Stories by Josh Terry
Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for Jan. 21-27
| Josh Terry
Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
Trump Calls for 10% Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates. What It Could Mean for Consumers
| Joel Ortiz
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president has “an expectation” that credit card companies will accede to his demand that they cap interest rates on credit cards at 10% for one year.
Jan. 20, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
What the Trump administration’s cap on credit card interest could mean for you. And “Stranger Things” star Jake Connelly on his newfound fame.
‘Stranger Things’ Star Jake Connelly on Acting, Chicago Food and How He Kept Season 5 Under Wraps
| Shelby Hawkins
The final season of “Stranger Things” introduced us to a new character who quickly became a fan favorite — Derek Turnbow, the comic relief-turned-protagonist.
‘365 Days of Chaos’: Illinois Democrats Reflect on 1st Year of Trump’s 2nd Term
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed more than 50 lawsuits seeking to block various actions by the Trump administration to cut off federal funding or conduct aggressive immigration enforcement.
Chicago Won’t Buy Back Parking Meters, Johnson Says
| Heather Cherone
“The final purchase price was far too high, much more than they initially received for the sale, and higher than most reasonable assumptions would support,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
Jury Selected in Trial of Man Accused in Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino
| Matt Masterson
The jury was selected Tuesday afternoon as the case got underway inside a 17th-floor courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago. Opening statements are slated to begin Wednesday morning.
Chicago Park District Is Giving Residents a Say in How to Spend $500K
| Patty Wetli
The district has set aside $500,000 for a participatory budget program in which residents will have an opportunity to submit ideas and vote on the category of projects they want prioritized.
Illinois Medicaid Program Faces Looming Funding Crisis Due to Federal Changes
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
New federal rules contained in President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will impose tighter caps on how much money states can raise for their Medicaid programs through provider taxes.
Top EU Official Questions Donald Trump’s Trustworthiness Over Greenland Tariff Threat
| Associated Press
While the furor over Trump’s escalating calls for U.S. control of the vast Arctic island was a focus of an elite annual meeting in Switzerland, Greenland’s leader insisted on respect for its territorial integrity and said recognition of international law is “not a game.”
Peoples Gas and Nicor Are Seeking Rate Hikes. Here’s What to Know
| Blake Thor
Peoples Gas is asking the Illinois Commerce Commission to approve a $202 million rate increase, while Nicor Gas is seeking its own rate hike of $221 million.
Jan. 19, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
How potential gas rate hikes could impact your bill. And the impact of Black male role models in the classroom.
CPD Internal Affairs Complaints Hit Record High in 2025, Fueling Backlog: Data
| Heather Cherone
The Chicago Police Department must work faster to complete internal affairs investigations, Supt. Larry Snelling told a federal judge.
Trial of Chicago Man Accused of Placing Bounty on Head of Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino Set to Begin Tuesday
| Matt Masterson
Juan Espinoza Martinez is set to go on trial Tuesday on charges alleging he placed a bounty on the head of Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino last fall.
CPS Has a Small Proportion of Black Male Teachers. Educators Say the Representation Is Important
| Medill School of Journalism
“The more children can see folks that look like them, that talk like them, that understand the cultural nuances they have, the easier it becomes to teach them, the easier it becomes to reach them,” longtime South Shore educator Wayne Issa said.
Week in Review: Illinois Lawmakers Back in Springfield; Trump Threatens Funding Freeze
| Nick Blumberg
A new lawsuit over heavy-handed immigration enforcement tactics in Chicago. And what’s on the agenda as state lawmakers head back to Springfield.
National Lab Report Cards Earn Argonne and Fermilab Millions in Fees and Highlight Research Accomplishments
| Jared Rutecki
The annual Department of Energy evaluation shows Fermilab’s leadership and safety grades rose from C+ to B in 2025, yet finance‑system gaps and transformer shortages caused concern. Argonne posted strong marks and earned a $6 million fee despite lower publication output and an accelerator shutdown.
Illinois’ Clean Slate Law Allows Automatic Sealing of Nonviolent Criminal Records
| Maggie Dougherty — Capitol News Illinois
Illinois will begin a process to automatically seal criminal records for millions of adults in the state, after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Clean Slate Act on Friday.
The Bears Beat the Rams for the 1986 NFC Championship. Relive the Sights and Sounds of That Game
| Jay Smith
The Bears are meeting the Rams in another playoff game. We go back to 1986 to relive the NFC Championship Game the Bears won against the Rams on their way to Super Bowl XX.
Jan. 15, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Efforts to hold federal immigration agents accountable. And do the Bears have enough juice to get past the league’s top offense?
Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot on ICE Accountability Project, Documenting Alleged Misconduct
| Blair Paddock
A new project is underway with the goal of holding accountable federal immigration agents accused of misconduct. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is behind the initiative called the ICE Accountability Project, which allows community members to submit their own documentation of incidents.
James ‘Big Cat’ Williams on the Bears’ Divisional Round Showdown Against the Rams
| Blake Thor
The Cinderella season continues as “Da Bears” gear up for a divisional round showdown against the Rams on Sunday. Caleb Williams and company kept their Super Bowl hopes alive against the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, overcoming an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit.
Chicago Tow Truck Driver Charged in Vehicle Theft Conspiracy
| Matt Masterson
A Chicago tow truck driver is accused of helping steal multiple vehicles while he worked for the city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation.
Sen. Duckworth Calls for Restoration of $125M Cut From Lead Service Line Replacement Budget by Slashing Funding for ICE
| Heather Cherone
“ICE has not made any city that they’ve gotten into safer,” U.S. Sen Tammy Duckworth said. “In fact, in every city they’ve gone into, they’ve created chaos.”
Divvy and Lime Saw Highest Ridership on Record in 2025, Nearly 13M Bike and Scooter Trips in Chicago
| Eunice Alpasan
The Chicago Department of Transportation added 140 new Divvy stations with more than 2,000 new docks last year, along with expanding in-station charging for e-bikes and e-scooters, according to a news release.
Judge Who Set Restrictions on Immigration Agents’ Use of Force Will Now Oversee New Lawsuit on ‘Illegal’ Enforcement Tactics
| Matt Masterson
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis on Thursday granted a motion from Chicago and Illinois attorneys who sought to reassign their case to her.
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