Illinois traffic stops of Black drivers reach record highs
State law and oversight board fall short of goals to collect law enforcement data and to reduce racial disparities in police traffic stops

The move comes after nearly a year of requests for voluntary recognition by employees in offices run by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
But Northwestern, University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign didn’t sign on to the new standards for financial aid letters.
Two decades after the law was enacted, a WBEZ investigation finds that Illinois traffic stops of Black drivers have reached a 20-year high.
At the height of her TV career, Patty Lin worked on popular shows like “Friends,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Breaking Bad.”
NorthShore-Edward-Elmhurst Health in suburban Skokie is one of the primary sites for a nationwide long COVID study.
From a Sunday football disaster to $1 baseball tickets to the final week of the regular season, Chicago sports fans are in for a ride.
Nearly 41% of adults in the U.S. have medical debt, according to a 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The Biden administration announcement last week included only Venezuelans arriving before August. Thousands of Venezuelans have arrived since then, and many who arrived before and since are from other countries.
The ex-Illinois House speaker is awaiting trial for his alleged role in a federal bribery scheme.
Xavier Williams makes sure kids on the West Side get to class each day. “It’s another form of giving back,” he said. “That’s what I love about it.“
In an unpredictable year for Chicago stages, one storefront theater company is going for the jugular.
More than one million Illinois households are eligible for energy assistance. That money is down a third to $280 million dollars this year from its peak in 2022.
The GOP-controlled House Judiciary Committee held the hearing at Fraternal Order of Police headquarters to discuss violence in the city.
Juan González is a senior fellow at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. He says U.S. foreign policy is key to understanding why migrants flee to the city.
Preservationists argue that the unique structure, vacant since the 1970s and a darling of gonzo artmakers, was the skyscraper of its time and deserves to be saved.
Mexican Independence Day celebrations offer a glimpse of the size and growth of the community in the Chicago area.
From the cotton-candy scented katsura to the classic red leaves of the maple, here is where you can find some of the best fall foliage in the Chicago area.
Despite glitches in other courthouses, the first week of bail reform in Cook County went relatively smoothly.
As the only member of Congress with a Ph.D. in physics, Foster is using AI to learn more about a field that fascinates many and terrifies others, including federal officials.
Dogs must be vaccinated and have a permit to visit a dog park. But is anyone checking?
If Congress doesn’t pass a federal spending bill by Oct. 1, agency closures will disrupt numerous routine functions for Illinois residents.
The abundance in acorns this fall is the result of a phenomenon that happens once every few years, in which oak trees produce far more acorns than normal.
Red Oak School received threats Thursday and Friday. The school was also targeted last week by a X account that caters to an anti-LGBTQ+ audience.
Apple-picking season lasts only six or so precious weeks, but it is fully underway. While U-pick fruit is the star attraction, many farms this year are expanding side attractions.
The union is pointing to the companies’ huge recent profits as it seeks wage increases of 36% over four years.
The city’s budget office wouldn’t confirm whether Mayor Brandon Johnson or the remaining 48 alderpersons will receive the annual raise.
Fred Waller, Chicago’s temporary top cop, blames “miscommunication” for the error and says the issue has been remedied.
Whether you’re a dabbler or a connoisseur, you’ll find something new to sip in tasting rooms that prize limited-run varieties and regional fruit.
A small alternative school on the South Side marked International Day of Peace by taking to the streets and pleading for an end to violence.
Friends, how many of us have them? We’re talking about building bonds, soft quitting acquaintances, and loving the people that hold us down.
Tania James let “delight” guide her while writing her historical novel ‘Loot.’
The administration says it’s looking into whether it can staff the tent camps with local organizations once they are built.
A top Johnson aide said the INVEST South/West development program on the South and West sides, a hallmark of the Lori Lightfoot administration, is perceived as “an unfulfilled promise.”
Nationally, about a third of foster care youth identify as LGBTQ+, and researchers say they are at significantly higher risk of experiencing homelessness and physical harm.
Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. as of July 31 can sign up for Temporary Protected Status. Homeland Security officials estimate that roughly 472,000 more people will now be eligible for work permits.
The district had lost students for 11 consecutive years and last year gave up its status as the nation’s third-largest public school system. CPS has lost more than 80,000 kids in that time.
Regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, tennis legend Serena Williams blazed a trail for generations to come.
Chicago alderpeople advanced a plan to raise tipped workers’ pay to the city’s minimum wage over five years. It still needs full council approval.
The county was already helping rent the former hotels in Evanston and Oak Park. The plan won approval from a county board committee, though some commissioners want low-income south suburbs prioritized.
CPS says this West Englewood school can lead the way for other schools as new state data show math scores remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Illinois is the first state in the U.S. to abolish cash bail. The historic change took effect on Monday, prompting confusion and long days.
Supporters say Mexican Independence Day celebrations are no different than St. Patrick’s Day or sports championships.
A look at the joys of a closed-down street, passed down from generation to generation.
Despite a frenzied morning of last-minute preparations, the hearings at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse were not substantially different from the old cash bail system.
The program is social and educational. Attendees can expect sensory experiences, low-impact physical activity and lessons about wildlife.
Research shows midwives help improve outcomes for both parent and child. But hospitals across the Chicago area are not investing in midwife programs.
Dozens of people in prison wrote to WBEZ’s Prisoncast! asking for updates on efforts to expand parole and clemency in Illinois. Here’s what we learned.
Illinois Democrats said they cut ties with the prominent public relations firm SKDK following reporting by NPR about an undisclosed conflict of interest in a sexual harassment case.
It’s been two years since the Pretrial Fairness Act was passed, but questions remain on who will be jailed and who will not.
The parade landed on the holiday for the first time in its 26 years, bringing out more spectators after bad weather and COVID had dampened the event in recent years.
Without the federal funds that saved the child care sector during the pandemic, the industry risks collapse, policy experts say.
Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck says residents need to battle pandemic fatigue and “boost up,” even if they are feeling “boosted out.”
Local librarians say the unfounded bomb threats have become almost routine and represent a deeper political and cultural divide.