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Chicago Board of Ethics Finds 8 Candidates Improperly Used City Property During Election

The Chicago Board of Ethics determined all of the violations of the city’s Ethics Ordinance were minor in nature, which will mean the candidates will be admonished in condfidential letters from the board — but not fined.

At Least 5 Injured After School Bus Overturns on Dan Ryan Expressway

According to the Chicago Fire Department, the victims were all transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the bus refused medical assistance.

CPS Pledges Additional $240M For Schools Under New Budget Proposal, Though Some Will Still See Cuts

Chicago Public Schools unveiled its budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which officials say will boost per-pupil spending by nearly $1,000 and reduce the number of schools that will see decreased funding, compared to spring projections.

Waukegan Enters the Bears Bidding Fray, Pitching North Suburb as Ideal Lakefront Home for New Stadium

The north suburban community of Waukegan is the latest town to get in on the high-stakes game of bidding for the Chicago Bears, joining Naperville, Chicago and Arlington Heights. 

Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty to All 37 Federal Charges in Secret Documents Case

Donald Trump is expected to become Tuesday the first former president to face a judge on federal charges as the city of Miami prepared for possible protests by crowds that officials said could number in the tens of thousands.

Buckle Up, Chicago. The Countdown Is on to NASCAR Street Closures

City officials shared the latest plans for road closures, detours and alternate routes in advance of the upcoming NASCAR Street Race, and it’s going to be a bumpy ride for commuters.

City Council to Reconsider Recommendation to Pay $1M Lawsuit Settlement to Mother of Man Killed by Chicago Police Officer Who Turned Off Camera

Sharell Brown, 26, was shot and killed during a confrontation with police officers who stopped him in Lawndale. Brown was shot four times in the head and twice in his right arm, according to the investigation of the shooting by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, known as COPA.

Ancient Computers, Too Few Pilots and Air Traffic Controller Shortages Combine for a Potentially Rough Summer of Air Travel

There are also mounting requests to more aggressively and comprehensively address the air travel system’s bottlenecks, including obsolete technology and staffing issues.

June 12, 2023 - Full Show

A local business group’s new public safety initiative. Ethical questions about government grants in Aurora. And Puerto Rican Fest kicks off today — we’re live from Humboldt Park.

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?

Former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Portrait Added to State Capitol’s ‘Hall of Governors’

The Winnetka Republican-turned-Florida resident on Monday unveiled the portrait painted by Chicago Artist Richard Halstead and privately funded by Rauner. He downplayed the artwork as “not that big a deal” and declined to stray far from a message of “thanks” to the people of Illinois.

Illinois Becomes First State to Enact Anti-Book Ban Legislation Tying Library Funding to Open Access Policies

The new law declares it to be the policy of Illinois to “encourage and protect the freedom of libraries and library systems to acquire materials without external limitation and to be protected against attempts to ban, remove, or otherwise restrict access to books or other materials.”

Federal Student Loan Payments Will Be Due Starting in October, After More Than 3-Year Pause

The pandemic-related pause on both payments and interest accumulation has been set to end later this summer, though the exact date payments would be due was a little fuzzy.

Moms for Liberty Rises as Power Player in GOP Politics After Attacking Schools Over Gender, Race

Moms for Liberty didn’t exist during the last presidential campaign, but the Florida-based nonprofit that champions “parental rights” in education has rapidly become a major player for 2024, boosted in part by GOP operatives, politicians and donors.

4 People Killed in Weekend Shootings Across Chicago: Police

3 teens wounded in CTA station shooting

According to Chicago Police Department data, 31 people were shot in 26 separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. That included the four people killed and three teens who were wounded in a shooting at a CTA station Sunday afternoon.

WTTW News Explains: Why Are There So Many Units of Local Government?

Illinios ranks first in the nation in the number of individual units of local government. WTTW News Explains what is going on with all of those property tax line items.

Bears Are on The Move, Second Black Bear Sighting in Lake County in Less Than a Week

Wildlife officials believe the bear spotted over the weekend in Antioch is the same one seen last Wednesday in Gurnee.

As Chicago’s City Commissions Start Meeting in Person Again, Future of Online Access in Doubt

No rules require city officials to stream meetings online or allow members of the public to weigh in virtually, either by Zoom or by phone – putting at risk Chicagoans’ ability to keep tabs on their government with a simple click of a button.

The Story Behind Juneteenth and How It Became a Federal Holiday

For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history with joy, in the form of parades, street festivals, musical performances or cookouts.

A Mahler Masterwork Played Masterfully by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

If one needs any proof that calamity, whether personal and/or political, also has the power to inspire great works of art, Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony No. 9 in D Major” can easily serve as a prime example. 

From Health Care to Educational Opportunity, Annual Report Details Persistent Problems Plaguing Black Chicagoans

The Chicago Urban League released its 2023 “State of Black Chicago” report, which measures outcomes in health, education, income,and housing for Black Chicagoans as compared to other racial groups. 

Illinois Commission Aims to Research Reparations, Educate Public About the Issue

The state of Illinois’ reparations commission, known as the African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission, is hard at work on a daunting mission.

Theodore ‘Ted’ Kaczynski, Chicago-Area Native Known as the ‘Unabomber,’ Has Died in Federal Prison

Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, the Harvard-educated mathematician who retreated to a dingy shack in the Montana wilderness and ran a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others, died Saturday. He was 81.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, June 9, 2023 - Full Show

A report on the state of Black Chicago. An Illinois commission considers reparations. A West Side charter school closes its doors. An Ethiopian food for a cause.

Volunteer Medical Students Work to Meet Health Needs of Migrants Arriving in Chicago

As part of the city’s response, police stations have become makeshift shelters for new migrants before they transition into long-term housing. Recently, a volunteer team of medical students has begun making the rounds at those police stations to assist with refugees’ health needs. 

On the Witness Stand, Former State Sen. Terry Link Finally Acknowledges He Wore a Wire for FBI

Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, has spent years denying news media reports that he was the legislator-turned-cooperating witness described in charging documents made public after the arrest of ex-state Rep. Luis Arroyo in October of 2019.
 

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