<< Back to main NATO page

Chicago Education, Union Officials Agree to Hold Public Bargaining Sessions During Teachers Contract Negotiations

0 Comments
(WTTW News)

Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jackson Potter confirmed the union and school district have agreed to hold open bargaining sessions that will allow community stakeholders to attend negotiations for the first time.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/chicago-education-union-officials-agree-hold-public-bargaining-sessions-during-teachers
(WTTW News)

New Illinois Law That Prevents Political Parties From Slating Candidates in Open General Election Races Put on Hold by Judge

0 Comments
People show documentation as they prepare to vote in the April 4 Chicago runoff election at the Budlong Woods Library polling location. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

The law put an end to the long-standing Illinois practice of letting a political party slate candidates for the general election in contests that are open because no one from that party ran in the primary election.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/new-illinois-law-prevents-political-parties-slating-candidates-open-general-election
People show documentation as they prepare to vote in the April 4 Chicago runoff election at the Budlong Woods Library polling location. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Chicago City Council Ratchets Up Pressure on Johnson Over Transit Issues

0 Comments
Left: Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Right: CTA President Dorval Carter speaks at a Chicago City Council meeting Feb. 27, 2024. (WTTW News)

Allies of the mayor used a parliamentary maneuver Wednesday to prevent a vote on the nomination of the Rev. Ira Acree to serve on the board of the Regional Transportation Authority, an acknowledgment they did not have the votes to confirm the politically connected pastor.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/chicago-city-council-ratchets-pressure-johnson-over-transit-issues
Left: Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Right: CTA President Dorval Carter speaks at a Chicago City Council meeting Feb. 27, 2024. (WTTW News)

More Piping Plovers Have Arrived at Montrose, as the Mating Plot Thickens

0 Comments
Imani at Montrose Beach, April 2023. (Matthew Dolkart)

Chicago’s own Imani has been joined by at least two other plovers, one believed to be a female. Let the mating games begin.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/more-piping-plovers-have-arrived-montrose-mating-plot-thickens
Imani at Montrose Beach, April 2023. (Matthew Dolkart)

Effort to Ban Wildlife Killing Contests in Illinois ‘Unlikely’ to Clear State Senate This Session

0 Comments
House Bill 2900, which would ban contests that reward the killing of “fur-bearing mammals,” is unlikely to move before lawmakers adjourn this month, according to its Senate sponsor. (Credit: Dylan Ferreira / Unsplash)

The bill would ban the practice of holding wildlife contests that reward participants with cash, prizes or inducements for killing fur-bearing animals. Much of the floor debate centered on contests that award the killing of coyotes as a method of population control.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/effort-ban-wildlife-killing-contests-illinois-unlikely-clear-state-senate-session
House Bill 2900, which would ban contests that reward the killing of “fur-bearing mammals,” is unlikely to move before lawmakers adjourn this month, according to its Senate sponsor. (Credit: Dylan Ferreira / Unsplash)

Man Found Fit for Trial in Attacks That Killed 4, Injured 7 Others in Rockford

0 Comments
(WTTW News)

The judge had ordered a psychiatric evaluation in April for Christian Soto, 22, who is accused of stabbing, beating or driving over the victims in March. He is charged with first-degree murder and other counts.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/man-found-fit-trial-attacks-killed-4-injured-7-others-rockford
(WTTW News)

Some Landscapers Say Evanston’s Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban Created a Tense Atmosphere, With the Public and Fellow Landscapers Submitting More Than 1,000 Violations

0 Comments
Landscapers from Touch of Life Lawn Care work on an Evanston lawn with electric leaf blowers on April 23, 2024. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Since April 1, 2023, the landscaping community in Evanston has been tasked with making a drastic change for climate and noise concerns: switching from gas- or propane-powered leaf blowers to electric. But not all landscapers are feeling pressure from the ban. The largest landscaper in Evanston also filed the most complaints against fellow landscapers. 

