Mayor Katrina Thompson on Tuesday accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials of waging a “disinformation campaign” amid their continued use of chemical and less-lethal munitions on crowds outside the agency’s Broadview processing center. https://to.wttw.com/4mIC0yO

Broadview’s mayor decried the “relentless deployment of tear gas, pepper spray, mace, and rubber bullets” by ICE agents on protesters outside a suburban processing facility. “In effect, you are making war on my community,” she wrote. "And it has to stop.” https://to.wttw.com/42T9wev

Officer Joseph Treacy was named in four lawsuits in the past six years that cost taxpayers $524,000, according to a recent analysis by WTTW News. He was one of 272 Chicago Police officers named in multiple misconduct cases since 2019. Here’s some background. 🧵 1/13 news.wttw.com/2025/09/23/r...

Chicago Stories: Legendary Blizzards premieres this Friday, September 26 at 8:00 pm on WTTW and streaming on the PBS app and at wttw.com/chicagostories #ChicagoStoriesWTTW

Robert Redford throws to Kerry Wood, 2011 Wrigley Field

Blizzards that brought the city to a halt. A murder case that remains unsolved. A governor's fall from power. Classic city foods that became famous. The magic of Marshall Field's. A new season of CHICAGO STORIES begins September 26. #ChicagoStoriesWTTW wttw.com/chicagostories

Three hundred million years ago, what’s now Illinois was covered by an inland sea teeming with aquatic life. The sea is long gone, but the life is still there, roughly 60 miles southwest of Chicago. https://to.wttw.com/4gh12DG

Locally foraged fungi — in all their fascinating, weird and beautiful-ugly forms — will take center stage Sunday at the Illinois Mycological Association’s annual mushroom show. to.wttw.com/3HxbH09

Gov. JB Pritzker vowed Monday to stop President Donald Trump from deploying the National Guard to Chicago. “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago,” Pritzker said. “You are neither wanted here nor needed here.” to.wttw.com/4fZyZbO

Tonight at 5:30: A WTTW News special takes a look at policing in Chicago. We explore violence prevention efforts and the context around the city's crime trends.

Illinois prisons are seeing the highest amount of lockdowns since 2020. Downstate Menard Correctional Center has been on lockdown nearly every day since October 2023. I asked incarcerated people what it's like to be on lockdown: news.wttw.com/2025/08/20/w...

In 2023, a WTTW News investigation was the first to report his criminal record and how his criminal history was considered by CPS. Campoverde was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor in 2023, with the criminal case still ongoing. to.wttw.com/4oB9QYu

A CPS student filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing the district of failing to adequately vet a security guard with a litany of past criminal cases who was later arrested on multiple charges of sexually assaulting the student. to.wttw.com/4m95gza

Semi-retirement plans: Former Ald. Walter Burnett will collect an annual city taxpayer-funded pension of $120,608 — and could also earn more than $310,000 at the same time as head of the Chicago Housing Authority. (with @heathercherone.bsky.social)

New: A woman shot with a Glock that had been stolen from CPD's Gresham District station and then used in a series of shootings has sued the city, saying the gun was stolen by cops and its theft covered up. One officer named (supervising sgt) alongside city + other unnamed officers. #chicago

Northwestern University announced Tuesday it has eliminated 425 positions across schools and units, about half of which are currently vacant. The cuts come as a federal funding freeze continues.

Chicago may have become virtually synonymous with speakeasies during prohibition, but that doesn’t mean the Windy City is lawless when it comes to drinking. WTTW News explains all of Chicago's alcohol laws. to.wttw.com/4kZnEch

📈 New: Since 2019, Chicago's police overtime spending has DOUBLED despite promises to rein it in. Crime dropped 7% in 2024, but overtime costs remained elevated. Are we paying more for better results or is it just poor planning? (w/ @heathercherone.bsky.social)

Where have all the butterflies been? The winged insects, in general, had a “really, really terrible” start to the season in May and June, a situation that’s only just now turning around, said Doug Taron, chief curator emeritus at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. to.wttw.com/3GFW6uE

NEW: The Trump administration restored more than $1 million in frozen anti-terrorism funds to Chicago after city lawyers sued, claiming the funds had been illegally withheld, Chicago officials told @wttw.bsky.social News.

A new story from @jaredrutecki.bsky.social aimed to answer this question: How did a former Chicago police officer fired for sexual misconduct involving a minor and placed on a do-not-hire list end up working for Chicago Public Schools? Here's what a look through CPS documents revealed.

Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to gather in downtown Chicago and across the country Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump’s administration. The day began in Chicago with a family-friendly event in the Jefferson Park neighborhood.

A day of "No Kings" anti-Trump protests kicked off this morning with a kid-friendly gathering in Jefferson Park. "A great learning experience on peaceful protest for our son.” news.wttw.com/2025/06/14/a...

