Stories by Blake Thor
Trump Administration Moves to Exclude Nursing From Professional Degrees, Set New Student Loan Limits
| Blake Thor
The proposal has drawn pushback from the nursing community, which argues the reclassification could limit students’ financial access to advanced nursing degrees.
Chicago’s Budget Director on State of Negotiations, New Revenue Plans
| Blake Thor
Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the budget negotiations.
Alderpeople Weigh in on the Path Forward for Budget Negotiations After Johnson’s Plan Fails to Advance
| Blake Thor
Alds. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), William Hall (6th Ward) and Bill Conway (34th Ward) joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the ongoing budget negotiations. Here’s a snapshot of where they stand.
New Book Makes the Case for a Constitution That Was Intended to Be Amended
| Blake Thor
Author and historian Jill Lepore’s new book examines the political gridlock that has left many voters disillusioned with both parties and skeptical of the government’s ability to solve problems. She suggests more frequent changes to the constitutional system as a possible alternative.
Illinois Congressional Democrats React to Partial Release of SNAP Benefits, Ongoing Government Shutdown
| Blake Thor
The government shutdown is poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a new month.
Chicago Professors Analyze the Politics of the Government Shutdown: ‘There Is Building Pressure’
| Blake Thor
Thousands of federal workers have been furloughed, with thousands more still on the job without pay. Programs like SNAP are set to run dry of funding come Saturday.
Faith Under Fire: Chicago Religious Leaders Talk ICE Presence
| Blake Thor
Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, released a statement on immigration last week. “Let me be clear. The Church stands with migrants,” Cupich said. Here’s where four more of Chicago’s faith leaders stand on the issue.
Chicago Alderpeople React to Johnson’s Budget Proposal as Hearings Begin
| Blake Thor
Budget negotiations between members of the Chicago City Council have accelerated following Mayor Brandon Johnson’s initial proposal, which he unveiled last week.
50 Years Later, ‘The Gales of November’ Tells the Human Story Behind the Edmund Fitzgerald
| Blake Thor
“The Gales of November” takes a look back at the SS Edmund Fitzgerald nearly 50 years after its sinking. The 729-foot Great Lakes freighter sank in Lake Superior during a strong storm, killing all 29 crew members.
60,000 Chicagoans Expected to Lose Coverage if Enhanced Health Care Subsidies Expire in December
| Blake Thor
About 4.8 million people are expected to lose their Affordable Care Act coverage in 2026 if Congress does not extend a set of enhanced subsidies created under the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. That includes about 100,000 people in Illinois.
‘We’re in Limbo’: Chicago’s Federal Workers Talk Government Shutdown, Working Without Pay
| Blake Thor
The federal government entered its sixth day of a shutdown Tuesday, leaving hundreds of thousands of employees furloughed.
Service Cuts on the Table as Chicago Confronts $1.15B Budget Shortfall, Alderpeople Say
| Blake Thor
A budget forecast for 2026 projects a $1.15 billion deficit for the city, driven by the end of one-time federal pandemic aid and continued uncertainty over pension payments for Chicago Public Schools employees.
Trump Links Tylenol to Autism. Here’s What Doctors Have to Say
| Blake Thor
President Donald Trump linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to rising autism rates in children. The president urged pregnant women to avoid the longtime household medicine and warned against giving it to infants.
Chicago’s Latino Communities See Surge in Grassroots Activism as Immigration Operations Continue
| Blake Thor
Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports more than 2 million people have left the country since Jan. 20. The agency said it is on pace to deport nearly 600,000 people by the end of President Donald Trump’s first year back in office.
First Chicago River Swim in Nearly 100 Years Set for This Weekend
| Blake Thor
The Chicago River Swim is an open water swim event organized by Douglas McConnell, the co-founder of A Long River Swim, which organizes open water swimming events to raise awareness and funds in the fight against ALS.
Chicago Among Major US Cities That Are Slowly Sinking: Study
| Blake Thor
What was once thought to be a mainly coastal phenomenon is now showing up in most major cities in the U.S. and around the world.
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