Russell Contreras

WGN-TV lays off eight on-air reporters and anchors Monday in massive downsizing The ax is falling at WGN-Ch. 9, cutting a wide swath out of “Chicago’s Very Own” TV newsroom.

Eight veteran reporters and anchors were laid off Monday: Sean Lewis, Ray Cortopassi, Bronagh Tumulty, Judy Wang, Julian Crews, Paul Lisnek, Chris Boden and Dean Richards, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

Willie Colón, trombone and salsa legend, dies at 75 Throughout his career, Colón released more than 40 albums, pioneering a salsa sound influenced by the streets of New York City and beloved by Latin immigrant households around the globe.

Willie Colón, trombone and salsa legend, dies at 75

From slips to escapes: How viral clips are undermining images of ICE and Border Patrol How social media is judging ICE and Border Patrol.

A Border Patrol agent slipping on ice in Minneapolis wasn't just a meme. It became a symbol of how viral videos are reshaping public perceptions of ICE and Border Patrol www.axios.com/2026/02/19/v... #immigration

The viral Dr Pepper moment that didn't come from marketing Within days, the jingle appeared in a commercial during the College Football Playoff National Championship.

A TikTok jingle, posted by creator Romeo Bingham, went from phone screens to a nationally televised commercial in days, underscoring how brands now race to scale organic creator moments that often originate on social media, @axios.com's @delanomassey.bsky.social reports www.axios.com/2026/02/21/d...

Court fight over slavery exhibit tests how America tells its 250th story The legal skirmish is not about facts; it's about whether to keep them in public view.

Philadelphia is preparing to celebrate 250 years of American independence, even as a court fight over a slavery exhibit questions how much of that founding story should remain on display, @axios.com's @delanomassey.bsky.social reports www.axios.com/2026/02/20/p...

Overdoses are dropping, but poly-drug mixes are rewriting the U.S. drug crisis Mystery drugs hard to fight while causing amputations.

Overdose deaths are falling, but America's illicit drug supply is re-engineering itself into lethal cocktails: fentanyl plus stimulants, sedatives, and novel synthetics that hide in party powders and pressed pills. Think "pink cocaine," "rhino tranq," and "benzo-dope" www.axios.com/2026/02/20/o...

Where Christian nationalism is most dominant in U.S. states A 50-state look at Christian nationalism.

Christian nationalism is now deeply entrenched inside today's Republican Party, according to a sweeping 50-state survey by @prri.org www.axios.com/2026/02/18/r...

Survey: Americans aren't as racially divided as we think Inside America's quieter story of racial cooperation.

Most Americans say race doesn't drive their daily decisions, even as the country feels more divided than ever, a new @brookings.edu @gallup.com national survey finds www.axios.com/2026/02/18/a...

Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84 He will go down in history as one of this country's most influential civil rights leaders.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who spent his career fighting against racial inequality and injustice, and who made two historic runs for the presidency, died Tuesday, his family said in a statement. He was 84. www.axios.com/2026/02/17/j...

To my former Washington Post friends who have been recently laid off: Axios has a number of open editorial positions. Check them out and let me know if you have any questions.

job-boards.greenhouse.io/axios

AI is coming for rodeo, the last major U.S. sport untouched by analytics Rodeo's AI Moneyball era is here

Eight seconds on a bull has always been about instinct, not data. That's starting to change, as artificial intelligence moves into rodeo arenas and brings analytics to one of America's most tradition-bound sports
www.axios.com/2026/02/02/r... #rodeo

Violent crime plummets across major U.S. cities Big cities are safer and here's what the numbers show.

Violent crime dropped sharply across America's biggest cities in 2025, according to new data reviewed by @axios.com

www.axios.com/2026/02/11/v...

Let's see what's going on X. Haven't been there for a while..

‘Not American Enough’ — The Atlantic Trump’s immigration crackdown has Latinos wondering if they belong in his America.

Trump’s immigration crackdown has Latinos wondering if they belong in his America, the @theatlantic.com's @yvonnewingett.bsky.social reports

#immigration
apple.news/AV29cEKQvTJC...

Smart move: @reuters.com hires longtime star @apnews.com photographer Evan Vucci, who took this raised-fist photo of Trump after the 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. www.reuters.com/media-center...

#legend

#BadBunny's performers continued to dance and party outside the stadium after the #SuperBowl #HalftimeShow

Liam Ramos, the 5-Year-Old Detained by ICE, Was Not the Boy in Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show Following his set, some online users incorrectly theorized that the boy in his performance was Liam Ramos, though THR can confirm he was not involved in the show.

Liam Ramos, the 5-Year-Old Detained by ICE, Was Not the Boy in Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, @thr.com reports #badbunny

www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-...

Bad Bunny didn’t just ask for a seat at the table.

He flipped it over and brought in a bigger one.

A new America is emerging with a more expansive view of patriotism, love of country and Americanness.

It’s coming! It’s here! Whether you like it or not.

kid got a grammy from Bad Bunny

Dump Truck, by Mikhail Evdokimovich Tkachev, 1956

This is the most incredible #SuperBowl halftime show that I have ever seen. Bad Bunny’s celebration of Latin American culture is just the statement of defiance against the Trump administration and xenophobia that this country needed. Thank you.

Refresher before Bad Bunny takes stage.

#boricua #badbunny

From one natural-born US citizen to another, have a great Benito Bowl!

Trump revives racist imagery once seen as disqualifying The taboo Trump just proved no longer holds.

President Trump's post of a racist video of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama underscores how imagery long recognized as among the most explicit racist tropes in U.S. history has become normalized in the Trump era www.axios.com/2026/02/06/t...

Trump revives racist imagery once seen as disqualifying The taboo Trump just proved no longer holds.

For decades, using racist monkey or ape imagery routinely ended careers.
-Roseanne Barr in 2018
-Los Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez in 2022
-Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker in 1999
-ABC sportscaster Howard Cosell in 1983

www.axios.com/2026/02/06/t...

Trump posts racist video of Obamas The White House declined to answer whether Trump would remove the video clip or issue an apology.

President Trump posted an overtly racist video clip portraying former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes at the end of a video on his Truth Social feed www.axios.com/2026/02/06/t...

Political violence and low pay are pushing young state lawmakers toward the exit Inside the hidden costs of serving in office.

Political violence, stagnant pay and family-unfriendly legislatures are pushing Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers to consider leaving office — even as many say they still believe in public service, a new report finds #genz www.axios.com/2026/02/05/g...

Exclusive: 300+ ex-DOJ lawyers demand transparent Minnesota shooting probes State officials have accused feds of obstructing their investigations.

More than 300 former federal prosecutors and civil rights attorneys are urging the Justice Department to allow state and local investigations into the killings of two Minnesota residents by federal officers, according to a new letter obtained exclusively by @axios.com www.axios.com/2026/02/04/m...