Stories by Amanda Vinicky

A rendering of a White Sox stadium at The 78 site with additional development. (Credit: Related Midwest)

Chicagoans Should Vote on Using Taxpayer Money for Bears and White Sox Stadiums, Ex-Gov. Quinn Says

Should the former governor succeed, a nonbinding referendum would ask Chicago voters on Nov. 5: “Shall the people of Chicago provide any taxpayer subsidies to the Chicago Bears or the White Sox in order to build a stadium or a real estate development?”

Chicago Public Schools headquarters. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Candidates Can Start Circulating Petitions as Chicago Public Schools Begins Transition to Elected School Board

Tuesday marks the first day board of education candidates can begin to gather the minimum 1,000 signatures they need from neighbors in order to make it on the ballot.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is pictured in a file photo. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois)

Illinois Driver’s License Facilities Again Running After ‘Nationwide Network Outage’ Thursday Morning

The cause was an outage in the “national network that connects driver’s license facilities,” a network run by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. That outage resulted in the system having to shut down across the country.

Illinois State Capitol. (WTTW News)

At Least 2 State Legislators Lose Their Seats in Primary Election. A Look at the General Assembly Results

At least two sitting members of the Illinois state legislature – including the longest-serving member of the General Assembly – won’t be returning to Springfield next year after losing their primary races Tuesday.

1st District Appellate Justice Jesse Reyes and state Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham. (Provided)

Justice Joy Cunningham Claims Victory in Illinois Supreme Court Primary Race

Justice Joy Cunningham was appointed by the court to fill the seat ahead of Justice Anne Burke’s 2022 retirement. Cunningham’s opponent in Tuesday’s race, Appellate Judge Jesse Reyes, was striving to be the first Latino on the state’s high court.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pictured during a March 18, 2024, press conference. (WTTW News)

Pritzker Signs Hybrid CPS Board Bill, Says He Supports Moratorium on Selective Enrollment Closures

Under the new law, voters will elect 10 members in Novembers while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint 10 members of his choosing, plus the board president. That leaves the board under mayoral control until 2027, when the city would move to a fully-elected school board.

Stateville Correctional Center. (WTTW News)

Pritzker Announces $900M Plan to Demolish, Rebuild Stateville and Logan Prisons

An independent report identified Illinois’ Stateville and Logan prisons as outdated and in need of costly repairs.

The Illinois Supreme Court building is pictured in Springfield. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)

Illinois’ High Court Reports ‘Breathtaking’ Rise in Appeals Following Elimination of Cash Bail

According to Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, the spike in appeals is the “biggest challenge” to the judicial branch’s implementation of the pretrial justice system.

Illinois State Capitol. (WTTW News)

Many Illinois Companies Will Soon Be Required to List Pay Scales, Benefits in Job Postings

Illinois has laws to protect against gender discrimination in pay, but it can be difficult for workers to know whether there’s a pay discrepancy. That may be easier to figure out starting next year.

(WTTW News)

New Bill Would Ban Guns From Illinois Polling Places

State Rep. Bob Morgan said banning guns at polling places is necessary given rising security concerns surrounding elections. Gun rights advocates said the proposal is an answer in search of a problem.

(WTTW News)

Chicago is One Step Closer to Hybrid Elected School Board as Illinois House Approves Plan

A plan headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk will allow voters in November to choose half of the Chicago Board of Education. Johnson will appoint the other half, plus its president.

Chicago Public Schools headquarters. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Illinois Senate Signs Off on Plan for a Hybrid Elected School Board in Chicago

Chicago is on the path to getting the hybrid school board preferred by Mayor Brandon Johnson, with the Illinois Senate’s begrudging approval of legislation Tuesday finalizing the transition to an elected school board.

(WTTW News)

How an Illinois Law Protects IVF Access, Reproductive Health Care Rights

A recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling is raising questions about IVF. In Illinois, the Reproductive Health Act protects the increasingly popular path to parenthood while establishing people’s right to make decisions about their own reproductive health.

