Stories by Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools, Many Suburban Districts Cancel Friday Classes With Dangerous Cold on the Way
| Matt Masterson
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
| Heather Cherone
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?
| Patty Wetli
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Josh Terry
Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.
Jan. 21, 2026 - Full Show
| WTTW News
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
| Associated Press
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Patty Wetli
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
| Associated Press
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
| Eunice Alpasan
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
| Jenna Schweikert — Capitol News Illinois
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
| Matt Masterson
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Heather Cherone
“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
| Josh Terry
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
| Joel Ortiz
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
| WTTW News
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
| Shelby Hawkins
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
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
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
| Heather Cherone
“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
| Matt Masterson
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
| Patty Wetli
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
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
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
| Associated Press
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.”
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
Stacey King, Longtime Bulls Broadcaster Who Played on Three Championship Teams, Dies at 59
Second Installment of 2025 Cook County Property Tax Bills Will Be 2 Months Late, Officials Say
‘Crock of S--t’: Unsealed Grand Jury Transcripts Detail Alleged Prosecutorial Misconduct in ‘Broadview Six’ Case
Chicago Bears Are ‘80% of the Way’ Toward Hammond Stadium: Sports Consultant
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter