Stories by Associated Press

The number of incarcerated women in the United States dropped by tens of thousands because of COVID-19. But as the criminal justice system returns to business as usual and prison populations creep back to pre-pandemic norms, more children are being separated from their mothers.

A plan to provide $51 million in migrant care passed by a comfortable margin at this week’s Chicago City Council meeting. But the lead-up to that vote was met with upheaval and racist remarks from audience members.

Chance the Rapper’s nonprofit is trying to make sure Chicagoans have access to mental health care in an initiative called My State of Mind. It has offered nearly 3,000 different wellness programs since its 2019 inception.

The Treasury Department had warned that the country would start running short of cash on Monday, which would have sent shockwaves through the U.S. and global economies.

Openlands is hosting guided paddling trips through the African American Heritage Water Trail on the Far South Side. It’s a way to experience how Black history and nature intersect.

The celebration kicks off with a Community Day on June 8 and continues through the weekend with a parade, carnival, musical and dance performances, arts, workshops, and of course, plenty of good food.

In “The Shoemaker’s Magician,” Cynthia Pelayo blends film history and Chicago history into a genre-crossing journey into the occult. The story opens with the discovery of a gruesome murder in a downtown theater.

The Illinois state budget passed this week included increased funding for higher education. That was welcome news to Northeastern Illinois University, which has seen some financial and institutional turbulence in recent years.

Ruth Carter is a groundbreaking costume designer known for her long collaboration with Spike Lee and her work on the “Black Panther” movies. She is the only Black woman to have two Academy Awards.

After allegations of sexual and financial misconduct, the Chicago Board of Education voted to revoke Urban Prep’s charter. The state school board denied an appeal, and a CPS takeover looks imminent.

What the future holds for Urban Prep Academies. Chance the Rapper talks mental health. And paddling through history along the African American Heritage Water Trail.

City Council members debate over funding for migrants. Some welcome funding news for NEIU. And a new horror story set in Chicago.

The Bears look beyond Chicago and Arlington Heights. Emotions run high over aid for asylum seekers. And back from the brink on a debt ceiling.

Another week, another wildlife sensation. This time it’s a pair of protective peregrine falcon parents who are dive-bombing pedestrians downtown in order to steer them away from their nestlings.

Federal officials failed to conduct a required civil rights review to determine whether the deal would meet the Chicago Housing Authority’s obligations under the federal Fair Housing Act, according to the lawsuit.

Yep, it’s the annual appearance of cottonwood fluff, and if you were thinking this year’s showering seems excessive, you’re right. It is.

Building a stadium on the former Arlington Heights racetrack “is no longer our singular focus,” said Scott Hagel, the Bears senior vice president of marketing and communications.

David Dejesus, 16, and Yahir A. Torrecilla, 17, have each been arrested and charged as adults with first-degree murder stemming from the fatal May 6 shooting of 23-year-old Niolis Collazo.

The compromise package leaves neither Republicans nor Democrats fully pleased with the outcome. But the result, after weeks of hard-fought budget negotiations, shelves the volatile debt ceiling issue that risked upending the U.S. and global economy until 2025 after the next presidential election.

The nation’s employers stepped up their hiring in May, adding a robust 339,000 jobs, well above expectations and evidence of enduring strength in an economy that the Federal Reserve is desperately trying to cool.

A judge’s ruling could force Chicago officials to issue the final permit sought by the parent company of General Iron to operate a metal shredding and recycling operation on Chicago’s Southeast Side.

Live from Edgewater, where residents tussle over a proposed shelter for migrants. Investigating illegal trash pickups. And the latest on the debt ceiling as the default deadline approaches.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a deal Wednesday night to divert a U.S. default on its debt; the bill now heads to the Senate for approval. However, the deal was not without controversy for lawmakers of both political parties.

Broadway Armory Park is one of Chicago Park District’s largest indoor and active recreational facilities. Residents are worried this would mean youth and senior programs getting canceled or postponed and said it would be a loss for the neighborhood ahead of summer.

WTTW News saw private garbage hauler Groot making four separate pickups before 7 a.m. last week. It’s not just a nuisance — it’s illegal. Under Chicago’s noise ordinance, trash haulers are banned from work between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

By 2019, the life expectancy gap between the U.S. and the highest-performing nation had grown to more than six years. The COVID-19 pandemic widened that gap even more, as the U.S. had more deaths from the virus than any other country and has been slower to recover.