Stories by Eunice Alpasan
Public Safety, Violence Intervention Leaders React to Homicide Decline in Chicago
| Eunice Alpasan
More work lies ahead in preventing shootings and in saving lives, according to stakeholders working to reduce violent crime and provide needed support to victims and their families.
Jan. 26, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
A judge allows Chicago’s police misconduct agency to investigate fatal officer shootings. What’s behind the drop in homicides Chicago saw last year — and how to sustain that going forward.
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and Some Agents Expected to Leave Minneapolis
| Associated Press
Greg Bovino’s departure marks a significant public shift in federal law enforcement posture amid mounting outrage over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents.
Providers Say Feds’ New Rural Health Care Grants to Illinois Won’t Cover Medicaid Cuts
| UIS Public Affairs Reporting
Though every state got roughly $200 million, states with smaller rural populations are getting more per person than those with more people in rural areas.
Federal Judge Hears Arguments on Minnesota’s Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings
| Associated Press
The state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul sued the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month, five days after Renee Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs officer.
40 Years Ago the Chicago Bears Won the Super Bowl. Look Back at the Magical Moment
| Jay Smith
Forty years ago on Jan. 26, 1986, the Chicago Bears won their first and only Super Bowl. Take a look back at that defining game.
As Chicago Ethics Board Surpasses 6 Months Without a Leader, Enforcement Actions Stall
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failure to name a new Ethics Board chair has infuriated good-government advocates who have demanded that he do more to combat Chicago’s reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities.
What’s Known So Far About the Killing of Alex Pretti by Federal Officers in Minneapolis
| CNN
Federal immigration officers shot and killed a man in Minneapolis Saturday, drawing crowds of angry protesters to the shooting scene in a city already reeling from two other shootings by federal law enforcement this month.
Week in Review: Chicago Bans Some Hemp Products; Dangerous Cold Sets In
| Nick Blumberg
A jury acquits a Chicago man accused of placing a bounty on Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino. And the City Council moves to ban some hemp products.
ComEd Files $15.3 Billion Grid Plan Proposal to Address Rising Energy Demand
| Maggie Dougherty — Capitol News Illinois
If the investments proposed are approved in full by the ICC, ComEd expects residential customers to see an increased average cost of between $2.50 to $3 per month starting in 2028.
Judge Grants Voluntary Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Federal Agents’ Use of Force
| Matt Masterson
A federal judge has agreed to dismiss a class action lawsuit brought by Chicago journalists and protesters who sought to limit federal agents’ use of force amid expanded immigration enforcement operations.
Illinois Saw No Fatal Expressway Shootings Last Year
| Medill Illinois News Bureau
This development marks a dramatic reversal from 2021, when the number of expressway shootings spiked at 310. Since then, incidents have dropped 80% to 61 shootings last year. Of the 89 shootings in 2024, 12 were fatal. In 2025, the number of shootings decreased by 31%, with no fatalities, police said.
Illinois Surgeon Pleads Not Guilty to Killing His Ex-Wife and Her Husband in Ohio
| Associated Press
An Illinois doctor indicted on murder charges in the December shooting deaths of his ex-wife and her dentist husband in their Columbus home pleaded not guilty to the killings in an Ohio courtroom.
Exploding Trees: Legit Cold-Weather Danger or Overblown Hype?
| Patty Wetli
Exploding trees have taken the country by storm. Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Chicago’s Museum Campus Institutions Closed Friday Due to Extreme Cold, Public Encouraged to ‘Stay Safe’
| Patty Wetli
With an extreme cold warning in effect and actual air temperatures below zero in Chicago on Friday morning, several of the city's major cultural institutions have announced closures to the public.
Jan. 22, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The bitter cold rolls into Chicago, canceling some classes. And the Bears stadium saga is still playing out — where things stand.
The Bears Are Still Looking for a New Stadium. Here’s Where Things Stand
| Blake Thor
The Chicago Bears’ season officially ended Sunday in an overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Rams, but the saga of the team’s future home is still playing out.
Exhibit Explores the Influence of Mexican Railroad Workers in Chicago
| Joanna Hernandez
“Rieles y Raíces: Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest” takes a closer look at Mexican railroad workers and how the roots they planted still shape communities today.
Share of Chicago Property Tax Revenues Claimed by TIF Funds Grew 16.6% in 2024: Report
| Heather Cherone
In all, $1.59 billion poured into the city’s 108 TIF funds in 2024, according to the annual report from the clerk’s office posted online Wednesday.
Chicago Man Acquitted of Murder-for-Hire Charge in Plot Allegedly Targeting Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino
| Matt Masterson
A 12-person jury reached its verdict Thursday afternoon in the case of Juan Espinoza Martinez, who was charged in a murder-for-hire plot after prosecutors alleged he offered $10,000 for someone to kill Greg Bovino.
Illinois to Withhold Nearly $500M in Spending, Citing Federal Uncertainty
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker had directed agencies to “identify immediate spending reductions, including efficiencies that will result in reduced spending” in a September executive order.
Bally’s Chicago Casino Rang Up Just $15.8M in New Tax Revenue in 2025: Data
| Heather Cherone
The number of people visiting the temporary casino at River North’s Medinah Temple failed to grow from 2024 to 2025, leading to a 1.3% drop in tax revenues,
Chicago Public Schools, Many Suburban Districts Cancel Friday Classes With Dangerous Cold on the Way
| Matt Masterson
CPS cited “dangerously frigid temperatures” expected Friday in making its decision, saying the possible wind chills of -35 degrees will make it unsafe for students and staff to travel to school.
State Law Allows Chicago’s Police Misconduct Agency to Investigate Fatal Police Shootings, Judge Rules
| Heather Cherone
In the less than nine years the Civilian Office of Police Accountability has existed, its investigators have probed 138 deaths caused by CPD officers, records show.
Dangerous Cold Is Coming. How Low Will the Temperatures Go?
| Patty Wetli
Forecasters are warning Chicagoans to prepare for “dangerously cold temperatures” in the coming days as a deep freeze settles over the region.
State Agency to Probe Whether Owner of South Shore Apartment Complex Raided by Feds Tipped Off ICE
| Heather Cherone
The Illinois Department of Human Rights will investigate whether the three firms that own and manage the building at 7500 S. South Shore Drive committed housing discrimination, officials said.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
City Lawyers: Pay $250K to Wrongfully Convicted Man Arrested by Officers Repeatedly Accused of Misconduct
‘Pandora’s Box Has Been Opened’: Judge Blasts US Attorney Andrew Boutros as Another Case Tied to ‘Broadview Six’ Scandal Falls Apart
Powerful Storms, Tornado Threat Set To Deliver Second Punch to Chicago Region on Thursday
Chicago Braces for Extreme Heat, Destructive Storms. Temps Will Feel Like 100 and Winds Could Top 75MPH
Police Are Investigating a Large Burning Cross at Grant Park
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter