Stories by Paul Caine

Mayor Brandon Johnson confidently reflects on one year in office. And Illinois Republicans want big changes to the state’s Prisoner Review Board after a convict is released and allegedly commits murder.

“It’s one thing to say that I think the judgment was in error,” Donald Shelton said in an exclusive interview with WTTW News. “It’s another thing to say that there was a lack of concern for a victim of domestic violence.”

Eileen O’Neill Burke declares victory in the tight Cook County state’s attorney race. Chicago City Council wants migrant evictions oversight. And Johnson supports public money to develop a lakefront stadium.

Too close to call in the race for Cook County state’s attorney. Johnson doubles down on his progressive agenda. And Arlington Heights sweetens a property tax deal for the Bears.

For years, researchers say there was very little advancement in the field. But in recent decades, prosthetic limbs have come a long way. And at the multidisciplinary Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in downtown Chicago, the next generation of bionic prosthetics are being developed.

Previewing the big Election Day races. Is the migrant shelter measles outbreak under control? And the Bears could build a domed lakefront stadium.

The cultural district designation will allow districts to apply for a share of $3 million set aside in state funding to support projects that uplift communities, spur economic development and preserve cultural heritage.

Trump is ruled ineligible in Illinois but will stay on the ballot. And all signs point to the Bears drafting a superstar prospect with the first overall pick.

J. Ivy is one of the most high-profile poets on the planet. He has worked with A-list artists including Jay-Z and Beyoncé. He even gave John Legend his “Legend” name. Ivy’s spoken word album “The Light Inside” just earned him a third Grammy.

Chicago’s Board of Education votes to remove police officers from schools. And the White Sox head to Springfield in the hopes of scoring a stadium subsidy.

The first major overhaul of the FAFSA form since the Reagan era was supposed to make the process simpler and quicker. So far, that’s not been the case.

Confusion over the end of the city’s ShotSpotter contract. State and county leaders agree to spend millions more in migrant care — but did Johnson renege on his commitment?

The Supreme Court seems likely to keep Trump on Colorado’s ballot, but a local judge lets an Illinois challenge move forward. And the White Sox reveal renderings of a shiny new stadium — with no details on who pays.

Historian, professor and filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the history of gospel music and its deep roots in Chicago.

A big decision on whether to keep CPD’s controversial ShotSpotter system. Ongoing tensions between the city and the state over how to care for new migrant arrivals. And an elected school board for Chicago is back on the agenda in Springfield.

A contentious vote in City Hall to back a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. And a CPS principal files a police report over allegedly violent rhetoric by CTU President Stacy Davis Gates.

Escalating tensions between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the sheltering of migrants. And former President Donald Trump works to kill a bipartisan border security deal.

Questions of transparency after emails show the mayor’s early knowledge of conditions at a Pilsen migrant shelter. And presidential campaigning moves to New Hampshire after Trump takes Iowa.

Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield with migrants top of mind. Bad weather prompts Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to suspend his policy evicting migrants from city shelters after 60 days. And a plea from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

Chicago bears down for an icy winter storm. And assessing the GOP Iowa caucus on the weekend before voters there go to the polls.

Claudine Gay resigned after backlash to her testimony at a congressional hearing where she was criticized for not doing enough to tackle antisemitism on campus. She also faced accusations of plagiarism. Gay’s supporters, however, said her ouster reflects a system that wasn’t built for people of color.

Saturday marked the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then President Donald Trump.

President Biden on the campaign trail — but it’s not just any campaign speech. And Chicago’s suburbs seek to block buses of migrants.

As the 60th anniversary of the war on poverty approaches, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law is hosting a one-day poverty summit, bringing together a diverse group of academic, community and government leaders.

Former President Donald Trump has been kicked off the ballot in both Maine and Colorado. At issue is whether Trump is disqualified from making another presidential run under the 14th Amendment due to engaging in insurrection.

Mayor Brandon Johnson assumes office and inherits a migrant crisis. Ex-Ald. Ed Burke convicted on 13 federal corruption counts, with Michael Madigan’s trial looming. We recap 2023 in a special year-end edition of “Week in Review.”