Stories by Nick Blumberg
Potential Candidates Scramble After Lisa Madigan Announces Retirement
| Nick Blumberg
Carol Marin talks about the latest in state politics with Tina Sfondeles of the Chicago Sun-Times, Dave McKinney of WBEZ and Chicago Tonight’s Amanda Vinicky.
New Law Requires Illinois to Track Food Deserts
| Alex Ruppenthal
Research shows that hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans live in food deserts. According to a 2006 report, most of those in Chicago were made up entirely of African-American residents.
Chicago Says It Has Met 40 Percent of Paris Climate Agreement Goals
| Alex Ruppenthal
A new analysis of citywide carbon emissions data shows that Chicago is 40 percent of the way to meeting emission reduction targets set under the Paris climate deal.
#BackOffColonCancer Doctor Urges Colon Cancer Screening
| Kristen Thometz
After losing a patient to colon cancer, a local doctor strapped a sign to his back urging people to get screened for the disease. The reaction to his unusual move was instant – and widespread.
Octopuses Might Not Be Loners, Study Shows
| Alex Ruppenthal
While little is known about the typically solitary lives of octopuses, new evidence out of Australia suggests that octopuses can congregate and socialize under the right conditions.
Preckwinkle, Other Officials to Jump In Chicago River on Saturday
| Alex Ruppenthal
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and about a dozen other elected officials will take part in a fundraiser aimed at boosting efforts to improve the quality of the river’s water.
Study: Vessels that Spread Cancer Can Also Boost Immunotherapy
| Kristen Thometz
University of Chicago researchers have discovered that lymphatic vessels, which are often blamed for enabling cancer to spread, can also boost a type of cancer treatment.
The Week in Review: Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich Breaks Silence
| Alexandra Silets
The battle to repeal the Cook County soda tax is prolonged. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich breaks his silence from behind bars. The hard sell for Amazon’s huge headquarters is underway. And the Cubs hang on to a division lead.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan to Step Down
Madigan will ‘seek a new challenge’ after end of 4th term
| Paris Schutz
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Friday that she will not seek another term in office in 2018, but declined to say whether or not she would run for another office.
PARCC Results Stable, Exam Likely Sticking Around
| Matt Masterson
On top of announcing its 2017 PARCC results, the Illinois State Board of Education says it plans to stick with the exam that critics have called confusing and unreliable.
Viewer Feedback: ‘I Have No Sympathy for These Leeches and Roaches’
| WTTW News
Viewers had mixed opinions about former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who granted his first prison interviews this week.
Chicago Actors Use Talents to Support Groups Threatened Under Trump
| Kristen Thometz
Actors take action by taking the stage once a month to raise money for organizations that could lose funding under the Trump administration. Meet the program’s founder and find out what’s on tap in September.
‘Hunting Charlie’ Seeks to Find the Elusive Enemy in the War in Vietnam
| Marc Vitali
Propaganda and political cartoons show different perspectives of Vietnam at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library.
Governor’s Race: Chris Kennedy Selects Ra Joy as Running Mate
| Brandis Friedman
Addressing violence is at the top of the ticket for a newly minted Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
Chicago Architecture Biennial ‘Showcases the Newest Thinking’
| Anne Strother
The Chicago Architecture Biennial returns for a second year to highlight the work of contemporary architects from around the globe. We get a preview.
New Chicago Police Oversight Agency Officially Launches
| Nick Blumberg
A discussion with Sharon Fairley, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, or COPA, which officially takes over on Friday.
Chicago Joins Bidding War for New Amazon Headquarters
| WTTW News
Amazon plans to build a second headquarters somewhere in North America. Can Chicago woo the tech giant and the estimated 50,000 jobs that would come with it?
Obama Foundation Hosts Public Meeting for Presidential Center Plans
| Evan Garcia
Community members get a chance to address key figures behind the Obama Presidential Center. A live report from the meeting.
Meet the Women Behind Chicago’s New Women in Science Conference
| Alex Ruppenthal
Honoring the 150th anniversary of the birth of physicist Marie Curie and its own 150th anniversary, Northeastern Illinois University this month hosts a conference celebrating women’s contributions to science. Find out what’s on tap.
Research Institutions Must Post Animal Adoption Policies Under New Law
| Kristen Thometz
Universities and other publicly funded institutions will soon be required to make “reasonable efforts” to get research dogs and cats adopted once they are no longer needed.
Cassini Spacecraft’s Stunning Mission to End With Fiery Saturn Descent
| Paul Caine
The Cassini mission has completely transformed our understanding of Saturn and identified two moons that could potentially harbor life. On Friday morning, the journey will come to a fiery end.
New Law Opens Up Funding for Managing Feral Cat Colonies
| Kristen Thometz
Counties in Illinois will soon be able to tap into their animal population control funds to support programs aimed at reducing feral cat populations.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Sept. 14-17
| Rebecca Palmore
Tacos and beer, live music, open studios and nerd humor usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Karl Ove Knausgaard Meditates on Being Present in New Book ‘Autumn’
| Paris Schutz
Scandinavia’s most famous writer, who penned a six-volume autobiography entitled “My Struggle,” comes to Chicago.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
Teen CPD Employee ‘Goose-Stepped’ Across High School Stage Wearing Nazi Uniform: Watchdog
Illinois Confirms 216 Probable Cases of Cyclosporiasis as Parasitic Infection Spreads
Wildfire Smoke Blankets Chicago as Air Quality Alert Issued With ‘Hazardous’ Levels of Pollution Expected
Logan Prison Is Moving 140 Miles North. Here’s What Employees, Incarcerated Women Have to Say
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter