Artist Rachel Steele mixes sounds she recorded live on public transit and out in neighborhoods with musical instruments reflective of the city’s different cultures. Her show, "Soundpost: Remixing Transit," is on display at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this Thursday.
Stories by Nick Blumberg
Beyond Noise: Audio-Visual Artist Finds Inspiration in Chicago’s Transit
Mar 29, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Owner of Bakery Targeted for Hosting Drag Shows Plans to Stay Open in a New Location
Mar 28, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
UpRising Bakery and Cafe owner Corinna Sac plans to relocate her business after months of harassment, protests and threats. The attacks came after the cafe announced plans last July to hold two family-friendly drag shows as part of an event series.
After Controversial Freight Rail Merger Approved, Northwest Suburban Communities Weigh Next Steps
Mar 23, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Federal regulators just approved a merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, with Chicago as part of the route linking Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
CTA, City Eye Community-Centric Development Around Future Red Line Extension Stations
Mar 17, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Community-driven development centered around future CTA stations. That’s the idea behind a new “transit-supportive development” plan to revitalize South Side neighborhoods that are part of the proposed Red Line extension to 130th Street.
Lawmakers, Organizers Want to Force Lakefront Power Plant Owner to Clean Up Coal Ash Byproduct
Mar 14, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Coal ash, the byproduct created when plants burn coal for power, contains potentially dangerous materials like arsenic, mercury and cadmium that can endanger nearby water supplies. Since coal-fired power plants use a lot of water to keep their equipment cool, they’re often near bodies of water like Lake Michigan.
City Inks Controversial Deal for Chicago Fire Practice Facility on Chicago Housing Authority Land
Mar 13, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
The facility is set to take over some 26 acres of Near West Side property that was part of the Addams-Brooks-Loomis-Abbott homes, known as ABLA. The Fire plans to build a “performance center” building and five and a half soccer fields.
Englewood Residents Overwhelmingly Back Reopening Racine Green Line Station. CTA Says It’s ‘Fully Committed’ to the Idea
Mar 9, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
After years of efforts to reopen the shuttered stop, there’s been momentum in recent months — including an outpouring of support at the ballot box last week, with 93% of area voters calling on the CTA to get Racine back up and running.
Englewood Residents Didn’t Want Save A Lot to Replace Whole Foods, But Lease Shows It Was Always a Backup Plan
Mar 9, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Many community leaders and residents who spoke out at public meetings didn’t want to see discount grocer Save A Lot move in, citing its limited options and poor reputation among many Chicagoans. Despite that outcry, Save A Lot operator Yellow Banana has been announced as the new tenant in the grocery store space.
Illinois Lawmakers Eye Tougher Safety Standards For Uber, Lyft
Mar 7, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Uber and Lyft are currently exempt from the so-called “common carrier” standard that applies to other forms of transportation like taxis, railroads and airlines. Some Illinois lawmakers want to change that.
CTA Holding Friday Job Fair as Agency Looks to Combat Staffing Shortage
Mar 6, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
The job fair, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CTA’s 567 W. Lake St. main office, will give job seekers a chance to attend information sessions on the bus positions and apply on site.
WTTW News Explains: How Did Chicago Get Its Shape?
Mar 3, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Saturday marks the 186th anniversary of Chicago’s founding as a city. As the candles on its birthday cake have grown with the passing years, so too have Chicago’s borders. Here’s a look at how a once small-but-mighty city gobbled up surrounding land.
Why Will County Residents Are Fighting a Major Logistics Hub — and Why Backers Say It’s Needed
Mar 2, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Will County is home to the largest inland port in the United States, taking in an array of products that just about all of us depend upon. But serving as a major logistics hub has made its mark on the community: traffic jams, potholes, open land converted to warehouses.
How Byproduct From Local Breweries is Helping Clean Our Wastewater
Feb 22, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District treats stormwater and wastewater for more than 5 million people in Cook County. One of the methods to treat that water is a surprising way to reuse a byproduct from the creation of a very popular beverage: locally brewed beer.
