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Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday that will give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rate changes for homeowners and automobile policies. https://to.wttw.com/3RM1jqo
Pritzker Signs Bills Allowing State to Review Homeowner, Auto Insurance Rate Hikes
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday that will give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rate changes for homeowners and automobile policies.
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Illinois parents starting on back-to-school shopping will get a temporary sales tax break for 10 days this month. Here's how it works: https://to.wttw.com/4cjRabc
Illinois Offers Temporary Sales Tax Reduction on Back-to-School Shopping
The state sales tax will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25% from Aug. 7-16, 2026, and local sales taxes will still apply. School supplies, as well as clothing and shoes under $125, are eligible for the lo...
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Budget Director Annette Guzman is the latest person to transition away from Johnson’s administration. She stepped down to focus on caring for her family, according to the mayor’s office. https://to.wttw.com/4hdViNx
Mayor Johnson Focusing on Building Continuity After Budget Director Annette Guzman Resigns
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll be able to present a balanced budget in October after his Budget Director Annette Guzman abruptly resigned this week.
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One week after the American Red Cross declared its second ever blood supply crisis, donations are increasing. But the agency still needs more donors to roll up their sleeves before the crisis can end. https://to.wttw.com/4wGFGqF
Chicago last month recorded its fewest homicides for any single July in more than a half century, according to new data from the Chicago Police Department. https://to.wttw.com/4xiBdtY
Chicago Sees Lowest Homicide Total For Any July in Decades
There were 37 homicides in the city last month, the lowest total for any such month dating back to at least 1970. That total is down 18% compared to July 2025.
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CPS CEO Macquline King's budget proposal caught the ire of the Chicago Teachers Union and CTU-aligned board members, who amended King’s budget to assume more state funding and avoid around 1,000 layoffs. https://to.wttw.com/4pXQP3Q
Attorneys for the city of Chicago are negotiating a “global settlement” to resolve 17 lawsuits naming eight members of a Chicago Police Department tactical team repeatedly accused of improperly stopping and searching Black men downtown, court records show. https://to.wttw.com/45a2oeD
City Lawyers Negotiating ‘Global Settlement’ of Lawsuits Naming CPD Officers Repeatedly Accused of Improper Traffic Stops
U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall signed an order on July 27 giving U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Jantz the authority to craft a “global settlement” of 17 cases which accuse the officers of viol...
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Two people have died in the cyclospora outbreak in Michigan, state health officials announced Monday, the first deaths confirmed in the U.S. related to the microscopic parasite. https://to.wttw.com/4gcubRK
Michigan Reports First 2 US Deaths Related to Cyclospora Outbreak, Hundreds of Cases Reported in Illinois
In Illinois, there have been no deaths related to the cyclospora outbreak, the Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed Monday. “While no single source has been identified for all cases, a numbe...
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Headliners for the festival include best-selling Chicago author Scott Turow and “PBS NewsHour” co-anchor Geoff Bennett, who recently authored “Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy From Vaudeville to ‘90s Sitcoms.” https://to.wttw.com/4buYiBr
Printers Row Lit Fest Headliners Include Chicago Author Scott Turow, ‘PBS NewsHour’ Co-Anchor Geoff Bennett
The Printers Row Lit Fest will be held Sept. 12-13. The free event brings together more than 200 nationally and locally acclaimed authors, journalists, poets, screenwriters, booksellers and storytelle...
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A federal judge ruled late Friday that Illinois is not required to hand over its complete, unredacted voter registration data, including sensitive personal information, to the Trump administration. https://to.wttw.com/4yQdxPv
Federal Judge Denies Trump Administration Access to Unredacted Illinois Voter Data
A federal judge ruled that Illinois is not required to hand over its complete, unredacted voter registration data, including sensitive personal information. No court has yet ruled in favor of the Trum...
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A pair of storms on the front and back ends of July made for a wetter month than normal, according to a National Weather Service summary. https://to.wttw.com/4g8zK3E
July in Chicago Was Hotter and Wetter Than Normal, Weather Service Says
A pair of storms on the front and back ends of July made for a wetter month than normal, according to a National Weather Service summary.
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Chicago Public Schools principals and staff this week will begin training as the district is set to implement its holistic safety plan citywide — more than two years after police officers were removed from district campuses. https://to.wttw.com/4wCrAX5
CPS Set to Expand Whole School Safety Model Citywide
Chicago Public Schools principals and staff this week will begin training as the district is set to implement its holistic safety plan citywide — more than two years after police officers were removed...
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The Chicago School Board’s upcoming budget is banking on $150 million in funding that the state hasn’t allocated to prevent layoffs, but the request comes amid a tight budget landscape in Springfield. https://to.wttw.com/4bX5O8e
Illinois House Speaker Welch ‘Committed’ to More Funding for CPS. The School Board Is Banking On It
It remains unclear where the additional funds would come from. The $55.9 billion spending plan Pritzker signed into law in June, which relies on hundreds of millions of dollars in tax hikes to bring i...
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Barely a week after four beluga whales were transferred from Marineland, a defunct Canadian water park, to Shedd Aquarium, the newcomers have already made an impression on their caretakers. https://to.wttw.com/4pUCrcB
How Are Shedd’s New Rescued Belugas Adjusting? Go Behind the Scenes
Barely a week after four beluga whales were transferred from Marineland, a defunct Canadian water park, to Shedd Aquarium, the newcomers have already made an impression on their caretakers.
