It’s another day of blistering cold temps. Warm up with these local stories from WTTW News. State Rep. Will Guzzardi speaks during a Jan. 13, 2024 news conference on new legislation. (Amanda Vinicky / WTTW News) Advocates in Illinois want the state to become the first in the U.S. to fully legalize the exchange of money for sex among consenting adults. In 2013, Illinois reduced the crime of prostitution to a misdemeanor, and Equality Illinois CEO Brian Johnson said that has contributed to a 97% reduction in arrests and prosecutions of sex-related offenses, so fully decriminalizing sex work would be codifying standard police practices. Removing any criminal penalties would allow sex workers to vet their clients and allow individuals to report abuse or sex trafficking without fear of prosecution or stigma. Some Illinois lawmakers have for years talked about removing criminal penalties for sex work, but Johnson said he’s “absolutely hopeful” this attempt will be successful, with state Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and state Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) serving as sponsors. Where things stand: A week ago, the General Assembly approved a separate Guzzardi-backed proposal (House Bill 4410) that would remove from the statute book references to the word “prostitute” and replace it with “person engaged in the sex trade.” Guzzardi said prostitution is a “dehumanizing word” and the update, should it be signed into law by the governor, is “in line with the values that we’re talking about here today.” That measure also would automatically seal felony records of individuals convicted of prostitution before the 2013 law, and it would prohibit police from engaging in sex as part of an investigation, something that Guzzardi said happens too often. Guzzardi said the forthcoming measure to decriminalize sex work will also include a bill of rights, with what he called “basic protections” similar to Illinois’ bill of rights for domestic workers like housekeepers and caregivers. Read more Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Jan. 13, 2025. (WTTW News) After months of negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools still have not reached a contract deal. Meanwhile, the CPS Board of Education’s publicly elected members will be sworn in Wednesday, and the district will be on the search for a new leader after the current board fired CEO Pedro Martinez just before the holidays. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates sat down with WTTW News’ “Chicago Tonight” to talk about the future of the district’s public education system. On Contract Negotiations With CPS: “We were doing good work,” Davis Gates said, “successful movement back and forth before the CEO received his temporary restraining order and that slowed progress significantly — almost to a halt." On the Financial State of the District: "But here’s the question that I think we need to ask ourselves as Chicagoans — the Chicago Public Schools needs leadership that is going to be visionary enough to sustain it for the long term. This contract is a snapshot in time. The sustenance and the sustainability of this school district is something else." On Making Ableist Comments About Martinez: “First off, I am extraordinarily embarrassed. It does not reflect my values or my body of work. I am deeply sorry for it, and I am going to be in the process of speaking to the advocates, families, students and our members about how to repair the harm." Read more CTA President Dorval Carter speaks at a Chicago City Council meeting Feb. 27, 2024. (WTTW News) Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter plans to resign Jan. 31 after nearly a decade leading the agency. Carter shepherded the agency during a precipitous drop in ridership and revenue during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw major projects including the ongoing Red-Purple Modernization, the overhaul of the 95th/Dan Ryan transit hub, and the Red Line Extension that’s expected to begin construction later this year. But Carter also faced major criticism from riders and elected officials frustrated by gaps in bus and train service, unpredictable wait times, concerns about rider safety, and a lack of transparency. “Serving as president of this great agency has been an extraordinary privilege and I am forever grateful for what has been the opportunity of a lifetime,” Carter said in a statement. “It has been an honor to work on behalf of CTA customers and to advance our mission in a city that I love so dearly.” Read more Read more Learn more about advertising & sponsorship with WTTW. Back in the Day: January 14, 2010 - Red Line Car Jumps Tracks On this day 15 years ago, a CTA Red Line train jumped the tracks just as it left the Roosevelt station in the South Loop. About 20 passengers were riding on the train when it hit a switch and jumped onto a platform around 1:15 am, but only two reported injuries. Speaking to NBC5, First Battalion Chief Michael Gubricki called the accident “an unusual sight.” Train service was shut down for nearly five hours as crews worked to clear the tracks. The two injured were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and treated for minor injuries before being released. Derailments on the CTA are rare but between 2010 and 2020, NBC Chicago notes that there were 26 reported derailments. Learn more about advertising & sponsorship with WTTW. Blair Paddock’s Best Film Watches on Chicago Screens, 2024 Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers recommend their favorite things in Chicago. Hi readers, I’m Blair with investigations. As part of our staff recs, I put together a list of my favorite first time watches on Chicago screens. Biggest takeaway? The city is full of incredible theaters and programmers! Salute to their work, and special shoutout to the Chicago Film Society for their immeasurable efforts in keeping celluloid preserved and projected. “The Day I Became a Woman” (2002) by Marzieh Meshkini at NEIU A stunning triptych of women at turning moments in their life: a last lollipop shared between a boy and girl nearing womanhood, a young woman escaping a marriage via bicycle and an elderly woman indulging in home appliances, only to set them and herself out to sea. “Sambizanga” (1972) by Sarah Maldoror at the Gene Siskel Film Center Anti-colonialist struggles in Angola, communal grief and a mother and her child’s search for her arrested revolutionary husband. “Friendly Witness” (1989) by Warren Sonbert at Sweet Void Cinema Projected memories. Just read Fred Camper’s review, who called it a masterpiece. “Pumping Iron II: The Women” (1985) by George Butler at NEIU Grace Jones-fueled documentary on bodybuilding that quickly turns into a question of what women should look like to win it all: bulging muscles or a more “feminine” physique? “Los” (2001) by James Benning at Doc Films Somehow I didn’t manage to catch any of the Midwest-centered Benning films, but thankfully I caught this phenomenal tribute to the milieu, water and concrete of Los Angeles. 35 stationary shots, each 2 ½ minutes long. What was your most memorable snow experience in Chicago? Tell us when, where you were and what happened. Email [email protected] with your responses and your answers might be published. Where does the Chicago Transit Authority go next after its leader steps down? Our Spotlight Politics team on that and much more. 5:30 PM | 10:00 PM Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
