Stories by Amanda Vinicky

Gov. J.B. Pritzker stayed mum on his endorsement plans when news first broke that President Joe Biden was dropping out of his reelection race, but a day later the Illinois governor joined with other leading Democrats in endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.

Say hello to Nagamo (Na-GA-mo), the sole surviving piping plover hatchling at Montrose Beach.

According to the Chicago Police Department, 20 people were shot in 14 separate incidents between Friday and Sunday evenings.

“President Biden united the country by defeating Donald Trump in 2020 and Chicago is grateful for his leadership and his service,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “Today, President Biden cemented his legacy as the rare leader who puts people above himself.”

Democrats are set to hold their convention in Chicago on Aug. 19-22. What was supposed to be a coronation for Biden now becomes an open contest in which nearly 4,700 delegates will be responsible for picking a new standard-bearer to challenge Republican Donald Trump in the fall.

President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the presidential election and will no longer seek a second term in office. The decision comes one month before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 

On the heels of the RNC, Republicans are revved up about Donald Trump’s chances in November. Meanwhile, more Illinois leaders call for Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic candidate.

Chicago’s trees bore the brunt of damage caused by back-to-back storms July 14-15, which spawned a total of five tornadoes in the city.

A growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers called Friday for President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid, even as the president insisted he’s ready to return to the campaign trail next week to counter what he called a “dark vision” laid out by Republican Donald Trump.

Butterfly sculptures have landed at nearly 20 parks across Chicago as part of the ongoing Flight of the Butterflies exhibit that kicked off this spring.

New safety requirements for carbon dioxide pipelines as well as a temporary ban on their construction are now in effect after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that passed the General Assembly earlier this year.

Illinois American Water, which serves 1.3 million people, is seeking a $152.4 million rate increase. Aqua Illinois, which serves 273,000 people, is seeking a $19.2 million increase. The requests must be reviewed by the Illinois Commerce Commission before the utilities are allowed to modify their rates.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will shut down a significant part of its operations from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8, WTTW News has confirmed.

The tally could continue to rise as survey crews are still in the field investigating damage at numerous additional sites across the region.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is asking voters to approve a 0.035% increase in property taxes when they head to the polls on Nov. 5.

The RNC officially comes to a close as Donald Trump accepts the GOP nomination for president. We’re live in Milwaukee.

WTTW News reporters are spread out across Milwaukee covering the 2024 Republican National Convention and the Illinois delegation. 

Trump’s forward-looking speech marks the climax and conclusion of a massive four-day Republican pep rally that drew thousands of conservative activists and elected officials to swing-state Wisconsin as voters weigh an election that currently features two deeply unpopular candidates. 

“I would rather have had Milwaukee Police Department, who know the people of this community, to have at least had an opportunity to address this situation before people who have no ties to this community and don’t care nothing about our extended family members.”

Tucker Carlson, Hulk Hogan and, of course, Donald Trump are set to take the stage on the final night of the Republican National Convention. We’re live from Milwaukee.

With time racing toward the party convention next month, Democratic unease is growing at the White House and within the campaign at a fraught moment for the president and his party.

“Dysfunction has seeped into their party,” U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood said. “I think their convention is going to be much different than this convention, in terms of the unity of what we’ve seen here. The chaos, the dysfunction and what’s going to happen in Chicago, I think could be really, really problematic.”

For the entirety of the Republican National Convention, a five-piece band has filled the arena with musical interludes. The keyboardist makes his home in southern Illinois.

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood called on Illinois Republicans to get out the vote for congressional candidates hoping to increase the state’s GOP representation from the current three seats they currently occupy.

Republican nominee former President Donald Trump has said he will only accept the results of the Nov. 5 general election if “everything is honest.”

Over the course of his career, Dennis Quaid has been known as a film star, acting in everything from “The Parent Trap” to “The Right Stuff.” Now, he’s taking to the stage for a special one-night-only concert happening Friday, July 19 at the Athenaeum Center,