Stories by WTTW News

Three U.S. Senate candidates join "Chicago Tonight" in their last forum before the March 17 primary election. Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Juliana Stratton on war powers, immigration and more.

The ASPIRA charter network intends to close two schools by April 3 due to what it says is a “lack of funding,” forcing hundreds of students to transfer mid-year while teachers and staff must now find new jobs.

An estimated 10,000 people in Illinois experienced “literal homelessness,” according to the IDPH report. An estimated 108,000 to 233,000 are living in unstable arrangements.

Announced in 2015, the Obama Presidential Center will open to the public June 19 at its 20-acre campus in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park.

Officers made an average of 732 traffic stops every day for an entire year that were not documented as required by CPD policy and state law, according to data from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Iran named the hard-line Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as supreme leader on Monday, signaling no letup in the war launched by the United States and Israel. 

President Donald Trump bounces embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. And three former presidents are among the crowd of thousands paying tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Friday’s ceremony, billed as a “homegoing service,” served as a celebration of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s life and achievements with singing, dancing and numerous speakers who reflected on the many ways Jackson impacted their lives.

There was no sign of the war letting up on its seventh day, as U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to rule out negotiations with Iran and called for its “unconditional surrender.“

The full story is now being told of how a tiny clump of moss helped investigators crack the macabre case of grave robbing at Burr Oak Cemetery.

Kristi Noem is out as the head of Homeland Security. And an effort to bring home the remains of missing U.S. service members.

A new study found that after the University of Chicago Level 1 Trauma Center opened, transportation time following firearm injuries dropped by nearly 10 minutes. Importantly, this translated to an estimated 79 lives saved for every 2,000 firearm injuries.

Inside the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, a dedicated team of researchers is working to solve decades-old mysteries by locating and identifying the remains of missing American service members who never made it home from war.

Kristi Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term. Her departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits.

JB Pritzker’s budget proposal calls for reducing the amount of revenue from income taxes that goes to local governments, therefore keeping funding for the Local Government Distributive Fund flat in fiscal year 2027.

The war has escalated each day, affecting an additional 14 countries across the Middle East and beyond.

Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

The U.S. and Israel launched the war Saturday, targeting Iran’s leadership, missile arsenal and nuclear program while suggesting that toppling the government is a goal. But the exact aims and timelines have repeatedly shifted, signaling an open-ended conflict.

The death toll rises in the Middle East as the conflict in Iran escalates. And who is expected to attend the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s services in Chicago.

Advocates for health care providers that treat low-income and uninsured patients are pressuring state lawmakers to pass legislation they say would prevent drug manufacturers from restricting access to medications that are discounted through a federal pharmacy program.

The war has killed more than 1,000 people in Iran, more than 70 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. It has disrupted the supply of the world’s oil and gas, snarled international shipping and stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers in the Middle East.

The war powers resolution gave lawmakers an opportunity to demand congressional approval before any further attacks are carried out. The vote forced them to take a stand on a war shaping the fate of U.S. military members, countless other lives and the future of the region.

Preservation Chicago’s annual “Chicago 7 Most Endangered” list aims to sound the alarm on historic buildings and sites at risk of demolition. By spreading awareness, the organization aims to mobilize the support necessary to save the threatened buildings from demolition.

Olga Bautista, who serves as vice president of Chicago’s Board of Education following her appointment by Mayor Brandon Johnson, is resigning her position, she announced Wednesday.

Data from the Chicago Police Department shows there were 25 homicides and 81 shootings across February, increases of 19% and 8%, respectively, over the same month in 2025.

It was “improper” for the department led by Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry to refuse to provide those records to the Office of the Inspector General, Deborah Witzburg said in a statement.