Facebook icon Twitter icon Instagram icon YouTube icon

Stories by

Woman Struck by CTA Bus to Receive $20M Settlement

Attorneys for 59-year-old Diane Schachner announced the settlement Friday, more than three years after Schachner suffered serious leg injuries when she was dragged nearly 30 feet by the bus.

García Blasts Lightfoot on Public Safety, Vows Collaboration — Not ‘Finger Pointing, Insults’

Mayoral challenger U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García took direct aim at Mayor Lori Lightfoot Friday, blasting her for failing to prevent a tide of crime and violence in the city. 

Chicago Police Officer Who Admitted Being a Member of the Oath Keepers Won’t Be Fired: City Watchdog

The Oath Keepers organization is considered by the FBI to be a “large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some who are associated with militias” who have vowed to “not obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders.” 

Ex-Payroll Manager Charged With Defrauding Art Institute of Chicago Out of $2M

Federal prosecutors on Friday announced 56-year-old Michael Maurello has been charged with two counts each of wire fraud and bank fraud. His arraignment in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.

Pritzker Signs Law Expanding Access to Abortion, Protecting Out-of-State Patients

The law expands the number of health practitioners who can provide certain types of abortions; requires Illinois public entities to cover abortion, gender-affirming and HIV-prevention drugs as part of health insurance; and establishes legal criteria for ensuring parental autonomy in reproductive technology.

$1.35B Mega Millions Prize Drawing Set for Friday Night

The long stretch without a Mega Millions jackpot winner is because of the game’s steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million.

This Week in Nature: Cougars on the Comeback Trail and Their Road Leads to the Midwest

Remember the pair of mountain lions (aka cougars, aka pumas, aka panthers) that wandered into Illinois last fall? Scientists say folks east of the Mississippi should expect more of such sightings.

Cabinet of Curiosity’s Latest Spectacle Considers Pluses and Minuses of Earth and Outer Space

Given the current state of planet Earth, the concept of heading to outer space might not seem altogether out of the question. And leave it to Frank Maugeri to address the possibility of doing just that in his latest production, “The Icicle Picnic: Journey for the Sun.”

Negotiations to Continue Next Week Ahead of Possible UIC Faculty Strike

Negotiations between the sides will continue Monday, one day before members of the UIC United Faculty plan to go on strike, citing a lack of “significant movement” at the bargaining table.

US Kindergarten Vaccination Rate Dropped Again, Data Shows

The pandemic disrupted vaccinations and other routine health care for children, and also taxed the ability of school administrators and nurses to track which children weren’t up-to-date on shots.

MLK Weekend to Feature Tributes, Commitments to Race Equity

Annual tributes and commemorations of the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., which begin nationwide on Friday, typically include a mix of politics, faith and community service.

Move Over Bears, It’s Eagle Watching Season

January and February are prime months for bald eagle watching in Illinois, with some 3,000 of the raptors hanging out in the state during the winter.

‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy in Marquette Park

Over 50 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. marched through the park and hundreds gathered to fight for fair housing. How the community has changed since then.

Jan. 12, 2023 - Full Show

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responds to that campaign misstep. A special counsel appointed in Biden's documents investigation. Twenty years since the first step in abolishing Illinois' death penalty. And Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in Marquette Park.

It's Not Written in (Lime)Stone, Yet, But Promontory Point Is One Step Closer To Becoming a Chicago Landmark

Supporters of Promontory Point can breathe a sigh of relief that the peninsula's much loved stair-step limestone wall is poised, finally, to become protected from attempts to replace it with concrete.

Reflecting on the Road to Death Penalty Abolition in Illinois, 20 Years After Sweeping Clemency

It’s been 20 years since then Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 people on death row, marking a major step toward the eventual abolition of the death penalty in the state.

Former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp Takes the Helm at UChicago’s Institute of Politics

In 2012, Heidi Heitkamp was a trailblazer, becoming the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from North Dakota. She previously served as the state’s attorney general before an unsuccessful bid for governor. Now, she's taking on a new challenge right here in Chicago.

In Addition to CPS Teachers, Lightfoot Campaign Also Asked City Colleges Instructors to Encourage Students to Help Her Win Reelection – for Credit

The first email to City Colleges instructors urging them to ask their students to volunteer for the Lightfoot campaign was sent on Aug. 19, according to an email obtained by WTTW News. The second was sent Monday.

ACLU of Illinois Says Lightfoot Campaign Emails to Chicago Teachers May Violate Federal Law; CPS Inspector General Opens Investigation

The email from the campaign “is inappropriately coercive and raises First Amendment concerns. The Supreme Court has made clear that government officials cannot use their office or power to coerce participation or to punish for lack of participation in political campaigns,” according to a statement from the ACLU of Illinois.

Attorney General Appoints Special Counsel to Investigate Biden Docs

The announcement followed Biden's acknowledgement Thursday morning that a document with classified markings from his time as vice president was found in his personal library, along with other documents found in his garage.

Worker Dead After Being Trapped Under Collapsed Building in Bronzeville

The man was removed from the building just before noon Thursday and was being rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center in grave condition, Chicago Fire Department officials said. He was later pronounced dead.

12 Things to Do This Weekend: Jan. 13-16

Fancy footwork, Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations, professional bull riders and mocktails usher in the holiday weekend. Here are a dozen things to do in and around Chicago.

U.S. Attorney John Lausch to Step Down Early This Year, Attorney General Says

John Lausch, who has served as U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois since 2017, is planning to leave the office in “early 2023,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced during an unrelated press conference Thursday.

Chicago Public Library Celebrates 150 Years of Sharing Stories

In recent years, Chicago Public Library has reached major milestones — becoming one of the first big city libraries to eliminate late fees and allowing more than 100,000 formerly blocked accounts to start anew.

Bears Hire Big Ten Commissioner Warren as Team President

The Chicago Bears hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their president and CEO on Thursday, bringing him back to the NFL to help lead a founding franchise after three years running one of college athletics’ marquee conferences.

Chicago Police Again Seeking Help to Solve 14-Year-Old’s Killing

The Chicago Police Department re-published a crime bulletin and video showing a person of interest who is being sought in connection with the teenager’s killing. Thursday marks one year since the fatal shooting.
 

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