Stories by Jessica Watts

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 announced the potential closures earlier this month as a result of an ongoing financial crisis in the district.

Incidents of sexual assault on college campuses are making national headlines after a former student at Cornell University filed a lawsuit last month alleging she was gang raped in a fraternity house in 2024.

Third-party candidate Whitfield Harrington Jr. is running as the nominee for the American Center Party, which he calls a middle ground for Illinoisans who are unsatisfied with polarizing politics.

About 85% of workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 1 voted to authorize a strike after more than 7,000 workers across 46 Chicago hotels were left without a contract as of Sept. 1. The workers include room attendants, cooks, dishwashers and other hospitality workers.

Political strategist Collin Corbett is running as an independent candidate for governor as he looks to fill a space he says has been created by polarizing political parties.

It’s a new era for CTA, Metra and Pace as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority becomes the new oversight agency for all three systems. NITA was created by the Illinois General Assembly as part of a $1.5 billion transit bill.

One of Chicago’s oldest rivalries is back this Sunday as the Bears face off against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. It’s their first meeting since a nail-biting playoff game last season.

The new Ryan Field is the most expensive college football stadium ever. It’s an $870 million development featuring closer seats, classic Chicago food and new game-day festivities.

The study, which tracks 100 years of ward redistricting in Chicago and Milwaukee, found that 15% of Chicago’s land has never changed wards.

The $900 million project would move the Midwest Maintenance Facility to a dormant railyard along South Canal Street from 33rd to 35th streets, next to Rate Field. Amtrak officials have been met with pushback from residents in Bridgeport, Chinatown and Armour Square.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-California) reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act. The bill has undergone several revisions since it was first introduced in 2021 and now faces lawmakers for the fourth time.

Lonnie Bunch was named secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 2019. He began his career at the Smithsonian at the National Air and Space Museum in 1978 and took on a new role in 2005 to lead the development of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Residents are pushing back on plans to build a 24/7 Amtrak maintenance facility in Bridgeport. The transportation company said a new site is necessary, citing the current South Loop location as “undersized and fragmented.”

A recent NORC at the University of Chicago poll said 44% of Chicagoans think crime is going up, despite CPD data saying otherwise.

In recent months, automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) have gained national attention as critics voice concerns about surveillance of private citizens. ALPRs can read license plate data and record a vehicle’s make, model and color to help build a profile on a potential suspect in police searches.

A growing population of invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes is leaving millions of people with itchy, painful bites. And severe summer storms have created more standing water, which is where mosquitos breed.

Chicago’s race for mayor is on as candidates gather signatures for a spot on February’s ballot. Chicago-born Toni Brooks was one of the first to announce she’d be looking to lead the city. The U.S. Army National Guard veteran said she is the right person to rebuild Chicago, one block at a time.

For years, Southeast Side residents have complained of foul odors plaguing their neighborhood. The smell is allegedly coming from Pullman Innovations, a vegetable oil plant in South Deering. Neighbors said the smell resembles everything from sewage, to rotting meat, to corpses.

Thousands of kids flooded the hallways of Chicago Public Schools on Monday for the first day of school, but many of these students may become chronically absent as the school year continues — meaning they will miss 10% or more of classroom instruction.

The Trump administration recently announced a proposal to overhaul Head Start, an early childcare education program that aims to serve children below the federal poverty level — including those who are experiencing homelessness or are in foster care.

Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Transportation announced that e-bikes and e-scooters are seeing more riders than ever.

Illinois is continuing its tense relationship with the federal government through an ongoing series of legal battles. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined “Chicago Tonight” to provide an update on pending litigation against the Trump administration.

“Other Washingtons” is an art intervention located around the George Washington statue at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive that features artists, inventors, educators and other inspirational leaders, all with the last name Washington.

Chicago’s race for mayor is officially underway as candidates begin collecting signatures this week for a spot on February’s ballot. Former cardiologist Lisa Nee is making the case for her spot through a campaign focused on affordability, safety and fiscal responsibility.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House voted to end the twice yearly changing of the clocks by passing the Sunshine Protection Act. As the act makes its way to the Senate where it still needs approval, some are voicing concerns

As the country faces unprecedented affordability crises, rising mental and physical health issues, and a polarizing political climate, a new documentary seeks to discover whether the American Dream can be realized.