Stories by Matt Masterson
Ex-Board VP Sendhil Revuluri Drops Out of Race to Become Chicago School Board President
| Matt Masterson
Former Chicago Board of Education vice president Sendhil Revuluri is ending his campaign to become the board’s first-ever elected president, blaming “special-interest cash” for blocking out the “voices of real Chicagoans.”
Chicago Woman Accused of Social Security Fraud After Hiding Mother’s Body in Freezer for 2 Years
| Matt Masterson
The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday announced the charges against Eva Bratcher, 72, who was indicted late last month on counts including theft of government property and fraud, misrepresentation or misuse of Social Security benefits.
11 Current, Former Ford Heights Officials Charged With Using Public Funds for Private Travel
| Matt Masterson
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office on Friday announced 79 felony charges against 11 current and former elected officials and employees of the village of Ford Heights.
On Laquan McDonald’s Birthday, Duckworth Reintroduces Bill Aiming to Prevent Police-Involved Deaths
| Matt Masterson
On what would have been Laquan McDonald’s 29th birthday, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is reintroducing legislation that would incentivize the use of independent, impartial investigations into the use of deadly force by law enforcement officials.
Federal Prosecutor at Center of Botched ‘Broadview Six’ Case Retires, Defends Conduct
| Matt Masterson
The embattled federal prosecutor whose alleged misconduct before a grand jury last year led to the dismissal of the “Broadview Six” case and a review of her previous cases has left Chicago’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
CPS Enrollment Drops by 11K Students Amid Questions Over Possible Future School Closures
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King said the district’s 20th day enrollment — which is typically used as the official student count in a given year — has fallen to 304,687 students in the 2026-27 academic year.
Northwestern’s Non-Tenure, Adjunct Faculty Launch New Unionization Bid
| Matt Masterson
Wednesday marked the launch of a new union organizing drive by non-tenure eligible and adjunct faculty at the Evanston-based university after two years of organizing conversations.
Judge Sets Hearing Date as ‘Broadview Six’ Want Further Investigation Into Prosecutors’ Misconduct Allegations
| Matt Masterson
A federal judge will hear oral arguments and could rule as early as next week on a request from the former “Broadview Six” defendants as they seek a special prosecutor to investigate potential wrongdoing that led to the collapse of the high-profile case against them earlier this year.
Northwestern, UChicago Remain Among Nation’s Top 10 Colleges in US News List
| Matt Masterson
Both Chicago-area universities fell slightly in the new rankings, coming in a tie for ninth place, but they remained the highest-ranked schools both in Illinois and the Midwest as a whole.
Cook County Officials Award $4M to Suburban Groups Supporting Victims of Gun Violence
| Matt Masterson
The county program provides funding for numerous services including crisis intervention, emergency financial assistance and behavioral health.
15 Illinois Residents File Claims Against DHS Alleging They Were Victimized by Federal Agents During ‘Midway Blitz’
| Matt Masterson
More than a dozen Illinoisans are taking legal action against the Trump administration claiming they were victimized by the violence and abuse federal agents allegedly carried out across Chicago and beyond during the expanded immigration enforcement operation known as “Midway Blitz.”
Candidatos a la Presidencia de la Junta Escolar de Chicago Debaten sobre Presupuestos, Cierres y por qué Importan Estas Elecciones en Foro de WTTW
| Matt Masterson
La actual integrante de la junta Jessica Biggs, el exdirector político del Sindicato de Maestros de Chicago (CTU) Hilario Dominguez, el exvicepresidente de la junta Sendhil Revuluri y el abogado litigante Victor Henderson son los cuatro candidatos que buscan convertirse en el próximo presidente de la junta.
‘Broadview Six’ Continue Push for Inquiry Into ‘Poisoned’ Prosecution
| Matt Masterson
“The self-evident truth is that the government is still contorting itself to avoid the very transparency that it claims to embrace while opposing any further judicial inquiry into what transpired here,” defense attorneys wrote in a new filing.
