Stories by Patty Wetli

Sundogs form when waves of sunlight pass through ice crystals suspended in clouds. They resemble rainbows or halos, or can even resemble a second sun.

The Chicago Board of Ethics ratified the inspector general’s findings on Nov. 13, and Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin now has an opportunity to contest the results of the probe at a future meeting of the board. Each violation of the law could trigger a fine of $20,000.

The Colorado native has signed with the Chicago Red Stars through 2028. The contract is worth $2 million on a four-year deal with a fifth-year option, according to reports.

CPS announced classes will be in session for all students Wednesday as the frigid temperatures the city has seen this week have begun to dissipate.

The two employees, a manager and a supervisor, “incompetently performed the duties of their positions” on May 30, 2020, when they cited the leaders of the Chicago Freedom School, according to a report released Friday by the city’s watchdog.

About 7 in 10 Iowans who caucused for Donald Trump on Monday night said they have known all along that they would support a man who has remade the Republican Party through his “Make America Great Again” political movement. 

No injuries were reported, both planes were of Boeing design, and the FAA says it will investigate the incident.

The Chicago region remains under a wind chill warning Tuesday morning as bitterly cold temperatures persist.

According to the Chicago Police Department, 18 people were shot in 16 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Artist Tonika Lewis Johnson is highlighting historical injustices while working to revitalize vacant lots in Englewood. It’s part of her latest project, “unBlocked Englewood.”

Using the arts to repair homes and combat neighborhood disinvestment. And on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day we take a nuanced look at the revered civil rights leader.

“We have been carefully monitoring the forecast over the past 24 hours, and have determined that given frigid temperatures predicted for tomorrow, and a Wind Chill Warning from the National Weather Service that wind chills that could reach -30 degrees, it will be unsafe for staff and students to travel to school,” the school district said in a statement.

Decades later, warring interpretations of one of King’s most famous quotes have fueled a culture war over the merits of affirmative action and diversity and inclusion efforts.

Coretta Scott King discusses her husband's legacy during a 1978 interview on WTTW. 

Generations of Americans have held firm to a version of free speech that makes room for even the vilest of views. Today, that idea faces competition more forceful and vehement than it has seen for a century.

In recent years, more bars and restaurants in Chicago have begun offering nonalcoholic beers, wines and cocktails. Alcohol-free bars and bottle shops in the city are other options for those who choose not to drink alcohol.

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

“The next few days are a threat to the families and children you are sending here” because of the bitterly cold weather, Gov. J.B. Pritzker told Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

State law allows districts to switch to e-learning if an emergency like weather prevents students from being in school physically. But if districts want the option, they must have an electronic learning program established in advance.

As the 2024 election season draws near, voters will once again choose whether to cast their ballots in person or by mail. One Illinois lawmaker is proposing a bill that would make voting by mail the default option for people in counties and cities that choose to go that route.

The first of two rounds of snow made for a snowy morning commute Friday, with a second round set to hit overnight into Saturday. 

Helen Grace Caldwell, 58, was charged in Chicago’s federal court Thursday with wire fraud. Her arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Of the more than 30,000 migrants that have been sent to Chicago from the southern border, more than 200 were living at the city’s landing zone in the West Loop as of Thursday — using CTA buses as temporary shelters. 

Federal prosecutors have once again expressed their opposition to any delay in sentencing for the “ComEd Four” defendants, arguing it’s “wishful thinking” that an unrelated case making its way before the U.S. Supreme Court could put those verdicts in jeopardy.

The iconic gum, which has been sold since the 1960s, came in five flavors: Wet n’ Wild Melon, Cherry, Lemon, Orange and Peach. Each pack came with a temporary tattoo of its mascot, Yipes the Zebra.

Hundreds of migrants are using CTA buses as shelters at the city’s landing zone. Should citizenship be reserved for only those born here? And a community business hub is coming to Little Village.