At least 168 teachers received the email from Megan Crane, whose LinkedIn page identifies her as the deputy campaign manager for Lightfoot, starting at 8:33 a.m. on Jan. 11 and continuing for several hours, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

As the snow falls, we take a deeper dive into what causes that “lake effect." The veterinary drug linked to a high level of opioid deaths in Cook County. And the issue of mental health front and center in the Chicago mayoral race.

Owner Marybel Wilson wanted to share her passion for working out with women who might struggle to see themselves reflected in the fitness industry. Her gym has grown to include more than 130 members and serves women of all shapes and sizes.

A spokesperson for the Jesús “Chuy” García campaign told WTTW News the ad was revised out of an “abundance of caution.”

Data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office shows 146 opioid-related deaths last year where xylazine was listed as a primary cause, marking a 16.8% increase from 2021. Local harm reduction organizations have also seen an uptick in its use.

A majority of candidates hoping to oust Mayor Lori Lightfoot from City Hall’s fifth floor office have pledged to reopen public mental health clinics. Lightfoot said her network of nonprofit Trauma-Informed Centers of Care provide better and more accessible service. 

WTTW News explains the science behind lake effect snow. (Hint: We’re lucky to be on this side of Lake Michigan.)

Assessing COVID-19 three years to the day of the first case in Illinois. Why day care providers are waiting for checks from the state. And boosting safety for street vendors who've been robbed in Little Village.

The Chicago nonprofit already has locations in Pilsen and the West Loop. Open Books promotes literacy through programming and the sale of new and used donated books.

It’s been three years since the first Chicago COVID-19 case was confirmed. Since then, more than four million people in Illinois have been diagnosed with coronavirus; it has killed more than 36,000 people in the state.

A technical delay is holding up payments to providers who care for children of low-income families that are part of the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, designed to help parents go to work or school with the help of subsidized child care.

Remembering a beloved local DJ. The latest on the legal tangle over the state’s assault weapons ban. A trans bus driver who was fired from the CTA. And how well do you know Chicago’s street grid?

In 2019, WTTW News covered his successful push for the CTA to add gender affirming care to its health insurance policy. The employee behind that push has since been fired and is now suing the agency and his union.