The mayor’s new plans to address violence. What being named a cultural district could mean for two historic Black communities. And a new study shows Chicagoans are dying from cardiac arrests at a younger age.

File photo of an emergency room sign. (WTTW News)

While researchers haven’t yet pinpointed the cause for the decreasing age, they caution it indicates a need for awareness from both patients and responders.

A mural along Mahalia’s Mile in the Chatham community. (WTTW News)

The cultural district designation will allow districts to apply for a share of $3 million set aside in state funding to support projects that uplift communities, spur economic development and preserve cultural heritage.

The Bring Chicago Home referendum is back on the ballot. Pushback as plans for a hybrid elected school board move forward. And the difficulty of getting around town with a disability.

(WTTW News)

It’s part of a nationwide increase in congenital infections, passed along to an infant during pregnancy. If undiagnosed, the baby can be born with a number of health issues, including cataracts, deafness and a low birth weight, or can even be stillborn.

(Medill School of Journalism)

For Chicago residents with disabilities, getting around the city can be more of a burden than a simple task. Users and advocates say the Pace Taxi Access Program is plagued by long wait times, verbally abusive drivers and unreliable rides.

(Credit: “Fight for Black Lives”)

The new documentary “The Fight for Black Lives” chronicles the stories of Black mothers who faced racial inequities in the health care system. The film comes as Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proposing $4 million dollars in his new budget proposal aimed at addressing the issue. 

A new documentary explores racial disparities in childbirth. How evictions disproportionately impact Black women. And fresh off his third Grammy win, we talk with Chicago poet J. Ivy.

J. Ivy appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Feb. 28, 2024. (WTTW News)

J. Ivy is one of the most high-profile poets on the planet. He has worked with A-list artists including Jay-Z and Beyoncé. He even gave John Legend his “Legend” name. Ivy’s spoken word album “The Light Inside” just earned him a third Grammy.

The “Evicted” exhibit runs through March 10 at the National Public Housing Museum. (WTTW News)

The exhibit at the National Public Housing Museum in River North is inspired by the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Evicted” by Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond.

Highlights of the governor’s new budget plan. A crackdown on new dollar stores in Chicago. And rapper Vic Mensa on his effort to help asylum seekers.

(WTTW News)

The first major overhaul of the FAFSA form since the Reagan era was supposed to make the process simpler and quicker. So far, that’s not been the case.

(WTTW News)

For more than 35 years, the once bustling Ramova Theatre at 35th and Halsted streets sat vacant, deteriorating in condition. But in 2017, the building was purchased for exactly $1. The goal is to make the theater Bridgeport’s staple entertainment venue.

Concerns over the state’s care of kids awaiting placement with DCFS. How this 120-year-old silent film still says so much. And a sneak peek inside a newly renovated Ramova Theatre.

Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on Feb. 14, 2024. (WTTW News)
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The person who advocates in court for children who’ve been abused or neglected said the state’s Department of Children and Family Services is not only failing to meet the needs of kids in its care — but that the situation is getting worse.

A ShotSpotter microphone is pictured on Feb. 7, 2024. (WTTW News)

Supporters say the ShotSpotter system is a useful tool that helps Chicago police officers get to crime scenes faster. But critics say the technology is unreliable and contributes to over policing in communities of color.