What would be your advice for someone moving to Chicago?

Your response could be included in our newsletter, the Daily Chicagoan. Subscribe here: to.wttw.com/4axsYlD

Chicago’s Cinco De Mayo Parade Again Canceled Due to Immigration Raid Concerns, Organizers Say The Cermak Road Chamber of Commerce and Casa Puebla said in a statement the Mexican community continues to face challenges under the Trump administration. “There is nothing to celebrate,” organizers s...

The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village is being canceled for the second year in a row due to concerns over federal immigration raids, organizers announced. https://to.wttw.com/48Z8Ffj

CPS Employee Accused of Double-Dipping Through Dual Employment Scheme Now Works for CTA, Records Show Records obtained by WTTW News show a former CPS employee logged paid work hours while traveling domestically and abroad, contributing to inflated vendor bills and alleged time fraud. The investigation...

A former Chicago Public Schools employee who was classified as ineligible to be rehired after being accused of defrauding the district through a dual employment scheme is now working in a six-figure job at the Chicago Transit Authority. https://to.wttw.com/48KFhcF

The Innovation and Invisible Labor of Pullman Railcars | Riding the Rails | WTTW Chicago George Pullman’s elegant sleeper cars transformed the rail experience in the 19th century. But the lives of the porters who tended to them were anything but glamorous, as Dr. Lionel Kimble tells Geoff...

Trains played a major role in the Great Migration – the period between 1910 and 1970 that saw more than 7,000,000 Southern Black Americans move to Northern cities. #RailsWTTW to.wttw.com/4t8qosR

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging National Guard Deployment in Illinois Months After Troops Removed A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit brought by Illinois and Chicago officials that sought to bar the Trump administration’s plans to deploy National Guard troops into the state.

A federal judge will toss out a lawsuit brought by Illinois and Chicago officials last year that sought to bar the Trump administration’s plans to deploy National Guard troops, finding the case is moot after the U.S. Supreme Court refused such a deployment.https://to.wttw.com/48fqbf3

Your ComEd Bill Will See a Reduction in April and May Thanks to High Energy Prices, Nuclear Subsidies CHICAGO — A law originally enacted to keep the state’s nuclear fleet profitable is instead giving relief to energy customers due to rising power costs and increased federal subsidies for nuclear gener...

ComEd customers in Illinois will see an average $19 monthly reduction to their electricity bills over the coming months, thanks to a policy in the state’s landmark climate bill.

https://to.wttw.com/4vqRPQ9

Suspend CPD Officer for 89 Days for Using His Radio to Strike Man in Head 3 Times: Top Cop Officer Michael Donnelly’s actions “brought significant negative attention and discredit upon the department” and “exposed CPD to civil liability,” COPA concluded.

A Chicago police officer who used his department-issued radio to strike a man in the head three times in July 2024 should be suspended for 89 days, CPD Supt. Larry Snelling and the agency tasked with investigating police misconduct agreed, records show. https://to.wttw.com/3QbBU8t

Ghost Tracks: The Rugged Beauty of Chicago’s Abandoned Railroad Infrastructure Across Chicago, the remnants of the city’s rail history can be found just about everywhere. Tracks embedded in asphalt vanish behind chain-link fences, bridges reach into the sky, and overgrown corrid...

Across Chicago, the remnants of the city’s rail history can be found just about everywhere. to.wttw.com/3OmYVVg #RailsWTTW

How the Railroads Standardized Time | Riding the Rails | WTTW Chicago Once upon a time – time wasn’t standardized. And that was a big problem for the booming railroad industry. So in 1883, railroad companies came together in Chicago to create a standardized time system ...

Once upon a time – time wasn’t standardized. And that was a big problem for the booming railroad industry. to.wttw.com/4mvmCY7 #RailsWTTW

Advocates Push for Wage Increases for Home Care Workers in Illinois Home care workers with SEIU Healthcare Illinois and state legislators gathered Thursday in front of the Illinois Capitol Building in Springfield to rally in support of a bill that would raise wages fo...

During the rally, home care workers spoke about their experiences as caregivers. For Jimeka Tia McKandes it’s more than a job — it’s her life, she said.