The House narrowly approved President Donald Trump’s request to cut about $9.4 billion in spending on foreign aid programs, NPR, PBS as well as thousands of public radio and television stations around the country. The vote was 214-212. to.wttw.com/3TkqbT1

The Chicago White Sox have announced a plan for owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell majority control of the team to minority owner Justin Ishbia — but not until 2029 at the earliest. to.wttw.com/4568VIv

NEW: Illinois State Police keeps a gang database. ICE has access to it. This, despite the state's TRUST Act prohibiting data sharing agreements between the two. news.wttw.com/2025/06/02/i...

The Trump administration's list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" includes the state of Illinois, what appears to be 96 out of the state's 102 counties, and the towns of Berwyn, Chicago, Evanston, "Oak Park Village," Skokie, St. Joseph and Urbana. www.dhs.gov/sanctuary-ju...

Lawmakers just released a bill overhauling Chicagoland public transit that would effectively replace the RTA and make CTA, Metra, and Pace focused on operations — but no word yet on much-needed revenues @wttw.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2025/05/28/l...

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood just announced on CNN she will not be running for Senate to replace Dick Durbin.

Stacy Davis Gates and the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE) will remain in charge of the Chicago Teachers Union for three more years after winning decisively.

The private firm that leases Chicago’s parking meters should get $15.5M in compensation after spaces were taken out of service during COVID, city lawyers recommend. (Reminder: The firm recouped its investment in the 75-year lease within a decade. They earned $150.9 million in 2023 alone.)

Ald. David Moore today warned CTA directors not to be a “backbiting snake” as he pushed back on opposition to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s reported pick for the transit agency president, city COO John Roberson. ✍️ @ndblumberg.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2025/05/14/a...

ANALYSIS: Despite Mayor Johnson's trademark optimism, the unrelenting turmoil of the past 2 years and his missteps in handling new & old crises ensures that if he runs for and wins a 2nd term in office, he will have to do it the same way he won the 1st time: as an underdog. @wttw.bsky.social

As Illinois residents scrambled to meet the Real ID deadline, many instead ran into long lines, appointment shortages and confusing documentation rules. Public records reveal widespread frustration as the rollout strained DMV systems across the state. to.wttw.com/4jKwr2b

NEW: U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky announced Monday she would not seek a 15th term in office, setting off a free-for-all for a coveted seat representing the sprawling congressional district that includes much of Chicago’s North Side and north suburbs.

Two Cook County residents have been diagnosed with measles, Chicago Department of Public Health officials announced Thursday. to.wttw.com/3RLknBr

The executive order against Jenner & Block stemmed from the fact that the firm once employed Andrew Weissmann, a lawyer who served on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team that investigated Trump during his first term in office. Weissmann left the firm four years ago.

The Chicago Teachers Union’s bargaining team is set to convene Monday to consider a contract proposal from Chicago Public Schools, the latest sign a new labor deal could be imminent.

BREAKING: The Trump administration yanked $125 million in funding from the Chicago Department of Public Health designed to stop the continued spread of COVID-19 and prevent a new pandemic from taking root, officials said Friday. @wttw.bsky.social

When a kid dies by suspected abuse or neglect, or dies or is seriously injured (broken bones, head trauma) in the state's care, DCFS is required by law to review + release report. At least 1200 deaths, 3000 serious injuries since summer 2018. No reports. illinoisanswers.org/2025/03/18/a...

A federal judge ordered Chicago to make about 71% of its 2,713 signalized intersections with pedestrian crossings accessible to people who are blind or have low vision within 10 years. In 2023, the city was found to be in violation of the ADA Act. Since then, just 85 signals have been installed.

The federal Department of Education has launched investigations into allegations of racial discrimination against the University of Chicago, Notre Dame and dozens of other schools amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to eliminate DEI programs. to.wttw.com/4iMh48q

Alt headline: Fish don’t mind dyeing, but they do have a problem with sewage. Super fun interview with research biologist Austin Happel at Shedd Aquarium. He has some fantastic fish tales! news.wttw.com/2025/03/13/c...

After Illinois residents cast nearly 400,000 ballots over five weeks in a contest to redesign the state flag, the overwhelming winner was … the current flag. to.wttw.com/3Flprcw

Madigan’s team officially rested Thursday morning, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began in the landmark case. Closing statements are expected to begin next Wednesday, followed by jury deliberations the following week. to.wttw.com/4g0o3c4

Experts in law enforcement policy and former police officers have been paid millions by taxpayers to keep tabs on the city's efforts to comply with the federal court order requiring CPD to reform itself. @jaredrutecki.bsky.social takes a deep dive for @wttw.bsky.social into who is doing that work:

Derided as “bottom feeders,” sucker fish play an important role in the Great Lakes. Here's how a scientist partnered with community members to produce important research and in the process create wildlife advocates. From @pjdubs.bsky.social

“Governing is hard, and we have to prove we can do it.” news.wttw.com/2024/12/02/h...

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) — “considered one of the world’s worst aquatic weeds” — has been discovered in DuPage County. to.wttw.com/499nivy

Ugh. Hoping Illinois can stamp this out before it spreads. Kudos to whoever ID’d & reported the dread Hydrilla. news.wttw.com/2024/11/26/o...