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Alexi Giannoulias formally launched his campaign for Chicago mayor at the Bronzeville headquarters of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, signaling he had the enthusiastic support of the city’s trade unions. https://to.wttw.com/4wwrznH
Backed by Trade Unions, Alexi Giannoulias Launches Campaign for Chicago Mayor
Giannoulias, 50, who is running for a second term as secretary of state in November, will simultaneously enter the contest to be Chicago’s 58th mayor.
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched a bid for Chicago mayor Sunday, joining an already large field of candidates. In a video, he said he was running because Chicagoans “need to demand better from City Hall.” https://to.wttw.com/4wwrznH
Backed by Trade Unions, Alexi Giannoulias Launches Campaign for Chicago Mayor
Giannoulias, 50, who is running for a second term as secretary of state in November, will simultaneously enter the contest to be Chicago’s 58th mayor.
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Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping regulations Friday aimed at social media companies and cracking down on “addictive algorithms” that keep kids glued to their screens. https://to.wttw.com/4wFTj9G
Pritzker Signs Laws Regulating How Social Media Platforms Interact With Children
Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping regulations Friday aimed at social media companies and cracking down on “addictive algorithms” that keep kids glued to their screens.
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A newly released report shows resigned Illinois state Rep. Harry Benton engaged in a “pattern and practice of inappropriate sexual conduct” dating back to 2023 when he was first seated to the House. https://to.wttw.com/4wuvJwl
Report Finds ‘Pattern and Practice’ of Sexual Harassment by Ex-Rep. Harry Benton
A newly released report shows resigned Rep. Harry Benton engaged in a “pattern and practice of inappropriate sexual conduct” dating back to 2023 when he was first seated to the House.
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Women’s softball is gaining momentum across the world, and in Mexico, the sport’s growing popularity is creating new opportunities for women and girls who historically have had few places to compete professionally. https://to.wttw.com/4uXcpGN
The Rise of Women’s Softball in Mexico City
Women’s softball is gaining momentum across the world, and in Mexico, the sport’s growing popularity is creating new opportunities for women and girls who historically have had few places to compete p...
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Childcare assistance. Early intervention. Preschool for all. Until recently, these state programs were split across three state agencies and the governor’s office. But since July 1, they’ve all been within the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood. https://to.wttw.com/4fLh8p0
That missed deadline comes as CPD officials acknowledged, again, that the number of times officers used force against members of the public “continues to trend upward,” according to the report. https://to.wttw.com/3Tzx7za
CPD Brass Missed Deadline to Detail How Many Times Officers Used Force Against Chicagoans in 2025: Records
That missed deadline comes as CPD officials acknowledged, again, that the number of times officers used force against members of the public “continues to trend upward,” according to the report.
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Cook County judges often ordered accused people to be detained while awaiting trial despite, by the court’s own assessments, being at low risk of rearrest or missing court, according to a recent report from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice. https://to.wttw.com/4fP7uln
Cook County Judges Often Detain Pretrial Defendants Deemed a Low Risk of Reoffending or Missing Court, Report Says
A recent report from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice says Cook County judges often ordered accused people to be detained while awaiting trial despite, by the court’s own assessments, being a...
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Illinois residents who lost food assistance benefits following federal rule changes will receive $400 under a new program announced by Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday. https://to.wttw.com/3TKguAP
Illinoisans Kicked Off SNAP to Receive One-Time $400 Benefit Under New Program
The $70 million program can support up to 175,000 Illinoisans who lost or received reduced SNAP benefits due to changes in eligibility. No paperwork or application is required; the one-time benefits a...
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The Chicago Board of Education just passed an approximately $10 billion budget after hours of contentious debate and a last-minute amendment aimed at forcing state lawmakers to come through with $150 million more in funding for the district. https://to.wttw.com/4fNzcz2
CPS Board Members Pass Last-Minute Amended Budget Assuming $150M More in State Revenue Despite Sharp Criticism Cash May Not Materialize
The Chicago Board of Education on Thursday passed an approximately $10 billion budget after hours of contentious debate, a lengthy recess, sharp questions over revenue assumptions and a last-minute am...
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If dealing with throngs of young music fans and a general admission four-day pass that costs $439 aren’t on your list this week, don’t fret because there are tons of other, much more relaxed arts and culture events happening this week. https://to.wttw.com/4wscJyr
Shakespeare in a Park and a Car-Themed Film Series: 4 Arts Picks for Your Weekend
Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.
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Chicago’s race for mayor is officially underway as candidates begin collecting signatures this week for a spot on February’s ballot. Lisa Nee is making the case for her spot through a campaign focused on affordability, safety and fiscal responsibility. https://to.wttw.com/4fZfaml
A federal judge expanded the lawsuit accusing CPD of targeting Black and Latino drivers with a massive campaign of traffic stops to include all Black and Latino drivers who have been pulled over in the past five years — or could be in the future. https://to.wttw.com/3U41WvW
Judge Expands Lawsuit Accusing CPD of Targeting Black, Latino Chicagoans With Traffic Stops to Include All Black, Latino Drivers
Chicago taxpayers have already paid $3.4 million to defend the lawsuit that accuses the CPD of making more than 1.5 million traffic stops between 2016 and 2023 based on dubious evidence of minor viola...
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The Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on a revised $10 billion budget proposal Thursday. CPS CEO Macquline King joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss her revised budget and why she thinks board members should pass it. https://to.wttw.com/3TN2pCG
There's plenty of Lollapalooza sets and aftershows to catch this weekend in Grant Park. But if you want to avoid the fest, here's a few other artists you can catch around the Chicago area. https://to.wttw.com/4fqCUQa
Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for July 29-Aug. 4
Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
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