April 22, 2024 - Full Show
How much are taxpayers spending to settle lawsuits alleging police misconduct from the 2020 protests? Safety concerns over a swimming event in the Chicago River. And protesters blocking roadways could soon be charged with a felony.
Would You Swim in the Chicago River? Navigating Safety Concerns Ahead of Open Water Swim Event
The nonprofit A Long Swim is planning an open water swim event in the Chicago River this fall. Proceeds will support ALS research and Learn to Swim, a program that teaches children in underserved communities how to swim.
New Bill Would Make It a Felony for Protesters to Block Major Roads in Illinois
The bill comes on the heels of recent pro-Palestinian protests that blocked traffic on I-190 near Chicago O’Hare International Airport, causing many travelers to pull their luggage along the freeway to catch their flights.
Taxpayers Spent at Least $5.6M to Settle, Defend Lawsuits Accusing CPD Officers of Misconduct During Protests, Unrest in 2020: Analysis
Nearly $2 million of that toll went to pay private lawyers to defend the conduct of CPD officers from late May until mid-August 2020, one of the most tumultuous periods in Chicago history, according to records obtained by WTTW News.
Illinois Sees Lowest Presidential Primary Voter Turnout in Decades: State Election Officials
Voter turnout for the March 19 Illinois primary election was 19.07%, the lowest in at least the last 50 years, according to official vote totals certified Friday by state election officials.
The Enduring Spirit of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Review
For WTTW News theater critic Hedy Weiss, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s recent Chicago run brought back vivid memories. She first saw the company in New York City in 1972.
Get Ready to Clean Out the Garage. Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site Coming to South Suburbs
For the second year in a row, the Cook County government has celebrated Earth Day by announcing a new south suburban recycling facility aimed at taking some of the nastiest garbage out of the waste stream.
‘Vigilance’ Showcases Diverse Environmental Leaders With Work From Local, National Artists
“Vigilance: Learning From the Legacies of BIPOC Environmental Leaders” is inspired by the work of Hazel Johnson, a Black Chicagoan known as the mother of the environmental justice movement.
Police Union Appeals Ruling Requiring Serious CPD Discipline Hearings to Take Place in Public
Judge Michael Mullen’s decision upheld the effort backed by the city’s largest police union to upend the system used for 60 years to punish officers for serious misconduct, but “split the baby,” said Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara.
Trump Tried to ‘Corrupt’ the 2016 Election, Prosecutor Alleges as Hush Money Trial Gets Underway
The commencement of the proceedings set the stage for weeks of unsavory and salacious testimony about Trump's personal life and placed his legal troubles at the center of his closely contested campaign against President Joe Biden.
‘Our City is Grieving’: Off-Duty Police Officer Among at Least 3 Killed by Gunfire Across Chicago Over Weekend
Chicago police Officer Luis M. Huesca, who was fatally shot as he returned to his Gage Park home following his shift early Sunday, was among three people killed by gunfire across Chicago over the weekend.
‘Kids Need to Breathe Just Like Adults Do’: $35 Price Caps Don’t Apply to Asthma Meds Young Children Need, Doctors Say
Asthma drugs can be pricy, so much so that the U.S. Senate health committee opened an investigation into the situation in January. Shortly afterward, three of the biggest makers of asthma inhalers pledged to cap out-of-pocket costs for some U.S. patients at $35.
Pritzker’s Health Insurance Reforms Clear House, Move to Senate
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s initiative targets many of the “utilization management” practices insurance companies use to hold down costs by either denying claims or steering patients toward lower-cost options.
Pritzker Says State ‘Obviously’ Needs to Change 2010 Law That Shrunk Pension Benefits
With a month and a half left in the General Assembly’s spring session, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration is readying its proposal to address Illinois’ chronically underfunded pension system.
The EPA is Again Allowing Summer Sales of Higher Ethanol Gasoline Blend, Citing Global Conflicts
Gasoline with 10% ethanol is already sold nationwide, but the higher blend has been prohibited in the summer because of concerns it could worsen smog during warm weather.