An amendment to the Park District’s code has been submitted to formally create the Office of Prevention and Accountability. The public can take a look at the language and comment within the next 45 days on whether it hits or misses the mark.
Stories by
Park District Promises Accountability in Wake of Harassment Scandal. Public Can Decide If Proposed Changes Deliver
Jan 26, 2022 | Patty Wetli
Lake Michigan’s Ice Show Keeps Getting Better: First Came Pancakes, Now It’s Ice Balls
Jan 26, 2022 | Patty Wetli
Lake Michigan is doing the most to keep us entertained during the bleak mid-winter. First came pancake ice and now it’s serving up ice balls the size of boulders.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to Focus on Diversity in Leadership Team Hires
Jan 26, 2022 | Matt Masterson
“I want to make sure that our team reflects the diversity (in Chicago), because it’s one of the riches of our city,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said Wednesday during the monthly Board of Education meeting.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Jan. 27-30
Jan 26, 2022 | Kristen Thometz
High-flying skiers, ice sculptures, sledding hills and one-act plays usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago this weekend.
Richard Irvin Launches Gubernatorial Campaign With Questionable Claims About Protests, Unrest
Jan 26, 2022 | Heather Cherone
The first campaign salvo by Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin erroneously claims he deserves credit for “calling out” the Illinois National Guard once protests turned violent on June 1 and falsely claims that Chicago officials “did nothing to stop looting.”
Chicago Teachers Union Leadership Faces Competition
Jan 25, 2022 | Amanda Vinicky
Wednesday marks two weeks since Chicago Public Schools students returned to class — after a standoff between the teachers’ union and the district over COVID-19 protocols resulted in canceled classes. Union leadership already has another fight on its hands.
January 25, 2022 - Full Show
Jan 25, 2022 | WTTW News
City Council pushes back on the mayor’s gang asset forfeiture plan. Political tensions strain CTU. College enrollment lags pre-pandemic numbers. And the latest on Russia and Ukraine.
Higher Education Seeing Decreased Enrollment Nationally
Jan 25, 2022 | Blair Paddock
National data shows college enrollment fell another 2.7% in the fall of 2021. It’s a bit larger than the previous fall, when institutions saw a 2.5% drop, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
Ukrainian Leaders: Stay Calm, Russian Invasion Not Imminent
Jan 25, 2022 | Associated Press
Ukraine’s leaders sought Tuesday to reassure the nation that an invasion from neighboring Russia was not imminent, even as they acknowledged the threat is real and received a shipment of U.S. military equipment to shore up their defenses.
As Deadlock Over Chicago Ward Map Continues, Black, Latino Caucuses to Meet Behind Closed Doors
Jan 25, 2022 | Heather Cherone
City Council members have yet to redraw the city's ward maps. They’re contending with a controversial ordinance to go after street gangs’ profits. And, the city’s watchdog released two reports on a botched smokestack demolition and a wrongful police raid, while the city's without a permanent inspector general.
Chicago, It’s the Space Station Calling. You Look Cold
Jan 25, 2022 | Patty Wetli
Recent flyovers by the International Space Station have captured some stunning images of Chicago, as seen from 250 miles above.
Chicago Public Schools Claims ‘No Ill Intent’ Behind Changes to COVID-19 Data Dashboard
Jan 25, 2022 | Matt Masterson
CPS has been criticized in recent days for not telling students and families that it changed the way positive cases among students and staff are reported on its online dashboard.
The Gypsy Moth Is Now the Spongy Moth. Less Derogatory Name, Same Destructive Insect
Jan 25, 2022 | Patty Wetli
The gypsy moth has been going by its mouthful of a scientific name — Lymantria dispar — since July, when scientists scrapped the insect’s derogatory common name and began weighing alternatives.
Little Village Arch Poised For Landmark Status
Jan 25, 2022 | Heather Cherone
The Little Village arch is the first structure designed by a Mexican American architect to get landmark status in Chicago, officials said.
Pfizer Begins Testing Omicron-Matched COVID Shots in Adults
Jan 25, 2022 | Associated Press
Pfizer is enrolling healthy adults to test a reformulated COVID-19 vaccine that matches the hugely contagious omicron variant, to see how it compares with the original shots.
Congressional Ethics Office Says Rep. Marie Newman May Have Broken Law
Jan 25, 2022 | Associated Press
An investigative report from the Office of Congressional Ethics released Monday detailed a “substantial reason to believe” that Newman promised federal employment to a political opponent.
Capturing the Intersection of Classical and Jazz with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Branford Marsalis
Jan 25, 2022 | Hedy Weiss
The goal behind the concert at Orchestra Hall, which featured the notably “conductorless” New York-based Orpheus Chamber Orchestra along with saxophone master Branford Marsalis, was to explore the intriguing early intersection of classical and jazz music.
January 24, 2022 - Full Show
Jan 24, 2022 | WTTW News
Chicago police step up their investigation into an 8-year-old’s killing. Plus, what the state is doing about COVID-19 sick days. A major Asian carp barrier moves forward with federal help, and what’s behind a state shortage of dental workers.
Evanston Artist’s New Exhibition Showcases 75 Years of Self-Portraits
Jan 24, 2022 | Angel Idowu
For the first time, self-portraits of Evanston artist Leo Segedin are on display in a solo exhibition.
Boost in Funding Moves Invasive Carp Barrier Forward: ‘This Money Can’t Come Soon Enough’
Jan 24, 2022 | Marissa Nelson
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has allocated $225.8 million to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam invasive carp barrier. The funds will complete the planning and engineering phase of the project.
Illinois Dentists Report Worker Shortages Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Jan 24, 2022 | Leslie Hurtado
As dentists across Illinois experience staffing shortages and an increased demand for dental appointments, they are asking state officials to consider teledentistry and other services to help fill the demand.
Crain’s Headlines: McDonald’s Faces Legal Battles
Jan 24, 2022 | WTTW News
McDonald’s faces a lawsuit that claims systemic racism in the company’s practices. Ann Dwyer has details on that story and more.
Some Illinois Workers Are Forced to Take Unpaid Leave as COVID-19 Drags On
Jan 24, 2022 | Acacia Hernandez
In the first half of January, an estimated 8.8 million U.S. workers were reported to have stayed home either because they were sick with COVID-19 or were caring for someone who was sick. The news comes as some workers are running out of employer-provided sick days, or don’t have enough earned sick days to begin with.
Stocks Climb Back After Steep Slide on Fed, Ukraine Jitters
Jan 24, 2022 | Associated Press
The stock market extended its three-week decline and put the benchmark S&P 500 on track for a so-called correction — a drop of 10% or more from its most recent high.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Announces Compromise on Paid Leave For Vaccinated School Employees
Jan 24, 2022 | Matt Masterson
Under a new statewide compromise, public school and higher ed employees across Illinois won’t have to expend their sick time if they are forced to miss work due to COVID-19 — as long as they’re fully vaccinated.
Council Committee Agrees to Pay $14M to 2 Men Who Spent 43 Years in Prison for Murder They Didn’t Commit
Jan 24, 2022 | Heather Cherone
The City Council’s Finance Committee voted unanimously Monday to recommend the settlement, which is set for a final vote by the full City Council on Wednesday.