Stories by Patty Wetli

Residents from the North Side of Chicago to the north suburbs reported feeling the effects of what the U.S. Geological Survey said was a 2.9 magnitude earthquake Wednesday.

An unprecedented international rescue effort is underway to find new homes for some 30 beluga whales. Shedd Aquarium is answering the call.

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

Concerns over the city’s budget as the mayor says some revenue sources haven’t materialized. And reports of immigration enforcement are surging around the country — what’s happening in Chicago?

Reports of immigration-related arrests around the country surged at the end of June, including 10,000 arrests over a five-day period.

Last fall, the Chicago Department of Public Health and the University of Illinois Chicago joined forces to install 277 air quality monitors around the city, the largest system of its kind in the United States.

“I want to say this clearly,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “There were other options. We did not need to cede to big money interests and fall back on the tired practice of balancing budgets on the backs of working people.”

Mini underground reservoirs are Chicago’s latest solution to its flooding problem. But there’s no one silver bullet, officials said.

Chicago Park District rules prohibit parks from being renamed for anyone who has not yet been dead a year. The rules also prohibit parks from being named for anyone endorsing “a specific religious affiliation.”

Johnson Products Company became the first Black-owned business listed on the American Stock Exchange in 1971 and was a national sponsor of the hit television show “Soul Train.”

The City Council’s Ethics and Government Oversight Committee’s endorsement sends the nonbinding resolution calling for the resignation of the top federal prosector in Chicago to the full City Council for a final vote on July 15.

Chicago’s next mayoral election is less than a year away and the list of candidates — and those considering a run — is growing ever larger. Here’s who is in so far.

The City Council’s Ethics and Government Oversight Committee voted unanimously to advance a measure that would amend the city’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance to ban employees from using insider information to bet on prediction markets.

Nee began her career as a nurse, and later became an interventional cardiologist, treating complex and high-risk heart conditions, according to a biography. While working at Hines VA Hospital, Nee spoke out about failures in patient care that put veterans at risk.

The Chicago Police Department has overspent its budget five years in a row, according to Chicago’s annual financial reports.

President Donald Trump has so far declined to sign the measure, calling it a “big yawn.” The housing bill will automatically become law on July 10 unless the president decides to veto it.

What’s in the bipartisan housing bill that’s sitting on the president’s desk. And remembering a legendary Black entrepreneur.

The legislation is based on similar bills from California and New York. Lawmakers estimate that the three states account for roughly 40% of the U.S. AI market, thus effectively establishing a de facto national standard in lieu of federal regulations.

Chicago’s pension debt has grown by nearly 11% since 2020, adding approximately $3.5 billion to the city’s debt, records show.

Some areas reported 8 to 10 inches of rain in a 48-hour period.

Chicago piping plover monitors are mourning the loss of a second chick in less than a week at Montrose Beach.

Why some transit commuters are seeing more law enforcement on their ride. And one on one with Chicago’s aviation commissioner.

Since March, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has placed teams of officers — 50 per day, working 12-hour shifts — on the Green and Red lines.

For many transgender people, finding an affirming place where they can simply be themselves isn’t something they take for granted. As transgender identities continue to be the subject of political and legal debates across the country, organizations like Brave Space Alliance say the demand for their services remains constant.

Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports operate around the clock to keep people and goods moving around the globe. Managing it all, from the runways to the restaurants, is the city’s Department of Aviation.

A wide-ranging new state law on hemp and other cannabis regulations was “long overdue,” Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday at an event in Chicago to celebrate the new law he signed last month.