Stories by WTTW News

Addressing the affordable housing shortage. Plus, what a new law means for water safety along Lake Michigan. How to get a free tree planted. And a longtime family hardware store.

Voter outreach efforts as Election Day approaches for the primary. Plus, raising awareness for missing women. Calls for safer prisons. And from the crowd to the stage, meet blues artist: Melody Angel.

Recapping tonight’s prime-time congressional hearing on Jan. 6. Plus, meet the Democrats running in the hotly contested race for Illinois’ 3rd District, and live from Irving Park.

Mayor Lightfoot launches a re-election tour across Chicago. How well do Illinois’ red flag gun laws work? Why Cook County could see population gain from climate refugees. And a tribute to Miles Davis.

Mayor Lightfoot announces she’ll seek another term. One-on-one with another entrant into the race. Previewing the Jan. 6. Congressional hearings. And combatting mental health issues in youth.

Ald. Ed Burke loses big in his attempt to throw out key evidence in his federal criminal trial. Plus, eroded shoreline along Lake Michigan, and Cook County is a top destination for those escaping climate change.

A legal brawl between Fifth Third Bank and federal regulators is underway; Walmart is hiring big time; and a new study says Cook County has earned itself a new title: climate change refuge. 

We take aim at the debate over gun reform. Plus, the state revives a commission to combat hate crimes. And a “Shark Tank” deal for a Chicago entrepreneur.

Increasing safety and preventing injuries for Chicago’s bicyclists. Can industry and nature coexist at Lake Calumet? A new master plan hopes so. And alebrijes come to life at a local park.

The price at the pump keeps soaring, is any relief in sight? Vaccine approval could come soon for kids under 5. Unveiling the city’s new AIDS garden. And we’re live from West Elsdon.

Paul Vallas joins the race for mayor. The U.S. Senate reportedly considers bipartisan gun measures. And how local groups are gearing up for the release of the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling.

A violent Memorial Day weekend and how police are responding. What the high COVID-19 threat level means, and how scientists are tracking the virus. And a high honor for a local theater company.

Supporting veterans and their mental health. Plus, tremendous losses for a South Side parish. Efforts to keep Chicago young people safe this summer. And ancient artwork in a new setting.

How to talk to kids in the wake of violent events. Turning Pain into Purpose. The Park District’s new CEO. And public art for a public ­library in Little Village.

On the two-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death, calls for police reform. The story of a Chicago teacher’s push for black history in classrooms. And jumping double Dutch.

Talking to mothers of kids killed by gun violence.  Addressing children’s mental health after the shooting in Texas. Live from Lincoln Park. A funeral for Monty. And what’s on stage with Hedy Weiss.

A look at Illinois gun laws in the wake of the tragic mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas. Plus, City Hall bets big on a Bally’s casino.  And new research into long-haul COVID-19. 

Congress members react to a shooting at a Texas elementary school. The Chicago Teachers Union’s new president. Traffic deaths reach record levels. And part two of our series: Turning Pain Into Purpose.

The mayor’s curfew ordinance put off for now, but a big step forward in the casino bid from Bally’s. Plus, retail sales bounce back, what to know about monkeypox, and mothers of kids lost to gun violence turn pain into purpose.

Chicago-area retail stores hit record-high sales, but that's not without impacting online buying as Amazon looks to sublet warehouse space. Meanwhile, legal limbo over nearly 200 pot shop licenses could soon come to an end.

A Black Voices, Latino Voices crossover conversation on Chicago’s new controversial ward map and the teen curfew debate. Plus, a local artist turning discarded materials into art.

A Latino Voices, Black Voices crossover conversation on Chicago’s new ward map. A pilot program aimed at defending undocumented immigrants facing deportation. And a local rugby program back in action.

We’re live from Humboldt Park. Plus, the Chicago Park District’s new CEO on cleaning up a culture of sexual abuse; behind a new push to protect 30% of Illinois land for preservation and a library gets an artist-in-residence.

The mayor’s new curfew proposal for teens. A fight for power in the Chicago Teachers Union. A new study on the unaffordability of child care. And how a name change could affect your vaccine card.

Illinois lawmakers on abortion, crime and more. Three deaths at a Rogers Park assisted living facility. Congress hears testimony about UFOs. And putting the brakes on the Carvana tower in Skokie.

The city’s response to violence at Millennium Park and alderpeople discuss Chicago’s newly-approved ward map. Plus, the rise in racist hate crimes and white supremacy, and business headlines from Crain’s.