Stories by Associated Press

Michael Madsen, whose menacing characters in “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” made him a standout in Quentin Tarantino’s films, has died.

The U.S. labor market delivered another upside surprise last month, churning out a surprisingly strong 147,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked down unexpectedly, too.

Starting Monday, Divvy will offer reduced annual membership costs to new and returning members, in addition to launching upgraded Divvy stations downtown to improve bike parking capacity, officials announced.

At nearly 900 pages, the legislation is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations.

Just two weeks after upholding a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, the justices said they will review lower court rulings in favor of transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia. The case will be argued in the fall.

Officials at Shedd Aquarium say they are guardedly optimistic about the outcome of a groundbreaking surgery on 12-year-old Kimalu, who is now the first beluga whale to recover from general anesthesia.

If you can’t “get out of town,” as the Cole Porter song says, at least get out of your house or apartment. Start the second half of 2025 on sure footing — see something, do something.

How cuts to food assistance and Medicaid could impact Chicagoans. And longtime reporter Craig Dellimore on 40 years covering city politics.

For many radio listeners, Craig Dellimore is a household name — a voice that’s become a part of people’s car rides and train commutes.

CPD reported to state officials that officers made 295,846 traffic stops in 2024. But police dispatchers recorded that officers made an additional 210,622 stops in 2024 that were not documented, raising questions about how many traffic stops took place last year.

In Illinois, 1.9 million residents receive SNAP benefits, including more than 891,000 people in Cook County. Approximately 3.4 million Illinoisans are covered by Medicaid.

The parents of Chicago police Officer Krystal Rivera are calling for “full transparency,” including an independent investigation and the release of all available footage, weeks after their daughter was mistakenly shot and killed by her partner.

The busiest day at O’Hare is expected to be Sunday, with 300,000 passengers passing through the airport, a nearly 40% surge from the airport’s daily average, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

The statute Wisconsin legislators adopted in 1849, widely interpreted as a near-total ban on abortions, made it a felony for anyone other than the mother or a doctor in a medical emergency to destroy “an unborn child.”

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisers ordered the release of a dataset that includes the private health information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., to the Department of Homeland Security, The Associated Press first reported last month.

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

Gov. JB Pritzker names his new running mate. And a debate over the growing cost of police misconduct lawsuits — and their impact on taxpayers.

It’s a wrap on the most recent term for the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices delivered a slew of decisions on cases ranging from birthright citizenship to funding for Planned Parenthood.

Chicago taxpayers have spent more than $189.3 million so far this year to resolve police misconduct lawsuits. For some, the issue raises concerns about the city’s finances. Others argue financial pains are necessary to ignite meaningful change.

Unpermitted fireworks and sparklers are illegal in Chicago. That doesn’t stop residents from putting on DIY firework displays in city streets, backyards and alleys every year.

“Libraries are so much more than books,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. “They offer things like job searching and training courses, literacy support, de facto child care for working parents, language instruction, and most of all, welcoming and inclusive public spaces for the community.”

The five-hour hearing focused on questions about whether Chicago Police Department brass and officers violated the city’s Welcoming City ordinance, which prohibits all city employees from assisting federal immigration agents in nearly all cases.

Anosh Ahmed was among four people charged after they allegedly submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims to the federal government for COVID testing materials totaling nearly $900 million, of which approximately $293 million was paid.

“No, it’s not acceptable,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “No one is going to agree that the overspending in this moment is something that we should accept or be OK with.”

The events are designed for CTA leaders and staff to have open, informal conversations with riders about service, safety, improvements and rider priorities, according to the transit agency.

According to the Chicago Police Department, 56% of homicide cases were cleared last year, but only 23% resulted in an arrest. Gun violence advocates say discrepancies in reporting and poor communication with victims is leaving survivors without badly needed answers.