Stories by paris schutz

(WTTW News)

Oak Park Prepares for Near Total Lockdown

While the state of Illinois has enacted a partial shutdown for restaurants and bars and nixed big public gatherings, one local community has taken it a step further.

(WTTW News)

Spotlight Politics: An Election Amid the Specter of Coronavirus

What to make of the election results Tuesday? And did the governor make the right call to hold the election amid COVID-19 fears? Our politics team takes on the primary election in this week’s roundtable.

Chicago voters hit the polls on primary election day, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (WTTW News)

Illinoisans Go to the Polls Despite Coronavirus Fears

A day that started out with confusion and low voter turnout looks to be ending with relatively few lingering problems, and turnout numbers that approach typical primary elections. 

Election Day: Chicago Officials Urged Gov. Pritzker to Postpone Election

Exasperated Chicago election officials say they urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker to postpone Tuesday’s election, close all polling places and move to mail-in balloting, but Pritzker rejected the idea.

Shoppers line up outside Costco in Lincoln Park on Monday, March 16, 2020. (WTTW News)

Illinois Restaurants, Grocery Stores Scramble Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns

Illinois restaurants and bars are preparing for their last call for dine-in business until at least the end of the month. Meanwhile, grocers big and small are scrambling to restock shelves.

(WTTW News)

Chicago Aldermen Urge Action on Peoples Gas Rates

A committee of Chicago City Council members on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution calling on state lawmakers to take action on Peoples Gas rates, calling out the company for its multibillion-dollar System Modernization Program.

(WTTW News)

Lawmakers Press Peoples Gas On High Utility Bills

Peoples Gas, the private utility company that delivers natural gas to the entire city, is in the midst of a massive infrastructure upgrade – and consumers are paying for it. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker talks Monday, March 9, 2020 about the novel coronavirus at a press conference. (WTTW News)

Pritzker Issues Disaster Proclamation as 4 More People Test Positive for Coronavirus

In Illinois, 11 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to state and local health officials. “I want folks to understand this is going to affect your daily life,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a Monday news conference.

Mark Vargas appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Feb. 27, 2020. (WTTW News)

Meet the ‘Mystery Man’ Behind Blago’s Commutation

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich referred to Mark Vargas as the “mystery man” that led the effort to get him out of prison. But who is he? And why did he want to take on that case?

Spotlight Politics: Countdown to the March 17 Primary

In less than three weeks, Illinois voters will go to the polls. Will the state have a big role in weeding out the Democratic presidential field? And how will the contentious race for Cook County state’s attorney shake out?

Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks with WTTW News on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.

Lightfoot: Revised Chicago Casino Proposal ‘Good for Illinois’

A one-on-one with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who spent part of the week in Springfield lobbying lawmakers to approve a bill that would ease some of the casino taxes and fees. We discuss that and more with the mayor.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich speaks to the media after his 14-year sentence was cut short by President Donald Trump. At right is Mark A. Vargas. (Matt Masterson / WTTW News)

Spotlight Politics: The ‘Mystery Man’ Behind Blagojevich Commutation

Lost in the hoopla of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s homecoming speech Wednesday was a nod he gave to the mild-mannered man standing nearby. So, who is Mark A. Vargas? Our politics team digs into that and more.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx speaks with WTTW News on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020.

Embattled Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Speaks Out

Embattled Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is speaking out nearly a week after a special prosecutor reindicted actor Jussie Smollett.

Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood has been struggling economically since the virus started making headlines. (WTTW News)

Local Health Officials: Couple with Coronavirus Now ‘Free and Clear’

At a press conference Thursday in Chinatown, state and local health officials sought to reassure the public that the risk of contracting the deadly virus is low, and that Chicagoans should go about their daily lives.

A file photo shows Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. (WTTW News)

Kim Foxx Faces Political Fallout from New Smollett Charges

There’s more political fallout related to the Jussie Smollett case after a special prosecutor announced a new six-count indictment against the “Empire” actor.

Spotlight Politics: Former State Lawmakers in Trouble

There are more reports of alleged bad behavior involving former state lawmakers. Our politics team digs into that and more in our weekly roundtable.

Spotlight Politics: Sandoval Guilty Plea Has Repercussions

Beyond Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State address, the guilty plea of yet another former public official is the talk of Springfield and Chicago. Our politics team digs into that story and more in our weekly roundtable.

A rendering shows the north-facing view of the public plaza and Museum building, as viewed from the roof of the Chicago Public Library building. (Credit: The Obama Foundation)

Report: Obama Center to Have ‘Adverse’ Impact on Boulevard System

A new report issued by Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development says the Obama Presidential Center will have an “adverse” impact on Jackson Park’s Historic Landscape District and the city’s historic Park Boulevard System.

(Ken Teegardin / Flickr)

Illinois Officials Using Campaign Funds to Pay Big Legal Fees

House Speaker Michael Madigan has shelled out big money from his campaign fund to pay attorneys – and he isn’t the only public official to do so.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks to the media after a City Council meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020. (WTTW News)

City Council Approves New Protections for Undocumented Immigrants

Undocumented immigrants stand to gain more protections in Chicago after City Council approved an ordinance Wednesday. The meeting also featured a tense debate over contracting for LGBTQ business owners.

(Lindsay Fox / Pixabay)

How Safe are Legal Marijuana Vaping Products in Illinois?

A deadly outbreak of vaping illnesses has been linked to black market products containing THC. But similar products are now sold legally at cannabis dispensaries across Illinois. Are they safe?

In Lakeview, workers were busy putting the finishing touches on the Sunnyside dispensary just two days before recreational marijuana becomes legal in Illinois. (WTTW News)

Pot Dispensaries Make Final Preparations for Recreational Sales

Are local officials and cannabis dispensaries ready for the rush of customers when recreational marijuana becomes legal Wednesday? We visit a pot shop in Lakeview to see how it’s gearing up for green.

Rockford Police Officer Patrice Turner (WTTW News)

How Rockford Dramatically Improved its Homicide Clearance Rate

Chicago police officials have long admitted they struggle solving homicides, but a city just west of Chicago has seen an almost miraculous improvement in its homicide clearance rate – and it coincides with a different approach to policing.

Ald. Walter Burnett, left, clarifies his use of the word “bump” during a tension-filled City Council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (WTTW News)

Council Rejects Recreational Marijuana Delay After Chaotic Meeting

The measure to stall recreational marijuana sales in Chicago was defeated by a 29-19 vote Wednesday, but not before the proceedings devolved into a chaotic fight over the rules and rounds of political one-upmanship.

Police Board President Ghian Foreman speaks with WTTW News on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. (WTTW News)

Police Board Holds 2nd Public Meeting on Top Cop Replacement

At the Muslim Community Center on the city’s Northwest Side, roughly four dozen residents weighed in on the qualities they’d like to see in the next police superintendent. Paris Schutz has this report.

“We can disagree on the budget, but to say we didn’t put forth alternatives is not truthful,” said Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st Ward. (WTTW News)

Aldermen Stew Over Being Called Out by Lightfoot Campaign

Are relations between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Council members heading south? Several aldermen are decrying rough-edged tactics after a Lightfoot campaign committee publicly called out every alderman who voted against the city budget.