Stories by Shelby Hawkins

In Illinois, 1.9 million residents receive SNAP benefits, including more than 891,000 people in Cook County. Approximately 3.4 million Illinoisans are covered by Medicaid.

The parents of Chicago police Officer Krystal Rivera are calling for “full transparency,” including an independent investigation and the release of all available footage, weeks after their daughter was mistakenly shot and killed by her partner.

The busiest day at O’Hare is expected to be Sunday, with 300,000 passengers passing through the airport, a nearly 40% surge from the airport’s daily average, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

The statute Wisconsin legislators adopted in 1849, widely interpreted as a near-total ban on abortions, made it a felony for anyone other than the mother or a doctor in a medical emergency to destroy “an unborn child.”

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisers ordered the release of a dataset that includes the private health information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., to the Department of Homeland Security, The Associated Press first reported last month.

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

Gov. JB Pritzker names his new running mate. And a debate over the growing cost of police misconduct lawsuits — and their impact on taxpayers.

It’s a wrap on the most recent term for the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices delivered a slew of decisions on cases ranging from birthright citizenship to funding for Planned Parenthood.

Chicago taxpayers have spent more than $189.3 million so far this year to resolve police misconduct lawsuits. For some, the issue raises concerns about the city’s finances. Others argue financial pains are necessary to ignite meaningful change.

Unpermitted fireworks and sparklers are illegal in Chicago. That doesn’t stop residents from putting on DIY firework displays in city streets, backyards and alleys every year.

“Libraries are so much more than books,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. “They offer things like job searching and training courses, literacy support, de facto child care for working parents, language instruction, and most of all, welcoming and inclusive public spaces for the community.”

The five-hour hearing focused on questions about whether Chicago Police Department brass and officers violated the city’s Welcoming City ordinance, which prohibits all city employees from assisting federal immigration agents in nearly all cases.

Anosh Ahmed was among four people charged after they allegedly submitted fraudulent reimbursement claims to the federal government for COVID testing materials totaling nearly $900 million, of which approximately $293 million was paid.

“No, it’s not acceptable,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “No one is going to agree that the overspending in this moment is something that we should accept or be OK with.”

The events are designed for CTA leaders and staff to have open, informal conversations with riders about service, safety, improvements and rider priorities, according to the transit agency.

According to the Chicago Police Department, 56% of homicide cases were cleared last year, but only 23% resulted in an arrest. Gun violence advocates say discrepancies in reporting and poor communication with victims is leaving survivors without badly needed answers.

A study published Monday in The Lancet estimates that the USAID funding cuts could result in more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030. Nearly a third of those deaths – more than 4.5 million – are estimated to be among children younger than 5.

Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The three Republicans opposing the bill were Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The dispute has laid bare not only the differences between the Republican president and one of his most vociferous one-time advocates, but also has reignited the possibility that the world’s richest man will — along with his billions — reenter the political spending arena.

Assembled on a remote airstrip with tents and trailers that are normally used after a natural disaster, the detention center has been nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” a moniker that has alarmed immigrant activists but appeals to the Republican president’s aggressive approach to deportations.

The future of NASCAR in Chicago is murky going into its third edition on the first weekend in July. The three-year contract between the motorsports organization and the city that was announced in 2022 has two mutual options, and their fate is unclear.

The feds asked a judge to give John Hooker, a former ComEd exec, a prison sentence of 56 months following his conviction on charges including bribery conspiracy and willfully falsifying the utility company’s books.

Gov. JB Pritzker called the little-known former state representative “a proven leader with deep experience, steady judgment, and an unshakable commitment to the working families of Illinois.”

What’s behind Chicago’s low homicide clearance rates. And the city’s queer ballroom culture takes center stage.

Ballroom’s pageantry comes to life in the form of balls. Participants and houses compete in various categories for prizes, money and trophies. Some of the categories are: Runway, Vogue Femme, and Realness.

The Chicago Police Department exceeded its nearly $2 billion budget, approved by the Chicago City Council, by $207 million, according to city data.