Stories by Alexandra Silets
Blair Kamin: Union Station Redevelopment Off Track
| Alexandra Silets
A $1 billion redevelopment of the station would add 330 hotel rooms and more than 400 apartments atop the existing station that was completed in 1925.
US Supreme Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban
| Nick Blumberg
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld an order restricting travel to the United States from several majority-Muslim nations.
Federal Government Ends Oversight of Cook County Jail’s Medical Center
| Paris Schutz
Inside the Cook County jail is a full-fledged medical center that treats every one of the 6,000-7,000 detainees housed there on a daily basis. We get an exclusive tour.
Report Examines Lead in Water at Chicago Child Care Facilities
| Alex Ruppenthal
Water testing at a Chicago day care center showed at least one sample 16 times higher than the lead level allowed in bottled water, according to a new report from an environmental watchdog group.
Chicago Poet Patricia Frazier Named National Youth Poet Laureate
| Evan Garcia
The 19-year-old writes poetry with a message of empowerment, social activism and remembrance. Meet Patricia Frazier.
Chicago-Style Magic Reappears in Andersonville
| Erica Gunderson
Chicago has a style of magic? It does. We check out a North Side lounge that aims to recreate the spirit of Chicago-style close-up magic.
CPS Pulls 2 Principals From Schools After Sexual Abuse Investigation
| Matt Masterson
The announcement comes as CPS continues to deal with blowback from a Chicago Tribune series that detailed how the district repeatedly failed to protect students from sexual abuse and misconduct.
A Look at the Biggest US Supreme Court Decisions as Term Nears End
| Alexandra Silets
The Supreme Court’s term officially ended Monday without rulings on a trio of hot-button issues. Those are expected by the end of the week.
Ivan Albright, ‘Master of the Macabre,’ in the ‘Flesh’ at Art Institute
| Marc Vitali
By all accounts, Ivan Albright was a lighthearted fellow – but in the mid-20th century, the Chicago artist painted some very dark pictures.
Illinois Governor’s Race Widens
| Amanda Vinicky
Primary voters decided the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor in March, but chances are voters will have other options in the general election.
Starting July 1, Chicago Hotels Will Need to Have Panic Buttons
| Nicole Cardos
Chicago will become the second city in the country requiring hotels to implement panic buttons.
When Does Taking a Moral Stand Cross the Line Into Incivility?
| Nick Blumberg
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders touched off a fiery public debate this weekend after tweeting that a Virginia restaurant refused to serve her because she works for the president.
CSO and Chorus Capture Beauty in Music of Death, Transcendence
| Hedy Weiss
Just as many Italian Renaissance paintings of the crucifixion possess a breathtaking beauty that defies the brutality of the event, this music continually captures a vivid sense of transcendence.
New Urban Gateways Program Connects Teens to Arts
| Nicole Cardos
A new program for teenagers lets them explore the arts in Chicago for just $5. Learn more about the Teen Arts Pass.
Alice the Corpse Flower on ‘Bloom Watch’ at Chicago Botanic Garden
| Alex Ruppenthal
Nearly three years after becoming the first corpse flower to bloom at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Alice the Amorphophallus is on the verge of blooming again.
US Supreme Court Won’t Hear Dassey Appeal in ‘Making a Murderer’ Case
| Matt Masterson
Attorneys for Brendan Dassey say he was coerced as a teen into a murder confession. But with the high court's decision, he will remain in prison serving a life sentence.
CTU President Karen Lewis to Retire
| Matt Masterson
The powerful head of the Chicago Teachers Union cited her ongoing battle with brain cancer as the reason for stepping down, according to a statement to the Chicago Tribune.
Bill Clinton in Chicago: This (Former) President Was Not Missing
| Hedy Weiss
In promoting his first work of fiction, “The President is Missing,” former President Bill Clinton on Thursday in Chicago demonstrated that he remains a super-smart, silky-tongued talker with both a healthy ego and an easily self-deprecating sense of humor.
The Week in Review: Immigration Debate Explodes in Chicago
| Evan Garcia
The immigration debate hits Chicago. The governor’s race heats up. The head of the Chicago Teachers Union steps down. And the Bulls have their pick.
Rain Causes Sewage Discharge into Chicago River on Northwest Side
| Alex Ruppenthal
Chicago has seen 6 inches of rain in June, well above the historical average of about 2.5 inches, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Web Extra, The Week in Review: Karen Lewis Retiring
| Evan Garcia
Paris Schutz and guests discuss the retirement of Chicago Teacher Union President Karen Lewis in this web-exclusive video.
Northwestern’s New Chameleon-Inspired Laser Changes Colors
| Alex Ruppenthal
Guided by the camouflaging abilities of chameleons, two Northwestern chemistry professors have developed a tiny, color-changing laser that could improve visual displays in TVs and smartphones.
Alzheimer’s Rate for Latinos Expected to Soar
| Paul Caine
Latinos are 50 percent more likely to Alzheimer’s disease than their white counterparts. Meet a Chicago researcher trying to find out why.
Sorry, Online Shoppers: No More Evading the Sales Tax
| Amanda Vinicky
A U.S. Supreme Court decision released Thursday will have consequences for the state budget – and for online shoppers.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
Chicago Police Board Votes to Fire Officer Who Tested Positive for Marijuana
2025 Chicago Holiday Events Guide
1 Killed, 1 Wounded in Shooting on CTA Train in Downtown Chicago
After City Council Rejects Effort to Crack Down on CPD Overtime, Johnson Imposes New Limits
Mayor Brandon Johnson Will Not Veto $16.6B Budget Plan Passed Over His Objections
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter