WTTW
January 14, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Title
- January 14, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Illinois AG Kwame Raoul on Immigration Enforcement, Federal Funding
Illinois has filed lawsuits on a range of issues, from the federal government freezing funding for family services to what the state calls aggressive and unconstitutional immigration enforcement.
Director of Reentry Shares City's Efforts to Help the Formerly Incarcerated
Chicago's Office of Reentry is designed to create a holistic reentry process for people returning from prison. Joseph Mapp heads the office.
#chicagotonightwttw #wttwnews
- Title
- Northwest of Chicago: A History of the Suburbs with Geoffrey Baer
- Runtime
- 1:48:35
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Join Geoffrey Baer on a surprising journey through the history, architecture, and hidden stories of Chicago's Northwest suburbs. "Northwest of Chicago: From Farm Fields to Boom Towns" travels from Park Ridge to Woodstock, uncovering the fascinating origins of the "Golden Corridor."
Discover how a region of quiet farm towns transformed into an economic powerhouse. We explore the mob connections of O'Hare Airport's namesake, the "singing cowboy" mayor of Schaumburg, the invention of the Weber Grill in Palatine, and the Hollywood history of Woodstock. Whether you grew up in the area or love Chicago history, this special reveals the characters and events that shaped the region.
Chapters & Locations:
00:00 Intro: The Golden Corridor
03:09 Park Ridge: Hillary Clinton, Harrison Ford & The Pickwick Theatre
11:12 Des Plaines River & The Chicago Oases
14:18 O'Hare Airport: Butch O'Hare & Al Capone Connections
22:39 Des Plaines: The First Mc...
- Title
- Chicago's Western Suburbs: From Prairie Soil to Prairie Style (Full Documentary)
- Runtime
- 1:47:18
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Join host Geoffrey Baer on a journey through the history, architecture, and hidden stories of Chicago's Western Suburbs. From the "bungalow belt" to the Fox River, discover how these communities transformed from prairie settlements into some of the most influential towns in Illinois.
This full-length documentary explores the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park, the mob history of Cicero, the grand estates of the gilded age, and the diverse evolution of towns like Naperville, Wheaton, and Elmhurst.
📍 Featured Locations & Stories:
Historic Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright's Home & Studio, Riverside's landscape design by Olmsted, and Sears catalog homes.
Famous Figures: Al Capone, Ernest Hemingway, Betty White, Carl Sandburg, and Billy Graham.
Landmarks: Brookfield Zoo, Morton Arboretum, Oak Brook Polo Club, and the original Kiddieland.
⏩ Chapters: 00:00 Intro & Overview
00:02:44 Cicero: Al Capon...
- Title
- Four Illinois Sheriff’s Offices Ignored Sanctuary Laws by Transferring People Into Federal Custody
- Runtime
- 1:25
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Four Illinois sheriff’s offices defied the state’s sanctuary laws and transferred individuals into Department of Homeland Security custody in 2024, according to a new report.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office released its Way Forward Act Annual Compliance Report for 2024 on Dec. 23, which compiles self-reported data from state agencies on their compliance with Illinois’ sanctuary laws, like the Illinois TRUST Act and the Illinois Way Forward Act.
The acts, in part, prohibit local and state law enforcement agencies in Illinois from complying with immigration detainers or civil immigration warrants. It also prohibits law enforcement agencies from transferring any person into an immigration agent’s custody unless presented with a federal criminal warrant or otherwise required by federal law. Doing so could expose agencies to civil liability.
Despite that, in 2024, after receiving civil detainers or warrants, the Madison County Sheriff...
- Title
- January 13, 2026 Full Episode - Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:55
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Illinois Sues Trump Administration Over Immigration Enforcement Tactics
It comes after last week's fatal shooting of Minneapolis mother Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent. Minnesota has also filed suit.
New Report Examines Data Centers' Impact on Electrical Grid
In Aurora, some residents have already seen increased electric bills. In September, the city passed a 180-day moratorium on data center development amid concerns around environmental impact.
#chicagotonightwttw #wttwnews
- Title
- January 12, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:49
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- Four Sheriff's Offices Ignored Illinois' Sanctuary Laws, AG Report Finds
Illinois’ sanctuary law went into effect seven years ago when the Illinois TRUST Act was signed in 2017 by then Gov. Bruce Rauner, and its amendment, the Illinois Way Forward Act, was signed in 2021 by Gov. JB Pritzker.
Family Fighting to Have Father With Seizure Disorder Released From ICE Custody
Albeiro Ropero Remolina’s wife said he suffers from a severe seizure disorder requiring medication twice per day; missing even one dose could be fatal.
Illinois Lawmakers Head Back to Springfield
Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield for the spring legislative session. They’re facing some tough realities: a budget gap in the billions, growing pressure to deliver affordability relief, and a widening financial rift with Washington, D.C.
Meet Chicago's New Poet Laureate
Mayda Alexandra del Valle will serve a two-year term and receive $70,000 to commis...
- Title
- Firsthand: Democracy – Trailer
- Runtime
- 1:18
- Date posted
- 5 months ago
- Description
- July 4, 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This historical marker arrives at a moment of strain for American democracy, as political polarization deepens and the public trust shifts underfoot. Beginning February 16, 2026, WTTW’s award-winning multiplatform FIRSTHAND initiative will spend a year documenting how individuals and local organizations are responding proactively at the community level. Throughout the year, Firsthand: Democracy will present documentary films, investigative reporting, and a series of public events and conversations focused on civic participation, accountability, and the role of everyday people in democratic life.
- Title
- Week in Review: Minneapolis ICE Shooting; Illinois Sues Trump Administration
- Runtime
- 26:57
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Chicagoans add their voices to nationwide protests after an ICE agent fatally shoots a woman in Minneapolis.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blames the shooting victim, Renee Good — labeling her a domestic terrorist. But Minnesota officials and eyewitnesses dispute the claims, as video footage appears to show Good’s vehicle turning away from the officer.
Illinois joins four other Democratic-led states suing the Trump administration over $10 billion in frozen funding for low-income families.
Mayor Brandon Johnson says the budget passed over his objections could mean city worker layoffs.
Meanwhile, a Chicago City Council committee advances the latest attempt to expand the city’s curfew powers in an effort to curb large gatherings of teens.
Peoples Gas wants a $200 million rate hike next year.
And it’s déjà vu as the Bears prepare to meet the Packers — this time, in a first-round playoff game.
...
- Title
- January 8, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Did CPD Help Federal Immigration Agents? Police Oversight Board Holds Meeting
Dozens of Chicagoans are expected to ask the city’s police oversight board to strengthen a ban that blocks CPD from helping federal immigration agents.
Trump Administration Withholding Social Safety Net Money From Illinois
President Donald Trump’s administration said it is withholding funding for programs that support needy families with children in five Democratic-led states over concerns about fraud.
James 'Big Cat' Williams on Bears' Playoff Game Against Packers
Saturday night’s game will be the first playoff meeting between the two teams since 2011 and their third meeting in just over a month.
#chicagotonightwttw #wttwnews
- Title
- January 7, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- What New Cuts in Grant Funding Mean for Full-Service Community Schools
The U.S. Department of Education is cutting roughly $18 million in grant funding for Full-Service Community Schools in Illinois. That money funds after-school programs in underserved communities.
Measles Cases on the Rise as Childhood Vaccine Schedule Changes
The CDC has decreased the number of vaccines recommended to American children from 17 to 11.
#chicagotonightwttw #wttwnews
- Title
- Applications Open for 150 Full-Time Jobs at Obama Presidential Center
- Runtime
- 0:46
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- The Obama Foundation is looking to hire for 150 new full-time positions as the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open its doors this summer, the foundation announced Tuesday.
“When people come here, we want them to feel what makes the South Side so special,” former President Barack Obama said in a social media video announcing the opening of applications. “The mix of warmth and grit, the sense of humor that can brighten any day, the creativity that turns challenges into opportunities, and the joy that shows up in every block, every place of worship and every family reunion.”
Opportunities include work in facility management, guest services, security and groundskeeping.
The employees will serve as the public face of the Obama Presidential Center, located in Jackson Park, helping to support the visitor experience for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected each year, according to a news release.
The foundation is part...
- Title
- Welcome to our YouTube channel!
- Runtime
- 0:16
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to subscribe while you're here, select "all" notifications where you see the bell icon, and like and comment on our videos! We are paying attention!
- Title
- January 6, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- President Donald Trump has made broad but vague assertions that the United States is going to “run” Venezuela after the ouster of Nicolás Maduro but has offered almost no details about how it will do so, raising questions among some lawmakers and former officials about the administration’s level of planning for the country after Maduro was gone.
Joining “Chicago Tonight” on Jan. 6, 2026, to discuss Venezuela are Robert Pape, political science professor at the University of Chicago; Richard Porter, longtime member of the Republican National Committee and former White House advisor; Ana Gil Garcia, founder of the Illinois Venezuela Alliance; and Lina Britto, a professor of Latin American history at Northwestern University.
- Title
- January 5, 2026 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:50
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Chicagoans will get a small break on their grocery bills but be forced to pony up to cover a host of tax and fee hikes that a deeply divided Chicago City Council approved to fill a massive budget shortfall over the objections of Mayor Brandon Johnson.
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten and U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson react to the recent military action in Venezuela and efforts to reduce health care costs for Americans.
When it comes to nicknames, Chicago sure has gotten stuck with some stinkers. Maybe it’s because the city’s actual name comes from a smelly wild onion. Or maybe it’s because other cities like to drag our city through the mud. WTTW News Explains on the origins of the city’s nicknames. #chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Intuit Art Museum Showcases Self-Taught Artists, Work About Migration in ‘Catalyst: Im/migration’
- Runtime
- 2:59
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Pooja Pittie, who lives with muscular dystrophy, was once on a career path in accounting and finance. She reevaluated what she wanted to do with her life when her symptoms began to worsen nearly a decade ago.
“I really had to take stock of what I want to do in my life that felt a bit more purposeful, and art was something that I kept going back to,” said Pittie, who took on art as a daily practice and later transitioned to being a full-time artist. “I feel like my artistic practice allows me to just be all of me, all my identities, all at once.”
Pittie, raised in Mumbai, India, and now based in Chicago, is among nearly two dozen artists whose work is featured in Intuit Art Museum’s “Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago” exhibit, which has been extended through March 22. The museum for self-taught and outsider art is hosting a “community day,” when the museum is free admission to all, on Feb. 7.
Story: Eunice Alpa...
- Title
- Week in Review: Looking Ahead to 2026
- Runtime
- 26:51
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- We’re looking ahead to the stories likely to shape 2026.
Mayor Brandon Johnson decided not to veto a $16.6 billion budget plan passed over his objections. What the budget changes for 2026.
After thousands were arrested during “Operation Midway Blitz,” the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign is expected to continue. What’s next for rapid response teams, local businesses and legal action.
The midterm elections are less than a year away, with a March 17 primary in Illinois.
Chicago Public Schools is still without a permanent leader, and 2026 will mark the first time the city’s full 21-member school board is elected.
The Chicago Police Department has been making extremely slow progress complying with the consent decree aimed at reforming the department. Will the pace pick up?
And the future of Chicago’s police discipline system is in the hands of the Illinois Supreme C...
- Title
- Dec. 31, 2025 Full Show - Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:46
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Year in Review: Looking Back on the Biggest Stories of 2025.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Dec. 30, 2025 Full Episode – Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Neighbors Push for Referendum on New Quantum Campus
The $1 billion project, which broke ground in September, is the largest quantum campus in the United States. Some residents are voicing concerns over gentrification, environmental impacts and energy use.
Illinois’ Clean Slate Act Could Offer a New Beginning
More than 2 million people in Illinois are eligible to have their records sealed but haven’t acted on what is currently a cumbersome, lengthy process. New legislation now on Gov. JB Pritzker's desk hopes to change that.
WTTW News Explains: What Are Chicago's Alcohol Laws?
Chicago may have become virtually synonymous with speakeasies during prohibition, but that doesn’t mean the Windy City is lawless when it comes to drinking. In fact, we’ve got a lot of rules on the books governing when and where we can enjoy an adult beverage. WTTW News explains.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Dec. 29, 2025 Full Episode – Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Nearly 300 New Laws Take Effect in Illinois in 2026. Here's What to Know
New laws cover everything from AI regulation to background checks for police.
