Stories by Ava Odom Martin

“House Music: A Cultural Revolution” is celebrating the innovative and catchy dance music that still inspires prominent artists today.

With Vice President Kamala Harris conceding the race for the White House, Illinois Democrats who’d served as surrogates for her on the campaign trail weighed in for the first time on her loss.

“We will work to defend and expand the rights of immigrants at the state and local levels even when the federal government attempts to take those rights away including DACA, health care expansion and more,” said Dulce Ortiz, executive director of Mano a Mano Family Resource Center.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her remarks at Howard University, her alma mater and one of the country’s most prominent historically Black schools, in the same spot where she hoped to give a victory speech.

Darion McMillian, 23, of Harvey, faces felony counts of first-degree murder of a police officer, attempted murder of a police officer, burglary, possession of a machine gun and possession of a gun as a felon.

School districts currently work with processing companies to offer cashless payment systems for families. But the companies can charge “processing fees” for each transaction.

The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda. It would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, 82, and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, 77, are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud. They have each pleaded not guilty.

A unified Republican grip on Washington would set the course for Trump’s agenda. Or if Democrats wrest control of the House, it would provide an almost certain backstop, with veto power over the White House.

The race was eyed by political analysts as the most contested in Illinois, considered the only potential outlier among the heavily partisan boundaries that allowed every other incumbent to glide to victory.

An estimated 60.3% of voters said “yes” to theoretically adding a 3% tax to incomes over $1 million, with the funds going to reduce property taxes. It was one of three non-binding questions on the ballot statewide, meaning it’s akin to a poll with the results triggering no change in law.

Get ready for fun with this guide to neighborhood street fests, art shows, outdoor concerts and cultural celebrations of all sizes across Chicago and the suburbs.

As a Republican wave swept across the country, Illinois Democrats are set to maintain their veto-proof majorities in the state legislature, even with a handful of races still too close to call as of Wednesday morning.

With the GOP looking to retain its slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, all Illinois incumbents won their bids for reelection. 

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

The results of the hard-fought and expensive races will usher in a new era for the 325,000 students who attend Chicago Public Schools — and serve as a referendum on the leadership of Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former teacher, and the Chicago Teachers Union.

Nature was on the ballot in several suburban counties, with forest preserve and conservations districts in DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry asking for funding increases to support land acquisition, habitat restoration and ongoing maintenance.

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

WTTW News reporters are spread out across Chicago covering the 2024 general election. Check back throughout the day for continuous updates on local, state and national races.

Vote-by-mail ballots received over the last few days have not yet been counted; ballots will be processed and tallied on a rolling basis through Nov. 19.

Nearly 85% of voters on Tuesday voted to give businesses the ability to sell booze in that area, according to unofficial results.

The AP declared Eileen O’Neill Burke the winner in the Cook County state’s attorney race just before 9 p.m. in one of the most closely watched races on Election Day in Chicago.

Election Day is officially here. What to know as polls begin to close. And two very different visions for the nation’s future — our Spotlight Politics team unpacks that and more.

The victims, both men, were shot at around 1:15 p.m. in an administrative office in a nonpublic space at the popular tourist site, Chicago police Chief of Patrol John Hein said.

Barbara Taylor Bowman is known not only for her lifelong work in the field and for co-founding the Erikson Institute, but also as the mother of Valerie Jarrett, an advisor to former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Passing certain amendments in Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota likely would lead to undoing bans or restrictions that currently block varying levels of abortion access to more than 7 million women of childbearing age who live in those states.