Stories by Matt Masterson

Cook County prosecutors on Thursday announced Joseph Brooks, 22, had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Over 100 Peoples Gas customers and utility watchdog advocates gathered in the cold in Chicago on Wednesday to protest a $202.3 million requested rate increase. If approved, the rate hike would begin adding $10-11 per month to typical residential bills in 2027.

The announcement follows months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation that made Bondi the target of angry conservatives even with her close relationship with Trump.

The Responsible Gun Manufacturers Act, versions of which have been introduced into both the Illinois House and Senate, would prohibit the manufacturing and sale of pistols that can be easily converted into illegal “machine guns.”

This week marked Transgender Day of Visibility, an international day dedicated to uplifting members of the trans community while showing support for the protection of transgender rights.

There was no legislative resolution Thursday after both the House and Senate met for just a few minutes in pro forma sessions.

Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

Over the past five years, 59 petitions have been filed with the Illinois Department of Corrections from those incarcerated in Illinois state prisons requesting transfers all over the world. Only two people have been approved, and two more are pending.

President Donald Trump is in attendance as the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on birthright citizenship. And Republican Don Tracy on his bid for U.S. Senate.

Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy won the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in last month’s primary election, pushing him closer to his goal of taking over longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat. Tracy is facing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the Nov. 3 general election.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Wednesday what they are calling a path forward to fully funding the Department of Homeland Security and ending a record partial government shutdown.

“CHA residents deserve leadership decisions that are transparent, lawful and grounded in their lived experiences, not a process that prioritizes expediency over accountability,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

The Chicago White Sox home opener scheduled for Thursday was postponed due to weather. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for most of Thursday afternoon.

If the weather holds, NASA will send four astronauts into space today on a 10-day mission to the moon and back, something the agency hasn't done in more than 50 years.

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

TSA agents are getting backpay, but the DHS shutdown lingers. And betting on everything, in prediction markets — what you should know.

Once a niche interest, prediction markets have broken through to a wider audience. Now, lawmakers and the public are trying to adapt to a world where people can bet on almost anything.

Democrats are demanding that ICE agents wear cameras, identify themselves and operate without masks. Republicans and the White House have been willing to negotiate on some points, but a final agreement remains elusive.

According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02 — over a dollar more expensive than it was before the war began on Feb. 28. That’s the largest monthly jump the motor club has seen on record.

A federal judge on Tuesday agreed to permanently block the Trump administration from implementing a presidential directive to end federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the court, said the law “censors speech based on viewpoint.” The First Amendment, he wrote, “stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country.”

In a social media post, Jennifer Custer said she voted against Macquline King “because I listened closely to the voices of my community — parents, principals, and rank-and-file educators — who consistently raised serious questions about the direction of the district under this leadership.”

The Trump administration on Tuesday exempted oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said environmentalists’ lawsuits against the industry threatened to hobble domestic energy supplies.

The Chicago Bulls waived guard Jaden Ivey on Monday in the wake of anti-LGBTQ+ comments and remarks about religion he made in videos on his Instagram account.

March weather madness continued Monday with record-setting warmth followed by thunderstorms, and a cool down on the way.

Watch where you park on Chicago’s streets starting April 1 or risk a fine.