Stories by Patty Wetli

Blaze and Pepper — the piping plover momma and papa who raised three chicks on a Waukegan beach in 2024 — are back on the nest with a full clutch of four eggs.

Just five months into the year, Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $144.5 million to resolve nearly two and a half dozen lawsuits, exceeding its budget to resolve lawsuits alleging police misconduct by more than 76%, city records show.

“This is pretty much a wash,” Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) said.

Turnout gear, also known as bunker gear, is the specialized protective clothing worn by firefighters to protect them when they respond to fires or other hazardous situations.

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

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse amplified calls Tuesday for a global zero-tolerance policy from the new pope’s American hometown and raised questions about Leo XIV’s history of dealing with accused priests from Chicago to Australia.

Chicago’s beaches are opening Friday, marking the unofficial start to summer.

The mayor responds after federal prosecutors announce a probe of city hiring practices. And one on one with Chicago’s housing commissioner.

Amid rising costs and threats to federal housing grants, Chicago is facing a shortfall of nearly 120,000 affordable housing units. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new Green Social Housing initiative aims to address that shortage by creating a city-owned nonprofit housing developer.

A final vote by the full City Council is set for Wednesday. If the measure takes effect, it would reshape Chicago’s curfew law and could set a template for other cities struggling with public safety challenges.

The busiest travel day is expected to be Friday, when 1.9 million vehicles are expected to be on the tollway, according to the Illinois Tollway agency.

The Intuit Art Museum has a new name, tripled its space (from 6,000 square feet to 18,000) and re-invented itself as a true museum. The new space opens to the public on Friday and WTTW News got an early look inside and out.

George Wendt, an actor and comedian who was beloved for his performance as Norm Peterson on the long-running comedy series “Cheers” has died, his family announced.

Cook County Forest Preserves is on a mission to restore 30,000 acres of habitat to high-quality condition by the year 2030. There’s just one tiny little problem: a lack of native seed.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Patient and Provider Protection Act into law in 2023, after lawmakers passed it following the overturning of Roe v. Wade; it solidified access to abortion and gender-affirming care in Illinois and protects physicians who treat out-of-state youth.

Northwestern President Michael Schill said the funding will be used to help promote “greater understanding around complex issues that fosters informed, respectful dialogue among students of all backgrounds.”

“We’re not going to be intimidated by the tyranny that’s coming from the federal government,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “The diversity of our city is our strength.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is changing the way it approves COVID-19 vaccines for Americans — a move that will limit future vaccines to older Americans and people at higher risk of serious COVID-19 infection.

An Indiana man convicted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000 was executed Tuesday by lethal injection in the state’s second execution in 15 years.

The game between Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever and Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky drew an average of 2.7 million viewers, which made it the most watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms. Clark posted a triple-double while Reese had 12 points and 17 rebounds in the blowout loss for Chicago.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood announces she will not run for Senate. And the budget deadline in Springfield is quickly approaching — we hear from state lawmakers about their priorities.

It’s crunch time in Springfield, with the deadline to pass the state budget for next fiscal year less than two weeks away. Lawmakers are working to hammer out a balanced spending plan amid federal funding uncertainties and mounting pressure from agencies asking for more money.

Chicago's piping plover pair, Imani and Sea Rocket, are officially expecting.

When caught early, prostate cancer is highly survivable, but it is also the second-leading cause of cancer death in men. About one in eight men will be diagnosed over their lifetime with prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

The “Lincoln’s Legacy” collection up for auction features 144 items chronicling Lincoln’s personal and political life, from manuscripts and artifacts from his time as a lawyer in Illinois to his presidential campaign, leading the country during the Civil War and his ultimate assassination.

“I’ve decided the most powerful way for me to defend our values and hold Donald Trump accountable is to help Democrats win back the House,” U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood said in a statement.