Stories by WTTW News

Spotlight Politics on the latest Republican to enter the governor’s race. Parenting amid a pandemic. The re-organized rollout of 5G cell service. And a famous architect’s favorite Chicago restaurant.

Omicron’s impact on nursing home residents and staff. Access to birth control gets easier. Problems getting supplies to Illinois prison inmates. And the Shedd Aquarium’s half-a-billion dollar upgrade.

A new entrant in the race for Illinois governor is creating buzz. Plus, what's behind a nationwide blood shortage? And commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Muhammed Ali Day. We also remember a photographer who documented the civil rights movement. 

Concerns over kids’ mental health are on the rise. Plus, protecting workers from wage theft, Mexican printmaking makes a comeback, and who wants a free mosaic mural?

What’s at stake for Black voters in Illinois as voting rights bills flounder. Afro-optimism is the word for our Black Voices Book Club pick. And remembering Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali.

Spotting COVID-19 testing scams. Schools change their rules on COVID-19 quarantining. Live from Skokie. Why opioid deaths among older Americans have soared. And WTTW’s “Wild Travels” are back.

Labor peace for the time being at CPS but will it last? Omicron numbers start to plateau. Art Institute workers unionize. The race for governor starts to heat up. And a goldfish goes for a drive. 

The latest on CTU labor action as students are set to return Wednesday. Plus, the fight over voting rights. Illinois House speaker's one-year anniversary. And a local radio news anchor signs off after 51 years.

The latest on the standoff over in-person learning at Chicago Public Schools. Will there be school this week? The Bears chart a path forward. What local leaders plan to do about homelessness during the winter months.

The standoff between CPS and the teachers union leaves parents in the lurch. Plus, contracts for domestic workers. And meet a local man turning his pandemic hobby into a business. 

Parents react to this week’s shutdown of Chicago Public Schools. The story of civil rights legend Mamie Till Mobley gets told on the small screen. Plus, a downtown office building partners with a Black-owned art gallery.

One-on-one with Mayor Lightfoot as classes are canceled for a second day. Will there be school tomorrow? Local members of congress and observers reflect on one year since the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

The latest on the teachers union’s decision to be out of  the classroom. The CEO of one of the city’s largest hospitals on record COVID-19 hospitalization rates. And behind a local fast-food favorite.

Chicago Public Schools parents brace for a potential cancellation of classes Wednesday. The city’s top doc on surging COVID-19 numbers. A long-serving congressman announces his next move.

Starbucks workers at a location in the Loop make moves to unionize. Ann Dwyer has details on that story and more.

Confusion and threats of a CTU work stoppage as CPS kids return to school. COVID-19 hospitalizations are at an all-time high. Day one of Chicago’s indoor vaccine mandate. And what 2022 holds in store for the housing market.

A look back at some of our favorite Latino Voices stories of 2021: from the potential impact of the sweeping infrastructure law to a group helping refugee women start a new life, and more.

A look back at some of our favorite Black Voices stories of 2021— from a look at how tech leaves marginalized people behind, to the Chicago Sky’s history-making WNBA Championship  — and so much in between.

The latest on testing snafus and rising COVID cases. One-on-one with CPS CEO on plans to bring kids safely back to school. New laws on the books for 2022. And the Bears get ready to tackle the Giants.

New laws take effect at the start of the new year. One-on-one with the city's public health commissioner. A report on public transit ridership during the pandemic. Our Spotlight Politics and more.

Confusion surrounds the CPS return to school COVID-19 testing protocols. Restaurants push back against the vaccine mandate. COVID-19 cases explode in jails. And inside the life of photographer Vivian Maier.

Spiking omicron cases and major headaches with air travel. The region approaches a record snow drought. A halt on student debt payments. And remembering the late Lincoln Park Zoo chief Lester Fisher.

The holidays can be tough to handle. Advice from mental health professionals. Previewing the Bears Seahawks matchup. And a Mexican Catholic tradition celebrated in Buena Park.

The race for COVID-19 tests ahead of the holidays. The latest on Pfizer’s newly approved COVID-19 pill. How businesses are reacting to the mayor’s new vaccine mandate. And what’s behind a shortage of Santas.

The latest on Mayor Lightfoot’s sweeping indoor vaccination mandates. A look inside overstretched hospitals. An exclusive one-on-one with the Smollett special prosecutor on his scathing report into Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

Amtrak trains now run at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Ann Dwyer has details on that story and more.