Stories by Matt Masterson

Chicago Public Schools, Many Suburban Districts Cancel Friday Classes With Dangerous Cold on the Way

CPS cited “dangerously frigid temperatures” expected Friday in making its decision, saying the possible wind chills of -35 degrees will make it unsafe for students and staff to travel to school.

State Law Allows Chicago’s Police Misconduct Agency to Investigate Fatal Police Shootings, Judge Rules

In the less than nine years the Civilian Office of Police Accountability has existed, its investigators have probed 138 deaths caused by CPD officers, records show.

Dangerous Cold Is Coming. How Low Will the Temperatures Go?

Forecasters are warning Chicagoans to prepare for “dangerously cold temperatures” in the coming days as a deep freeze settles over the region.

State Agency to Probe Whether Owner of South Shore Apartment Complex Raided by Feds Tipped Off ICE

The Illinois Department of Human Rights will investigate whether the three firms that own and manage the building at 7500 S. South Shore Drive committed housing discrimination, officials said.

From a Rising Local Comedian to a Record Fair in Ukrainian Village, Here Are 4 Arts Picks for Your Week

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

Jan. 21, 2026 - Full Show

Chicago alderpeople ban the sale of intoxicating hemp — with some exceptions. And President Donald Trump says he reached a deal on Greenland, backing off his tariff threat.

Trump Cancels Tariff Threat Over Greenland, Says NATO Agreed to ‘Framework’ of Future Arctic Deal

The president said he was asking for territory that was “cold and poorly located" and that the U.S. had effectively saved Europe during World War II while declaring of NATO: “It’s a very small ask compared to what we have given them for many, many decades.”

City Council Votes 32-16 to Ban Sale of Most Intoxicating Hemp Products in Chicago, With Some Exemptions

The proposal immediately bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products to those younger than 21, while exempting the sale of beverages, topical creams and pet products with intoxicating hemp from the larger ban set to take effect April 1.

Push to Expand CPD’s Curfew Power Stalls After Last-Minute Revision

The new proposal does not mention the city’s curfew, but gives the city’s top cop the power to issue what it calls “a dispersal declaration” in areas where police leaders have determined they have probable cause to believe there will be a “disruptive youth gathering.”

Homecoming in Kane County as Bison Are Returned to the Prairie and Their Indigenous Stewards

Six bison released onto prairie in Kane County carry the weight of interwoven hopes: that they can heal both the land and the deep trauma borne by Indigenous people.

Immigration Officers Assert Sweeping Power to Enter Homes Without a Judge’s Warrant, Memo Says

The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections and upends years of advice given to immigrant communities.

UChicago Medicine to Establish Ralph Lauren Center to Support Cancer Care on South Side After Receiving Grant

The grant is part of a $25 million commitment by the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation to expand or establish five Ralph Lauren-named centers in the U.S.

Illinois Rideshare Drivers Rally for Unionization Bill

Drivers currently lack the right to unionize under federal labor law because they are classified as independent contractors. The proposal would not change that classification but would give rideshare drivers the right to unionize in Illinois despite their contractor status.

Murder Solicitation or Neighborhood Gossip? Trial Underway in Case of Chicago Man Accused in Greg Bovino Murder-for-Hire Plot

Federal prosecutors have alleged Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, posted a Snapchat message offering $10,000 for someone to kill Greg Bovino, the controversial Customs and Border Patrol chief. Espinoza Martinez’s lawyers say the message was nothing more than repeating rumors.

Cost to Settle, Defend Lawsuits Accusing CPD Officers of Misconduct During 2020 Unrest Hits $12.8M: Analysis

In the latest case to be settled, the City Council voted 28-16 to pay $875,000 to 21 people who each say they were brutalized by Chicago police officers during the 2020 protests.

City Paid $26.5M in Overtime to Ineligible Employees: Watchdog

“The city’s finances are, needless to say, in an extremely precarious place, and we can ill-afford mistakes which run well into the eight figures,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said

Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for Jan. 21-27

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

Trump Calls for 10% Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates. What It Could Mean for Consumers

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president has “an expectation” that credit card companies will accede to his demand that they cap interest rates on credit cards at 10% for one year.

Jan. 20, 2026 - Full Show

What the Trump administration’s cap on credit card interest could mean for you. And “Stranger Things” star Jake Connelly on his newfound fame.

‘Stranger Things’ Star Jake Connelly on Acting, Chicago Food and How He Kept Season 5 Under Wraps

The final season of “Stranger Things” introduced us to a new character who quickly became a fan favorite — Derek Turnbow, the comic relief-turned-protagonist.

‘365 Days of Chaos’: Illinois Democrats Reflect on 1st Year of Trump’s 2nd Term

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed more than 50 lawsuits seeking to block various actions by the Trump administration to cut off federal funding or conduct aggressive immigration enforcement.

Chicago Won’t Buy Back Parking Meters, Johnson Says

“The final purchase price was far too high, much more than they initially received for the sale, and higher than most reasonable assumptions would support,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.

Jury Selected in Trial of Man Accused in Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino

The jury was selected Tuesday afternoon as the case got underway inside a 17th-floor courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago. Opening statements are slated to begin Wednesday morning.

Chicago Park District Is Giving Residents a Say in How to Spend $500K

The district has set aside $500,000 for a participatory budget program in which residents will have an opportunity to submit ideas and vote on the category of projects they want prioritized.

Illinois Medicaid Program Faces Looming Funding Crisis Due to Federal Changes

New federal rules contained in President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will impose tighter caps on how much money states can raise for their Medicaid programs through provider taxes.

Top EU Official Questions Donald Trump’s Trustworthiness Over Greenland Tariff Threat

While the furor over Trump’s escalating calls for U.S. control of the vast Arctic island was a focus of an elite annual meeting in Switzerland, Greenland’s leader insisted on respect for its territorial integrity and said recognition of international law is “not a game.”
 

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