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.
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Would You Swim in the Chicago River? Navigating Safety Concerns Ahead of Open Water Swim Event
Apr 22, 2024 | Shelby Hawkins
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Emily Soto
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Heather Cherone
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Eunice Alpasan
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Hedy Weiss
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Patty Wetli
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Angel Idowu
“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
Apr 22, 2024 | Heather Cherone
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Associated Press
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
Apr 22, 2024 | Matt Masterson
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
Apr 20, 2024 | CNN
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
Apr 20, 2024 | Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
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
Apr 20, 2024 | Hannah Meisel — Capitol News Illinois
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
Apr 19, 2024 | Associated Press
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.
Week in Review: Pritzker Calls for CTA Changes; City Council Approves $70M More for Migrant Care
Apr 19, 2024 | Blair Paddock
Gov. J.B. Pritzker puts his foot on the gas pedal calling for changes at the CTA. And what’s in store for the Chicago Sky as WNBA ticket sales soar.
City Council Votes 32-17 to Borrow $1.25B to Fund Economic Development, Affordable Housing Projects
Apr 19, 2024 | Heather Cherone
The approval represents a major win for Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has touted the proposal as a way to make Chicago a more equitable place to live by “investing in people” and expanding the city’s economic capacity — without raising taxes on Chicago property owners.
City Council Votes 30-18 to Spend $70M More to Care for Migrants in Chicago
Apr 19, 2024 | Heather Cherone
Officials expect it will cost an additional $321 million through the end of 2024 to care for the migrants. The Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners have approved plans to contribute $70 million each. State lawmakers are expected to set aside $182 million as part of the state’s budget for the next fiscal year.
The Bluebells Are Here. Catch These Short-Lived Beauties Before They’re Gone
Apr 19, 2024 | Patty Wetli
These gorgeous spring ephemerals love woodland habitats near creeks, and they’ll spread like a carpet on the forest floor. But only for a couple of weeks, and then they’re gone.
Mural on the 94th Floor: Chicago Artist Spotlights City Neighborhoods and Her Heritage at the Top of a Skyscraper
Apr 19, 2024 | Marc Vitali
High above Michigan Avenue, artist Katie Chung pays tribute to the neighborhoods below. She uses many colors while keeping in mind Obangsaek, a color scheme known as the five cardinal colors of Korean culture.
Pritzker Says CTA Needs ‘Evolution of Leadership’ as Agency Faces Ridership, Financial Concerns
Apr 19, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
“Changes are going to have to take place, there’s no doubt, at the CTA, and I think that’s going to take some new leadership and additional leadership,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. The agency has been under scrutiny amid rider frustration, unkempt train cars and safety concerns.
Judge Tosses Large Portions of Evanston Residents’ Lawsuit Over Northwestern’s Ryan Field Deal
Apr 19, 2024 | Matt Masterson
Judge Pamela McLean Meyerson dismissed three counts brought by a group of 13 residents who live near the stadium who had asked the court to invalidate Evanston City Council’s 5-4 vote to change the city’s zoning law.
Illinois Now Home to Federally Recognized Tribal Land After Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Given Back Portion of Ancestral Land
Apr 19, 2024 | Eunice Alpasan
A U.S. Department of the Interior decision places portions of Shab-eh-nay Reservation land, which is located in DeKalb County, into trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, which gives the tribal nation sovereignty over the land.
Sour Cherries: Weird Weather Stunts Blossoms in Jackson Park for Second Year in a Row
Apr 19, 2024 | Patty Wetli
The Cherry Blossom trees in Jackson Park won’t reach peak bloom this year, the Chicago Park District said.
House Sends Bill Restricting Chicago Selective Enrollment School Changes to Senate Despite Rebukes From CTU, CPS Board
Apr 19, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
An increased moratorium on closing Chicago Public Schools – including charters – easily passed the state House heads to the Senate over the objections of the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointees to the city’s school board.
Final Tally: Ex-Ald. Ed Burke Spent $3.8M in Campaign Cash on Legal Fees Before Conviction
Apr 19, 2024 | Heather Cherone
Former Ald. Ed Burke paid two law firms, Blegen & Garvey and Breen & Pugh, approximately $769,000 one month after his conviction, according to state records.