Stories by Matt Masterson

Candidatos a la Presidencia de la Junta Escolar de Chicago Debaten sobre Presupuestos, Cierres y por qué Importan Estas Elecciones en Foro de WTTW

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Illinois Joins Other States in Suing US Postal Service in Fight Over Mail-In Voting

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Wednesday announced the lawsuit, arguing President Donald Trump’s executive order is unconstitutional and risks disenfranchising voters by preventing states from effectively administering their vote-by-mail programs.

Meta Agrees to $17B Settlement With Illinois, Dozens of Other States Over Social Media Addiction Claims

Meta agreed to pay out more than $17 billion and must implement significant safety features to protect children on Instagram and Facebook as part of a new settlement with Illinois and dozens of other states announced Wednesday.

‘Do It Early’: Officials Urge Illinoisans to Submit Mail-In Ballots Well Before Election Day Amid Supreme Court ‘Chaos’

Local and state officials are reassuring Illinoisans about the safety of mail-in voting, while also encouraging them to return their ballots early after a new ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court could cause “chaos” ahead of the November election.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger Reinstated at St. Sabina After Investigation into Sexual Abuse

The Rev. Michael Pfleger has been reinstated at St. Sabina Catholic Church, more than a month after the longtime leader and vocal social justice was removed from the South Side parish amid new allegations of sexual abuse.

WTTW News to Host Town Hall With Chicago Board of Education President Candidates

“Chicago Tonight” anchor Brandis Friedman will moderate a panel of Jessica Biggs, Jennifer Custer, Hilario Dominguez, Victor P. Henderson and Sendhil Revuluri before a live studio audience of Chicago residents for an hourlong forum on Sept. 15.

Mayor Johnson Continues Push for State Funding as Chicago Public Schools Students Head Back to Class Monday

Hundreds of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students returned to their classrooms across the city Monday on the first day of school for the 2026-27 academic year as local officials continue pushing for more state funding to help prevent staffing layoffs.

Class Action Lawsuit Targets Indiana Power Authority Amid Ongoing Outages From Damaging Storms

Thousands of those affected by this month’s damaging downpours and ongoing power outages have joined a class action lawsuit targeting Indiana’s largest power utility, claiming it neglected “foreseeable and preventable” issues prior to the storms.

Ex-CPS Principal Sentenced to Year in Prison Following Nearly Decade-Long Fraud Scheme

A federal judge this week sentenced Brian Metcalf, a former CPS network chief and principal at Gage Park High School, to a year and one day in prison after he entered a guilty plea on wire fraud charges.

Illinois Tollway Board OKs 45-Cent Toll Increase as Part of $26.5 Billion Capital Projects Plan

The Illinois Tollway Board on Wednesday approved a massive 15-year, $26.5 billion capital spending plan that will raise vehicle tolls beginning next year.

Feds Not Yet Sure if They’ll Retry Pair of ‘ComEd Four’ Defendants After Convictions Tossed Out

Federal prosecutors have not yet decided if they’ll re-try ex-Commonwealth Edison CEO Anne Pramaggiore and longtime lobbyist Michael McClain on charges stemming from a bribery scandal targeting convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

NASCAR Won’t Return to Chicago in 2027, With Events Staying at Suburban Chicagoland Speedway

NASCAR won’t be returning to the streets of downtown Chicago next summer, as it announced plans to once again run three days of races at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.
 

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