Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the unemployment rate dipped from 3.9% to 3.8%. The jobless rate has now remained below 4% for 26 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s.
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Chicago Has Recorded 56 Cases of Measles This Year, More Than Half of the National Total
The Chicago Department of Public Health says they are fighting the spread through testing and vaccinations — particularly in the Pilsen migrant shelter where the majority of cases are emerging.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, April 4, 2024 - Full Show
What Chicago is doing to combat a spike in measles cases. Everything you need to know about the solar eclipse that’s just days away. And a Venezuelan artist captures his journey to America.
Venezuelan Migrant Depicts His Journey to Chicago in Series of Paintings
Last year, a Belmont Cragin pastor opened his church’s doors to house a group of migrants who were sleeping at a police station. One of the men has now created a series of paintings describing his journey to America. His artwork will be on display this weekend.
Chicago Police Continued to Target Black, Latino Drivers With Flood of Traffic Stops in 2023: Report
The vast majority of the more than 537,000 traffic stops made by Chicago police in 2023 were based on dubious evidence of minor violations that took direct aim at Black and Latino Chicagoans but spared White Chicagoans, according to a new report from Impact for Equity, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization that has helped lead the push to reform the Chicago Police Department.
Bill Ending Illinois’ Tipped Wage Advances, But Prospects Are Uncertain Amid Pushback
Current Illinois law allows employers to pay their tipped workers 60% of the state’s minimum wage. That amounts to $8.40 hourly, compared to the minimum wage of $14 per hour. If their wages plus tips do not equal minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference.
Chicago, Federal Agencies Ramp Up Security Training Ahead of August’s Democratic National Convention
The Secret Service will be responsible for security at the United Center and McCormick Place and their containment areas. The Chicago Police Department is responsible for everything outside the venues, including management of protests.
Preservationist-Backed Study Finds Promontory Point Rock Wall is Good for Another 100 Years as Efforts Continue to Fight Off Demolition
An independent engineering study has concluded Promontory Point’s limestone blocks are still functioning as ample shoreline protection, which refutes a longstanding position held by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Suburban Nurse Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Stealing Morphine From Patients
Sarah Diamond, 31, of Woodstock, pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of tampering with a consumer product and was sentenced this week during a hearing in Chicago.
When Voters Say ‘No’ to New Stadiums, What Do Professional Sports Teams Do Next?
he defeat Tuesday of a three-eighths cent sales tax to fund a new downtown Royals ballpark and renovate the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium was almost assuredly not the end of the matter. Other teams and cities have faced similar setbacks, and that hasn’t slowed a wave of stadium construction underway across the U.S.
Powerball Jackpot Jumps to $1.23 Billion After Another Drawing Without a Big Winner
The jackpot, which now ranks as the eighth-largest in U.S. lottery history, has been growing for more than three months, reflecting the long odds of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize.
Chicago Sees Uptick in Shootings, Homicides Through Month of March: Police
According to the Chicago Police Department, there were 46 homicides across the city last month, which marked a 28% increase over the same month in 2023.
Beyoncé’s New Country Album Highlights How the Genre Has Long Been Shaped by Black Culture
Black artists and culture have shaped the country genre for generations, pulling from the melodies of Black hymns and incorporating African instruments like the banjo.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, April 3, 2024 - Full Show
Anti-violence programs could be seeing more federal dollars. Exploring country music’s roots in Black culture. And the ex-chair of the state Prisoner Review Board speaks out after a tragic death.
Former Chair of Prisoner Review Board Pushes Back Against Pritzker’s Criticism Following Killing of 11-Year-Old Boy
“It’s one thing to say that I think the judgment was in error,” Donald Shelton said in an exclusive interview with WTTW News. “It’s another thing to say that there was a lack of concern for a victim of domestic violence.”
In Chicago Speech, US Attorney General Merrick Garland Says Feds ‘Doubling Down’ on Funding for Violence Intervention Programs
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced his department’s plan to spend $78 million to support community violence intervention programs and research in Chicago and across the country.
Frankie Knuckles Remembered as ‘Guiding Force’ of House Music as 5,000 Vinyl Records Digitized
Members of Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation have been working to restore Frankie Knuckles’ vinyl record collection for the last eight years.
Traveling This Summer? Avoid Packing These Items in Your Carry-On to Steer Clear of Delays, TSA Says
Get to the airport early and do your research ahead of time about what you can pack, TSA officials said.
Lawsuit Seeks to Force Ban on Menthol Cigarettes After Months of Delays by Biden Administration
The lawsuit is the latest effort to force the government to ban menthols, which are disproportionately used by Black smokers and young people. It comes amid growing concerns from advocates that the federal plan could be derailed by election-year politics.
Johnson Picks 4 Developments to Launch Effort to Transform Chicago’s Financial District
“Like many cities, we are in the process of recovering from the impact of the pandemic, resulting in vacancies, particularly our storefronts and offices,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “We have to respond to these changes. As a city, we have to do it in a creative and collaborative way.”
Prosecutors in Donald Trump’s Classified Documents Case Sharply Rebuke Judge’s Unusual and ‘Flawed’ Order
In an unusual order, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had asked prosecutors and defense lawyers to formulate proposed jury instructions for most of the charges even though it remains unclear when the case might reach trial.
Severe Storms and Tornadoes Leave a Path of Destruction From Georgia to Kankakee County in Illinois
Sixteen tornadoes were reported Tuesday and Wednesday morning across Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, along with dozens of damaging wind reports, including gusts topping 100 mph in Kentucky. The Illinois tornado was reported by a trained weather spotter Tuesday near Manteno in Kankakee County, according to the National Weather Service.
State Lawmakers Call for Prisoner Review Board Reform After Fatal Stabbing of 11-Year-Old Chicago Boy
The killing of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins is drawing attention to a small state board responsible for deciding when prisoners can be released on parole.
April 2, 2024 - Full Show
Johnson makes a change to his administration. A meeting of two WWII veterans more than 80 years in the making. And we explore the surge of interest in women’s basketball.
Pen Pals for More Than 60 Years, WWII Veterans Linked by Deadly Ship Explosion Meet for First Time
Two local WWII veterans associated with a deadly ship explosion off the coast of Japan met in person for the very first time last week in Evanston. Myron Petrakis is just shy of his 102nd birthday; Marvin Elman is 97.
Johnson Taps Cristina Pacione-Zayas as Chief of Staff
Since Mayor Brandon Johnson took office, Cristina Pacione-Zayas has served as his first deputy chief of staff, charged with overseeing the city’s response to the arrival of nearly 38,500 migrants from the southern border.
