Stories by Matt Masterson

National Guard troops who were sent to Illinois this week were expected to be assigned to protect Chicago’s federal courthouse Friday, even as the chief judge said she never requested or approved their presence.

Ever seen a tree that looks like its leaves have sprouted warts or are suffering from a really bad rash? Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of plant oddities known as galls.

The Department of Homeland Security is looking to purchase more buildings in Chicago to operate out of, Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday.

A federal judge ruled Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Broadview facility cannot use “riot control weapons” like tear gas, pepper spray or rubber bullets against reporters, protesters and members of the clergy who aren’t posing an immediate threat to the safety of law enforcement.

“While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable,” Pope Leo XIV said.

“We’re headed into pretty tough waters here, turmoil,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “And I would anticipate … next year, and particularly the years after next, we’re going to be in a very difficult place as the federal government reduces its support.”

Texas National Guard troops are in Illinois despite objections from local leaders — what you should know. And advocates push for more equitable public transit reform.

Virgil Abloh shifted the meaning of luxury and who gets to participate in it. The streetwear-loving son of Ghanaian immigrants had a meteoric rise in the fashion industry — aptly calling himself a fashion “maker” rather than designer.

Chicago-area public transit agencies are facing a fiscal cliff. The budget gap for CTA, Metra and Pace is at $200 million, according to the Regional Transportation Authority.

Trump’s comments, posted to his social media platform, came a day after 200 Texas National Guard troops under the command of federal officials arrived at a military facility near Joliet over the vehement objections of Pritzker and Johnson.

The friendly match was supposed to be played on Oct. 13 at Soldier Field in Chicago but will be moved to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, the home stadium of Argentina and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi.

The federal government shutdown has entered its second week, and already shortages of air traffic controllers have strained operations and disrupted flights at some U.S. airports.

Interim CPS CEO Macquline King on Wednesday said the district command center in order to provide “round-the-clock support” to school communities experiencing “heightened stress due to activity outside their building.”

Pokemon Go Fest will return to Grant Park in 2026 for the first time since 2019.

Tonika Lewis Johnson, an Englewood native, explores the impacts of segregation and disinvestment in Chicago neighborhoods through her “Folded Map Project,” “Inequity for Sale” and “UnBlocked Englewood” projects. MacArthur Fellows receive a “no-strings-attached” $800,000 award.

Rep. Michael Bost’s appeal at the Supreme Court isn’t focused on the ballot issue itself but rather it raises the question of whether federal candidates may sue over election regulations — even if, as in Bost’s case, they represent a safe district and are highly favored to win election.

Nearly three decades into his career with the US Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino has become the on-the-ground face of Trump’s effort to surge federal law enforcement into blue states and cities regardless of whether local officials want them there — first in Los Angeles, now in Chicago.

The funding freeze, which came despite a full funding agreement executed earlier this year, comes amid a broader anti-DEI push from the administration. In announcing the pause, federal officials said they’d be examining whether the Red Line Extension involves “race-based contracting” that Trump officials claim are discriminatory.

While the number of officers carrying the gun “decreases daily,” CPD officials told the judge there is no firm timetable for all CPD officers to stop carrying the gun because of delays obtaining a new CPD-approved weapon or holster.

National Guard troops arrived in Illinois as part of an unprecedented deployment with a directive to protect federal immigration agents “in places where there are violent demonstrations. So where might that be?

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

Local organizers who have been working on the project for more than 30 years said the Red Line extension is essential for those who live in “transportation deserts” on the Far South Side of the city.

National Guard members arrive in the Chicago area. And the Trump administration moves to withhold federal funding for Chicago’s Red Line extension — a look at the impact.

The federal government entered its sixth day of a shutdown Tuesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of employees furloughed.

President Donald Trump’s efforts to send National Guard troops into U.S. cities — including Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Chicago — over the objections of Democratic mayors and governors have prompted a host of questions about the president’s authority and who controls the Guard.

Botched raids by the Chicago Police Department have cost taxpayers more than $5.5 million since 2020, according to a WTTW News analysis.