Stories by Matt Masterson

Sharing art, books and local beer, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday called it an “honor” to meet with the pope in the Vatican to express “the pride and reverence of the people of this great state.”

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

OnLight Aurora, a city-supported nonprofit, aims to provide high speed internet to the west suburban community’s institutions, businesses and residents. It’s also in massive debt, with a long history of questionable expenditures.

The Office of the Attorney General told U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that immediate steps must be taken to ensure the push to reform the Chicago Police Department results in meaningful change in the lives of ordinary Chicagoans.

Where budget negotiations stand at City Hall. And Illinois is rolling out mobile IDs — we explain how it works.

Alds. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), William Hall (6th Ward) and Bill Conway (34th Ward) joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the ongoing budget negotiations. Here’s a snapshot of where they stand.

Staff at the elections board fined Don Harmon’s campaign $9.8 million earlier this year following a Chicago Tribune report that it improperly accepted $4 million more than was allowed during the 2024 election.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth has fired a staffer accused of misrepresenting himself as an attorney and falsifying an official form to visit and secure the release of a Staunton restaurant owner detained by immigration agents.

The decisive, bipartisan work in Congress Tuesday further showed the pressure mounting on lawmakers and the Trump administration to meet long-held demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein.

A Democratic lawmaker from Washington defied her party by introducing a resolution on the House floor to rebuke Garcia, who represents parts of western Chicago and its suburbs.

Starting Wednesday, Illinois residents will be able to add their Illinois-issued driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet. The Mobile ID program will also “soon” expand to Google and Samsung wallets, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Johnson said there are currently only four people being held at the Broadview facility, a drastic reduction that comes weeks after detainees there testified they had been crammed into rooms with hundreds of others.

The mayor’s budget plan faces a major setback at City Hall. And Texas National Guard members leave Illinois ahead of a Supreme Court decision on their deployment.

The comments deepened the uncertainty about the Trump administration’s next steps toward Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s government.

“The military is not the method we use for law enforcement,” said retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner. “They are not trained for this, and we don’t want to put these young men and women in situations they are not trained for.”

The Chicago Fire has committed to enhanced bird protections for its proposed new stadium. Does this represent a tipping point for bird-friendly design in Chicago?

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education on Monday announced that total enrollment in Illinois public universities increased for the second year in a row and hit its highest overall level in 10 years.

“This withdrawal represents an unconditional surrender by the Trump administration,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “But more than that, it represents a massive waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Broadview’s mayor has declared a civil emergency following a series of “serious and credible” threats made against village officials and increasing protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

The refusal of the City Council’s Finance Committee to advance Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed spending plan is another sign there is no clear consensus on the bulk of Johnson’s proposal to impose $623 million in new taxes on the wealthiest Chicagoans and largest firms.

The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in the process of securing an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The beloved holiday tradition will return starting next week and run through late December, the Chicago Transit Authority announced.

Federal immigration officials used the popular children’s book “Charlotte’s Web” to name their latest crackdown, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

President Donald Trump says Democrats and the media are misleading voters who are concerned about high costs and the economy.

Between the end of February and mid-August, funding ceased for 383 studies that were testing treatments for conditions including cancer, heart disease and brain disease.

The most recent reassessment of the value of Chicago properties resulted in a “record-setting” 16.7% increase in the median homeowner’s bill, according to a new analysis from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ research team.