WTTW - Chicago PBS

Former DOJ Attorneys Intervene in Lawsuit Seeking Sensitive Illinois Voter Registration Data Illinois is among 29 states and Washington, D.C., being sued by the Trump administration for access to their complete, unredacted voter registration databases.

Eighteen former U.S. Department of Justice attorneys filed a brief in federal court this week opposing the Trump administration’s lawsuit that seeks access to sensitive personal information about every registered voter in Illinois.

https://to.wttw.com/4aOJ628

Iran Strikes the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia as War Expands Yet Again The conflict escalated further on its fourth day, with Israel sending new ground troops into Lebanon and explosions ringing out in Iran’s capital. Hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majorit...

The U.S. and Israel battered Iran with airstrikes in what President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a war that has severely disrupted the world’s supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel.

https://to.wttw.com/4aJQcF2

Cook County Chief Judge Warns of Scam Demanding People Pay Fake Parking Fees Chief Judge Charles Beach’s office said some residents have received fake notices purportedly sent by the court that threaten recipients with potential legal action.

Cook County’s chief judge is warning residents of an ongoing fraud scam in which victims are falsely told they must settle unpaid parking charges.

Key City Panel Rejects Push to Punish Parents If Their Kids Violate Curfew, Other Laws The proposal called for parents to face jail time if their children “violate curfew, engage in drag racing, flipping of cars, intoxication or use of paintball guns.”

A key City Council panel voted 10-5 on Tuesday to reject a proposal designed to hold parents accountable if their children violate Chicago’s curfew or a host of other laws.

https://to.wttw.com/4ucsA3I

Pritzker Denies Traveling on Epstein’s Plane After Bill Clinton’s Since-Recanted Testimony Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday he has never had any association with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and called former President Bill Clinton “clearly mistaken.”

Gov. JB Pritzker denied a since-recanted comment by former President Bill Clinton that Clinton thought the pair may have traveled together on a plane owned by convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

https://to.wttw.com/4l9LlR4

Chicago Named As A Finalist to Host 2028 Democratic National Convention Chicago, along with Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Philadelphia, have advanced in the application process to host the convention and will receive a site visit this spring, the Democratic National Committ...

Chicago could host the Democratic National Convention once again.

The city was among five cities named as a finalist to host the DNC in 2028, the Democratic National Committee announced Monday. https://to.wttw.com/4cYWHFp

Mark Pruitt, former chair of the Illinois Power Agency and now an independent consultant at the Power Bureau spoke with "Chicago Tonight" on Gov. JB Pritzker's new direction for nuclear energy in Illinois aimed at staving off predicted energy shortages. https://to.wttw.com/4b8aKak

Illinois Lawmakers Call for Epstein Investigatory Commission Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation to create a governor-appointed commission to investigate Illinois-linked crimes connected to the network of international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Illinois lawmakers are calling for an independent commission to investigate Illinois-linked crimes connected to international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

https://to.wttw.com/4u6TLNa

Israel and the U.S. pounded Iran on Monday in a campaign that U.S. President Donald Trump said would likely take several weeks. U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a member of the U.S. House intelligence committee, joined "Chicago Tonight to discuss the war in Iran. to.wttw.com/47jPxrz

Top Cop Agrees to Fire Officer Who Shot 13-Year-Old Boy Without Justification, Leaving Him Paralyzed The Civilian Office of Police Accountability determined that the shooting was unjustified, and Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling agreed, according to records published Friday.

The Chicago police officer who shot a 13-year-old boy in May 2022, leaving him permanently paralyzed, should be fired, the agency tasked with investigating police misconduct and Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling agreed, records show.

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

TONIGHT: Cook County Board President Preckwinkle and Ald. Brendan Reilly will join WTTW News for a half-hour candidate forum for the democratic nomination for Cook County Board President. Tune in at 5:30 and 10:30 p.m.

An Incarcerated Pregnant Woman in Illinois Was Forced Into Induced Labor, Lawsuit Alleges “Just because we are going through something with our criminal past does not have anything to do with our reproductive rights,” said Amy Hicks, who was previously incarcerated at Logan Correctional Ce...

When Amy Hicks was pregnant and incarcerated at Logan Correctional Center in 2024, she said prison staff didn’t give her a choice as to how she’d give birth.

Now, she is suing the Illinois Department of Corrections and Wexford Health Sources.

https://to.wttw.com/403lalo

Winter Is Over, Meteorologically, and It Wasn’t as Miserable in Chicago as It Seemed Winter in Chicago recorded far less snow than normal, and temperatures for the season were close to normal despite January’s deep freeze.

Despite a long streak in January when temps struggled to reach double digits, the mean average temperature for the entire season — December, January and February — was 27.3 degrees, or just .8 degrees below normal.

https://to.wttw.com/4sdQ6eC

What’s your favorite Chicago-set TV show? Your response could be included in our newsletter, the Daily Chicagoan.

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Early Voting Expands Across Chicago, Suburban Cook County for March 17 Primary Election Starting Monday, early voting sites will open in all of Chicago’s 50 wards. Early voting will also expand to a total of 55 early voting locations for suburban Cook County residents.

Starting at 9 a.m., early voting sites opened in all of Chicago’s 50 wards. Early voting also expanded to 55 locations for suburban Cook County residents. The primary election is on March 17.

https://to.wttw.com/4sol97K

US Stocks Slip and Oil Prices Leap as War in the Middle East Raises Worries About High Inflation Oil prices climbed, and stock markets slipped Monday as investors and households got the first chance to see what the war in the Middle East could mean for their finances.

