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The Bluebells Are Here. Catch These Short-Lived Beauties Before They’re Gone

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A blanket of bluebells at O’Hara Woods in Will County. (Courtesy Forest Preserve District of Wall County)

These gorgeous spring ephemerals love woodland habitats near creeks, and they’ll spread like a carpet on the forest floor. But only for a couple of weeks, and then they’re gone.

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A blanket of bluebells at O’Hara Woods in Will County. (Courtesy Forest Preserve District of Wall County)

Mural on the 94th Floor: Chicago Artist Spotlights City Neighborhoods and Her Heritage at the Top of a Skyscraper

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Artist Katie Chung paints a mural on the 94th floor of 875 North Michigan. (Marc Vitali / WTTW News)

High above Michigan Avenue, artist Katie Chung pays tribute to the neighborhoods below. She uses many colors while keeping in mind Obangsaek, a color scheme known as the five cardinal colors of Korean culture.

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Artist Katie Chung paints a mural on the 94th floor of 875 North Michigan. (Marc Vitali / WTTW News)

Pritzker Says CTA Needs ‘Evolution of Leadership’ as Agency Faces Ridership, Financial Concerns

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to the news media at the state Capitol on April 18, 2024. (WTTW News)

“Changes are going to have to take place, there’s no doubt, at the CTA, and I think that’s going to take some new leadership and additional leadership,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. The agency has been under scrutiny amid rider frustration, unkempt train cars and safety concerns.

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to the news media at the state Capitol on April 18, 2024. (WTTW News)

Judge Tosses Large Portions of Evanston Residents’ Lawsuit Over Northwestern’s Ryan Field Deal

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A rendering of a planned new Ryan Field in Evanston. (Credit: Northwestern University)

Judge Pamela McLean Meyerson dismissed three counts brought by a group of 13 residents who live near the stadium who had asked the court to invalidate Evanston City Council’s 5-4 vote to change the city’s zoning law.

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A rendering of a planned new Ryan Field in Evanston. (Credit: Northwestern University)

Illinois Now Home to Federally Recognized Tribal Land After Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Given Back Portion of Ancestral Land

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Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, tribal chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, speaks at a news conference at the Illinois Capitol in February 2024. (Peter Hancock / Capitol News Illinois)

A U.S. Department of the Interior decision places portions of Shab-eh-nay Reservation land, which is located in DeKalb County, into trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, which gives the tribal nation sovereignty over the land.

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Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, tribal chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, speaks at a news conference at the Illinois Capitol in February 2024. (Peter Hancock / Capitol News Illinois)

Sour Cherries: Weird Weather Stunts Blossoms in Jackson Park for Second Year in a Row

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Cherry blossoms in Jackson Park in 2021. (Courtesy of Chicago Park District)

The Cherry Blossom trees in Jackson Park won’t reach peak bloom this year, the Chicago Park District said.

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Cherry blossoms in Jackson Park in 2021. (Courtesy of Chicago Park District)

House Sends Bill Restricting Chicago Selective Enrollment School Changes to Senate Despite Rebukes From CTU, CPS Board

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(WTTW News)

An increased moratorium on closing Chicago Public Schools – including charters –  easily passed the state House heads to the Senate over the objections of the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointees to the city’s school board.

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(WTTW News)

Final Tally: Ex-Ald. Ed Burke Spent $3.8M in Campaign Cash on Legal Fees Before Conviction

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Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke makes his way through security at the Dirksen Courthouse on Nov. 6, 2023. (WTTW News)

Former Ald. Ed Burke paid two law firms, Blegen & Garvey and Breen & Pugh, approximately $769,000 one month after his conviction, according to state records.

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Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke makes his way through security at the Dirksen Courthouse on Nov. 6, 2023. (WTTW News)

Suburbs Slow to Apply for Migrant Aid From $20M Cook County Fund

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Inside the Ford Heights migrant shelter that’s slated to open April 23, 2024. (Courtesy of Chelsea Thomas at Empowerment Anywhere)

The deadline for applications is Friday. And while there are more than 100 suburbs in the county that are eligible, only two have applied, including Oak Park and Ford Heights.

