Stories by CNN
Trump Administration Ending 988 Suicide Prevention Specialized Service for LGBTQ+ Youth in July
| CNN
The administration said in its statement that everyone who contacts the 988 lifeline will continue to receive access to crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress, but there will no longer be the LGBTQ+ specialized services.
There’s a COVID Variant That May Cause ‘Razor Blade’ Sore Throats. Here’s What to Know
| Associated Press
The COVID-19 variant that may be driving a recent rise in cases in some parts of the world has earned a new nickname: “razor blade throat” COVID.
US Resumes Visas for Foreign Students but Demands Access to Social Media Accounts
| Associated Press
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review.
Heat Dome Will Blanket Much of the US, With Worrisome Temperatures in Midwest
| Associated Press
The heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts.
4 Reconstructed CTA Red Line Stops in Uptown, Edgewater Set to Open Next Month
| Matt Masterson
The stations, located at Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr, will open to the public beginning July 20. City officials said this will mark the largest simultaneous opening of stations since the Orange Line opened in 1993.
WTTW News Explains: How Did Meigs Field Become Northerly Island Park?
| Eunice Alpasan
Along the Chicago lakefront is a strip of land that was once home to a small airport called Meigs Field. That was until one March 2003 morning when the city awoke to find Mayor Richard M. Daley had the airport bulldozed in the middle of the night. WTTW News explains.
How an Ex-Police Officer Fired for Sexual Misconduct Slipped Through CPS Background Checks to Work at Lane Tech
| Jared Rutecki
Chicago Public Schools hired a former police officer who was on the city’s do-not-hire list after he was fired for inappropriate communication with a 17-year-old girl. Newly released records reveal he submitted false work histories before landing a full-time position at Lane Tech.
Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for June 18-24
| 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.
A Guide to What the Juneteenth Holiday Is and How to Celebrate It
| Associated Press
It was 160 years ago that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed — after the Civil War’s end and two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
June 17, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Mayor Brandon Johnson criticizes a “snap curfew” proposal. And we sit down with outgoing Chicago Public Schools leader Pedro Martinez.
Departing CPS Chief Pedro Martinez Says He Has No Regrets, Decries ‘Bullying’ by Mayor and CTU
| Paul Caine
Late last year, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s handpicked school board fired Martinez without cause after he refused to take out a $300 million loan to cover the cost of a new teachers’ contract — but he remained on the job for the last six months, as dictated by his contract.
Johnson Blasts ‘Snap Curfew’ Proposal as ‘Lazy,’ ‘Sloppy’ Ahead of City Council Vote
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s blistering condemnation of the proposal raises the likelihood that he will veto the measure if it passes or ignore it and count on Supt. Larry Snelling to never use the power to declare a "snap curfew."
Illinois US Reps. Budzinski, Krishnamoorthi Among Lawmakers Named in Writings of Suspected Minnesota Shooter
| Associated Press
Members of Congress from at least five other Midwest states said law enforcement told them that their names were in Boelter’s writings. They included three elected officials from Illinois.
Inside Illinois’ Efforts to Court the Emerging Quantum Technology Industry
| Andrew Adams — Capitol News Illinois
Illinois state officials are interested in attracting the nascent industry because of its potential for economic growth and positioning Illinois as a high-tech leader in the coming decades.
US Reps. Denied Entry at South Loop ICE Facility as Trump Calls for More Deportations in Chicago
| Matt Masterson
U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jonathan Jackson attempted to enter the immigration facility, located at 2245 S. Michigan Ave., but said they were only able to make it into the lobby before being told to leave by a person identifying themselves as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Adorable Piping Plover Chicks Hatch in Waukegan: See the First Photos as the Countdown Begins for Chicago
| Patty Wetli
Father's Day took on extra meaning this year for Lake County's piping plover papa Pepper — he's a dad again, at least three times over.
Suburban Toy Company Challenges Trump’s Tariffs Before the Supreme Court in Long Shot Bid for Quick Decision
| Associated Press
A Vernon Hills toy company is arguing President Donald Trump illegally imposed tariffs under an emergency powers law rather than getting approval from Congress.
Ald. Jim Gardiner Won’t Have to Pay $20K Fine After He Is Cleared of Violating Ethics Ordinance
| Heather Cherone
“It is great to see the truth come to light after years of false allegations,” Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th Ward) said.
Chicago to Relaunch ‘Know Your Rights’ Ad Campaign After Trump Vows to Expand Immigration Raids
| Heather Cherone
“Even if the federal government doesn’t know or care about the Constitution, Chicagoans deserve to know their constitutional rights,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
Chicago Fire Shares First Look at Design of Proposed $650M ‘Fortress’ Planned for The 78 on Chicago River
| Patty Wetli
Two weeks after announcing a plan to build a privately funded $650 million stadium on the South Branch of the Chicago River, the Chicago Fire has released new renderings of the proposed arena.
Vote Looms on ‘Snap Curfew’ Plan as Questions Swirl About How Chicago’s Top Cop Would Use It to Stop Teen Gatherings
| Heather Cherone
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling promised to use the power to expand the city's curfew only preemptively, to prevent large teen gatherings from taking place. That goal is shared by Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has repeatedly questioned the constitutionality of the proposal.
June 16, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The president considers adding more countries to his travel ban list. And Gov. JB Pritzker signs a $55 billion budget bill that’s reliant on millions in new taxes.
Illinois Health Officials Raise Concerns Over Changes to CDC Vaccine Committee
| Associated Press
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week announced he would “retire” the entire panel that guides U.S. vaccine policy.
Trump Administration Could Add 36 Countries to Travel Ban. What Local Immigrant Rights Groups Are Saying
| Shelby Hawkins
President Donald Trump recently imposed a travel ban on 12 countries, with restrictions on visitors from seven more. A memo from the U.S. Department of State revealed that 36 additional countries could soon face full or partial entry restrictions.
CPD Officers Shot and Killed as Many People in First 5 Months of 2025 as They Did in All of 2024: Data
| Heather Cherone
The significant surge in shootings by officers in the first five months of 2025 comes more than six years after city and police leaders agreed to extensive oversight from a federal judge after decades of scandals sparked by misconduct and brutality.
Pritzker Signs $55.1B State Budget Reliant on $700M of New Taxes
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
The $55.1 billion spending plan set to take effect July 1 is the largest in state history and is supported by $55.3 billion in anticipated revenue, including more than $700 million in new taxes and more than $500 million in one-time revenues.
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