Oil prices climbed, and stock markets slipped Monday as investors and households got the first chance to see what the war in the Middle East could mean for their finances. https://to.wttw.com/4rLcOuI

Cook County Chief Judge Warns of Scam Demanding People Pay Fake Parking Fees Chief Judge Charles Beach’s office said some residents have received fake notices purportedly sent by the court which threaten recipients with potential legal action.

Anyone who does receive this notice is instructed not to scan the QR code or submit any payments through links from unsolicited messages. https://to.wttw.com/4r4COA4

War Widens as Israel and US Pound Iran and Tehran and its Allies Hit Back The war in the Middle East spiraled further Monday as Israel and the U.S. pounded Iran. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel and targets critical to the world’s production of oil and natural ...

The war in the Middle East spiraled further Monday as Israel and the U.S. pounded Iran. Tehran and its allies hit back against Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and targets critical to the world’s production of oil and natural gas. https://to.wttw.com/47jPxrz

Total Lunar Eclipse Set to Thrill Chicagoans Tuesday Morning. Here’s the Timing Early risers will enjoy views of a total lunar eclipse in the pre-dawn hours on Tuesday.

Sometimes it pays to be a morning person. Early risers will enjoy views of a total lunar eclipse in the pre-dawn hours on Tuesday.

https://to.wttw.com/40FC8q4

Isabel — Full Episode | WTTW Chicago After immigrating from Mexico 23 years ago, Isabel Aguilar-Martinez became a citizen to vote in 2024. Now she tutors other immigrants, celebrating their naturalization by baking custom red, white, and...

After Isabel became a citizen, she wanted to help other immigrants like her. Working as a volunteer tutor, she feels pride watching her students take the Oath of Allegiance to their new country. Watch the full documentary: to.wttw.com/4ryzvSU #FirsthandWTTW

War Powers Debate Intensifies After Trump Orders Attack on Iran Without Approval by Congress While presidents have the authority as the commander in chief to conduct certain strategic military operations on their own, the Constitution vests Congress with the power to wage war.

Key members of Congress are demanding a vote on a war powers resolution that would restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran unless the administration wins their approval for what they warn is a potentially illegal campaign. https://to.wttw.com/4rKh0ep

US and Israel Launch a Major Attack on Iran. Trump Urges Iranians to ‘Take Over’ Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region, and exchanges of fire continued into the night.

Several members of Congress from Illinois denounced the attack, saying it was launched without congressional authorization. The U.N. Security Council said it would hold an emergency meeting Saturday. https://to.wttw.com/3MVW84H

County jails and local election officials in Illinois are required to allow those in custody the opportunity to vote. WTTW News reached out to every county jail with a set of three questions to see how voting is implemented. #FirsthandWTTW to.wttw.com/46gcJ9Q

CPS Board Approves Academic Calendars for Next 2 School Years CPS classes for K-12 students in the 2026-27 academic year will begin Aug. 24 and end June 11. The following year, they’ll begin Aug. 23 and run through June 9.

Chicago Public Schools students now know when the next two school years will kick off and conclude. https://to.wttw.com/40vDnYW

Crowds of Mourners Line Up for Memorial Services for Jesse Jackson in Chicago The protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate will lie in repose for two days at the headquarters of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition before events in Washington, D.C., ...

A line of mourners streamed through a Chicago auditorium Thursday to pay final respects to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. as cross-country memorial services began in the city the late civil rights leader called home. https://to.wttw.com/4cjI5jO

The Behind-the-Scenes Work to Secure Local Elections | FIRSTHAND: Democracy When it comes time for voters across Chicago and Illinois to cast their ballots this year, how much faith should they have that they not only will be counted, but counted accurately?

When it comes time for voters across Chicago and Illinois to cast their ballots this year, how much faith should they have that they not only will be counted, but counted accurately? https://to.wttw.com/4aU8DFX

Lawmakers Take Step to Incentivize Bears to Stay in Illinois The bill would give local governments power to negotiate with the Chicago Bears — and other “megadevelopments” — over property tax payments.

An Illinois House committee voted to advance a major economic development bill on Thursday that could ultimately help convince the Chicago Bears to stay in Illinois rather than bolting for Indiana. https://to.wttw.com/4rGjtGw

From a Documentary Grappling With US History to an Irish Dance Show, Here Are 4 Arts Picks for Your Week Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.

Now that February is wrapping up, it’s safe to say that we’re fully settled into 2026. Winter is showing signs of thawing (at least in Chicago) and the city’s arts communities have ramped up their cultural offerings and events. https://to.wttw.com/4u1NLW0

Illinois Law Allows Those in Jail Voting Access. How Do Counties Make That Happen? | FIRSTHAND: Democracy County jails and local election officials in Illinois are required to allow those in custody the opportunity to vote. To see how local sheriffs and election officials have actually implemented voting,...

Illinois county jails and local election officials must allow those in custody the opportunity to vote. To see how sheriffs and election officials have actually implemented this, we reached out to every county jail in Illinois with a set of questions. https://to.wttw.com/46gcJ9Q

Man Accused With Heather Mack in Bali Suitcase Murder Pleads Not Guilty, Intends to Represent Himself Tommy Schaefer, the man who allegedly conspired with his then-girlfriend Heather Mack to kill her mother at a luxury resort in Bali, said he intends to represent himself and pleaded not guilty to the ...

Tommy Schaefer, the man who allegedly conspired with his then-girlfriend Heather Mack to kill her mother at a luxury resort in Bali, said he intends to represent himself and pleaded not guilty to the crime in a Chicago courtroom Thursday. https://to.wttw.com/3ZTS9bP