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/some-landscapers-say-evanston-s-gas-powered-leaf-blower-ban-created-tense-atmosphere
Landscapers from Touch of Life Lawn Care work on an Evanston lawn with electric leaf blowers on April 23, 2024. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Chicago-Area Music Promoter Charged Alongside Rapper G Herbo in Credit Card Fraud Scheme Pleads Guilty

0 Comments
Rapper G Herbo performs on Day 4 of the Lollapalooza Music Festival, Aug. 1, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Amy Harris / Invision/AP, File)

Antonio M. Strong, 31, of Lansing, Illinois, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Massachusetts federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/chicago-area-music-promoter-charged-alongside-rapper-g-herbo-credit-card-fraud-scheme
Rapper G Herbo performs on Day 4 of the Lollapalooza Music Festival, Aug. 1, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Amy Harris / Invision/AP, File)

It’s World Turtle Day, Let’s Shellebrate Illinois’ Homegrown Species

0 Comments
Turtles basking at a Lincoln Park pond. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

May 23 is World Turtle Day. Sure, it’s a fake holiday, but it’s a good reason to take a closer look at the many species that make their home in northern Illinois.

Read More > >

/2024/05/23/it-s-world-turtle-day-let-s-shellebrate-illinois-homegrown-species
Turtles basking at a Lincoln Park pond. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, May 22, 2024 - Full Show

0 Comments

Chicago City Council backs a plan to keep ShotSpotter. And Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s new plan for gun and drug charges tied to traffic stops.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/chicago-tonight-black-voices-may-22-2024-full-show

Kim Foxx Floats Changes to How Her Office Prosecutes Crime, Drug Cases Tied to Traffic Stops

0 Comments
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on May 22, 2024. (WTTW News)

Under a new proposal from Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, prosecutors would not file drug, gun and theft charges stemming from an initial traffic stop where there was no other probable cause to make the stop.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/kim-foxx-floats-changes-how-her-office-prosecutes-crime-drug-cases-tied-traffic-stops
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx appears on “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” on May 22, 2024. (WTTW News)

WTTW News Explains: Why Will There Be So Many Cicadas in Illinois This Year?

0 Comments
A graphic that says "The Return of the Cicadas." (WTTW News)

In case you haven’t heard, the cicadas are coming, and things are about to get loud. WTTW News explains.

Read More > >

/2024/04/01/wttw-news-explains-why-will-there-be-so-many-cicadas-illinois-year
A graphic that says "The Return of the Cicadas." (WTTW News)

City Council Votes 34-14 to Endorse Effort to Overturn Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Decision to Scrap ShotSpotter

0 Comments
ShotSpotter screen. (WTTW News)

The vote represented a significant rebuke of Mayor Brandon Johnson and the central promise of his campaign, which vowed to address the root causes of crime and violence rather than focusing on law enforcement.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/city-council-votes-34-14-endorse-effort-overturn-mayor-brandon-johnson-s-decision-scrap
ShotSpotter screen. (WTTW News)

As Permanent Chicago Police Board Takes Office, Reform Advocates Push to Expand Its Power With Ballot Measure

0 Comments
Chicago Police Department Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Before the newly confirmed members can be sworn in to serve four-year terms on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, reform advocates introduced a proposal to expand the board’s power through a binding ballot measure.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/permanent-police-board-takes-office-reform-advocates-push-expand-its-power-ballot-measure
Chicago Police Department Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Taxpayers Spend Another $1.3M to Settle Lawsuits Accusing CPD Officers of Misconduct During Protests, Unrest in 2020

0 Comments
A protester faces a line of police officers in Chicago on Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Hugo Balta / WTTW News)

In all, Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $6.8 million to defend and settle lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct during the protests and unrest during the summer of 2020, according to an analysis by WTTW News.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/taxpayers-spend-another-13m-settle-lawsuits-accusing-cpd-officers-misconduct-during
A protester faces a line of police officers in Chicago on Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Hugo Balta / WTTW News)

Chicago Taxpayers to Pay $1.75M to Family of Woman Who Died in Police Holding Cell

0 Comments
The partly obscured window of the holding cell at the Grand Crossing (3rd District) Police District where Irene Chavez died in December 2021. (Civilian Office of Police Accountability)

Irene Chavez died while in police custody on Dec. 18, 2021. Eleven officers are set to be disciplined for failing to prevent her death, as first reported by WTTW News.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/chicago-taxpayers-pay-175m-family-woman-who-died-police-holding-cell
The partly obscured window of the holding cell at the Grand Crossing (3rd District) Police District where Irene Chavez died in December 2021. (Civilian Office of Police Accountability)

Biden Administration Canceling Student Loans for Another 160,000 Borrowers

0 Comments
 Education Secretary Miguel Cardona testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)

With the latest action, the administration said it has canceled $167 billion in student debt for nearly 5 million Americans through several programs.

Read More > >

/2024/05/22/biden-administration-canceling-student-loans-another-160000-borrowers
 Education Secretary Miguel Cardona testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)