Stories by WTTW News

Chicago Public Schools is facing a massive budget gap — two board members on the path ahead. And two independent congressional candidates are removed from the ballot.

The competition to take over U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s seat was thinned out this week after Chicago Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) and Mayra Macías were removed from the ballot for failing to secure enough valid petition signatures.

CPS CEO Macquline King unveiled a proposed $9.88 billion budget to close the district’s funding gap. The plan calls for $200 million in TIF funding, the layoff of 760 teachers and 801 support staff, and five unpaid furlough days for CPS employees.

A Chicago man is facing nearly a dozen felony charges following a shooting during an alleged standoff in the Albany Park neighborhood Monday that left a woman and a SWAT officer injured.

The question — posed by Mayor Brandon Johnson — will fill the final spot on the November ballot, ending a proxy fight between the mayor and his increasingly emboldened opponents on the Chicago City Council, even though the results will only carry symbolic weight.

The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and former Chicago Bulls NBA MVP Derrick Rose were revealed Wednesday as the cover athletes for NBA 2K27.

A complicated, high-stakes rescue of 30 beluga whales from a defunct Canadian water park is underway, with four of them arriving Tuesday at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.

More Chicagoans believe violent crime has increased in the city, according to a new poll, even as the numbers of shootings and homicides throughout 2026 are essentially the same as last year, which ended with the fewest recorded killings in 60 years.

Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.

The Cook County Forest Preserves Fisheries Division is piloting a nature-based solution to treat a water quality issue.

How two proposed ordinances could affect renters in Chicago. And four beluga whales went on quite an adventure — how they were relocated to the Shedd.

The mayor’s proposal drew swift and vehement opposition from landlords and business groups, with whom he has long been at loggerheads.

Chicago is more than six months away from choosing its next mayor, but seven candidates have already announced campaigns. Anyone hoping to get on the ballot can begin circulating petitions next week.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office will provide blue envelopes free of charge at DMV facilities and participating law enforcement agencies across the state, according to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. The statewide blue envelope program officially launches January 1, 2027.

If the board’s decision stands, Patty García will have a much smoother path to replacing U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, her former boss, in Congress.

The policy was updated nearly four months after Mayor Brandon Johnson told reporters existing CPD policy complied with an executive order he promised Chicagoans would lay “the groundwork to prosecute Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents for criminal misconduct.”

Finger pointing as officials say Chicago is facing a budget deficit. And are the country’s voting systems secure?

In a recent speech, President Donald Trump discussed foreign interference, noncitizen voting and vulnerabilities in the American election system — reiterating some widely disproven charges. The administration released a trove of heavily redacted documents.

City officials said last week Chicago is grappling with an $89 million shortfall — revised down from the $130 million figure the mayor announced earlier this month.

State and local health officials have still not identified a cause or source behind the higher number of cyclosporiasis cases the state and the city is seeing compared to previous years. The disease, which can cause frequent and watery diarrhea, is spread by consuming contaminated food or water.

With a vote next week scheduled on Chicago Public Schools’ $9.88 billion budget plan, members of the city’s Board of Education on Monday shared concerns over proposed cuts, a lack of state funding and their voting timeline.

Between temperatures that feel like 100 degrees and hazardous wildfire smoke that shut down beaches and pools, spending time outside this summer hasn’t always been the most enticing (or safe) plan.

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

According to motor club federation AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now back to $4. The average price a year ago was $3.14 a gallon. In Cook County, the average was even higher at $4.34.

One year of employee discipline data, obtained by WTTW News, reveals more than 700 cases of misbehavior across Chicago Public Schools. Case outcomes ranged from verbal warnings and written reprimands to suspensions and Do Not Rehire designations. Frequently, those banned from returning to work quit during the disciplinary investigation.