety for street vendors who've been robbed in Little Village.

Remembering a beloved local DJ. The latest on the legal tangle over the state’s assault weapons ban. A trans bus driver who was fired from the CTA. And how well do you know Chicago’s street grid?

More cannabis dispensary licenses are in the works, but social equity applicants say challenges remain. Climate-friendly rides for North Lawndale neighbors. And Pullman National Park gets a new name and designation.

Safety and travel concerns over violence in Mexico. Street vendors under attack in Little Village. Construction career training. And it's game night.

Toxic “forever chemicals” found in fish caught in the Great Lakes. A controversial rail yard in Englewood gets put on hold. We report on a community health initiative from West Garfield Park. And will state lawmakers take another shot at graduated income tax?

Why ComEd wants to raise your utility bills. City action on transgender and abortion issues. The debt ceiling staredown approaches a potential economic cliff. And why artificial intelligence is shaking up the education system.

UIC faculty go on strike. Unpacking new plans for the LaSalle Street corridor. Talking to sheriffs who say they won't enforce the new assault weapons bill. And what’s with the high price of eggs?

The last living witness to the Emmett Till lynching tells his story in a new book. We sit down with him and his co-author. Affordable housing was a focus of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work in Chicago — a look at where we are today.

What makes a sanctuary city welcoming to migrants and asylum seekers? Latino students are leaving CPS and heading to private and charter schools. And details on how low-income families can apply for scholarships to private schools.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responds to that campaign misstep. A special counsel appointed in Biden's documents investigation. Twenty years since the first step in abolishing Illinois' death penalty. And Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in Marquette Park.

Assault weapons, abortions and pay raises: the latest from Springfield. A new bill could allow Chicago principals to unionize. Did the Lori Lightfoot campaign run afoul of ethics rules? And the Chicago Public library turns 150.

What's the new GOP-run house going to be like? We talk with two local congressmembers. The latest on the assault weapons ban in Springfield. How to erase medical debt. And we take a look up at the sky, where you'll see a bright green comet.

The man behind the Hail Mary proposal to keep the Bears at Soldier Field. The fate of a state assault weapons ban. Tackling childhood obesity. And former Bear Brian Urlacher tangled up in a hairy situation.

Walgreens says it’s peeling back spending on efforts to combat shoplifting. Machine company John Deere reaches a deal to let farmers repair their own equipment. And former Chicago Bear Brian Urlacher gets caught up in a hairy lawsuit.

Mayors Lori Lightfoot and Eric Adams are urging Colorado's governor to instead partner with Chicago and New York City to advocate for federal solutions to the nation’s ongoing challenges surrounding asylum seekers.

President Joe Biden's crackdown on the border. Logan Square residents battle high property taxes. How to find a therapist who understands you. And a twist on traditional Mexican folk music. 

We talk about hypertension, a silent-killer prevalent in the Black community. An energy giant has a new leader at a critical time. And "Work Friends" opens at Cherry Mountain Arts.

Despite confusion over cash bail, the rest of the SAFE-T Act has gone into effect. We take a look at what it does. The impact of property tax hikes in Logan Square. And James "Big Cat" Williams grades the Bears season.

Why Howard Brown Health staffers are on the picket line. An increase in opioid deaths in Cook County. The standoff on Capitol Hill in Spotlight Politics. And drying out for January.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on a host of issues facing the city. The latest on injured Buffalo player Damar Hamlin. The law eliminating cash bail is on pause. And the U.S. House Speaker vote devolves into chaos.

The latest on a judge’s ruling striking down the law to end cash bail. More new laws to know for 2023. The latest on the Southwest Airlines fiasco. And a new ranking of the greatest movies of all time.

A look at the gains labor unions made in 2022. A Trump-era immigration order will stick around for now. A local architect known for her public spaces wins a coveted award. And a local TikTok star makes a career reviewing food.

What’s causing all those canceled Southwest flights? U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley on Zelenskyy’s visit to Congress. Inside a rash of police officer suicides. And the outlook for Chicago’s housing market in 2023.

The snow's here, now comes the cold and wind. COVID on the rise with the holidays in sight. How surrogate babies came to Chicago from war-torn Ukraine. And one-on-one with Santa about the diversity of Santas.

How Chicagoans are preparing as extreme cold temps approach. The role of police district council members, up for election in February. Spotlight Politics on the assault weapons ban and outgoing politicians.