Stories by Matt Masterson
Feds Seeking 15 Month Sentence for Ex-City Club President Jay Doherty in ‘ComEd Four’ Bribery Conspiracy Case
| Matt Masterson
In a sentencing memo published late Tuesday, prosecutors asked that ex-City Club president and ComEd lobbyist Jay Doherty be sentenced to 15 months in prison.
July 22, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
One on one with Sen. Tammy Duckworth on the Epstein files, cuts to public media and more. Plus, new data on how much the city is spending on overtime.
Neighbors Complain of ‘Horrific Smell’ Coming From Southeast Side Factory
| Shelby Hawkins
“My kids grew up smelling dead animals and rotting fish,” said Ljiljana Radocaj, a mother and resident of the 10th Ward. “It’s the most horrific smell — you can’t even describe it. You can just run from it.”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth on the Epstein Files, Public Broadcasting and Midterm Elections
| Abena Bediako
President Donald Trump is facing backlash from his supporters over his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The fallout comes following congressional Republicans’ success in clawing back funds from foreign aid and public media and the passage of the president’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Pritzker, Transportation Leaders Celebrate Union Station’s Centennial as Chicago-Area Transit Fiscal Cliff Looms
| Eunice Alpasan
During a Tuesday news conference to celebrate Union Station’s centennial, leaders highlighted the station’s history, architecture and its role in Chicago serving as a national railroad hub.
Only 1 Piping Plover Chick in Waukegan Survived the Summer, and Now It Has a Name
| Patty Wetli
Aster was one of four chicks hatched barely a month ago by Blaze and Pepper. It was the pair's second season breeding on a Waukegan beach.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Signs Executive Order in Effort to Crack Down on CTA Smoking
| Matt Masterson
Johnson on Tuesday signed an executive order calling for a “full-force of government approach” to tackling the pervasive smoking problem on city trains and buses.
Chicago Spent $510.9M on Overtime in 2024, Including $273.8M for Police, Down Slightly From Last Year
| Heather Cherone
The amount of taxpayer funds spent on overtime by all city departments, including CPD, dropped in 2024 for the first time since 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic upended the city’s operations.
Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for July 23-29
| 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.
‘This System Needs to Change’: Advocates Say Courts Must Better Address Domestic Violence Cases
| Matt Masterson
Advocates say more must be done to assist domestic violence survivors amid an increase in those types of shootings and homicides.
Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath Singer and Godfather of Heavy Metal, Dies at 76
| Associated Press
Ozzy Osbourne, the gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath who became the throaty, growling voice — and drug-and-alcohol ravaged id — of heavy metal, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76.
Trump’s Labor Department Proposes More Than 60 Workplace Rule Changes
| Associated Press
If approved, the wide-ranging changes unveiled this month also would affect working conditions at constructions sites and in mines, and limit the government’s ability to penalize employers if workers are injured or killed while engaging in inherently risky activities such as movie stunts or animal training.
Federal Housing Credit Expansion Could Increase Affordable Rental Units in Illinois: Report
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
The latest domestic policy plan signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will increase available funding by 12% for a key tax credit used by developers to offset a portion of construction costs.
US House Ending Session Early as Republicans Clash Over Epstein Vote
| Associated Press
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he wants to give the White House “space” to release the Epstein information on its own, despite the bipartisan push for legislation that aims to force the release of more documents.
45-Year-Old Pitcher Rich Hill to Start for the Royals Against the Cubs
| Associated Press
The Kansas City Royals plan to call up 45-year-old pitcher Rich Hill from the minors for a start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, marking the left-hander’s 21st season in the majors.
July 21, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The city’s watchdog on her decision not to seek a second term. And how new tariffs on Brazil could impact your morning caffeine fix.
How New Tariffs on Brazil Could Impact US Coffee Companies, Consumers
| Abena Bediako
President Donald Trump is threatening to impose a 50% tariff on Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer and the source of 30% of U.S. coffee imports.
Following State Rep’s Encounter, Pritzker Signs ‘Squatter Bill’ Into Law
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
A new law will make it easier for police to remove squatters who are illegally staying at a residence. Law enforcement, real estate and property owner organizations supported the bill.
City Council Panel Skeptical of Study Showing Legal Video Gambling Won’t Ring Up Jackpot
| Heather Cherone
Despite the study's findings, members of the City Council’s Subcommittee on Revenue, facing a likely deficit of nearly $1.2 billion in the city’s 2026 spending plan, were not ready to fold and walk away from the table.
Dangerous Heat, Humidity Arriving Mid-Week in Chicago With Temps Feeling Like Triple Digits
| Patty Wetli
Temperatures are expected to soar between 92 and 97 degrees. High humidity will make it feel more like 105 to 115 degrees, the weather service said.
Newly Reconstructed Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr Red Line Stations Are Now Open
| Eunice Alpasan
The reconstruction of the four Red Line stations includes new track, support structures, bridges and viaducts built along the section between the Lawrence and Bryn Mawr stations, which were more than a century old.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, ‘Cosby Show’ Actor, Dies at 54 in Costa Rica Drowning
| Associated Press
Malcolm-Jamal Warner the actor who played teenage son Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” has died at age 54 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica, authorities there said.
Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore Gets 2 Years in Prison Following Conviction in Madigan Bribery Conspiracy
| Matt Masterson
Anne Pramaggiore was sentenced in a downtown Chicago courtroom to two years in federal prison, more than two years after she was convicted as part of the “ComEd Four” trial.
In Scathing Letter, NASA Workers Rebuke ‘Rapid and Wasteful Changes’ at Agency
| CNN
A group of 287 scientists and current and former NASA employees has issued a declaration lambasting budget cuts, grant cancellations and a “culture of organizational silence” that they say could pose a risk to astronauts’ safety.
Donald Trump Threatens to Hold Up Football Stadium Deal If Washington Commanders Don’t Switch Back to Redskins
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland’s baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians, saying there was a “big clamoring for this" as well.
Ford Foundation’s Outgoing President Joins the Board of Obama Foundation
| Associated Press
Darren Walker’s post-Ford Foundation future is starting to take shape, as the outgoing president is now set to join the Chicago-based Obama Foundation’s board of directors.
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‘This is Only the Beginning’: Illinois Accountability Commission Hears First Testimony on Federal Agents’ Use of Force in Chicago
Chicago Bears’ Threat to Move to Indiana a ‘Slap in the Face,’ Gov. Pritzker’s Office Says
City Council Votes 30-18 to Approve Final Part of 2026 Budget. Will Mayor Veto It?
City Council Votes 29-19 to Approve Rival Spending Plan, Rebuking Mayor Johnson
Johnson Stops Short of Vowing to Veto Rival Budget Plan, But Calls It ‘Morally Bankrupt’
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