“There’s gonna be times when their family is not there," McKandes said. "We become their family.” https://to.wttw.com/4mBPLAL

Partner Who Fatally Shot CPD Officer Krystal Rivera Waited, Hid After Shooting, New Video Shows Video evidence released Friday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability showed for the first time what happened in the chaotic scene as officer Carlos A. Baker fatally shot Krystal Rivera.

Baker’s attorney Tim Grace on Friday said the videos published Friday show his client “did everything in his power and training to render aid to his fallen partner and placed himself in harms way” to get to her.

to.wttw.com/4tkZ5vD

Adam Toledo’s Family Drops Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against City — But Vows to Refile “This step allows us to continue pursuing the case in a manner that fully protects the rights of Adam Toledo’s family,” said Adeena Weiss Ortiz, the lead lawyer for Elizabeth and Marco Toledo, the tee...

The family of Adam Toledo, the 13-year-old who was shot and killed by an officer after a brief foot chase in March 2021, has dropped their wrongful death lawsuit against the city and Chicago Police Department — but their lawyers vow to refile the case. https://to.wttw.com/4dUPaIe

Partner Who Fatally Shot CPD Officer Krystal Rivera Waited, Hid After Shooting, New Video Shows Video evidence released Friday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability showed for the first time what happened in the chaotic scene as officer Carlos A. Baker fatally shot Krystal Rivera.

The Chicago police officer who fatally shot his partner Krystal Rivera during a June 2025 foot pursuit waited approximately two minutes before responding to her as she lay dying inside a Chatham apartment building, body camera video of the incident shows.
https://to.wttw.com/4tkZ5vD

Steppenwolf’s ‘Windfall’ Explores a Father’s Grief and the Value of a Life A son lost in a clash with the police. A huge cash settlement on the table. And a father torn between staying put in Chicago or starting anew. That all-too-real dilemma is what underpins the play “Win...

A son lost in a clash with the police. A huge cash settlement on the table. And a father torn between staying put in Chicago or starting anew.

That all-too-real dilemma is what underpins the play “Windfall,” a new work at Steppenwolf Theatre.

https://to.wttw.com/4tme9sS

CPS Reaches Deal With CTU to Hold May Day Classes, Allow Students to Attend Afternoon Rally The announcement comes after a push by the CTU and some Board of Education members to close schools and allow for demonstrations on the annual labor holiday.

Chicago Public Schools will hold classes on May 1 after reaching an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union that will allow students and staff to attend a rally as part of the annual “May Day” labor holiday. https://to.wttw.com/4cPi6QN

Chicago's inspector general, Deborah Witzburg has repeatedly warned officials over the last four years that they must work to pay down the city's "deficit of legitimacy." But she says she will leave office after just one term with much of that debt unpaid. https://to.wttw.com/4tkIVSZ

Illinois Prison Officials Digitized Mail to Stop Contraband, But New Data Shows Little Results So Far The switch to digitized mail for incarcerated people has had little impact on the drug exposures the policy sought to stop, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The switch to digitized mail for incarcerated people has had little impact on the drug exposures the policy sought to stop, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

https://to.wttw.com/3QhKL8q

Two New Theater Productions and an Exhibit by Local Ukrainian Artists: 5 Arts Picks for Your Week Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

This weekend, an exhibit highlighting the connection between Kyiv and Chicago is opening at the Ukrainian National Museum. It’s one event out of many that highlights our city’s rich communities, undeniable talent and resilience. Check that out and more here: https://to.wttw.com/4tfig9T

4 Months Into the Year, Chicago Has Spent at Least $175.6M to Resolve Police Misconduct Lawsuits The city’s 2026 budget set aside just $82.5 million for police misconduct settlements, and authorized officials to borrow an additional $283.3 million to cover the soaring cost of lawsuits alleging wr...

FULL STORY: Just four months into the year, Chicago has spent more than $175.6 million to resolve approximately 200 lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct, according to an analysis of city data by @wttw.bsky.social
news.wttw.com/2026/04/15/4...

Pollinator Gardens Don’t Have To Be ‘Native or Bust,’ Says New Research Supporting the Value of Cultivars There’s a divide in the pollinator gardening movement between those who advocate for nothing but native plantings and those whose standards are less rigid. New research suggests there’s a middle groun...

