Happy Friday. Dive into the weekend with these stories from WTTW News.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks with WTTW News on May 14, 2026. (WTTW News)
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Mayor Brandon Johnson’s third year in office was much like his first two years at City Hall.
Steeped in crisis.
On Thursday, Johnson sat down with WTTW News to reflect on his first three years in office while looking ahead to his priorities for the next year.
When Johnson took office in May 2023, the city’s police stations were filling up with migrants who had nowhere else to go, after being sent to Chicago on buses paid for by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Just as that humanitarian disaster eased, President Donald Trump won a second term and spent much of his first year back in the White House trying to strip Chicago of more than $3.5 billion in federal aid.
The city has, so far, beat back those efforts, but there is no end in sight to the costly legal fight.
But those challenges paled in comparison to what happened after the Trump administration sent hundreds of federal agents to Chicago as part of an effort to carry out mass deportations of undocumented people.
After “Operation Midway Blitz” triggered intense protests and pushback, Trump attempted to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, only to be blocked by federal judges and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We have endured quite a bit,” Johnson told WTTW News as part of a series of interviews with media organizations. “It has been a barrage of just crisis after crisis that I’ve had to manage, but again, you know, I’ve made it very clear that it’s a lot more effective and easier to lead when you are leading with your values and your convictions.”
Johnson also touched on crime numbers, the fight around tipped minimum wage and an impending budget fight.
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Living Fresh Market in Forest Park, Ill. (Provided)
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Major changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, mean an estimated 120,000 Illinois residents are at risk of losing benefits.
The changes to SNAP outlined in what President Donald Trump dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” go into effect this month and require thousands of Illinois households to fulfill new work requirements or submit for an exemption.
National enrollment for SNAP decreased by nearly 4.3 million from January 2025 to January 2026, according to government data released by the Agriculture Department. But these changes aren’t just impacting those who rely on SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families, some independent grocers say they are also being hurt by the cuts.
How this affects local grocers:
Some independent grocers, like Logan Square’s Dill Pickle Co-Op, are at risk of losing significant revenue.
“We have about 20% of our sales come from SNAP beneficiaries in our grocery store,” said I’Talia McCarthy, general manager of the Dill Pickle Co-Op. “Including a lot of our staff who are participating in the SNAP program as well. We’ve definitely seen a decline, but we’ve also seen uplifting from the community.”
Revenue was not the only impact the SNAP cuts had on Dill Pickle.
When the changes were first announced, McCarthy said staff members were rushing to make the necessary adjustments in order to remain qualified for the program.
The work included reevaluating which products were eligible for SNAP under new changes, something McCarthy describes as a lengthy process.
McCarthy said the co-op has started a few initiatives to alleviate the burden felt by the cuts, including a 10% discount for SNAP recipients and a $10 LINK match program for produce.
The co-op has also started donating to local food pantries through a program in which customers purchase a $10 bag worth of products that are then donated.
McCarthy remains optimistic that the new programs are sustainable and that being a Co-Op allows the grocery store to maintain these efforts because it’s what members and the community vote for.
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Glennette Tilley Turner has spent decades researching and preserving the stories of Harriet Tubman and the freedom seekers. (WTTW News)
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At 92 years old, Glennette Tilley Turner is still telling the stories that shaped her life.
The author has spent decades researching and preserving the stories of Harriet Tubman and the freedom seekers. Turner’s fascination with Tubman began early in life.
“There’s so many things about her,” Turner said. “She really couldn’t read, she couldn’t write, and yet she knew how to navigate by the stars.”
WTTW News spoke with Turner in the Wheaton home she has lived in since 1968. She and her late husband purchased the house during a time when fair housing laws were reshaping DuPage County. She recalled how segregation shaped the community at the time.
Today, Turner has a lifetime of accomplishments. Her passion for history started years ago with her father, who sparked her curiosity. Turner’s latest book, her 13th, is a children’s book called “The Gift of Freedom: How Harriet Tubman Rescued Her Brothers.”
“I taught in my first life,” Turner said. “And I think participatory things are best. Actually, the Underground Railroad lends itself to just every aspect of the school curriculum: math, science, arts, just everything.”
Turner said her motivation to keep researching comes from a simple desire to keep learning.
“I want to know more and more and more,” she said.
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More From WTTW News:
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Via CNN: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently announced a plan to reduce “overprescribing” of psychiatric medications and support alternative treatment options and discontinuation of medications when needed. Joining “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the
proposal is Jim Poole, senior director of policy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago.
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Back in the Day: May 15, 2006 - Cloud Gate, aka ‘The Bean,’ Opens to the Public
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Millennium Park officially opened in July 2004 following years of construction to turn acres of parking lots and the Illinois Central rail yards into a sprawling free public park and civic center. Arguably the most iconic part of this development is “Cloud Gate,” the bean-shaped public sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor. Better known as “The Bean,” it opened to the public on this day 20 years ago. The structure, which is made up of 168 reflective stainless steel plates welded together, measures 33-by-66-by-42 feet. Upon its unveiling, Kapoor referred to locals calling his work of art “the Bean,” “completely stupid.” (He later accepted the nickname). A popular tourist
attraction to this day, you can tell when your friend from Michigan is in town thanks to the obligatory selfie outside its mirror-like facade.
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Who is your favorite musical artist from Chicago? Tell us why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to
say:
“Mavis Staples, followed closely by Michael McDermott, would be my choice for solo artists. For a group I'd choose Chicago, prior to them devolving into another pop band chasing cheesy hits in the 1980s.” — Greg B.
“Jeff Tweedy. Not just because of Wilco and not just because of his solo works, although I think these are good reasons. But also with how he champions the work of generations older than him (see Mavis and Pops Staples), and generations younger than him (see Finom and Cut Worms).” — Andy P.
“Probably John Prine… the reasons are universally clear!” — Mark S.
“My favorite musical “artist” is the collective artistry of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra... Many thanks to the CSO for decades of great performances and the gift of music they continually present to Chicago.” — Franz B.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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