Stories by Blake Thor

Crafted by Mayor Brandon Johnson, the measure forces social media companies to pay a tax of 50 cents per month for every active user after the first 100,000 users, under the city’s amusement tax authority.

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is on the verge of hitting $4 for the first time since 2022.

A pair of Illinois bills seeks to clarify language around sentencing credits, aiming to ensure that after program completion, judges can issue sentence credit, whether it was completed in a state prison or a county jail.

It will take 34 votes for the Chicago City Council to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto, the third he has issued in less than a year. That effort is expected to take place on April 15.

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke is launching a new task force focusing on CTA-related crimes and prosecutions as federal authorities continue pressuring Chicago officials to tamp down crime on the city’s bus and train lines.

“This name derives from our city’s legacy of standing up for justice, dignity, and the rights of all people, no matter where they come from,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “I want to take this moment to reiterate that Chicago does not want ICE on our streets, in our airports, nor in our city. Chicago believes in abolishing ICE.”

Chicago police brass did not update Mayor Brandon Johnson and three City Council committee chairs about their progress in crafting the system until days after WTTW News reported they had failed to comply with city law.

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

What a Supreme Court case could mean for mail-in ballots and the upcoming midterms. And how does ranked choice voting work? We explain.

“It turns out that the policy that they have in place is applicable to what we’re asking them to do,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

ravel disruptions deepened Tuesday as senators raced to salvage an emerging proposal to end the Homeland Security shutdown by funding much of the department but excluding immigration operations.

The Trump administration must temporarily unfreeze about $2 billion in federal funds for Chicago Transit Authority projects, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

“We are prepared to fight for transparency and accountability that the federal government is desperate to avoid,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty told reporters.

Chicago White Sox great Frank Thomas is suing his former team and Nike, alleging they sold City Connect jerseys branded with his last name and jersey number without his permission.

“This is a project that is going to create thousands of jobs and opportunities for the people across the city, but particularly for development on the West Side,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “This is a clear indication that the city of Chicago remains open for business, but we’re just not for sale.”

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke says her office doesn’t have the legal authority to initiate criminal investigations into federal immigration agents, claiming that doing so would be “willfully violat(ing) the law.”

Supporters of keeping the lower tipped minimum wage say it’s a win for restaurant owners who have seen an increase in all costs.

Officer Richard Rodriguez Jr., who was a member of the Near North (18th) Police District tactical team until he was stripped of his police powers last month, has been suspended for at least 68 days in connection with seven incidents of misconduct, records show.

Routine funding for the Department of Homeland Security has lapsed since Feb. 14, leading to long waits at U.S. airports as Transportation Security Administration agents call out rather than work without pay.

ICE agents arrive at airports across the country as wait times soar. And an attempt to end a phaseout of the tipped minimum wage.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said his office was monitoring the deployment of federal officers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Because raw milk has not been pasteurized to remove illness-causing organisms, Illinois imposes strict limitations on its sale to protect public health. Some want to change that.

Democratic elected leaders and health advocates gathered Monday in Chicago to highlight the impact of the Affordable Care Act —  signed by then President Barack Obama 16 years ago — while sounding the alarm on rising health care costs for Americans.

In addition to the wonderful energy and ever superb playing of the CSO’s grand-scale musicians, there also were two guest artists on the program in the outstanding soprano Lidia Fridman and tenor Francesco Meli.

Sheaves Slate, 27, will be detained in Cook County Jail pending trial on charges including first-degree murder, felony murder and aggravated arson stemming from the fatal fire last week.

The court was hearing arguments Monday in a case from Mississippi that also could affect voters in 13 other states and the District of Columbia, which have grace periods for ballots cast by mail.