Ken Burns on His New Documentary Series 'The American Revolution'
More than nine years in the making, this six-part,12-hour documentary series tells the tale of the country's founding struggle from viewpoints you haven't seen before.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Week in Review: Looking Back on the Biggest Stories of 2025
- Runtime
- 26:46
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- President Donald Trump returns to office.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security begins what Trump has promised will be the largest deportation campaign in American history.
In Chicago, thousands are arrested as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents begin “Operation Midway Blitz.” Meanwhile, a federal judge says Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino admitted he lied about firing tear gas at protesters in Little Village.
The Catholic Church has a new leader — and he’s from Chicago. Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first American pope.
Michael Madigan, the once vaunted and powerful former Illinois House speaker, is convicted on 10 counts of corruption and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says he will not seek a sixth term in the U.S. Senate, setting off a scramble for a rare open seat that will reshape Illinois politics.
The Chicago City Council...
- Title
- Dec. 24, 2025 Full Episode - Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:50
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Revisiting some of our favorite conversations that we've had this year.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Dec. 23, 2025 Full Episode – Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Mayor Brandon Johnson on the 2026 Chicago Budget
The mayor’s decision not to veto the budget he called “morally bankrupt” immediately averts what could have been the city's most severe fiscal crisis in more than 40 years.
Southside Blooms Co-Founder Named CNN’s Hero of the Year
A local couple is turning empty land into flower farms — with a mission to give at-risk youth a path forward.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Family Members in Limbo as Immigration Agents Detain Thousands in Chicago Area
- Runtime
- 3:00
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Since the launch of “Operation Midway Blitz,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has reported that more than 3,000 people in the Chicago area were detained by federal immigration agents. The Trump administration has said its mission is to target criminals.
There is growing pushback, however, with critics questioning the enforcement tactics and the motives behind these arrests.
Alexandra Gonzalez said it’s been more than a month since federal immigration agents took her stepfather while he was working as a landscaper in Evanston.
“They’ve been targeting a lot in Evanston for a while,” Gonzalez said. “They realized that a lot of landscapers go there.”
Her stepbrother, Adrian Mora Hinojosa, said he was working in a different area in Evanston when he got a call that his father was taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Video footage shows an ICE officer pursuing Adrian Leon Gonzalez before ...
- Title
- Dec. 22, 2025 Full Episode – Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- A WTTW News special focuses on policing and police reform.
Chicago Police Department officials failed to document more than half of all reprimands of officers and more than a third of all suspensions between 2016 and 2021, according to an audit released Tuesday by the city’s watchdog.
CPD’s inaccurate and incomplete disciplinary histories makes it impossible to trust that police officers are being held responsible for misconduct, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.
The Illinois Supreme Court is weighing in next year on whether serious police misconduct cases must be heard publicly. This comes after the Fraternal Order of Police — the city’s largest police union — appealed an earlier ruling from a lower court requiring public disciplinary hearings.
The case comes as the Chicago Police Department continues to work under a consent decree, monitored by a federal judge. How discipline is handles is an important part of par...
- Title
- Week in Review: City Budget Battle; Bears Suggest Indiana Move
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Alderpeople are in the driver’s seat as they move forward with passing a rival budget plan. Mayor Brandon Johnson says he has grave concerns about the plan — but hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll veto it.
Chicago-area residents, including Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, confront Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino as he makes his return to the area.
State officials celebrate as Gov. JB Pritzker officially signs a transit overhaul into law.
Meanwhile, Illinois Republicans urge President Donald Trump to reject a pardon request from disgraced former state House Speaker Michael Madigan.
The city’s watchdog says the Chicago Police Department isn’t properly tracking officers’ disciplinary histories.
And the Bears threaten to move (again) — this time to Northwest Indiana.
Guests:
Steve Daniels, Chicago Tribune
Rob Hart, WBBM
Hannah Meisel, Capitol News Illinois
- Title
- December 18, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:48
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- As federal immigration enforcement operations ramp back up around Chicago, a new commission met publicly for the first time Thursday to begin documenting a record of any and all abuses committed by federal agents.