The rise of the pollinator-friendly gardening movement has led to something of a divide between those who advocate for “nothing but native” when it comes to plantings and those whose standards are less rigid.

https://to.wttw.com/41BhZlM

Lawmakers Grill Illinois Department of Corrections After Audit Shows Dozens of Failures Illinois lawmakers are fed up with the state Department of Corrections after another audit found it has ignored state spending rules and failed to fix many mistakes that have languished for years.

Illinois lawmakers are fed up with the state Department of Corrections after another audit found it has ignored state spending rules and failed to fix many mistakes that have languished for years.

https://to.wttw.com/4sC9e5U

Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for April 15-21 Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.

Two of the best Chicago bands also happen to be some of the city’s easiest to root for acts, @joshterry.bsky.social writes. He talks up Ratboys and Free Range at the Vic this weekend, along with several other live music options around the Chicago-area. Find them here: https://to.wttw.com/48DMj2T

Jury Finds That Ticketmaster and Live Nation Had an Anticompetitive Monopoly Over Big Concert Venues A jury has found that concert giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues, dealing the company a loss in a lawsuit over claims brought by dozens of...

A jury has found that concert giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues, dealing the company a loss in a lawsuit over claims brought by dozens of U.S. states.

https://to.wttw.com/3QI9jYg

Ex-Urban Prep CEO Tim King Accused of Embezzling $100K From Charter School Network Federal prosecutors charged Tim King, 59, in a three-count indictment accusing him of misusing Urban Prep funds to cover his own personal credit card expenses and then attempting to cover up that thef...

Tim King, the former leader of the Urban Prep charter schools who resigned in 2022 amid sexual misconduct allegations, now faces federal charges alleging he embezzled more than $100,000 in school funding.

https://to.wttw.com/4tVGztL

Chicago Once Had Six Downtown Train Terminals. What Happened to Them? In the golden age of rail travel, downtown Chicago was home to not one, not two, but six passenger train stations. These awe-inspiring buildings were more than just functional gateways. They transform...

Downtown Chicago was home to not one, not two, but six passenger train stations. So what happened to them? #RailsWTTW to.wttw.com/4c7jAWr

4 Months Into the Year, Chicago Has Spent at Least $175.6M to Resolve Police Misconduct Lawsuits The city’s 2026 budget set aside just $82.5 million for police misconduct settlements, and authorized officials to borrow an additional $283.3 million to cover the soaring cost of lawsuits alleging wr...

Just four months into the year, Chicago has spent more than $175.6 million to resolve approximately 200 lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News. https://to.wttw.com/3ODbZG9

City Council Fails to Override Mayor Johnson’s Veto That Would Block End to Tipped Minimum Wage Chicago restaurants must phase out the tipped minimum wage by July 1, 2028, while giving servers and other workers who earn gratuities 8% raises annually every July 1.

The Chicago City Council failed Wednesday to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto of a measure designed to reverse a 2023 City Council vote to phase out the tipped minimum wage, keeping one of Johnson’s major legislative accomplishments intact. https://to.wttw.com/4vyOezD

Over the Rainbow Association Works to Build More Accessible Housing in Chicago Chicago’s lack of affordable housing impacts thousands of residents across the city. This problem is exacerbated when accessibility accommodations, such as needing a wheelchair, are also necessary.

Over the Rainbow Association, or OTR, is a nonprofit that focuses on building accessible and independent housing for people with disabilities. It has 14 buildings across northern Illinois, including a new building in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. https://to.wttw.com/4cnFe7B

BREAKING: The Chicago City Council failed Wednesday to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto of a measure designed to reverse a 2023 City Council vote to phase out the tipped minimum wage, keeping one of Johnson’s major legislative accomplishments intact. @wttw.bsky.social

Wife, Son of Late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer Found Fatally Shot Tuesday Barbara Deer, 51, and her son Kaleb Deer, 23, were identified by Cook County Medical Examiner records as the two people killed at a Homan Square home Tuesday.

The widow and son of deceased Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer were fatally shot Tuesday evening inside a West Side home. https://to.wttw.com/41zTky0