Chicago Public Schools students return to class in less than three weeks. The school district said it currently has only about half the bus drivers it needs to transport the more than 17,000 students who are eligible to be bused to school.
Stories by paul caine
US Attorney’s Office in Chicago Aims to be ‘Force Multiplier’ in Anti-Gang Effort
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois has scored some significant recent successes as part of its anti-gang efforts.
As ‘Oppenheimer’ Opens, Here’s How Chicago Gave Birth to the Nuclear Age
“Oppenheimer,” the much-anticipated blockbuster from Batman director Christopher Nolan, hits movie theaters this week. The story has deep connections to Chicago and the Manhattan Project that led to the development of the first atomic bomb.
How a Group of Community Leaders Worked to Choose 3 Finalists for Chicago’s Next Police Superintendent
The three finalists for the city’s top cop were selected from a total of 54 applicants by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) after unprecedented community and police input. Here’s how they did it.
Despite Recent Rain, Farmers Face Major Challenges as Much of Illinois Remains in Severe Drought
June is expected to go down as one of the 10 driest months in the state’s history. Farmers are already seeing an impact on their crops and consumers are likely to see an impact soon.
Recently Returned From Ukraine, CEO of Rotary International Sees Wagner Mutiny as Sign of Russian Disarray
John Hewko, a Ukrainian-American, recently returned from a trip to Ukraine. As a lawyer working in Ukraine in the early 1990s, he helped the working group drafting the country’s first post-Soviet constitution.
Week in Review: Chicago Summer Violence Surge; State Cuts to Health Care for Undocumented Residents
The search for a new police superintendent hits a snag as Chicago suffers a violent holiday weekend. NASCAR racecourse taking shape with the race one week away. And new ethics questions dog the U.S. Supreme Court.
Argonne Scientists Partner with Chicago Community Organizations to Track Climate Change Impacts
The impact of climate change is being felt across the planet in ways large and small. But it is increasingly clear that the impact of climate change is not felt equally.
UChicago Survey Finds Millions of Americans Support Violence to Achieve Political Goals
More than two and a half years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new study estimates some 12 million Americans would support violence to restore former President Donald Trump to power.
Illinois Ranks First in the Nation in Units of Local Government. How Much Is Too Much?
Illinois has more units of local government than any other state. That fact has some critics asking the question: how much is too much?
Week in Review: Trump Becomes First Ex-President to Face Federal Charges; Bears Restart Stadium Dialogue with City
Donald Trump makes history as he becomes the first former U.S. president to face federal charges. That story and the other biggest news items of the week.
UChicago Forges ‘Quantum Alliance’ with Japan’s Tohoku University as the Transformational Technology Quickly Progresses
Quantum research and technology is fast developing but still in its infancy. However, its impact is ultimately expected to be transformational.
With Charter Revoked, Urban Prep Academies Fighting for Survival
After allegations of sexual and financial misconduct, the Chicago Board of Education voted to revoke Urban Prep’s charter. The state school board denied an appeal, and a CPS takeover looks imminent.
Week in Review: Johnson’s First City Council Meeting; State Budget Deal
Officials try to clamp down on holiday weekend crime. Mayor Brandon Johnson passes first City Council test. State lawmakers have a budget — we think. And a damning report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Argonne National Laboratory’s Particle Accelerator Is a Crucial Tool for Researchers. It’s Getting an $815 Million Upgrade
Argonne National Laboratory has been at the cutting edge of molecular scale research for almost three decades. At the heart of that research is the Advanced Photon Source, a huge particle accelerator.
Preckwinkle Slams Texas Governor Over Continued Busing of Migrants: ‘If There’s a Hell, He’ll Go to It’
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was unsparing in her criticism of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for continuing to bus thousands of migrants to Democratic cities such as Chicago and New York.
Former Interim Top Cop Charlie Beck: CPD Needs to Embrace Consent Decree, Brown’s Leadership Came Up Short
Charlie Beck previously served as Los Angeles’ police chief and Chicago’s interim police superintendent. He said Chicago’s next top cop will need to make some big changes.
US Rep. Jonathan Jackson Says Solution to Debt Ceiling Standoff in Speaker McCarthy’s Hands
Freshman U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, who succeeded longtime U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush in Illinois’ 1st Congressional District, said the debt ceiling debate has already gone on too long and threatens the standing of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency.
Human Composting Could Soon Be Coming to Illinois
Most people are either buried or cremated when they die, but there is another practice that’s gaining steam. It’s called natural organic reduction or “human composting.” Illinois is poised to become the seventh state to approve the practice.
Bears Pass on Carter, Take Tennessee Offensive Tackle Wright in NFL Draft First Round
James “Big Cat” Williams, who played offensive tackle for the Bears from 1991 to 2002 and is co-host of the No Name Football podcast, gives “Chicago Tonight” his assessment of the Bears’ draft moves.
Hundreds of Thousands of Medicaid Recipients in Illinois at Risk of Losing Coverage
Emergency measures designed to ensure people didn’t lose their health care during the COVID-19 pandemic are now being phased out. People must once again prove their eligibility for the government=-backed insurance program.
New Bill Aims to Jump-Start Bears Stadium Negotiations
One of the key elements of the bill is a $3 per person admission tax on all entertainment and sporting events within what the bill calls the Arlington Megaproject to help pay down debt related to the renovation of Soldier Field.
Outgoing Alderpeople Discuss Lightfoot Legacy, Challenges Ahead for Johnson
The last Chicago City Council meeting of this term is in the books, and for a dozen Chicago alderpeople, it was their last council meeting ever.
More Than 50 Employees at Cook County Court Clerk’s Office Leave Amid COVID-19 Fraud Probes
The employees were found to have defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program designed to help businesses stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Week in Review: Chicago to Host 2024 Democratic Convention; Ex-ComEd CEO Takes the Stand
Chicago nabs the 2024 DNC golden goose. Former ComEd CEO takes the stand in her own bribery trial. Cook County defendants wait years to get their cases heard. And the Blackhawks wave goodbye to Jonathan Toews.
Spotlight Politics: CEO to Testify as ‘ComEd Four’ Defense Begins; Johnson Names Transition Team
The prosecution rests its case in the corruption trial of the “ComEd Four.” The challenges facing Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson. And Chicago is named to host the DNC in 2024.
