Stories by Nick Blumberg

The Week in Review: Coronavirus Panic Crashes Markets

Coronavirus fears tank the stock market. The gloves come off in the race for Cook County state’s attorney. More turmoil at Chicago Public Schools. And the city preps for round two of electric scooters.

4 CTA ‘L’ Stations in the Loop Closed This Weekend

Track maintenance will close four “L” stations in the Loop this weekend from 2 a.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday, according to the Chicago Transit Authority. Get the full details.

Keep Scooters Off Sidewalks, Aldermen Say, as Second Pilot Ramps Up

At a hearing Wednesday, Chicago aldermen voiced their concerns and hopes for the city’s second round of electric scooter testing that’s expected to kick off this summer.

Chicago’s FBI Chief on Tackling Corruption, ‘Our Highest Criminal Priority’

Chicago’s FBI office is in the midst of several high-profile political corruption cases that appear to be targeting politicians. Since last fall, those investigations have been overseen by Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie Jr.

How ‘Hood Feminism’ Picks Up Where Mainstream Feminism Fails

In her new book, Chicago native and author Mikki Kendall offers a critique of mainstream feminism. She joins us to discuss “Hood Feminism: Notes From the Women That a Movement Forgot.”

Creating the State Street of the Future, Again

Every year, millions of people visit State Street in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. But is the street working the way it should? That’s the question the Chicago Loop Alliance is asking as it considers what State Street could be.

4 CTA Stations on Red, Blue Lines Set to Close This Weekend

Three CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater will be closed from Friday night through Monday morning for the fifth consecutive weekend. The Grand Blue Line station will also be closed.

The Week in Review: Jussie Smollett Indicted Again

Jussie Smollett faces new criminal charges. State’s Attorney Kim Foxx faces political fallout. Mayor Lori Lightfoot addresses rising crime numbers. And the NBA All-Star game descends on Chicago.

NBA All-Star Weekend Hits Chicago. Here’s What You Need to Know

The NBA’s All-Star Game is in Chicago for the first time since 1988 and the city is bouncing with NBA events all weekend. Here’s a preview.

Brunch-Loving Chicagoans, Rejoice: City Council Could Loosen Sunday Liquor Sales at Restaurants

If you’ve ever tried to order a bloody mary with your eggs benedict on a Sunday morning, you might have run into one of the many quirks of Chicago’s liquor laws. But that could soon change.

CTA Weekend Closures at Three Red Line Stations in Edgewater

For the fourth weekend in a row, three CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater will be closed from Friday night through Monday morning.

Tribune Buyouts: Mixed Emotions for Longtime Journalists Leaving Company

Two veteran journalists who agreed to leave the Chicago Tribune after a recent round of buyouts talk about their hopes for the company’s future.

Long-Awaited CTA Red Line Extension Moves Forward With New $38M Contract

The CTA’s proposal for a 5-mile extension of the Red Line south to 130th Street is one step closer to reality. 

Historic Near North Houses Headed for Landmark Status

A proposed new landmark district aims to protect historic Chicago homes from demolition, but some owners worry it will tie their hands.

Weekend Closures and Interruptions on 4 CTA Train Lines

Bridge maintenance, CTA station upgrades and a massive modernization project will impact travel on portions of the Red, Blue, Green and Pink lines this weekend. Get the full details.

Three Edgewater Red Line Stations Closed This Weekend

For the second weekend in a row, three CTA Red Line stations on the North Side will be closed from Friday night through Monday morning.

Get Ready for Big Red Line Changes, CTA and City Warn

Red Line riders have several years of North Side station closures, construction work and delays ahead of them as the CTA and contractor Walsh-Fluor work to rebuild a miles-long section of the century-old “L.”

The Week in Review: A New Era in Springfield

Springfield readies for the 2020 legislative session. The mysterious coronavirus rears its head in Chicago. House Democrats wrap up their impeachment case against President Trump. And Tribune reporters take on their owners.

4 CTA Stations on Red, Blue Lines Will Be Closed This Weekend

Three CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater will be closed from Friday night through Monday morning, marking the first of several planned weekendlong closures. The Grand Blue Line station will also be closed this weekend.

‘PBS NewsHour’ Co-Founder Jim Lehrer Dead at 85

Jim Lehrer’s longtime colleague and current “NewsHour” anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff announced the news in a release, saying Lehrer died peacefully in his sleep at home.

Lawmakers, Neighbors Debate Fixes as Beaches Shrink, Shoreline Erodes

High lake levels, fluctuating temperatures and winter storms have battered Chicago’s lakefront in recent weeks. Emergency projects are in the works to ward off further damage, but is a bigger redesign of the lakefront needed?

Chicago Tribune Reporters Sound the Alarm on Newspaper’s Future

Two Chicago Tribune investigative reporters are speaking publicly about their fears for the company amid staff cuts and uncertainty over the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, now the largest shareholder of Tribune Publishing.

Anti-Plastic Advocates Defend Cost of Chicago’s Proposed Single-Use Ban

Chicago aldermen have proposed a ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam containers in an effort to cut down on plastic pollution. We learn more from Abe Scarr of the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, which helped craft the proposal.

Weekend Red Line Construction, Station Closures Canceled

Three CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater that were scheduled to be shut down this weekend will remain open after construction work was canceled due to a high wind advisory, according to the office of 48th Ward Ald. Harry Osterman.

How the Warren Court Helped Create the US We Know Today

A new book explores the landmark years in which the Supreme Court reshaped the course of the United States. We discuss “Democracy and Equality” with University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone, who co-authored the book.

The Week in Review: Shocking Email Puts Madigan on the Defensive

A shocking email has Springfield at attention and Madigan on the defensive. Presidential hopefuls set up shop in Illinois. Cannabis flies off the shelves in Chicago and a local coyote gets a DNA test.
 

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