Chicago casino proposal final three. City Council to consider replacements for 11th Ward alderperson. Will Congressman Mike Quigley make a bid for mayor? And Senate grills Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Stories by nick blumberg
Leaders of DuSable Lake Shore Drive Redesign Tout Better Travel Times, Green Space and Ask For Public Input
Mar 24, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
At a virtual meeting of the task force working on the overhaul, members of the Redefine the Drive team outlined a study of how the different potential layouts would affect travel times for transit passengers and drivers under different weather conditions during morning and evening rush hour.
Sixth Chicago-Area Starbucks Moves to Join Union as City Council Voices Support
Mar 24, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
The Edgewater coffee shop, located at Clark Street and Ridge Avenue, joins three others in the city – Hyde Park, Logan Square, and downtown – and one each in west suburban La Grange and northwest suburban Cary. All six are seeking representation from the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United, an SEIU affiliate.
Metra Joins Fight Against Proposed Freight Rail Merger That Would Impact Northwest Suburban Tracks
Mar 17, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
In a Tuesday filing with the Surface Transportation Board, the federal agency overseeing rail companies, Metra argued the board shouldn’t let freight giants Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern combine operations.
City Facing Class Action Suit Over Lack of Accessible Signals for Blind Pedestrians
Mar 15, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
For decades, plaintiff Ann Brash commuted into the city each day for work. Blind since birth, she’s experienced at getting around using a cane. But Chicago’s noisy downtown poses a challenge, and in 2017 she had a near miss.
As New Community Market Opens in Englewood, Leaders Eye Next Steps for Redevelopment
Mar 8, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Residents and community leaders gathered in Englewood on Tuesday for the opening of the new Go Green Community Fresh Market. It’s designed to be as convenient as a neighborhood corner store but with fresh produce, a variety of healthy options, and meals cooked on site.
Rail Merger Would Mean Huge Spike in Freight Train Traffic, Suburbs Say. But Rail Companies Say Impact is Overstated
Mar 3, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Suburban officials are worried the proposed merger of two major rail companies would mean more frequent freight trains, which they say could take as long as 10 minutes to clear an intersection.
After December Walkouts, Organized Amazon Workers in Chicago Area Eye Next Steps
Feb 28, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
In Chicago, a group of workers called Amazonians United Chicagoland says it’s seen success from its organizing efforts.
Illinois Prepares for July Launch of 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline
Feb 23, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Illinois is months away from the scheduled launch of a new suicide prevention hotline, and state lawmakers are working to make sure it gets funding.
Advocates Push for State Money to Replace Lead Pipes Connected to Illinois Child Care Facilities
Feb 21, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
In recent years, a patchwork of government and nonprofit programs have ramped up, offering help with lead testing and mitigation. But the need still far outstrips the available assistance, especially for high-priority places like child care facilities.
Industry Group Aims to Tackle Truck Driver Shortage in Illinois
Feb 15, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
While the U.S. isn’t experiencing the same upheaval as Canada, trucking advocates say the industry still faces huge challenges, many of which predate the pandemic.
Jesse Sharkey on His Time in Teachers Union Leadership, CTU’s Future
Feb 8, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Jesse Sharkey’s time in leadership has been marked by multiple teacher’s strikes, a contentious relationship with City Hall, and a protracted pandemic. In announcing his departure, Sharkey acknowledged the difficulties of the job, both politically and personally.
Keeping Health Care Workers Safe Amid Spike in Threats, Violence
Feb 7, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
The American Medical Association notes as many as 38% of health care workers face violence during their careers and that those in the field were 50% more likely to be harassed, threatened, or hurt during the COVID pandemic.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Jason Van Dyke, Russia-Ukraine, and SCOTUS Vacancy
Feb 3, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Two U.S. senators are pressing the Justice Department on a federal civil rights investigation into former Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth say the facts of the case are “shocking and upsetting” and are asking the Attorney General for an update into the probe.
The Week in Review: Top Doc Says Chicago Past Omicron Peak
Jan 21, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Mayor Lightfoot backs embattled top cop. Omicron wave may have peaked as local COVID-19 testing company faces fraud investigations. A shakeup in the Republican primary for governor. And a major merger in local journalism.
Illinois Nursing Homes Face Spike in Cases, Staffing Shortages Amid COVID-19 Surge
Jan 18, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
According to CDC data, Illinois saw its highest-ever case rate for nursing home residents this month, surpassing even last winter’s surge. Cases among staff have also reached record levels.
The Week in Review: CPS Classes Resume, But Tensions Run High
Jan 14, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Chicago Public Schools students are back to in-person learning but tensions still surround the CTU. A new entrant is set to join the Republican candidates in the governor’s race. Mayor Lightfoot gets COVID-19. And the Bears search for a new general manager and head coach.
Longtime Anchor Pat Cassidy Reflects on Career in Radio News
Jan 11, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
“I just love breaking news, because I know I’m telling people things they don’t know,” said Pat Cassidy, who after 51 years as a radio news anchor has signed off.
Bears, Officially Out of Playoff Contention, Prepare to Face Seahawks
Dec 23, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
Chicago fell to the Minnesota Vikings 17-9 on Monday Night Football, the team’s third straight loss.
Embattled Thompson Center Lands Buyer With Plans For Overhaul, Reuse
Dec 20, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
Late last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a deal to sell the love-it-or-hate it state building downtown to the Prime Group for $70 million. The development firm plans to overhaul the Helmut Jahn-designed structure rather than demolish it and start anew, as others had proposed.
Beyond Net Zero? A New Prototype for a Building That Absorbs Carbon Pollution
Dec 14, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
What if our cities could be more like forests? That’s the question at the heart of a new building prototype developed by architecture and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Concerns in South Shore
Dec 9, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
The Obama Presidential Center announced Thursday that a number of its spaces will be named for historic human and civil rights figures. But as that center marches closer toward its opening date, one neighboring community has concerns about the center’s impact on longtime residents.
New Book Argues Focus on Profit and Lax Oversight Led to Deadly Boeing Crashes
Dec 7, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
Boeing’s former CEO defended the company’s safety record after a pair of deadly crashes, and implied some of the blame lay with insufficiently trained pilots. But a new book argues changes in corporate culture and government oversight led Boeing to prioritize profit over safety.
The Week in Review: Looking Ahead to 2022, 2023 Elections
Nov 26, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
As 2021 draws to a close, the 2022 election is already well underway and Chicago’s election in early 2023 is looming on the horizon. On a special holiday edition of “The Week in Review,” a look at what offices are on the ballot, who’s running, and the key issues at stake.
Return Most Federal Land to Native Americans, Op-Ed Argues
Nov 25, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
The op-ed also raises the idea of doing away with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and says tribes would be “freed” of treaties with the federal government – an idea some Native Americans oppose.
New Book ‘Foxconned’ Argues Controversial Wisconsin Facility Was a Bad Deal
Nov 22, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
In 2017, federal and state leaders heralded a massive new factory in southern Wisconsin to be built by Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Foxconn. The facility was supposed to create thousands of jobs and spur economic development, but a new book argues those promises have come up short.