Stories by WTTW News

A police officer with Proud Boy ties returns to the job. The likelihood of a deadly train derailment in Illinois. Highlights from tonight’s mayoral debate. And making art from unexpected items.

Unexpected household items are the focus of a local artist creating portraits for her inner child.

“The Warehouse should be protected as a symbol of the rich history of Chicago’s LBGTQ+ African-American community, the incredible story of house music and the groundbreaking impact that Frankie Knuckles had on the sound of modern music today,” Preservation Chicago said.

Federal data show 272 hazardous materials releases involving trains in Illinois in the last decade. Predicting when and where environmental problems will manifest is difficult, but the risk is real.

SEIU Local 1, which represents 45,000 janitors, security officers, airport workers, home care workers and window washers, is the first major labor organization to back a candidate for mayor after the Feb. 28 election. 

Special prosecutor Lawrence Oliver on Wednesday announced a 14-count indictment against former Assistant State’s Attorneys Nicholas Trutenko and Andrew Horvat following the botched prosecution of Wilson, who was facing his third trial for the 1982 murders of police Officers William Fahey and Richard O’Brien.

The deficit reduction goal is significantly higher than the $2 trillion that Biden had promised in his State of the Union address last month. It also is a sharp contrast with House Republicans, who have called for a path to a balanced budget but have yet to offer a blueprint.

Officer Robert Bakker returned to full duty Wednesday, two weeks after members of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee demanded that Chicago Police Department officials do more to weed out extremists from the department’s ranks.

State lawmakers weigh new rideshare restrictions. Local doctors on their mission to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes. And the latest on the battle between a Rockford airport and natural area.

MedGlobal, a humanitarian organization based in Chicago, is composed of 12 physicians who deploy to disaster-struck countries to help in times of need. Most recently, three physicians traveled to both Syria and Turkey to help those affected by the disaster. 

Uber and Lyft are currently exempt from the so-called “common carrier” standard that applies to other forms of transportation like taxis, railroads and airlines. Some Illinois lawmakers want to change that. 

Mr. Beef, the no-frills sandwich joint in Chicago’s River North, has been a neighborhood staple for decades. But it became a national sensation after it was portrayed by the gritty, fast-paced show released in June 2022. The founder Joseph Zucchero has died at 69.

“I’m grateful to Director Jeffreys for his years of service, ensuring the dignity and safety of the incarcerated people of Illinois,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. 

At least part of the 300-acre Grant Park – known as Chicago’s front yard – will be closed to Chicagoans for 83 days this summer, including every day except June 2, June 3, June 4 and July 16, according to a schedule released Tuesday by the Chicago Park District.

Barring any last-minute court decisions, the Greater Rockford Airport Authority will soon resume construction on its cargo expansion project, bulldozing a portion of ancient Bell Bowl Prairie in order to carve out a new roadway.

The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options to JetBlue and other airlines.

President Joe Biden wants to increase the Medicare tax rate from 3.8% to 5% on income exceeding $400,000 per year, including salaries and capital gains. The White House did not provide specific cost-saving estimates with the proposal

All Chicagoans can cast their votes early starting March 20.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 23 people were shot in 23 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday, which marked Casimir Pulaski Day in Chicago.

A labor dispute at the United Center. The top environmental issues for the next Chicago mayor. A Waukegan airport’s push to expand gets pushback. And finding the most beautiful places in Chicago with Geoffrey Baer.

In a new WTTW special, Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a tour of some of Chicago’s most beautiful places. Some may be familiar, but others less so.

United Center concession workers are in the middle of contract negotiations with the hospitality company that operates the service. On Sunday, dozens of workers walked out on a one-day strike during the Chicago Bulls game. 

Crime has dominated much of the local and national media coverage around Chicago’s mayoral election. But environmental justice activists contend that environmental issues also have a significant impact on quality of life for residents.

The job fair, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CTA’s 567 W. Lake St. main office, will give job seekers a chance to attend information sessions on the bus positions and apply on site. 

New research shows that childbirth is still much deadlier for Black women — even those with the highest incomes. A new podcast retells a Bridgeport hate crime. And the Green Book for Black motorists during the Jim Crow era.

A proposal from the Waukegan Port District to buy 52 acres of forest preserve land to accommodate construction of a new airport runway is stirring up controversy in Lake County.