Stories by Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois

Some of Illinois’ largest school districts already have adopted their own limits on cellphones in their classrooms, including Springfield, Peoria and Champaign.

Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced Thursday the dates for this year’s spring and summer festivals.

Next year will mark 50 years since the founding of Chicago’s Black Ensemble Theater. Many well-regarded theaters have come and gone in that time, but BET is still growing under the leadership of its founder and CEO, Jackie Taylor.

U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island granted the preliminary injunction in the lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democratic states after a Trump administration plan for a sweeping pause on federal spending stirred up a wave of confusion and anxiety across the United States.

Brittany Hall, 31, of Chicago, was charged this week with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward and three counts of abusive sexual contact.

The proposal, House Bill 1910, does not provide for funding from the state, but it stipulates the opioid antagonists may be supplied by local county health departments. Training library staff would be overseen by organizations selected by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

In all, Chicago taxpayers have spent $101.8 million since 2019 to resolve lawsuits brought by 26 people who were injured or on behalf of those killed during police pursuits, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on Thursday announced that of the nearly 385,000 votes his office received between January and February, more than 165,000 (43% of all ballots) were cast for the existing flag.

A Chicago Police officer knocked Miracle Boyd's phone out of her hand, sending it into her face and knocking out one and a half teeth during a July 2020 protest of the Columbus statue in Grant Park.

Mayor Brandon Johnson defends Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city before Congress. And the latest on contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union.

For many Black people, Afro Sheen is a household name. Businessman George Johnson created the products in 1954 on Chicago’s South Side. He pushed through racial barriers to become one of the most successful Black entrepreneurs in the U.S. by the late 1960s.

Photography, film and fabrics are used to write the continent’s expansive story, starting chronologically during the liberation period of the mid-20th century up until today.

CTU leaders met outside Chicago Public Schools’ Loop headquarters ahead of Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting where they expressed hope that a new contract could be finalized soon if district leaders agree to their final demands.

“Any action that amplify fears of deportations makes Chicago more dangerous,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

Now, Attorney General Pam Bondi is seeking to join the legal fight, in alignment with President Donald Trump’s mission to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion practices designed to end discrimination and lift underrepresented groups.

Tariffs won’t affect the price of theater, concerts or museums, and that’s a good thing. Here are five ways to take in what Chicago has to offer.

The pause comes after Trump spoke with leaders of the “big 3” automakers, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, on Wednesday, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Veterans have already been speaking out against the cuts at the VA that so far had included a few thousand employees and hundreds of contracts. More than 25% of the VA’s workforce is comprised of veterans.

At age 90 and 95, this Catholic nun dynamic duo have been “peacefully and respectfully” fighting for immigrant rights for over 40 years. And they never take no for an answer.

Twenty people were killed in the city last month, according to new preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Chicago Police Department. That marks a decline of 35% compared to February 2024.

By a 5-4 vote, the court told U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to clarify his earlier order that required the Republican administration to release nearly $2 billion in aid for work that had already been done.

Trump’s prime-time speech Tuesday was the latest marker in his takeover of the nation’s capital, where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake America’s place in the world.

Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.

The stock market tumbles as the president’s tariffs go into effect — what it means for Illinois. And the state’s attorney general on legal challenges under the Trump administration.

In the six weeks since President Donald Trump has returned to the White House, nearly 100 legal challenges have been filed against the administration’s executive orders. Illinois has joined in on the conversations that range from the federal funding freeze to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.

The scale of the challenges that confronted Mayor Brandon Johnson during his first 20 months in office is likely to be eclipsed Wednesday, when he is scheduled to testify in front of the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the city’s self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city.