The Illinois Accountability Commission held its first public hearing Thursday in the Little Village neighborhood, where federal agents have repeatedly targeted residents in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
“This is only the beginning,” Rubén Castillo, the commission’s chair and former chief judge for the Northern District of Illinois, said Thursday. “We begin with a simple mission just to tell the truth as to what has occurred and to show what the repercussions have been.”
In May, the Trump administration terminated the federal Digital Equity Capacity Grant, which had provided Illinois $23.7 million to give residents access to internet and digital education.
The Digital Equity Coalition distributed ...
- Title
- Evanston Mayor Biss Confronts Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino as Immigration Enforcement Continues
- Runtime
- 2:22
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- #ChicagoTonightWTTW #wttwnews
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss confronted Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino and other federal agents in the northern suburb Wednesday amid a renewed increase in immigration enforcement in and around Chicago this week.
Video shared with WTTW News showed Biss, who is also running for Congress, walk up to Bovino and a handful of masked immigration agents outside a gas station Wednesday morning. The group was surrounded by people holding camera phones as whistles blown by residents to warn of the agents’ presence repeatedly sounded in the background.
The two spoke calmly for about a minute before Bovino smiled at Biss and told him his agents would “make your city safe.” Bovino then walked away and left the scene.
The Border Patrol commander’s return to the Chicago-area this week brought with it renewed immigration enforcement efforts, as local advocates said more than a dozen people were detained in federa...
- Title
- December 17, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:55
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- Where Budget Negotiations Stand as Dec. 30 Deadline Nears
Officials said they cannot pass a short-term ordinance to keep City Hall functioning while budget negotiations continue. That means without a budget agreement, more than 30,000 workers will not be paid and city services will stop.
Examining the Impact of Illinois' New 'Medical Aid in Dying' Law
Those suffering from a terminal illness who want to end their life must have two doctors certify that they will die within six months. Patients must make a request for the medication to end their life, and patients must be able to take it themselves, according to the rules.
Illinois Agriculture Director on Trump's Farmer Aid Package
The Trump administration said it would make $12 billion available in the form of one-time payments to U.S. farmers to help weather what it calls “temporary trade market disruptions” in the wake of ongoing tariff disputes with America’s trading partners.
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- Title
- December 16, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:58
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- How a Murder Raises Questions About Roseland Hospital
Since 2023, Roseland Community Hospital has received at least four immediate jeopardy citations. That warning is the most serious deficiency a health care facility can be cited for, according to federal guidelines.
New Law Limits Federal Immigration Enforcement in Illinois
Immigrants living in Illinois, among the states hit hardest by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, are now shielded from federal enforcement near courthouses, hospitals, university campuses and day cares under a law signed by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.
Instacart’s AI Technology is Hiking Prices as Much as 20%: Report
An investigation from Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative revealed that Instacart displayed different prices on the same household staples sold at well-known stores.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Wanna Help the Environment? Lighten Up on the Salt
- Runtime
- 1:46
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- When it comes to the use of salt as a de-icer, less is more.
So says the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, along with a host of clean water advocacy organizations including the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, the Lower Des Plaines Watershed Group, the Conservation Foundation and the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition. As part of the Salt Smart Collaborative, the groups are collectively encouraging municipalities and residents to use a light hand when applying salt on sidewalks and roadways.
MWRD’s message is “go easy on the salt,” citing the negative impact excessive salting, which eventually makes its way into sewers, not only has on waterways and aquatic life but trees, plants and animal paws.
WTTW News reporter Patty Wetli shares some tips on how to best use salt this winter.
Story: Patty Wetli/WTTW News
Video: Nicole Cardos & Patty Wetli/WTTW News
#ChicagoTonightWTTW #wttwnews
- Title
- December 15, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:47
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- The Debate Over US Immigration Reform
Republicans and Democrats alike say the immigration system needs changing — but lawmakers can't agree on a solution.
Families in Limbo as Thousands Detained in Chicago Area
The suburban Broadview ICE detention facility has been a flashpoint for protests. Here are the stories of two men who were detained there.
How 'Operation Midway Blitz' Has Affected Chicagoans
For many Latino families and business owners, everyday routines came with the added fear of masked agents patrolling neighborhood streets, often in unmarked vehicles.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Week in Review: Budget Stalemate at City Hall; Medical Aid in Dying
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- While many are getting ready to celebrate the holidays, some South Side neighbors are being forced to move out. Residents have until today to move out of their South Shore apartment complex — that was the site of an immigration raid earlier this year — after a judge denies an extension request.
Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill aimed at protecting immigrants living in Illinois from federal enforcement near courthouses, hospitals, college campuses and day cares. But will it pass legal muster?
Another bill signed by the governor will allow terminally ill adults to die on their own terms.
Indiana Republican lawmakers break with President Donald Trump and reject a plan to redraw the state’s congressional maps.
The Trump administration threatens to withhold CTA funding.
Budget deadlock at City Hall — as a rival proposal pushes forward.
There’s still no consensus on whether to implement a citywide hemp ban.
- Title
- December 11, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Cook County's New Chief Judge on His Vision for the Future
Judge Charles Beach inherits the nation's second-largest unified court system — and it comes with some baggage. The office of the chief judge now manages the pretrial electronic monitoring program.
Conflict With Venezuela Escalates as US Seizes an Oil Tanker
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela to the Trump administration’s counterdrug efforts in Latin America.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- December 10, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Budget Deadlock Continues as Critics of Mayor’s Proposal Push Forward
The City Council agreed to meet next week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Dec. 23 in an attempt to hammer out a deal over the $16.6 billion spending plan for 2026.
Indiana Lawmakers Set to Vote on Redistricting Plan
The proposed map would likely give Republicans control of all nine of Indiana's congressional seats. This comes amid a growing national battle over redistricting.
Tenants of a South Shore Building Are Being Forced to Move
Tenants acknowledge terrible living conditions, but many say they have nowhere else to go. The building recently made headlines when it was raided by federal agents.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- December 9, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Johnson Proposes New Corporate Tax Hike for 2026 Budget
The current proposal would impose a $33 per employee tax on companies with 500 or more employees to generate $82 million to fund violence prevention and youth employment programs.
Feral Cats in Chicago Aren't Eating A Lot of Rats: Study
In Chicago’s war on rats, it looks like feral cats either lack a certain killer instinct or they’re extremely picky eaters, according to a new study from Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute.
Geoffrey Baer Explores Interesting Jobs in 'Chicago Works' Special
What does it take to keep Chicago running? "Chicago Works" goes behind the scenes to explore the massive operations and fascinating jobs that power the city.
WTTW News Explains: Why is Chicago Sinking?
Attention Chicagoans, brace yourselves because Chicago is sinking. Northwestern University researchers were the first to study underground climate change and its effects...
- Title
- December 8, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- ACA Health Insurance Subsidies Set to Expire. What to Know
A vote is set for Thursday on whether to extend Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies that made premiums more affordable.
Small Business Owners Sound the Alarm Over Proposed Hemp Ban
A key Chicago City Council committee last week advanced a proposal to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products throughout the city even after dozens of business owners pleaded with members not to force their stores to close.
Remembering Architect Frank Gehry
Among his many masterpieces are the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; Berlin’s DZ Bank Building; and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- Week in Review: Chicago Budget Stalemate; Northwestern’s Controversial Deal
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Mayor Brandon Johnson makes an emotional plea for a budget proposal stuck in a stalemate.
Meanwhile, the mayor swats away a counterproposal from a group of alderpeople opposed to his corporate head tax, saying they’re playing games with the working people of the city.
The Cook County state’s attorney says the system needs to be reexamined after a Chicago man released on electronic monitoring allegedly set a woman on fire on the CTA.
Northwestern University inks a controversial deal with the Trump administration to end a federal investigation and restore millions in funding.
Some Chicago alderpeople agree on a hemp ban — passing it out of a key committee despite pushback from business owners.
Attorneys move to drop a use-of-force case over immigration agents roughing up protesters and press.
And the Trump administration faces a new lawsuit demanding all the footage of the raid on a South Shore apartment ...
- Title
- December 4, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:49
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Northwestern Students, Faculty Divided Over Deal With Trump Administration
The deal would bring back hundreds of millions in federal research grants that were frozen earlier this year. It would also end investigations on discrimination.
James 'Big Cat' Williams on This Weekend's Bears-Packers Game
The Chicago Bears are on a roll as they prepare to face the Green Bay Packers.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- December 3, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Trump Administration Plans to Exclude Nursing as Professional Degree
The move has sparked pushback from nurses, who worry it would make degrees unaffordable and deepen an already severe nationwide nursing shortage.
Health Officials Alarmed Over New CDC Guidance on Vaccines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its stance on the unproven link between vaccines and autism.
#chicagotonightwttw #WTTWNews
- Title
- December 2, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:57
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Mayor Brandon Johnson flatly rejected on Tuesday a plan to bridge a portion of the city’s $1.19 billion budget gap without hiking taxes on large firms by nearly doubling garbage fees and hiking liquor taxes.
After being cast as the Grinch for limiting the capacity of visitors to Chicago’s wildly popular German-style Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza, city officials say they are working with the market’s organizers to allow more people to enjoy the experience, safely.
Actor and director Robert Townsend will be joined by actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery at a weekend film festival in Chicago aimed at celebrating the city and its culture.
#ChicagoTonightWTTW #WTTWNews
- Title
- December 1, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Chicago doctors and advocates discuss the current state of AIDS treatment and prevention efforts on World AIDS Day.
The City Council’s Finance Committee rejected Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget revenue package two weeks ago. As alderpeople reignite negotiations over the budget after a Thanksgiving break, we take a look at where things stand.
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- Title
- Week In Review: A Look at the Economy and Chicago Business
- Runtime
- 26:49
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- We hope you had a great holiday, and if you braved the Black Friday sales, came out unscathed. But if you’re feeling anxious about the economy and decided to skip the stores this year, you aren’t alone.
Vice President JD Vance says an economic boom is coming, but a new Deloitte survey shows a majority of Americans don’t agree — with 57% saying they think the economy will get weaker over the next six months, and 77% bracing for higher prices on holiday items.
Local business owners and Illinois farmers say whiplash trade wars are driving up costs and making it harder to plan for the future. This, as the U.S. Supreme Court mulls a challenge to President Donald Trump’s claims of sweeping tariff powers brought by a Chicago-area business owner.
Other local businesses say aggressive immigration enforcement — and the threat of National Guard troops on the streets — create uncertainty and drive down sales.
Mayor Brandon Johnson p...
- Title
- November 26, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- SNAP Work Requirements Are Changing. What to Know
Data from Purdue University shows the prevalence of food insecure households in the U.S. rose from 12.5% last year to 14% this year.
Chicago Group Raising Money for Struggling Street Vendors
Many of Chicago’s street vendors say they’re being pushed out of business amid concerns over federal immigration enforcement. A number of vendors have stopped selling altogether since the start of what the Trump administration has called “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Rapper Adamn Killa on His Viral Social Media Videos
New fans may be surprised to find that Adamn Killa has been making music for the past 15 years.
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- Title
- November 25, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- After a four-month delay, many Cook County property owners got a shock when their property tax bills arrived. The median homeowner’s bill when up by a record-setting 16.7%. To help cope with what the call “unprecedented circumstances,” the Cook County Board of Review announced an extension of property tax appeal windows.
More than 2 million people in Illinois are eligible to have their records sealed but haven’t acted on what is currently a cumbersome, lengthy process. New legislation now on Gov. JB Pritzker's desk hopes to change that.
A look at the Chicago Park District’s newly approved budget with CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, including a new fieldhouse and efforts to address issues of homelessness.
#ChicagoTonightWTTW #WTTWNews
- Title
- November 24, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- WTTW News Explains: How Does Chicago’s Police Consent Decree Work?
The consent decree was designed to correct the problems outlined by an investigation by the Justice Department — chiefly, that Chicago police were found to have routinely violated Black and Latino residents’ constitutional rights.
Chicago's Police Oversight Board Taps New Leader
Remel Terry now leads the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, which helps set policy for the Chicago Police Department, reviews CPD's budget and works with the department on community policing programs.
What the Push for Police Reform Looks Like at the Community Level
District Police Councils listen to residents' public safety concerns and advocate for accountability within the Chicago Police Department.
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- Title
- Week in Review: Johnson’s Budget Stalls; Property Tax Bills Increase
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- The Chicago City Council is at an impasse over the budget as Mayor Brandon Johnson struggles to get his proposal across the finish line.
The mayor’s $16.6 billion proposal faces a major setback as the Finance Committee fails to advance the plan.
Chicago homeowners are experiencing sticker shock as a study shows the median property tax bill rising more than 16%.
A federal appeals court pauses an order that restricts federal immigration agents’ use of force across the Chicago area. Meanwhile, the detainee population at a suburban ICE processing center plummets.
U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García is reprimanded by his colleagues over his late reelection decision.
The Trump administration is making moves to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education.
And two Chicagoans meet up in Vatican City.
#ChicagoTonightWTTW #WTTWNews
- Title
- Snowy Owls Delighting Birders on Chicago’s Lakefront
- Runtime
- 0:29
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- John Shirey stood on the pier at Montrose Beach, bundled up in layers against the chilly wind blowing off Lake Michigan. Friday was his fourth day in a row keeping a sort of vigil.
Two snowy owls had arrived and were lingering at Montrose.
“I’ve been waiting 12 years to see this,” said Shirey. “They’re so beautiful. It’s one of the greatest ‘lifers’ ever.” (“Lifer” is a term birders use to describe the first time they spot a certain species.)
Snowy owls breed in the high Arctic and some of them even spend the winter there. Others dip into Canada and the northern U.S. between November and March searching for treeless areas that mirror the barren tundra of their breeding grounds — places like shorelines, open fields and even airports.
They’re considered “irruptive” in the Midwest, meaning some years they show up in winter and some years they don’t. This unpredictability is one of the reasons a snowy owl s...
- Title
- Appeals Court Temporarily Blocks Release of Hundreds Detained in Immigration Crackdown
- Runtime
- 0:33
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Hundreds of people arrested and detained during the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown will not immediately be released, an appeals court ruled Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings had ordered the release of as many as 615 people based on a 2022 consent decree outlining how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can make so-called warrantless arrests.
However, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to issue the longer-term stay sought by the Trump administration and ordered arguments to take place at 1 p.m. Dec. 2.
Story: Heather Cherone/WTTW News
#ChicagoTonightWTTW #wttwnews
- Title
- Marshall Field's — A Chicago Stories Documentary
- Runtime
- 56:43
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- “Give the Lady What She Wants.” It was legendary Chicago retail royalty Marshall Field who coined his eponymous store’s famous slogan. For more than 150 years, that’s exactly what thousands – tens of thousands – of loyal employees of Marshall Field & Company did. Field’s redefined the shopping experience, offering incomparable service and the finest of goods, from haute couture to culinary delights, all in a stunning flagship space that encompassed an entire city block. But to millions of Chicagoans and visitors around the world, Marshall Field’s on State Street was more than a department store; it was a treasured destination where lifetime memories were made.
Audio-narrated descriptions are available.
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Dive deeper into the story: https://www.wttw.com/marshallfields
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Watch more amazing Chicago Stories: https://www.wttw.com/chicagostories
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- Title
- November 20, 2025 Full Episode — Chicago Tonight
- Runtime
- 26:56
- Date posted
- 7 months ago
- Description
- Congressional Candidate Patty Garcia on Her Vision for the Office
U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García surprised constituents and political watchers earlier this month with a last-minute announcement he wouldn't seek reelection. That came paired with the revelation that just one other candidate had gathered signatures to get on the Democratic primary ballot — his chief of staff, Patty Garcia (no relation).
Trump Administration Moves to Dismantle US Department of Education
The Education Department is breaking off several of its main offices and giving their responsibilities to other federal agencies, an early look at how President Donald Trump could fulfill his campaign pledge to close the department entirely.
Latino Pharmacist Bridging Cultural Gaps on Northwest Side
What began as a high school job led a first-generation college student on the path to becoming a pharmacist.
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