Chicago is releasing its first citywide plan in more than 50 years. The draft plan, called We Will Chicago, will lay out a 10-year vision for how the city can address systemic inequities by first acknowledging the policies that created them, then creating goals for the city’s future.
Stories by blair paddock
Wisconsin Doctors Team With Plan Parenthood of Illinois to Provide Abortion Care
Teaming up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Wisconsin doctors and their patients are traveling to Illinois for abortion care.
One-on-One with Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Guns, Abortion Rights
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, alongside Sen. Dick Durbin, met with residents and members of March Fourth, a gun safety advocacy group, Tuesday to hear more about their experiences as well as discuss policy solutions.
New Academic Journal Plans to Combat Misinformation on Trans People
Researchers say the lives of trans people haven’t been well-represented in existing journals. The Bulletin of Applied Transgender Studies plans to change that. It’s launching as the first academic journal to have an entirely trans editorial board.
How Onslaught of Bills on LGBTQ Rights Affects Young People
Over 300 bills affecting LGBTQ rights are being introduced this year in the U.S. according to the Human Rights Campaign. And more than 130 of them specifically target transgender people. Mental health professionals say this is having a significant impact on LGBTQ youth’s access to care and their wellbeing.
Candidate Forum: Three Republican Candidates for Governor
Six candidates are vying for the Republican nomination for governor, to take on incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker. The campaign has been marked by a handful of billionaire supporters who have competing interests and are battling not only for the direction of the state, but of the Republican party itself.
Atmospheric Scientist Talks This Week’s Wild Weather
The week started off with a tornado in the western suburbs. Then, the Chicagoland area was hit with an excessive heat warning. It ended up being our warmest stretch of days in 10 years.
Candidate Forum: 4 Democrats Running in Redrawn 3rd Congressional District
Early voting is underway in Chicago and primary election day is less than three weeks away. Voters in Illinois’ newly drawn 3rd Congressional District will have four candidates to choose from in the Democratic primary. There is also one Republican candidate running.
How Gun Violence Affects Chicago’s Youth
In 2020, the murder rate with handguns was the highest in 25 years, with over 10,000 gun-related deaths of children and adults younger than 24. Firearm-related murders increased by 35% among children and young adults, from 2019 to 2020. And it has a significant impact on young people’s mental health.
How COVID-19 Vaccines May Advance HIV Treatment
Medical advances made while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic may have valuable applications in fighting another epidemic.
What To Know About Chicago Entering High COVID-19 Risk
At the end of last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated the threat level from medium, meaning there's also a high potential for straining the city's health care system.
One-on-One with CTU President-Elect Stacy Davis Gates
The Chicago Teachers Union has elected a new president: Stacy Davis Gates. Davis-Gates will be moving up from her position as vice president when current president Jesse Sharkey steps down July 1.
Child Care ‘Unavailable, Unaffordable’: Report
A recent report from the Illinois Child Care for All Coalition, which includes the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois, argues that child care in the state is “unavailable, unaffordable and unsustainable.” According to the findings, child care is the largest expense for parents of children ages 4 to 8.
Illinois Lawmakers Weigh in on Future of Abortion Access and More
Governor J.B. Pritzker has emphasized that Illinois will remain a safe state for people to access abortions even if federal abortion protections are removed.
Director of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Faces 9th Contempt Charge
House Republicans are calling for an audit of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. And the agency's own director, Marc Smith, has been held in contempt of court nine times.
Illinois Infrastructure Gets Graded a C-minus
A report from the Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers has graded the state on everything from roads to drinking water. The last time the report was released was 2018.
‘The Great Chicago Quiz Show’ is Back
Host Geoffrey Baer tests contestants on all things Chicago. This time around, he’ll be talking to guests like anchorman Bill Curtis, jazz legend Kurt Elling and Tonika Lewis Johnson of the Folded Map Project.
Religious Leaders on Celebrating Holidays During COVID-19
This week, three major religious holidays are coinciding for the first time in over 30 years: Ramadan, Easter and Passover. And many people are choosing to observe their holiday traditions in person for the first time in two years.
Illinois Lawmakers on the $46.5B Budget and More
Illinois legislative leaders Dan McConchie, Don Harmon, Tom Demmer, and Chris Welch join “Chicago Tonight” to break down the budget, efforts to fight crime, tax relief and more.
LGBTQ Young People at Greater Risk of Mental Health Problems During Pandemic
According to the newly released data, 26.3% of gay, lesbian or bisexual students attempted suicide between Jan. and June 2021. For heterosexual students, the number was 5.2% and other or questioning students at 16.5%.
Local Doctors Travel to Ukrainian Border to Offer Medical Support
Two retired Skokie doctors have recently returned from volunteering in Eastern Europe, helping refugees escaping the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Genealogists Spring Into Action With Release of 1950 Census Records
Last week, the U.S. National Archives released U.S. census records from 1950, granting public access to files that documented more than 150 million people and the areas they lived, the jobs they had, and much more.
O’Hare Seeing Pre-pandemic International Travel Numbers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is predicting O’Hare International Airport may see more passenger flights this fiscal year than it did prior to the pandemic.
New Omicron Subvariant Expected to Soon Account For Most COVID-19 Cases in Chicago
Top Chicago public health officials say that the BA.2 omicron subvariant will be making up most of Chicago cases by the end of the month.
Organizations Raise $35M for Chicago COVID-19 Relief
The Chicago Community Trust and the United Way of Metro Chicago have partnered with community leaders to invest $35-million in neighborhood businesses and pandemic resources as part of a COVID-19 relief and recovery effort.
After Census Undercounted Some Groups, Community Advocates Say More Outreach Was Needed
The 2020 Census undercounted Latino, Black and Indigenous people. That’s according to a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau itself.
