Stories by Heather Cherone

Treasure Hendrix, 35, died after ingesting a toxic cocktail of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and ecstasy, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Her death was the result of an accidental overdose, according to her autopsy.

Illinois’ new legislative session begins. Making it easier for kids in foster care to live with relatives. And connecting pregnant patients with free doula services in Cook County.

The Kindship in Demand Act, or KIND Act, puts an obligation on the Department of Children and Family Services to use a “kin-first approach” when placing children in foster care settings.

Illinois’ new batch of lawmakers will face a number of challenges in 2025. Chief among them is a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit.

“Doulas are really the experts at being able to support people emotionally and physically through this process of being pregnant, of labor and delivery and the initial postpartum period,” said Dr. Mary Tate of Cook County Health.

More than 300 license plate requests in Illinois were denied last year for profanity, offensive language or illegibility, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office.

As Michael Madigan returned to the witness stand for his second day of testimony Wednesday in his ongoing corruption trial, he told jurors outright that he “would not be involved in a quid pro quo.“

Three major blazes were burning in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, home of the famed Rose Parade. With thousands of firefighters already attacking the flames, the Los Angeles Fire Department put out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help.

The outgoing Democratic president also told USA Today in the interview published Wednesday that he tried during his Oval Office meeting with President-elect Donald Trump to discourage the Republican from going after his political opponents, as he has said he would.

A new annual report published Wednesday from the CPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) highlights the office’s major investigations from the previous year.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the state to come through for him in a major way to boost spending on the city’s schools and transportation networks — but Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Johnson and his team “don’t reach out very often, and it seems like they don’t have good relationships in Springfield.”

In a bombshell move, Michael Madigan takes the stand in his corruption trial. The Bears end a disappointing season on a high. And recreating a beloved lunchroom cookie.

Do you remember those buttery lunchroom cookies? The simple shortbread snack was a staple in hundreds of Chicago public schools; they sold for just a couple of cents for years.

Chicago Bears fans had high hopes for this season. A No. 1 draft pick quarterback and wins early on had some dreaming of the playoffs. But a 10-game losing streak put an end to those dreams and cost head coach Matt Eberflus his job.

The bombshell decision came Tuesday as the monthslong corruption trial at Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Building is drawing to a close.

The six plaintiffs will each get $4,000, with the remaining $133,500 covering their legal fees, according to a copy of the settlement agreement obtained by WTTW News.

If approved by the full City Council, violations of the ordinance could trigger fines of at least $2,000 and no more than $5,000. A final vote on the measure could come at the City Council meeting scheduled for Jan. 15.

Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before he takes office on Jan. 20 and as a delegation of aides and advisers that includes Donald Trump Jr. is in Greenland, Trump left open the use of the American military to secure both territories. Trump’s intention marks a rejection of decades of U.S. policy that has prioritized self-determination over territorial expansion.

One in five Americans have at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts.

It’s time to un-deck those “live” balsams, Fraser firs and pines. But instead of sending real Christmas trees off to a landfill, there are plenty of recycling options.

The independent monitoring teams for Chicago's police consent decree include former police brass who have previously been involved in consent decrees and reform efforts across the country. Despite their professional credentials, some members have documented histories of misconduct that might complicate the long-running effort.

More than 3,000 bald eagles make their home in Illinois during the coldest months of the year, the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the continental U.S., according to state wildlife officials.

Admission to Brookfield Zoo is free through Feb. 27 on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

In his first interview since the CPS board voted unanimously to terminate Martinez, Johnson said the current board members were carrying out his vision for the nation’s fourth-largest school district.

One on one with Mayor Brandon Johnson on the future of Chicago Public Schools and more.

Health officials have said the person was older than 65, had underlying medical problems and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.