Stories by Medill Illinois News Bureau

In the backstretch of the legislative session, horse racing advocates are pushing to revitalize the industry in Illinois and its accompanying horse betting, both long in decline.

Chinese students studying in the U.S. are scrambling to figure out their futures after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that some of them would have their visas revoked.

The bill would allow trained library workers to administer opioid antagonists to potential overdose victims on library grounds, in the immediate vicinity of libraries and at library events.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sought to quiet the controversy about how he hadn’t wanted to come to his current team prior to the 2024 draft.

These openings, screenings and performances will have you in the movie theater, the symphony and the dive bar concert venue.

Lawmakers still figuring out how to fill the state’s budget gap. A new opera on lesser-known Black heroes. And journalist Jonathan Capehart has a new memoir.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, editor, columnist, PBS NewsHour political analyst and MSNBC host lays it all bare in his new book.

The opera spotlights the women who challenged segregation in Montgomery, using classical music infused with sounds of gospel, jazz and the blues to tell the story centered around seven women.

The bill would replace the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees CTA, Metra, and Pace, with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. It would be charged with creating a universal fare system and ensuring coordination of service and capital projects.

President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of Larry Hoover, a former Chicago gang leader serving a life sentence at a supermax prison in Colorado.

The Navy Pier Marina is expected to officially open to the public June 14. The opening of the marina, located on the north side of Navy Pier, comes as this year’s boating season kicks off.

The Chicago Transit Authority has paid out more than $1 million over the past five years to vault operations employees for remote work, despite the fact that their work cannot be done remotely, a new watchdog report has found.

Experts say making iPhones in the U.S. would upend the way Apple builds its most lucrative product. Moving iPhone production to the US would mean shifting away from countries like China and India that have the highly specialized workforce and skills.

The billionaire entrepreneur, who supported Trump’s candidacy with at least $250 million and has worked for his administration as a senior adviser, said he was “disappointed” by what the president calls his “big beautiful bill.”

The WNBA says it cannot substantiate claims that racist fan behavior took place during a game in Indianapolis between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever earlier this month.

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

Laura Gardner, owner of Local Style Potato Chips, set out to combine her love of potato chips and Chicago foods to make the ultimate snack.

Lawmakers have just a few more days to pass a balanced state budget. And Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke on how she’s reshaping the office.

At her swearing-in ceremony six months ago, Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke promised a tougher approach to tackling violent crime.

The Illinois General Assembly returned from the long weekend break for its final week of the spring session. Lawmakers have until May 31 to pass a revenue and spending plan with a simple majority of votes.

The U.S. Coast Guard is warning the public about potential explosive devices that could wash up on Chicago-area beaches.

A jury in 2022 found them guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. The Chrisleys were also found guilty of tax evasion.

“We are in the middle of a mental health crisis, particularly with our young people,” said Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps, who represents parts of the West Side. “Our children are both imploding and exploding at the same time.”

Anna’s Law is named after 22-year-old Illinois resident Anna Williams, who brought the issue of police insensitivity to victims of sexual assault to state lawmakers after her experience with law enforcement officials in 2021.

In a 58-second video posted on social media, Kennedy said he removed COVID-19 shots from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for those groups. Some doctors and public health leaders called the move concerning and confusing.

In light of recent storms in Illinois, residents should be on alert for scammers looking to exploit homeowners and business owners in need of repairs from storm-related damage, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.