Stories by
CTA Holding Friday Job Fair as Agency Looks to Combat Staffing Shortage
| Nick Blumberg
The job fair, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CTA’s 567 W. Lake St. main office, will give job seekers a chance to attend information sessions on the bus positions and apply on site.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, March 4, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
New research shows that childbirth is still much deadlier for Black women — even those with the highest incomes. A new podcast retells a Bridgeport hate crime. And the Green Book for Black motorists during the Jim Crow era.
Questions Loom as Lake County Considers Forest Preserve Land Sale to Waukegan Airport
| Patty Wetli
A proposal from the Waukegan Port District to buy 52 acres of forest preserve land to accommodate construction of a new airport runway is stirring up controversy in Lake County.
Toblerone Drops Iconic Design Due to Rules on ‘Swissness’
| Associated Press
Mondelez International of Deerfield, Illinois, which owns the Swiss-born brand, said Monday that it's in the process of adapting the packaging of Toblerone products to conform with strict rules in Switzerland about how products qualify for the coveted “Swissness” moniker.
Twitter Glitches as Links, Images Fail to Load
| Associated Press
The company, which has experienced an uptick instability and bugs in recent months after Elon Musk cut its staff sharply, said “Some parts of Twitter may not be working as expected right now. We made an internal change that had some unintended consequences. We’re working on this now and will share an update when it’s fixed.”
Many Kids Are Struggling in school. Do Their Parents Know?
| Associated Press
It’s widely known from test scores that the pandemic set back students across the country. But many parents don’t realize that includes their own child.
As Emergency SNAP Benefits End, Community Food Organizations Prepare to Meet Increased Demand
| Eunice Alpasan
Households in Illinois receiving SNAP food benefits will see them decrease in March as a pandemic-era policy giving families additional benefits comes to an end. The average person will receive about $90 less in SNAP benefits per month.
Birrieria Ocotlan Stews on 50 Years of Tradition and Tacos
| Erica Gunderson
When Andy Reyes rhapsodizes about the perfect bowl of birria, he has generations of his forebears speaking through him. His family’s birria recipe dates back to 1926, when his great-grandfather developed his own version of the stewed goat dish in Ocotlan, Jalisco.
Jeylú Gutiérrez First New Alderperson to Represent 14th Ward in 54 Years
| Erica Gunderson
For 54 years, the 14th Ward was represented by the now-indicted Ald. Ed Burke. Jeylú Gutiérrez said she was inspired to run for office when she saw her ward lacked for city services.
Applications Open for Miller-Perez Scholarship for Latino and Immigrant Students
| Erica Gunderson
Attention high school seniors and college students: Applications are now open for the Miller-Perez Family Scholarship at the nonprofit Latinos Progresando. Five $2,000 scholarships are being awarded.
‘You Didn’t See Nothin’ Podcast Revisits 1997 Bridgeport Hate Crime
| Erica Gunderson
In 1997, 13-year-old Lenard Clark was beaten into a coma simply for being Black in a White neighborhood. Chicago leaders began calling for racial reconciliation — a rapid turn that stuck with Yohance Lacour, then a fledgling journalist.
City Colleges of Chicago Announces Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholarship and Fellowship
| Erica Gunderson
The program honors the life and work of Timuel D. Black Jr., the late City Colleges professor, activist and historian. The goal is to help 20 City Colleges students develop into community leaders in the mold of Black, who died in 2021 at the age of 102.
Mission Possible: Makerspace Nation Offers Competition for $30,000 School Makerspace in Chicago
| Erica Gunderson
A new competition for STEAM educators (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) could net a Chicago school a $30,000 makerspace full of equipment to encourage problem-solving thinking. The deadline to apply is March 10.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, March 4, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Meet the 14th Ward’s new alderperson elect. An update on the Little Village Discount Mall. The end of emergency food stamp allotments. And a tasty taco tradition.
Childbirth is Deadlier for Black Families at Any Income, Study Finds
| Blair Paddock
A nearly decade-long study from the National Bureau of Economic Research looked at births in California. The study found that babies born to the richest Black women were still more likely to die than babies born to the poorest White women.
In Chicago, Adapting Electric Buses to Winter’s Challenges
| Associated Press
The CTA started experimenting with electric buses in 2014 and plans to move to an all-electric fleet by 2040. But as the temperature drops, lithium-ion batteries that run the buses aren't as efficient and lose range.
Week in Review: Mayoral Runoff Contenders Come Out Swinging
| Alexandra Silets
Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas steam ahead toward the April mayoral runoff, as Mayor Lori Lightfoot suffers historic defeat. CPD mourns the loss of one of its own. And Blackhawks fans get used to life without Patrick Kane.
March 3, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The big changes coming to city bike lanes. What’s causing the spike in expressway shootings? On the eve of Chicago’s birthday, we explore how the city got its shape. And finding artistic inspiration on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Plan to Use Cameras to Bust Chicago Drivers Who Park in Bus, Bicycle Lanes Advances
| Heather Cherone
Designed to “create safer streets and a better transit experience,” the new initiative is set to last two years, and would target scofflaws downtown, between the lake, Ashland Avenue, Roosevelt Road and North Avenue.
How Illinois State Police Are Addressing Gun Violence on Expressways Amid Recent Deaths
| Acacia Hernandez
Despite a recent shooting on I-57 that killed two teenagers and an infant, Illinois State Police say tactics to reduce gun violence on expressways are working.
This Week in Nature: 23-Year Study of Chicago’s Coyotes Shows Females Are Wilier
| Patty Wetli
Over the course of 23 years, the Cook County Coyote Project has tracked the movements of nearly 1,500 coyotes.
No Bail For Teen Accused of Gunning Down Chicago Police Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso
Shootout allegedly occurred near school as children took cover
| Matt Masterson
“This case, from start to finish, it begins with violence and it ends with violence,” Cook County Judge Mary Marubio said in setting bail.
Abortion Clinics Crossing State Borders Not Always Welcome
| Associated Press
As clinics have been forced to shutter in Republican-dominant states with strict abortion bans, some have relocated to cities and towns just over the border, in states with more liberal laws. The goal is to help women avoid traveling long distances. Yet that effort does not always go smoothly.
Lightfoot Appoints Former Charter Network Chair to Chicago Board of Education
| Matt Masterson
Miquel A. Lewis, the acting director of Probation Services at the Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department, will be joining the board where he’ll replace former Vice President Sendhil Revuluri, who left his position late last year.
No Snow Day For You, Chicago. Storm System Slides South, Indiana To Take Brunt
| Patty Wetli
Chicago will dodge the worst of a storm system whose track has stymied meteorologists as it's approached the region.
WTTW News Explains: How Did Chicago Get Its Shape?
| Nick Blumberg
Saturday marks the 186th anniversary of Chicago’s founding as a city. As the candles on its birthday cake have grown with the passing years, so too have Chicago’s borders. Here’s a look at how a once small-but-mighty city gobbled up surrounding land.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
2025 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
Pritzker Vows to Stop Trump From Sending National Guard to Chicago
Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Yanking Funding From Chicago Over Immigrant Protections
Chicago Grocery Mart Owner Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison For Defrauding Millions in SNAP Benefits
Chicago Paid $100K to 14-Year-Old Boy Pinned to Park Ridge Sidewalk by Off-Duty CPD Sergeant: Records
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter