Stories by Associated Press
Judge Finds Probable Cause to Hold Trump Administration in Criminal Contempt for Violating El Salvador Deportation Order
| Associated Press
A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court for violating his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to El Salvador.
Some Health Seekers Say Microdosing Psychedelics Helps Them. Scientists Are Trying to Measure the Claims
| Associated Press
The substances are illegal in most places, but the wave of scientific research focused on the benefits of supervised hallucinatory experiences has spurred Oregon and Colorado to legalize psychedelic therapy. Further opening the door to microdosing, a handful of cities have officially directed police to make psychedelics a low priority for enforcement.
Supreme Court Keeps Hold on Donald Trump’s Restrictions on Birthright Citizenship, Sets May Arguments
| Associated Press
Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship for the children of people who are in the U.S. illegally has been halted nationwide by three district courts around the country. Appeals courts have declined to disturb those rulings.
Nearly 25% of All Out-of-State Abortions Took Place in Illinois Last Year: Study
| Eunice Alpasan
About 35,000 out-of-state patients traveled to Illinois for an abortion last year, accounting for 39% of all abortions provided in the state, according to a recent study.
Artist Uses Recycled Cardboard to Craft a Personal Story of Perseverance
| Marc Vitali
Reynaldo Rodriguez depicts his personal odyssey in sculptures made from moving boxes and packages from Amazon. The self-taught artist shaped and crafted the discarded cardboard into an exhibition he calls “La Mudanza.”
Northwestern Plans to Fund ‘Vital’ Research Amid Federal Funding Freeze
| Matt Masterson
Northwestern officials say the university intends to fund at-risk research, days after the Trump administration announced plans to freeze nearly $800 million in federal funding.
Chicago Has Seen Significant Gun Violence Declines Under ‘Peacekeepers’ Program, New Study Finds
| Matt Masterson
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and other public officials lauded the program after a Northwestern University study found that specific “hotspots” where peacekeepers have been deployed have seen drops of more than 40% in gun violence.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates On ‘Historic’ Contract Ratification, Future of Chicago Public Schools
| Bridgette Adu-Wadier
After nearly a year of bargaining, the Chicago Teachers Union is one step closer to finalizing a deal with Chicago Public Schools. The contract now needs approval from the Chicago Board of Education.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 16, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
An effort to ban Jan. 6 participants from city jobs. What’s behind disparities in pregnancy-related deaths. And Stacy Davis Gates on the new CTU contract.
Research Shows Racial Disparities in Pregnancy-Related Deaths. What’s Being Done to Address It
| Abena Bediako
New research shows the rate of women dying from pregnancy-related medical conditions has worsened in recent years. And Black women are three times as likely to die of such an illness as White women.
From West African Music to Campy Drama, Here Are 5 Arts and Culture Picks for the Weekend
| Marc Vitali
Between Easter, Passover and 4/20, there will be a lot of foodstuffs consumed this weekend. But bread alone won’t sustain you, so make a meal for your mind in Chicago’s cultural kitchen.
Progressive Media Star Kat Abughazaleh Raised $378K for Congressional Campaign. Only a Small Fraction Came From Local Voters: Analysis
| Heather Cherone
Kat Abughazaleh’s campaign reported just $3,250 in contributions of more than $200 from people who live in the 9th Congressional District, less than 1% of the total amount raised by the campaign, federal records show.
Take Note! Chicago Stationery Shops Enjoying Revived Interest in Analog Communication, Fueled by Social Media and Celebrities
| Patty Wetli
Analog communication is having a moment, ironically thanks to digital platforms where people share product info and connect over their shared love of stationery.
Pared-Back ‘Right to Play’ Bill Advances in General Assembly, Awaits Senate Action
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
The Illinois House gave its approval to legislation that would give high school athletes a limited right to compete in non-school events or on non-school teams during the same season in which they play for their school.
Illinois Lawmakers Moving Forward on Public Defender Reform
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
Many public defender offices in Illinois, especially in rural areas, are in desperate need of resources to provide adequate defense services.
Chicago City Council Blocks Jan. 6 Rioters From City Jobs After Trump Pardons
| Heather Cherone
President Donald Trump in January pardoned more than 1,500 people who were convicted of attacking the Capitol as part of an effort to overturn the 2020 election, including a former Chicago police officer.
Segregation, Restraints and Mace: Lawsuit Alleges Mental Illness Met With Punishment in Illinois Prisons
| Blair Paddock
Uptown People’s Law Center and Equip for Equality filed a class action lawsuit against IDOC Director Latoya Hughes on behalf of the nearly 13,000 people with mental illness in the state’s prisons — approximately 44% of the population.
In Chicago Appearance, Fed Chair Jerome Powell Warns of Tariff-Sparked Uncertainty and Asserts Agency’s Independence From Politics
| Nick Blumberg
Speaking at an Economic Club of Chicago luncheon Wednesday, Powell said that despite the instability, the nation’s economy is still in a “solid position,” in particular its labor market. But he acknowledged that while the rate of inflation is slowing, the sharp price increases consumers have faced over the last several years are still hitting Americans in their pocketbooks.
RFK Jr.’s Mixed Message About the Measles Outbreaks Draws Criticism From Health Officials as Cases Surpass 700
| Associated Press
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to contain an epidemic in a tight-knit, religious community in West Texas have run counter to established public health strategies deployed to end past epidemics.
The Oklahoma City Bombing Was 30 Years Ago. Some Survivors Worry America Didn’t Learn the Lesson
| Associated Press
From a mother who lost her first-born baby, a son who never got to know his father, and a young man so badly injured that he still struggles to breathe, three decades have not healed the wounds from the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.
Chicago Live Music Recommendations for Apr. 16-22
| 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.
April 15, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
A war of words between Chicago’s mayor and the White House. And the Trump administration is targeting major law firms — we explore the constitutional questions it raises.
Trump’s Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms Tee Up Potential Constitutional Clash
| Paul Caine
Some of the nation’s largest law firms have recently been faced with a stark choice — cooperate with the Trump administration or face punitive executive orders.
Biden Warns That Trump Administration ‘Taking Hatchet’ to Social Security
| Associated Press
The 82-year-old Democrat has largely avoided speaking publicly since leaving the White House in January, which is typically the tradition for immediate past presidents.
Donald Trump’s Threats to Yank Federal Funding from Chicago Amount to ‘Terrorism,’ Brandon Johnson Says
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s efforts to strip federal funding from cities like Chicago with laws on the books designed to protect undocumented immigrants amount to “terrorism” and vowed again to fight the federal government.
From Lumber to Pharmaceuticals, Here’s What’s About to Become More Expensive With Trump’s Next Round of Tariffs
| CNN
President Donald Trump is forging ahead with his aggressive tariff campaign, moving on from “reciprocal” tariffs to the sector-specific tariffs he promised.
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