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More Than 1,000 Medically Vulnerable IDOC Inmates to be Released Under Lawsuit Settlement

Following months of negotiations, a coalition of local legal groups on Tuesday announced it had agreed to settle its lawsuit after state officials agreed to improve the Illinois Department of Correction’s use of existing release options for medically vulnerable inmates with expiring sentences.

Alderman Withdraws Plan to Require Special Permission for House Museums After Outcry

The ordinance drew fierce opposition from cultural and preservation groups and those working to turn the homes of civil rights icon Emmett Till and blues legend Muddy Waters into museums, who said it could block their efforts. 

US: AstraZeneca Results May Have Included Outdated Info

Results from a U.S. trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine may have included “outdated information” and that could mean the company provided an incomplete view of efficacy data, American federal health officials said early Tuesday.

Confused About Vaccine Eligibility? Here’s What You Need to Know

Vaccine eligibility in Illinois will open up to everyone by April 12, but there are a lot of different windows of eligibility leading up to that date.

Competing Proposals to Create Elected Board to Oversee CPD Craft Unified Compromise to Take on Lightfoot

The Chicago City Council and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are set to face off over an effort to create an elected police oversight body.

Cook County’s New Public Defender Talks Goals, Challenges

Sharone Mitchell Jr. is coming in at a turbulent time: Jury trials resumed Monday with a massive backlog of cases, and a controversial criminal justice bill was signed by the governor last month. All of this, of course, comes against the backdrop of COVID-19.

Greektown Outdoor Exhibit Provides Coronavirus-Safe Art Experience

A Chicago neighborhood is preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Greek independence. And while traditional festivities have been canceled for the second year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Greektown community has still found a way to brighten area streets.

Aldermen Vow to Keep Pressure on Banks that Hold the City’s Cash to Lend Equitably

Aldermen endorsed a measure Monday that would allow the city to expand the number of banks authorized to hold its cash — even as city officials vowed to keep pressuring financial institutions to do a better job lending to Black and Latino Chicagoans.

Lightfoot Tosses Cold Water on Plan to Require Special Permission for House Museums

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says that a proposal requiring museums to get special permission from city officials before opening in residential neighborhoods is “highly problematic.” Her criticism makes it unlikely that the measure, which has drawn fierce opposition, will advance this week.

Porchlight’s ‘Rock & Roll Broadway’ Fundraiser Deserves a Main-Stage Future

True to its title, this lavish production traces the evolution of Broadway scores from the 1960s until now, and explores the many ways in which pop music (as well as modern life) has expanded and altered the sound of musical theater.

Push to Slow Gentrification in Pilsen and Along 606 Trail with Demolition Fee Advances

Property owners and developers who want to demolish existing buildings in Pilsen and near the 606 trail would be required to pay a fee that would be used to fund affordable housing projects across the city, under a proposal set for a final vote Wednesday.

Asian Community Calls for Action in Wake of Deadly Atlanta Shooting

A coalition of state representatives and organizations representing the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community called on residents to unite against discrimination in the wake of a mass shooting in Georgia that eight people, including six women of Asian descent.

Crain’s Headlines: Natural Gas Costs Set to Reach 2014 Polar Vortex Levels

The cost for natural gas is set to reach levels not seen since the polar vortex in 2014. Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker has details on that story and more.

CPS Announces $24M Plan to Address Student Trauma, Mental Health

Chicago Public Schools released a new “Healing-Centered Framework,” which it said is a first-of-its-kind effort that aims to expand behavioral health teams to every district school and offer trainings to existing staffers on how to address students’ trauma, anger and depression.

Great Lakes’ ‘Wildebeests’ on the Move as Spring Migration Starts

Shedd Aquarium researchers are eagerly anticipating the spring migration of sucker fish, a species that could tell us about climate change.