CTA’s Reliance on Overtime Continued to Rise in 2022 as Agency Lost Bus Drivers
Feb 20, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
The staffing shortfall is one of a plethora of issues plaguing the CTA in recent months. Frustrated riders and alderpeople have slammed agency leadership for late or missing buses and trains, inadequate cleaning, safety issues and not providing social services to unhoused people.
Greektown Starbucks Workers Announce Union Effort; Organizers Accuse Company of Stalling Negotiations
Feb 14, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
The Greektown workers’ announcement comes on the heels of Starbucks workers at Old Orchard Mall in Skokie and the location near Main Street and Chicago Avenue in Evanston voting last month in favor of joining Starbucks Workers United, an SEIU affiliate.
WTTW News Explains: Why Can’t You Buy a Car on Sundays?
Feb 10, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Since the 1980s, it’s been illegal for car dealerships to operate on Sundays in Illinois. WTTW News explains why.
Chicago’s Plan to Make Crosswalks Accessible for Blind Pedestrians Moving at a Crawl
Jan 27, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
Last March, the Chicago Department of Transportation said it was planning to install about 150 accessible pedestrian signals in 2022 and 2023. So far, only nine of those signals are actually up and running – and only eight of them are new, since one of those installations was an upgrade to an older signal.
Trans Former Bus Driver Sues CTA, Union for Discrimination and Wrongful Termination
Jan 23, 2023 | Nick Blumberg
In 2019, WTTW News covered his successful push for the CTA to add gender affirming care to its health insurance policy. The employee behind that push has since been fired and is now suing the agency and his union.
From Starbucks to Marijuana Dispensaries, 2022 Marked a Year of Gains for Labor Organizers in Chicago, US
Dec 27, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Workers at high-profile companies like Amazon and Starbucks have unionized, as have employees at smaller chains and locally-owned firms. Chicago workers have also been part of the wave. Here’s a look at some of the big developments over the past year.
Illinois Starbucks Union Organizers Join Nationwide Strike as More Locations Join Labor Effort
Dec 16, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Workers at six Starbucks locations in Chicago and the suburbs are joining a nationwide wave of three-day unfair labor practice strikes aimed at the mega-coffee retailer, organizers say.
CTA Works to Tackle Huge Staffing Shortfall, Improve Service and Draw Back Riders Before Stimulus Funding Runs Out
Dec 6, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Hiring bonuses, retention bonuses and a raise for new employees are all part of the CTA’s plan to attract and keep bus and train operators and mechanics as the agency claws its way out of a huge staffing shortfall.
CTA Overtime Spikes as Agency Hit By Departures; Dozens of Bus and Train Operators Paid for Average Weeks of 80 Hours or More
Dec 5, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
A WTTW News analysis of CTA bus and train operator work records from 2015 to 2021 shows a growing number of employees paid for long average workweeks, which experts say raises questions about worker and passenger safety and the agency’s bottom line.
4 Chicagoland Starbucks Locations Join Nationwide Strike, Organizers Say
Nov 17, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
Starbucks workers at coffee shops in Bucktown, Edgewater, northwest suburban Cary, and west suburban Elmhurst joined a nationwide strike Thursday aimed at coinciding with the coffee giant’s popular “Red Cup Day” promotion, organizers say.
CTA Board OKs Budget With No Fare Hikes, But Fiscal Challenges Loom
Nov 15, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
The CTA’s Board of Directors approved a $1.8 billion operating budget for 2023, a plan that doesn’t include fare increases for passengers. But with ridership still down from pre-pandemic levels, the budget relies on nearly $400 million in federal stimulus money to make up for lost fare revenue.
Chicago Bakery, Staffing Company Move to Settle Discrimination Lawsuit Brought By Black Temp Workers
Nov 14, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
A staffing agency and the bakery’s then-owner are set to pay more than $1 million to settle the case. Worker advocates say the suit points to widespread problems faced by temp workers, and the possible legislative solutions.
Alderpeople Grill CTA President on Safety, Reliability and Staffing Shortfalls
Nov 10, 2022 | Nick Blumberg
The transit agency’s leader talked about what the CTA is doing to address staff shortages, homelessness, crime and more. And alderpeople told him what they’re hearing from constituents and seeing for themselves: long waits, angry riders and a tough road back to regular service.