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Hopes High as Bally’s Opens Chicago’s First Casino at Medinah Temple
| Andrea Guthmann
After three decades and several mayors pressuring Springfield, Chicago’s first casino officially opened its doors on Saturday. Hopes are high for a big economic boost.
Chicago Dance Crash Stages an Intriguing Exploration of Human Interaction
| Hedy Weiss
The pieces were brilliantly danced by five men and two women. Founded in 2002, Dance Crash continues to develop intriguing works that are a unique and seamless fusion of hip hop and contemporary dance.
Updated COVID-19 Vaccines That Target Circulating Variants Get FDA Approval
| CNN
A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory group is scheduled to meet to discuss COVID-19 vaccines Tuesday, meaning the vaccines could become available within just a few days,
The US Marks 22 Years Since 9/11 With Tributes and Tears, From Ground Zero to Alaska
| Associated Press
From ground zero to small towns, Americans looked back Monday on 9/11 with moments of silence, tearful words and appeals to teach younger generations about the terror attacks 22 years before.
Trial Date For Alleged Highland Park Parade Gunman Expected to Be Set at December Hearing
| Matt Masterson
During a brief case management hearing Monday morning, Judge Victoria Rossetti said she intends to set a trial date for Robert Crimo III when he next appears in court Dec. 11.
Explosion, Fire at Archer Daniels Midland Facility in Decatur Injures 8 Employees
| Associated Press
An explosion and fire at an Archer Daniels Midland facility in Decatur injured eight employees and sent a tower of smoke into the air Sunday evening, officials said Monday.
Wrongful Convictions Cost Chicago Taxpayers $153M from 2019 to 2023: Analysis
| Heather Cherone
That toll is set to grow in the coming weeks, as the Chicago City Council considers paying $25 million to resolve separate lawsuits filed in 2016 by two men who spent a combined 34 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of killing a basketball star in 1993.
5 People Killed by Gunfire Over Weekend in Chicago: Police
| Matt Masterson
According to Chicago Police Department data, 26 people were shot in 21 separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Half of Chicago Schools Are Under Herd Immunity Levels for Measles, But Rates Have Improved Over Past Year
| Jared Rutecki
A combination of economic factors, health access and misinformation pushed childhood vaccination figures down to dangerous levels in recent years for many illnesses, including measles, experts said.
University of Chicago Professor Helps Bring Students From Diverse Backgrounds Into the Lab
| Erica Gunderson
This year, Juan Mendoza was named a Freeman Hrabowski Scholar by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which funds efforts to bring more scientists from diverse backgrounds into scientific institutions. Mendoza said he got right to work on recruiting.
With Federal Funding Ending, Child Care Advocates Warn of Looming Cliff
| Erica Gunderson
A report from the Century Foundation shows that without pandemic-era federal funding, thousands of providers would no longer be able to hire and pay staff, meaning rapid shutdowns in families with small children fending for themselves.
Gamblers Line Up Bright and Early for Bally’s Opening Day. Take a Look Inside Chicago’s First Casino
| WTTW News
Chicagoans and tourists feeling lucky can play 800 slot games and 56 table games in the century-old Shriner’s temple at 600 N. Wabash Ave., with its distinctive domed ceilings and stained-glass windows.
Joseph Jr. Scholarships Seek Latino Applicants for College Funds
| Erica Gunderson
After photographer Jose Refugio “Fugie” Almanza tragically lost his 12-year-old son, Almanza sought to turn his pain into purpose. He founded the Joseph Jr. Scholarship Foundation, which aims to help Latinos fund their college educations.
Support Small Businesses During Black Restaurant Weeks, Sept. 10-24
| Erica Gunderson
The National Black Restaurant Weeks campaign is returning to Chicago with two full weeks of specials and events at 35 Black-owned eateries.
Children’s Book by Chicago DACA Recipient Tells Story of Migration Through a Child’s Eyes
| Erica Gunderson
In her book “Homecoming: El Viaje a Mi Hogar,” Margarita Quiñones Peña describes the migrant journey to Chicago through her own eyes as a child coming to her new home of Chicago in 1993.
Creating Candles and Connections at Above Average Candle Studio
| Erica Gunderson
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every facet of our lives and left many people feeling disconnected. At a North Park studio, owner and instructor Ogi Merzier-Emiabata brings people together with candle-making classes.
Volunteer-Run Migrant Shelter Todo Para Todos Ends 5-Month Run in Pilsen
| Erica Gunderson
Since May, organizers with the volunteer collective Todo Para Todos said they’ve hosted 260 residents and have found permanent housing for more than 150 of them. The shelter ended its operations this past weekend.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Sept. 8, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
A community-run shelter for migrants closes its doors. Getting more Latinos in STEM. And the migrant experience from the point of view of a child.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Sept. 8, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Child care is heading for a cliff as pandemic-era funding dries up. Pull up a seat at the table for Black Restaurant Week. And bringing in the light with a local candle maker.
Johnson Warns Cost of Migrant Crisis Could Exceed $300M in Briefings to City Council Members on Plan to House Migrants in Tents
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson and his top aides did not identify where they planned to build the massive tents that could shelter and feed as many as 1,000 migrants, or precisely how much it would cost Chicago taxpayers, sources told WTTW News.
Interactive Campaign Asks Chicagoans to Explore Impact of Segregation by Running Errands in a Different Neighborhood
| Eunice Alpasan
The Folded Map action kit aims to help Chicagoans explore the effects of segregation in the city and how it continues to perpetuate racial inequities.
Week in Review: Snelling’s First Public Test; Chicago Casino Finally Set to Open
| Paul Caine
The mayor’s pick for police superintendent meets the public. CPS employees ousted over charges of loan fraud. City officials eye new housing for migrants. And Bally’s gears up to open its temporary casino.
Battery Manufacturing Plant Coming to Illinois With $530M Incentive Deal
| Andrew Adams — Capitol News Illinois
The roughly $2 billion project is set to create 2,600 jobs and begin production in 2024. The plant will produce battery cells, battery packs like the kinds used in electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems.
Staffer Accused of Inappropriate Contact With Minor Student Removed From Elementary School in Portage Park
| Matt Masterson
In a letter sent this week, Reinberg Elementary principal Edwin Loch informed parents and families that a staffer has been pulled from the school following an allegation that they “engaged inappropriately with a student.”
Place Your Bets: Bally’s Will Open Temporary Chicago Casino at Medinah Temple at 8 a.m. Saturday
| Heather Cherone
Chicagoans and tourists feeling lucky can play 800 slot games and 56 table games in the century-old Shriner’s temple at 600 N. Wabash Ave., with its distinctive domed ceilings and stained-glass windows.
Feds Pledge $1.95B to Fund Far South Side CTA Red Line Extension
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson said a $3.6 billion plan to build 5.6 miles of new train tracks, as well as four stations, would “right a historic wrong” and provide a “critical connection that has been missing for half a century.”
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