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Inside the Ford Heights migrant shelter that’s slated to open April 23, 2024. (Courtesy of Chelsea Thomas at Empowerment Anywhere)

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 18, 2024 - Full Show

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Cook County suburbs have until tomorrow to apply for funds set aside for migrant assistance. Exploring the health impacts of food deserts. And why repairing Chicago sidewalks may not be as straightforward as you think.

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As Illinois Launches ‘New Stores in Food Deserts’ Grant Program, Local Groups Work to Fill the Gaps

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(WTTW News)

A city report found 29% of Latinos in Chicago are experiencing food insecurity. Not only do families struggle to access enough food, but finding nutritious foods to stay healthy can also be more difficult.

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(WTTW News)

Illinois Senate Advances Bill to Ban Food Additives Linked to Health Problems

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State Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, is pictured on the floor of the Illinois Senate last year. He advanced a measure through the Senate on bipartisan lines that would ban four widely used food additives. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)

The Illinois Food Safety Act passed on a 37-15 bipartisan vote and will head to the state House for consideration. The banned chemicals are used in a wide variety of food products.

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State Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, is pictured on the floor of the Illinois Senate last year. He advanced a measure through the Senate on bipartisan lines that would ban four widely used food additives. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)

Afghan Evacuees’ Resettlement in Chicago Offers Lessons for Caring for Future Humanitarian Arrivals: Report

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Sima Quraishi, executive director of Muslim Women’s Resource Center, third from left, speaks about her experience assisting Afghan evacuees during a discussion held at the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice on April 17, 2024. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)

After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, an initial 80,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in 2021 following America’s botched withdrawal from the country. More than 2,300 Afghan evacuees have since resettled in Illinois, according the Illinois Department of Human Services.

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Sima Quraishi, executive director of Muslim Women’s Resource Center, third from left, speaks about her experience assisting Afghan evacuees during a discussion held at the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice on April 17, 2024. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)

Howard Brown Health, Union Workers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement After 1.5 Years of Negotiations

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Howard Brown Health sign. (WTTW News)

It comes after about 1.5 years of negotiations, two strikes, a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board that found merit in charges of unfair labor practices, and the layoffs of 61 unionized workers — some of whom were subsequently brought back on due to an NLRB recommendation.

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Howard Brown Health sign. (WTTW News)

Wayfair to Open First Physical Furniture Store in Wilmette

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Wayfair is set to open its first physical store next month. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard / Bloomberg / Getty Images / File via CNN Newsource)

The large-format store, clocking in at 150,000 square feet and located in Edens Plaza in Wilmette, Illinois, will open to shoppers on May 23. It will also feature an onsite restaurant called “The Porch,” the company said, taking a page out of Ikea’s store setup.

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Wayfair is set to open its first physical store next month. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard / Bloomberg / Getty Images / File via CNN Newsource)

Education Leaders Seek Added State Funding to Help Accommodate Influx of Migrant Students in Illinois

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Bridget Peach, executive director of the advocacy group ED-RED, a consortium of school districts in northern Cook and Lake counties, testifies before a state House committee on April 16, 2024, in favor of funding to help schools with the cost of educating migrant students. (Peter Hancock / Capitol News Illinois)

The recent surge of migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Advocates say the state has not done enough to address educating the children of those coming across the border.

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Bridget Peach, executive director of the advocacy group ED-RED, a consortium of school districts in northern Cook and Lake counties, testifies before a state House committee on April 16, 2024, in favor of funding to help schools with the cost of educating migrant students. (Peter Hancock / Capitol News Illinois)

Highland Park to Resume Fourth of July Parade This Summer, 2 Years After Mass Shooting

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(WTTW News)

The city of Highland Park is planning to resume its annual Fourth of July parade — two years after a gunman opened fire on attendees, killing seven and wounding dozens more.

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(WTTW News)