Facebook icon Twitter icon Instagram icon YouTube icon

Stories by

‘Immensely Invisible’ Details Investigation Into Sexual Assault Claims Inside ICE Detention Facilities

PBS NewsHour producer Zeba Warsi has been investigating sexual assault claims in ICE facilities since 2021. She teamed up with Latino USA and Futuro Investigates to tell the stories of three migrant women.

Breaking Down Bail: What Its Abolishment Means for Illinois and the Potential Impact

Illinois is set to become the first state in the nation to entirely eliminate cash bail. This is after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld a contentious portion of the criminal justice reform law known as the SAFE-T Act.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 28, 2023 - Full Show

How West Side residents are still recovering from flooding nearly a month after historic rainfall. We explore the media’s coverage of crime. And a national monument to Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley.

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, July 28, 2023 - Full Show

What the elimination of cash bail will look like. Sexual abuse allegations in immigration facilities. And capturing Cuba in a new photo exhibit.

Two Supermoons in August Mean Double the Stargazing Fun

The cosmos is offering up a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons. Catch the first show Tuesday night, Aug. 2, as the full moon rises in the southeast.

Week in Review: Rocky Wirtz’s Legacy; Northwestern Lawsuits Pile Up

Chicago mourns the loss of Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz. Northwestern hit with more lawsuits. The city strikes peace with labor unions ahead of the 2024 DNC. And Mayor Johnson meets again with the Bears.

Chicago-Based Photographer Documents ‘Enduring Ties’ With Cuba in Show at New Photojournalism Center

Alex Garcia’s pictures allow the humanity of his subjects to shine, free of preconceived notions. The show has celebratory moments as big as a fireworks show and as small as the back of a car. And it doesn’t shy away from the harsh conditions many Cubans face.

For Emmett Till’s Family, National Monument Proclamation Cements His Inclusion in the American Story

When President Joe Biden signs a proclamation on Tuesday establishing a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, it will mark the fulfillment of a promise Till’s relatives made after his death 68 years ago.

Pritzker Signs Bill Overhauling Mandatory Supervised Release

A new law in Illinois aims to give former inmates a better chance to succeed outside of prison and reduce the likelihood that they’ll be sent back.

‘Rock of Ages’ Captures the Music and Decadence of the US in the 1980s

“Rock of Ages” is a funky, feverish, hard-driving musical that is now storming across the stage of the Mercury Theater. A large, fearless and very talented cast, along with an exceptional band, capture the tumultuous beat of a decidedly “rocky” decade.

US Price and Wage Increases Slow Further in the Latest Signs of Cooling Inflation

New figures provided the latest signs that the Federal Reserve’s drive to tame inflation may succeed without triggering a recession, an outcome known as a “soft landing.”

‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’ Could Face Lawsuits Under Illinois’ Expanded Consumer Fraud Act

Crisis pregnancy centers are facilities often affiliated with anti-abortion, usually religious, organizations. CPCs range from volunteer-run outfits that can’t offer much more than counseling to facilities with licensed medical professionals on staff who can perform exams.

July 27, 2023 - Full Show

The Bears meet with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson again. Residents in Edgewater protest the use of a community center as a refuge. And how the current heat wave threatens the power grid.

Edgewater Residents Protest as City Announces Plan to Shelter Migrants at Broadway Armory

About 50 people gathered Thursday to protest the city’s process for deciding to use a Chicago Park District facility in Edgewater to shelter asylum seekers. The city has been under a state of emergency for months as it seeks to house the 11,500 migrants who’ve been bused or flown in from Texas.

Hip-Hop Vocalist Jovan Landry Talks Importance of Representation at Wicker Park Fest

Wicker Park Fest is celebrating 19 years with more than 60 bands across three stages. The annual event will showcase the talents of both marquee performers and local artists looking to get their names out there. One of those artists is hip-hop vocalist Jovan Landry.

Dangerous Heat Hitting the Chicago Area on Thursday, Friday

Parts of the Chicago area are under excessive heat warnings and heat advisories Thursday with temperatures expected to top out at 96 degrees along with a heat index into the triple digits, according to the National Weather Service.

WTTW News Explains: What Happened With Chicago’s Parking Meter Deal?

Maybe you’ve heard of the infamous Chicago parking meter deal. Here’s why it’s so unpopular and why it became a case study in worst practices.

Pilsen’s Historic Fiesta del Sol Festival Celebrates 51 Years

It’s going to be a weekend full of vendors, artists and local food at the Fiesta Del Sol festival in Pilsen. This year, organizers are celebrating 51 years of a festival that spans an eight-block space along Cermak Road.

Proposal to Hike Taxes on Sales of Million-Dollar Homes to Fight Homelessness Gets City Hall Spotlight

Supporters of the proposal say the change will help the nearly 66,000 Chicagoans who are unhoused by generating approximately $160 million annually — enough to address the root causes of homelessness by building new permanent housing that offers wraparound services like substance abuse counseling.

Illinois Driver’s License Facilities to Require Appointments in More Than 40 Locations. Search for Yours.

Starting Sept. 1, 44 driver services facilities in medium- to large-sized cities around the state will require appointments for driver services.

5 Things to Do This Weekend: Chinatown Summer Fair, Silver Room Block Party

A collectors convention, street market and summer festivals usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in and around Chicago.

Collaborative, Community-Based Violence Prevention Effort Aims to Professionalize the Field of Street Outreach

Communities Partnering 4 Peace led by the Metropolitan Peace Initiatives is one of many violence prevention efforts across the city working to address the sharp increase in gun violence that Chicago, along with other major cities, experienced during the pandemic.

COVID Unemployment Surge Led to $5.2B in Overpaid Benefits in Illinois, Including Fraud

Included in that sum was $6 million paid to 481 dead people and $40.5 million in unemployment checks written to incarcerated individuals. And, the audit warned, those numbers could be a significant undercount.

July 26, 2023 - Full Show

Hundreds of migrants still living in Chicago police stations. Are we alone in the universe? Hearings in Washington raise the question. And the end of the Silver Room Block Party.

Efforts to Move Migrants Out of Police Stations Stalled, Officials Say

Nearly 12,000 people, most of them from Central and South America, have arrived in Chicago in the past 11 months, stretching the city’s safety net beyond its breaking point.

Chicago Blackhawks Owner Rocky Wirtz Dies at Age 70

The Blackhawks said in a release that Wirtz died on Tuesday, calling it a “sudden passing.” No further details were provided.
 

Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors