This Tuesday, read a column from “Chicago Tonight” host Brandis Friedman on motherhood and Congress. Plus, stories on local grad schools and the City Council approving Anthony Quezada as alderperson of the 35th Ward.
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The campus of University of Chicago is pictured in a file photo. (Jacob Boomsma / Stock)
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The business and law schools at the University of Chicago and Northwestern were each ranked among the best in the country according to a new list from U.S. News & World Report, which looked at the nation’s best grad school programs of 2025. Tuesday’s list ranked the top programs in various areas, including engineering, medicine, business, law, education, nursing and social sciences.
The new list comes from the self-proclaimed “global authority” on rankings and consumer advice.
“We are equipping future graduate students with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions in today’s competitive academic landscape,” LaMont Jones, senior editor of education at U.S. News, said in a statement.
Here's how local schools fared:
The University of Chicago’s law school was once again ranked as the third best in the U.S., according to the list, matching its position from last year, while Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law came in at No. 10.
Both universities were also included in the top five for best business schools, with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management coming in at No. 2 and UChicago’s Booth School of Business ranked No. 4.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering was ranked as the seventh best engineering program, ahead of Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering (No. 16) and the University of Illinois-Chicago (No. 64).
The University of Illinois-Chicago also had the 17th ranked nursing school, while Rush University was ranked No. 34. Loyola University finished at No. 52 and DePaul University ranked No. 78.
Northwestern also has the sixth-ranked education grad school. It was followed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (No. 31), the University of Illinois-Chicago (No. 73), Illinois State University (No. 81) and Loyola University Chicago (No. 90).
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Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., speaks during a hearing of the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein)
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Brandis Friedman: Having a baby can be a beautiful and amazing experience but it's also traumatic, hurts like hell and is exhausting both mentally and physically. It’s also the most important job you will ever have. So, why then in those precious but exhausting first few weeks of the “fourth trimester” are women like U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu being dragged before Congress to cast a vote in Pettersen’s case, or to testify at a hearing for hours, as Wu did? Should we stop hauling women who just gave birth back to Washington?
U.S. Reps. Brittany Pettersen and Anna Paulina Luna, a Democrat and Republican, respectively, are trying to make that balance a little easier.
Some backstory:
Research from the Center for American Women in Politics shows the number of women serving as mayors of a U.S. city with a population over 30,000 has risen from 11.6% to 26.8% in 2024. Only 51 women have ever served as governors in just 32 states. The record number of women serving as governor simultaneously is 14 — reached in 2025. A total of 12,583 people have ever served in Congress. Of them, only 441 have been women. Today, 151 women are serving in Congress.
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Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) addresses the Chicago City Council after being sworn in on April 7, 2025. (Heather Cherone/WTTW News)
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The Chicago City Council voted 32-11 on Monday to confirm Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada as 35th Ward alderperson, replacing former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who is now the head of the Chicago Park District. In an unprecedented show of defiance, Alds. Brian Hopkins, Anthony Beale, Desmon Yancy, Raymond Lopez, David Moore, Silvana Tabares, Felix Cardona, Gilbert Villegas, Brendan Reilly, Jim Gardiner and Debra Silverstein voted against Quezada’s appointment.
Some backstory:
Much of the debate over Quezada’s confirmation focused on a 2014 post on social media in which he used an anti-Black racial slur. Quezada made the post when he was in high school and deleted it two years ago.
Quezada has apologized for the tweet, saying it “does not reflect my values or character,” and said he is meeting with caucus members about it.
Quezada, 29, was immediately sworn into office as his family and friends flanked him. He is also the 35th Ward’s Democratic committeeperson and worked as an aide to Ramirez-Rosa in the 35th Ward office for six and a half years.
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More From WTTW News
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Online registration for Chicago Park District’s popular summer day camp begins next week. The six-week summer camp runs from June 23 to Aug. 1. Most camps run for six hours a day, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with times varying by park.
A Chicago man who authorities say was “hunting for victims” now faces more than a dozen felony charges after he was arrested in connection to the sexual assault of five women over nearly three years on the city’s North Side particularly in Logan Square.
Chicago has a new interim top federal prosecutor as Andrew Boutros, appointed by President Donald Trump’s administration, took his oath of office and was sworn in Monday as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
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Back in the Day: April 8, 2020 - Mayor Lightfoot Bans Liquor Sales After 9 pm
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On this day five years ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot banned booze sales at stores after 9 p.m. as part of the city’s efforts to keep COVID-19 from spreading. Before the pandemic, liquor sales had to stop at 2 a.m. Sunday through Friday and at 3 a.m. Saturday. “While most residents and businesses have been acting responsibly, the reality is that far too many have been congregating at stores that sell alcohol, especially in the evening hour,” Lightfoot said. A year after implementing the measure,
Lightfoot attempted to make a somewhat 10 p.m. cutoff permanent. That effort failed and in June 2021, she agreed to a midnight curfew approved by the City Council.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations: Live Jazz
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers highlight their favorite things about Chicago. Here’s investigative reporter Jared Rutecki on local venues specializing in live jazz.
Jared Rutecki: Step into the dimly-lit world of local jazz, where history vibrates through every note and key. Whether you call it modern jazz, improvised music or creative music, Chicago offers an unrivaled opportunity to witness performances that push boundaries and celebrate innovation.
While the iconic Green Mill — with its Prohibition-era mystique and legendary status — tops many “Best of Chicago” lists, the local jazz landscape extends far beyond this Uptown treasure. These slightly lesser-known gems also deserve your attention.
Elastic Arts
Elastic Arts hosts performances in Logan Square. In the early 2000s, Elastic booked shows at a converted church in Humboldt Park before moving to its current location. The new seats are more comfortable than the old pews. There is almost always a show Thursday evening, including April 10 featuring Mai Sugimoto/Ed Wilkerson/Tim Daisy and the Double Drum Quintet.
3429 W. Diversey Ave.
Constellation / Hungry Brain / Beat Kitchen
These are three different venues, but they’re located within a short distance of each other in North Center. Constellation hosts multiple concerts each week. Check out veteran improvisors Ballister (Dave Rempis/Fred Lonberg-Holm/Paal Nilssen-Love) on April 9.
Right around the corner is the Hungry Brain, which feels almost like seeing a performance in somebody’s apartment. On April 10, the Matt Ulery Nonet (that’s a nine piece if your Latin is rusty) promises to be fun. Beat Kitchen books shows in a variety of genres other than jazz, but you can regularly catch Extraordinary Popular Delusions playing for free Mondays with donations both deserved and appreciated.
Bonus: both Constellation and Hungry Brain are connected to local bandleader Mike Reed.
3111 N. Western Ave. / 2319 W. Belmont Ave. / 2100 W. Belmont Ave.
Experimental Sound Studio
This Edgewater space serves as both a recording studio and art gallery. ESS also books inventive concerts. A new composition for the Mars Williams musical toy collection by Lia Kohl in May already has my attention. Williams, a local luminary who died in 2023, was a member of too many groups to count, including the Psychedelic Furs and the aforementioned Extraordinary Popular Delusions.
5925 N. Ravenswood Ave.
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