FAFSA Changes Take Students, Aid Administrators Into Uncharted Territory
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form is undergoing its first major overhaul since the Reagan era.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 29, 2023 - Full Show
Exploring why so many Black women go missing in Chicago. And how educator vacancies are disproportionately impacting children of color.
Teacher Vacancies in Illinois Disproportionately Impact Students of Color: Report
“Most tragically, students of color and students from low-income households are dramatically more likely to be in districts with high vacancy levels, more than twice the vacancy rates than the rest of state,” said Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois.
New Report Raises Questions Over CPD’s Approach to Missing Persons Cases
Black people comprise about two-thirds of all reported missing persons cases in Chicago over the past two decades.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 22, 2023 - Full Show
What local groups are doing to combat rising food insecurity. A push to enhance the Major Taylor Trail on the South Side. And the creator of the animated series “Young Love.”
Cook County Restorative Justice Program is Giving People a Second Chance
The Avondale Restorative Justice Community Court program offers those charged with nonviolent offenses a chance to turn their lives around. Rather than serving time, people are given another option.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 15, 2023 - Full Show
City Council approves the mayor’s $16.6 billion budget. We’re one on one with the city’s budget director. And Chicago has a pension problem — WTTW News explains.
What to Know About Invest in Kids, the Controversial Tax Credit Scholarship Program Advocates Want to Extend Past This Year
Donors receive state income tax credits for their contributions to the Invest in Kids program, which helps some 9,600 students across Illinois attend private and trade schools. But barring last-minute legislative action, authorization for the program runs out at the end of 2023.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 8, 2023 - Full Show
Students at private schools across Illinois are at risk of losing their scholarships. Why food insecurity is on the rise. And how the Grandyman is giving back to local kids.
Food Insecurity is on the Rise Again. How Chicagoans Are Helping Meet the Need Ahead of the Holidays
According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, one in five households in the Chicago area is facing food insecurity. A national report found that 17 million households were food insecure at some point in 2022.
MLB All-Star Inspires Next Generation of Players at Chicago Academy
Curtis “The Grandyman” Granderson spent 16 seasons playing Major League Baseball. Now he’s passing down those years of experience to the next generation of players and inspiring them to pursue college.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 1, 2023 - Full Show
City Council blocks a vote to transform a vacant lot into a migrant shelter. Why it takes so long for wrongfully convicted people to get legal representation. And Cook County’s state’s attorney on the elimination of cash bail.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on the First Month Without Cash Bail
It’s been more than a month since Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail entirely. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said her office was preparing for almost 18 months before the Pretrial Fairness Act went into effect.
Obtaining Legal Representation While Wrongfully Incarcerated is a Difficult, Lengthy Process
More than 3,300 wrongfully convicted people have been exonerated in the U.S. since 1989, according to the University of Michigan’s National Registry of Exonerations. That time on the inside adds up to more than 30,000 years unjustly spent in prison for many of those people.
Chicago Residents Detail Their Priorities for City’s Next Police Budget
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Police Department say they’re moving into a “new age of policing” while rebuilding the department. They are also asking for more money, patience and time.