Lawmakers pitch a bold plan to merge CTA, Metra and Pace. Pushback to the Bears’ new stadium plans. And Asian American organizers plan a political action day.
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New Summer Meals Program Will Give Low-Income Illinois Families $120 in Grocery Benefits Per Child. Here’s How to Apply
Starting this summer, families in Illinois with school-age children can receive a preloaded card to purchase groceries during summer break as part of a new permanent federal program called Summer EBT, or the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children.
‘He Was a Great Man’: Slain Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca Remembered, Celebrated During Funeral
“Luis left a great impression on not only everyone sitting here, especially his team, but he’s leaving an impression on the entire country,” Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said.
Michigan Attorney General Executes Search Warrants on Google and X in Ongoing 2020 Fake Trump Electors Probe
The warrants make clear that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is still gathering new information in her probe, nine months after she charged the state’s fake electors with forgery and other crimes for signing certificates falsely claiming Donald Trump won the state in 2020.
Northwestern to Allow ‘Peaceful Demonstrations’ on Campus After Reaching Agreement With Protesters
Protests began on the Evanston campus and at universities across the country in recent weeks amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Efforts to Add Abortion Protections to the Illinois Constitution Cool as Election-Year Focus Turns to Other States
State legislators would need to vote by May 5 to place a question on the November ballot, and key players indicate there’s no effort to do so despite earlier talk at state government’s highest levels after Roe v. Wade was dismantled by the U.S. Supreme Court almost two years ago.
Illinois Lawmakers Unveil Proposal to Merge CTA, Metra and Pace; Plan Would Replace RTA and Add $1.5B in New Funding
Backers of the MMA plan say siloed agencies have long competed for funding, failed to integrate fares for passengers and aren’t delivering the service riders should be able to depend on.
Affluent Americans Are Driving US Economy and Likely Delaying Need for Fed Rate Cuts
Older Americans are fueling a sustained boost to the U.S. economy. Benefiting from outsize gains in the stock and housing markets over the past several years, they are accounting for a larger share of consumer spending — the principal driver of economic growth — than ever before.
Tractor-Trailers With No One Aboard? The Future is Near for Self-Driving Trucks on US Roads
The image of a fully loaded, 80,000-pound driverless truck weaving around cars on a super-highway at 65 mph or more may strike a note of terror. A poll conducted in January by AAA found that a decisive majority of American drivers — 66% — said they would fear riding in an autonomous vehicle.
Officials Announce $100K in Rewards for Information Leading to Arrest of Suspect in Officer Luis Huesca's Killing
The Chicago Police Department over the weekend announced that an arrest warrant had been issued for 22-year-old Xavier L. Tate Jr., who is being sought in connection with Huesca’s death.
2 People Killed in Weekend Shootings Across Chicago: Police
According to Chicago Police Department data, 16 people were shot between Friday evening and Sunday night.
No. 1 NFL Draft Pick Caleb Williams Realizes All Eyes Are on Him and He’s Embracing the Chicago Attention
The former Southern California star was ready to embrace the attention after the Chicago Bears grabbed him with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
Week in Review: Bears Pitch Domed Lakefront Stadium; Pro-Palestinian Protests at Northwestern
The Bears unveil plans for a $4.75 billion state-of-the-art domed lakefront stadium. And pro-Palestinian Northwestern students and staff protest the war in Gaza.
Immigrant Advocates Tout New Report Showing Benefits of State-Funded Health Plans
Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status.
The Joffrey Ballet Reaps an Extraordinary Work of Dance Theater With ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’: Review
It is a very good bet that you have never seen (and might never see) anything quite like Alexander Ekman’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” writes WTTW News theater critic Hedy Weiss. She calls the show a wild and crazy dream-come-to-life that is brilliantly performed.
Cook County Democrats Tap Commissioner to Replace Karen Yarbrough, Pick Interim Clerk
Leaders of the Cook County Democratic Party selected Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon to run in the November general election to replace Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, who died April 7.
Former Foxtrot Employees Rally to Demand Back Pay After Abrupt Store Closures, Layoffs
The upscale grocery retailers Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen and Market announced Tuesday they would cease operations, shuttering 35 stores across Chicago, Austin, Dallas and the D.C. area.
Doctors Seeing More Syphilis Patients With Unusual and Severe Symptoms, Study Shows
Syphilis cases are surging across the U.S. In 2022, there were more than 207,000 syphilis cases reported, the highest number since the 1950s, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds R. Kelly’s Child Pornography Convictions From Chicago Trial
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday rejected the R&B singer’s claim that the statute of limitations had passed and instead affirmed his convictions, stating that “(f)or years, Robert Sylvester Kelly abused underage girls.”
‘Physician Magician’ Pioneers English and Spanish Shows at the Rhapsody Theater
In a series of back-to-back English and Spanish performances set for the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend, the “Physician Magician” will become “El Medico Mago” at the Rhapsody Theater in Rogers Park.
Caleb Williams Goes to the Chicago Bears With the No. 1 Overall Pick in the NFL Draft
The expectations are clear: Become the franchise quarterback the Bears have craved for years and lift the founding NFL franchise to the top of the league. Other than that, there's no pressure at all.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 25, 2024 - Full Show
Advocates say huge warehouses and constant truck traffic are hurting Black and Brown communities. And the “physician magician” is here with a new trick up his sleeve.
Judge Approves $12.25M Settlement Over Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion
“At the end of the day, it’s about respect for this community — the immigrant, Mexican community of Little Village, and it’s about justice,” attorney Scott Rauscher said.
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
Flooding is the state’s most threatening natural disaster and touches every corner in Illinois, but communities of color and poorer areas often face the greatest risk — particularly in the city of Chicago and greater Cook County. Sewer and stormwater infrastructure can often no longer handle the onslaught of water that comes from these heavy rainfalls, experts told Illinois Answers.
Who’s Ready for a Wild Weekend? The Annual City Nature Challenge is Here
Hundreds of cities around the world will take part in the friendly City Nature Challenge competition — Friday through Monday — to see who can identify the most biodiversity.
Dexter Reed Hit by 13 Bullets Fired by 4 CPD Officers During Traffic Stop, Autopsy Finds
All five officers who stopped Dexter Reed near the border of Humboldt Park and Garfield Park remain on paid administrative leave and have not returned to active duty after completing a mandatory 30-day stint after the shooting, as required by department rules, a department spokesperson told WTTW News.
