Stories by Maggie Dougherty — Capitol News Illinois

Eligible pharmacies in rural and medically underserved communities will receive over $56,000 on Friday, aimed at keeping doors open and expanding services.

Earlier this month, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund in the face of fierce bipartisan backlash. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has not publicly and unequivocally endorsed the fund’s cancellation.

The new law will close a “loophole” that contributed to children, teens and young adults ingesting misleading or poorly labeled products, Gov. JB Pritzker said.

Federal prosecutors will toss out felony charges against two men accused in connection with a massive COVID-19 fraud scheme amid ties to the same prosecutor and grand jury from the botched “Broadview Six” protester case.

If Mayor Brandon Johnson and his allies on the Chicago City Council have their way, those bars and restaurants will never get to plug in video poker and slot machines.

While events for the community are planned for the entire weekend to celebrate Puerto Rican pride and culture, this year also honors the history of Chicago’s Boricua community — marking the 60-year anniversary of the first Division Street riot.

Storm cleanup is underway in the Chicago area as thousands remain without power. Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros is under fire — we hear from two former federal prosecutors.

More than 100 former federal prosecutors published an open letter blasting Chicago’s U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, claiming he “tarnished the reputation” of the office in the wake of the botched “Broadview Six” case.

State and national test scores have shown proficiency rates in math are consistently below those in English language arts.

David Jones’ federal lawsuit accuses four Chicago police officers, including convicted former Officer David Salgado, of conspiring to frame him in March 2015 for selling drugs in Lawndale.

Nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital rallied outside the hospital Thursday in a planned one-day strike after they allege nurses were fired by management in retaliation for trying to form a union. The hospital denied retaliating against employees.

Since January 2025, Chicago taxpayers spent at least $103.1 million to resolve 14 lawsuits brought by people who were injured or on behalf of those killed during police pursuits, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

The National Weather Service is tracking two rounds of severe weather Thursday.

Advocates argue the legislation will secure legal protections for Illinois children if they are placed in other states. Republican legislators fought the bill, arguing it infringes on other states and might deepen administrative burdens on DCFS.

The grants come as thousands of Illinoisans are losing access to federal food assistance, placing more strain in local food pantries.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to launch major strikes on Iran and seize control of its oil industry as escalating attacks between the countries pushed the Middle East closer to the resumption of a full-scale war.

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

The Chicago Public Schools CEO testifies on Capitol Hill. And three former “Broadview Six” defendants reflect on the case.

Newly unsealed grand jury transcripts from the “Broadview Six” case reveal serious alleged misconduct by the federal prosecutors involved in the case. All of the charges were abruptly dropped last month just days before trial.

Residents said the rapid construction is destroying local infrastructure, severing the very pipelines that communities depend on for daily life. For many, the disruptions have come with little warning and even less explanation.

The immunization schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women.

Chicagoans should prepare for multiple rounds rounds of thunderstorms and uncomfortably hot and humid conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Chicago Transit Authority’s acting president said a long-elusive goal is in sight, telling board members that ridership on the agency’s buses has reached 90% of its pre-COVID levels.

Consumer prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.8% in April and the third straight monthly increase. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.5% last month, after big gains of 0.6% in April and 0.9% in March.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King defended the school district amid congressional criticism of its support for trans students, the Black Student Success Plan and “ideological agendas.”

A large, burning cross was discovered at a Chicago park on Tuesday afternoon, and police said they are investigating how it ended up there and the motive behind it.