Stories by Heather Cherone

Jury Rejects Lawsuit Filed by Uber Driver, Passenger Injured in Chicago Police Pursuit

“This verdict reflects the jury’s clear conclusion that the crash resulted from the fleeing offender’s own actions, and not from the city’s lawful pursuit,” Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry said.

‘It Was His Calling’: Mourners Gather to Say Goodbye at Funeral for Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew

Hundreds of mourners and members of the Chicago Police Department gathered at St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church to remember John Bartholomew, who was killed last month in a shooting inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital.

May 7, 2026 - Full Show

Reports of immigration agents at Cook County courthouses. And a CTA groundbreaking, decades in the making.

A Community Celebrates the CTA Red Line Extension Decades in the Making

Plans to extend the CTA Red Line to the Far South Side of Chicago are finally on track. The Red Line extension project broke ground last month, after decades of planning and months of federal funding uncertainty.

Federal Immigration Agents Reportedly Spotted at 4 Cook County Courthouses Thursday

Federal agents were reportedly spotted at multiple Cook County courthouses Thursday morning in a move community activists are calling a “significant ramp up” of immigration enforcement in and around Chicago.

It’s an Eaglet, Or 2! Chicago Celebrates First Bald Eagles Born in City in More Than 100 Years

For the first time in more than 100 years, a bald eagle has been born inside the city’s limits, the Chicago Park District announced Wednesday.

Fallen Police Officers From Chicago, Park Forest Honored in State Capitol

The ceremony honored Officer Krystal Rivera of the Chicago Police Department and Detective Tim Jones of the Park Forest Police Department. Held annually on the first Thursday in May, the event is a tradition to honor law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty the previous calendar year.

Chicago Sinfonietta to Pause Concerts, Lay Off Staff in Effort to ‘Stabilize and Grow’ Finances

For nearly 40 years, the Chicago Sinfonietta has worked to advance equity in classical music by expanding access for underserved communities and developing diverse talent. The institution will undergo a “strategic renewal period” focused on fundraising and revising its operating model.

Chicago Organizations Work to Address Suicide Rates Among Black Young People

In an effort to combat suicide trends, two community-led organizations in Chicago — No Kids Die in the Chi and Soul Survivors of Chicago — are working to intervene early and provide young people with culturally grounded support.

Chicago Lawyers Reach Settlement With 2nd Man Wrongfully Convicted of 1998 Double Murder

The agreement averts a trial that would have asked a federal jury to decide whether former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara coerced Arturo DeLeon-Reyes into confessing to a 1998 Bucktown double murder.

Judge Agrees to Toss Top Conspiracy Count in ‘Broadview Six’ Case

The remaining defendants in the “Broadview Six” criminal case no longer face felony charges after a federal judge Thursday morning officially dismissed the top count in the politically-charged case.

A Documentary on a Fearless Journalist and a Classic Musical: 4 Arts Picks for Your Weekend

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

May 6, 2026 - Full Show

Mayor Brandon Johnson visits Springfield to talk priorities with lawmakers. And DACA recipients are facing delays in their renewal process.

In New Cooking Show, Anupy Singla Makes Indian Cuisine Accessible to Home Cooks

Anupy Singla built her career on storytelling, working as a broadcast journalist before shifting to documenting her family’s recipes and making Indian food accessible to a larger audience. “Indian as Apple Pie” recently premiered on WTTW.

DACA Recipients in Legal Limbo as Renewal Application Delays Mount

The Trump administration has put renewal applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients on “processing holds.” Some of the program’s more than 500,000 beneficiaries have waited months for an answer only to see their deadline pass without a decision.

Key City Panel OKs Nomination of Anjanette Young to Serve on Chicago Police Oversight Board

The City Council’s Police and Fire Committee voted 14-2 to send Anjanette Young’s nomination to serve a four-year term on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability to the full City Council for a final vote on May 20.

Interest in War Tax Resistance on the Rise Due to Recent Military Action, Groups Say

Some Americans are using taxes to protest the Trump administration — more specifically, the refusal to pay taxes.

Watchdogs, Attorney General Call for Massive Cuts to Peoples Gas Rate Request

While watchdogs called on regulators to slash $137 million, or roughly two-thirds of the Peoples Gas request, the attorney general’s office went further, calling not only for the entire request to be rejected, but for the company to return $4 million to customers.

Millennium Park’s 2026 Summer Film Series Includes Rob Reiner Tribute, ‘Sinners’ and ‘Devil Wears Prada’

The summer film series runs most Tuesdays between June 30 and Aug. 18. All film screenings are free. This year’s lineup features crowd favorites and milestone anniversaries.

It’s Open Mic Night on Chicago Rooftops, Where Acoustic Devices Will Listen for Migrating Birds

Most birds migrate over Chicago at night. A new network of acoustic monitors is tracking their movements by listening for what can't be seen.

CNN Founder Ted Turner, a Pioneer of Cable TV News, Dies at 87

 Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, died peacefully Wednesday, surrounded by his family. He was 87.

Man Charged With Stealing $450 Million From Mexican Billionaire in Loan Scheme Arrested in Chicago

A man with multiple aliases used the name of the famed Astor family to dupe a Mexican billionaire out of around $450 million in a bogus stock-backed loan scheme, according to a newly unsealed U.S. indictment and other court records.

Illinois State Police Launch Investigation Into Killing of Silverio Villegas González by Federal Immigration Agents

An ISP spokesperson confirmed an “initial investigation” is underway after the Franklin Park Police Department asked the state police’s Public Integrity Task Force to investigate Villegas Gonzalez’s death.

Brookfield Zoo, Union Reach Tentative Agreement to End 2-Day Strike

Grounds, custodial and facilities employees had been on the picket line since Monday.

Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for May 6-12

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

Chicago Has Updated Its Green Infrastructure Strategy, Will It Hold Water?

Officials with Chicago's Department of Environment recently released an updated Green Infrastructure Strategy, the first revision to the document in more than a decade.
 

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