Stories by Heather Cherone

After more than five hours of debate, the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee took no action on the plan, backed by Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling but opposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The life and legacy of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who is largely referred to as Chicago’s founder, is being honored at a new park just east of where the Haitian-born trader settled near the river.

If lawmakers don’t reach a deal to reform the northeastern Illinois transit system and introduce new funding before their May 31 adjournment, transit officials say it will result in significant cuts, which would result in a “nightmare scenario,” according to Regional Transportation Authority spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith.

The cases are the first to be diagnosed in Cook County since March 8, 2024, when an outbreak of measles that began in a Pilsen shelter for migrants sickened 67 people.

Short plays, odd plays, an artful look at sports and celebrity — how about a rare Scott Joplin opera or a rowdy celebration of the mighty tuba? This being Chicago, you can do all of the above.

Ethan Hunt’s last mission? A new Superman? Happy Gilmore as a dad? Three genre-spanning Pedro Pascal movies, including a romance, a superhero movie and an A24 Ari Aster thriller? Hollywood is pulling out the stops this summer movie season.

The Head Start programs from Illinois and a handful of other states are suing the Trump administration after officials proposed slashing federal funding for early childcare and education programs across the country.

The U.S. economy shrank at a 0.3% annual pace from January through March, the first drop in three years, as President Donald Trump’s trade wars disrupted business.

A judge on Wednesday released a Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University and was arrested by immigration officials during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship.

There was nothing subtle about Pritzker’s trip to New Hampshire, the state where politicians go to spark chatter about potential presidential runs.

The Trump Administration has launched another investigation into Chicago Public Schools, this time targeting its newly-created Black Students Success Plan, claiming it discriminates against students based on their race.

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

A new plan aims to rein in large teen gatherings. And what proposed changes could mean for endangered species in Illinois.

A proposal to allow Chicago Police Department officials to impose a curfew anywhere in the city with just 30 minutes notice is set to face a key test Wednesday amid growing concern the measure is unworkable and unconstitutional.

A proposed change to the United States’ Endangered Species Act could threaten not only to reverse decades of progress but accelerate the pace of loss, experts said.

More than 1,100 protest events are scheduled in nearly 1,000 cities across the country for May Day.

The car left a road, crossed a field and smashed into the side of the building in the small city of Chatham on Monday afternoon, Illinois State Police said in a statement. It traveled through the building, striking numerous people before exiting the other side.

Starting May 7, most adults catching a flight in the U.S. will be required to present a valid passport or a state-issued identification card that meets federal Real ID standards.

Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to reject Michael Madigan’s request for his convictions to be tossed out, claiming the former House speaker repeatedly lied on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense at his landmark corruption trial earlier this year.

Automakers and independent analyses have indicated that the tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales and make U.S. production less competitive worldwide.

Renewed debate over how to address antisemitism on college campuses. And how business owners in Chinatown are being impacted by President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The Cook County Circuit Court clerk may not be a political office you’re familiar with. The office is charged with managing court records and court orders — serving more than 400 judges across Chicago and suburban Cook County.

The U.S.-China trade war has been ratcheting up for nearly a month now. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on almost all U.S. trading partners April 2 in what he declared “Liberation Day,” with China becoming the main target.

While there is skepticism among some in the Jewish community over the sincerity of the Trump administration’s policies, some others are welcoming the actions as a positive step forward and the nation’s most aggressive push against anti-Jewish hate yet.

Across Illinois, protests have been gaining strength since the proposed cuts were revealed. They range from veterans protesting last month at the Capitol in Springfield to demonstrations by nurses and staff at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.

Mayor Brandon Johnson Johnson declined Monday to say whether Chicago police officers should continue making traffic stops for minor violations to find evidence of an unrelated crime.