Chicago School Board President Candidates Talk Budgets, Closures and Why This Election Matters in WTTW Forum
| Matt Masterson
With Election Day less than two months away, the four candidates running to become Chicago’s first-ever elected school board president faced off Tuesday to discuss finances, student achievement and their vision for the future of education as part of a special town hall forum hosted by WTTW News.
WTTW News Explains: How This Year’s Chicago Board of Education Elections Will Work
| Matt Masterson
For decades, Chicago has been the only city in Illinois with its board of education handpicked by its mayor. In the November general election, for the first time ever, all 21 seats on the board will be up for grabs, ending a reign of mayoral control that dates back to 1995 under Richard M. Daley.
Federal Judge Rejects Bid to Block Illinois’ ‘Medical Aid in Dying’ Law Days Before It Takes Effect
| Matt Masterson
A federal judge has denied a motion that sought to block a controversial new Illinois law that will allow terminally ill adults to take life-ending medication, just days before that law is set to take effect.
Despite More Diverse Applicants, Those Promoted in CFD Remain Overwhelmingly White, Male: Watchdog Report
| Matt Masterson
Chicago’s Office of Inspector General published a new report evaluating the CFD’s hiring and promotion processes, finding that while the initial firefighter and EMT applicant pool reflected the city’s racial and ethnic diversity, that representation shifted as applicants moved through the hiring process.
Nicor Gas Rate Increase Cut by $140M After Settlement With Illinois Attorney General
| Matt Masterson
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office has reached a settlement agreement with the Northern Illinois Gas Company to cut the natural gas utility’s requested rate increase by approximately $140 million.
8 Killed in Shootings Over Labor Day Weekend Across Chicago: Police
| Matt Masterson
According to the Chicago Police Department, 37 total people were shot in 30 separate shooting incidents between Friday and Monday evenings.
Chicago Officials Urge Caution, Safety on Lake Michigan During Labor Day Weekend
| Matt Masterson
Chicago public safety officials are urging caution for boaters and anyone else planning to enjoy time on Lake Michigan during the extended Labor Day holiday weekend.
CPS Reinstates Outdoor Activities Thursday After Extreme Heat Warning Lifted
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools is canceling all outdoor activities Thursday unless they can be moved inside amid another day of extreme heat across the city.
Judge Won’t Toss Charges Against Border Patrol Agent Accused of Sex Assaults Despite ‘Broadview Six’ Grand Jury Ties
| Matt Masterson
A federal judge has refused to toss out charges against a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent whom federal prosecutors allege operated in Chicago is a “serial rapist” after it was revealed those charges came from the same grand jury in the botched “Broadview Six” case.
Shootings, Homicides Across Chicago in 2026 Remain on Pace With Last Year’s Historic Lows: Police
| Matt Masterson
The city of Chicago in August saw its fewest homicides across any such month in more than a decade as the city’s violence levels remain in line with last year’s historic lows.
Family of Man Fatally Stabbed on Blue Line Train Suing CTA
| Matt Masterson
The family of a man who was fatally stabbed on a Blue Line train early this year is suing the Chicago Transit Authority and a pair of private security firms, claiming the agencies failed to protect riders amid an uptick in violence.
City of Chicago Suing South Chicago Chapel Where Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found
| Matt Masterson
The city of Chicago is suing the owners of the South Chicago Chapel, weeks after dozens of improperly stored, decomposing bodies were discovered at the facility in what city attorneys claim was an “immensely unsanitary” situation.
Ex-Loretto Exec Anosh Ahmed Pleads Not Guilty on Fraud Charges
| Matt Masterson
Anosh Ahmed, the former Loretto Hospital executive who allegedly fled the U.S. amid a federal investigation into his alleged fraud and money laundering schemes pleaded not guilty on more than a dozen charges Monday.
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