Stories by Matt Masterson

Mung Chiang, a renowned researcher, educator and university leader is set to become the first ever Asian American president at Northwestern University.

The Chicago Public Schools CEO is summoned to testify before Congress. And Mayor Brandon Johnson marks his three-year anniversary in office.

The rare ghost orchid bloom will be on public display at the garden’s Tropical Greenhouse through May 25.

The new opera, “The Dialogue of Memories,” is embarking on a three-city U.S. tour this month that culminates at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago on May 23 and 24. The opera draws from former longtime Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich's real-life discovery of his mother’s past and conversations he had with Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

The Chicago Bears dropped their schedule reveal video featuring Rome Odunze showing off some artistic flair. WTTW News was there for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video.

The tax credit, passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025, is a dollar-for-dollar non-refundable federal tax credit for donations of up to $1,700 a year to authorized scholarship-granting organizations.

The Higher Education Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Engineers Pilot Program will reimburse engineers up to $15,000 annually after four years of service at the agency.

In states like Nebraska and Alaska, Democratic officials are, in some cases, looking past their own party’s candidates while subtly encouraging — or even openly promoting — independent candidates they hope can outperform the Democratic label.

The Weber family will mark 80 years since arriving in the U.S. with a May 20 screening of “UnBroken” at the Wayfarer Theater in Highland Park, hosted by the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

We sit down with Mayor Brandon Johnson as he enters his third year in office. And what to know about hantavirus.

“We have endured quite a bit,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “It has been a barrage of just crisis after crisis that I’ve had to manage, but again, you know, I’ve made it very clear that it’s a lot more effective and easier to lead when you are leading with your values and your convictions.”

As of May 13, the World Health Organization reported eight confirmed cases related to the MV Hondius cruise ship, along with one inconclusive and two probable cases. Meanwhile, public health officials in Illinois reported a possible hantavirus case in Winnebago County that is unrelated to the cruise ship outbreak.

The eight bills tackle consumer protections, chatbot transparency and how AI can be used in schools. Lawmakers said the lack of federal policy was part of their motivation for introducing legislation, by banding together with other states to create a standard.

The arts cover a wide range of activities with different “active ingredients,” such as aesthetics, sensory or physical stimulation, and social interaction.

A Republican-led Congressional committee has subpoenaed Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquline King, compelling her to appear in Washington and testify on the school district’s compliance with federal civil rights and privacy laws.

The changes to SNAP outlined in what President Donald Trump dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” go into effect this month and require thousands of Illinois households to fulfill new work requirements or submit for an exemption.

Rising unemployment could limit growth in personal income taxes while rising prices are making consumers more cautious, which could lead to lower sales tax collections.

Jose Almanza-Martinez, 67, died in the crash that ended the chase on Aug. 2, 2020, near 26th Street and Pulaski Road, records show.

Arnold Day was convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison in 1992 based on confessions coerced by Chicago police detectives trained by Jon Burge, a disgraced Chicago police commander, according to court records.

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

A push to decrease the number of Americans using antidepressants. And how local grocers are adjusting to changes in SNAP benefits.

Experts expressed concern that an emphasis on overprescribing, specifically, is somewhat unbalanced given the population of people who lack access to care for serious mental health conditions.

Chief Procurement Officer Sharla Roberts told the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee that officials are still weighing the bids submitted by nine firms, including one by SoundThinking, the firm that operates ShotSpotter.

On May 9, one of the herd's females gave birth to a calf, the first baby bison born on tallgrass prairie in the county in 200 years, officials estimate.

Any verdict or settlement in the case would be paid by Chicago taxpayers, who will also foot the bill to defend Ald. Jim Gardiner’s claims.

The fine is the largest ever levied by the Chicago Board of Ethics, which was founded in 1987.