(WTTW News)

Gov. Pritzker Seeking to Eliminate State Grocery Tax, But Some Municipalities Could Push Back

Illinois shoppers would save a dollar when they buy $100 worth of groceries under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate a state sales tax on groceries.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Signed $640K Contract to Review Controversial ‘Invest In Kids’ Tax Credit Program, But Results Are Deemed ‘Inconclusive’

Illinois signed a contract for $640,000 for a report that could help legislators determine the value of the state’s recently defunct private school scholarship program, but a lack of data makes its findings “inconclusive.”

(WTTW News)

What Goes Into Setting Car Insurance Rates and How Illinois May Change It

Illinois’ insurance code prohibits discrimination, but state Rep. Will Guzzardi said there’s a difference between impact and intent. Even if insurance agents aren’t doing it maliciously, Guzzardi said, algorithms end up perpetuating inequities and punishing people of color and low-income drivers.

A rendering of a proposed new White Sox stadium and surrounding development, including housing, at The 78 site. (Credit: Related Midwest)

Pritzker Says He’s ‘Reluctant’ to Use Taxpayer Money to Help Build a New White Sox Stadium

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’s “reluctant” to use taxpayer funds to help the White Sox move from Bridgeport to the South Loop.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers his state of the state and budget address before the General Assembly at the Illinois State Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / pool)

Pritzker’s $52.7B Budget Proposal Funds Migrant Care and Early Childhood Education, Angers Business Community

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday unveiled a $52.7 billion budget that he described as filled with “hard choices.” The plan builds on priorities like funding preschool, supporting Black residents, funding the neediest schools and caring for asylum seekers.

A rendering of a White Sox stadium at The 78 site with additional development. (Credit: Related Midwest)

White Sox Owner Meets With State Lawmakers as Team Seeks Public Funds for New Stadium

The White Sox have played in Bridgeport for more than a century, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf and developer Related Midwest proposed building a new stadium in the South Loop as an anchor to a 62-acre site dubbed The 78.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pictured in a July 2023 file photo. (Jerry Nowicki / Capitol News Illinois)

Migrant Spending, Education Funding and a Projected Shortfall Among Issues Facing Gov. J.B. Pritzker Ahead of Budget Address

If Illinois continues spending next fiscal year as it has been this year, the state will face an $891 million deficit. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to spell out exactly how he plans to address that on Wednesday, when he delivers an annual combined state of the state and budget address. 

File photo of voting booths in Chicago. (WTTW News)

Early Voting Temporarily Paused in Chicago to Remove Candidate From Illinois Primary Ballot

Voting machines must be updated after a local judicial candidate was knocked off the ballot by an appellate court.

(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

DNC Host Committee Releases Chicago-Area Vendor, Venue Guides Showcasing Scores of Local Businesses

The online portal of entertainment options serves as a reminder of the opportunity for local establishments seeking a bite of the estimated $150-200 million pie the Democratic National Convention is expected to bring.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Finalizes Rules for Assault Weapon Registration, as New Lawsuit Seeks to Strike Law Completely

Illinois’ assault weapons ban passed after a July 4, 2022, mass shooting in suburban Highland Park. The law banned the sale of AR-15s and scores of other guns beginning in January 2023. People who previously owned guns subject to the law are allowed to keep them, but the weapons must be registered.

(StockSnap / Pixabay)

Insurers Would Be Required to Cover Expanded Infertility Care Under Proposed Illinois Laws

“Some people feel it’s a stigma, and I don’t want people to feel like it’s a stigma,” state Sen. Cristina Castro said. “There’s great treatment out there. We’re just trying to help lower the barrier to that treatment.”

(WTTW News)

Lurie Children’s Hospital Systems Have Been Down a Week Over ‘Cybersecurity Matter’

It’s been seven days since Lurie Children’s Hospital first cited a “network outage that impacts internet and phone service.” The systems have been offline since Jan. 31, and there’s no telling when they’ll be back up and running.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks at a news conference Feb. 1, 2024. (WTTW News)

Pritzker ‘Disappointed’ With Chicago’s Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution, Says It’ll Have No Impact on Foreign Policy

“The City Council, if they’re going to talk about the challenge of war in the Middle East, you’ve got to make sure that you include all the perspectives,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “They did not do that.”