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Fed Raises Key Rate to Highest Level in 16 Years, Hints It May Pause Amid Bank Turmoil

The Fed's rate increases since March 2022 have more than doubled mortgage rates, elevated the costs of auto loans, credit card borrowing and business loans and heightened the risk of a recession.

Blinding Dust Storm on Interstate 55 Causes ‘Crash After Crash,’ Killing 7 and Injuring Dozens

More than 70 vehicles, including dozens of commercial vehicles and passenger cars, were involved in crashes late Monday morning along a 2-mile stretch of Interstate 55 in Montgomery County, 75 miles north of St. Louis.

Johnson to Review Lightfoot’s Plan to Turn Vacant South Shore High School Into Immigrant Shelter

Johnson, who will replace Lightfoot in less than two weeks, said he would consult with the South Shore community before making any final decisions on how to address a renewed surge of immigrants being sent to the city from Texas and other states along the southern border.

COPA Releases Graphic Body Camera Video of Chicago Police Officer Fatally Shooting Reginald Clay Jr. Last Month

The release of the graphic video comes after Clay’s family members reportedly filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department, claiming the shooting was “unprovoked and unwarranted.”

Nearly 70,000 People Died of Overdoses Involving Fentanyl in 1 Year, Accounting for Majority of Overdose Deaths: CDC Report

Nearly 70,000 people in the U.S. died of drug overdoses that involved fentanyl in 2021, almost a four-fold increase over five years. By 2021, about two-thirds of all overdose deaths involved the potent synthetic opioid, according to the report.

Though Not on Trial, Former House Speaker Michael Madigan at Heart of ‘ComEd Four’ Bribery Case

When jurors Tuesday convicted a quad of Illinois power players on corruption charges, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wasn’t among them. Madigan wasn’t on trial. But he was at the heart of the case, with a juror telling journalists that Madigan “really did cause all this to happen.”

May 2, 2023 - Full Show

Live reaction to the “ComEd Four” verdict. Plans to turn an old South Shore school into a shelter for migrants. A look at the neighborhood around Pontiac Prison. And saying goodbye to Lincoln Park Zoo’s oldest inhabitant.

Community Leaders Call for Answers on Plans to Turn Old South Shore High School Into Shelter for Migrants

City officials are calling this a humanitarian crisis, with stretched resources and few housing options, now that more than 8,000 migrants have arrived.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s 300-Year-Old Bur Oak is Gone but Won’t Be Forgotten. What’s Next for the Now Beloved Tree

Lincoln Park Zoo said farewell today to a 300-year-old bur oak, but the tree will live on in multiple ways.

‘ComEd Four’ Found Guilty of Conspiring to Bribe Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan

Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist Mike McClain, retired ComEd executive John Hooker and ex-City Club of Chicago president and former ComEd consultant Jay Doherty were each found guilty of bribery conspiracy, bribery and willfully falsifying the company’s books.

Outside of Pontiac Prison’s Walls, Area Residents See the Facility as Important Part of the Community

The town is also home to Pontiac Correctional Center, one of only three maximum security Illinois state prisons. Just outside the prison’s doors is a neighborhood of single-family homes and a playground.

Gun Rights Advocates Ask Supreme Court to Block Illinois, Naperville Assault Weapons Bans

The gun rights advocates are challenging both a city ordinance passed last year by Naperville that bans the sale of assault rifles, and an Illinois state law enacted this year prohibiting the sale and possession of assault weapons and magazines.

Chicago Police Officer Who Chased Anthony Alvarez Before He Was Shot in 2021 Should Be Fired for 2022 Shooting, Report Says

Chicago Police Officer Sammy Encarnacion resigned Wednesday, the same day that results of the probe conducted by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, known as COPA, was released, officials said.

16 People Hospitalized After Bus Carrying Special Needs Students Involved in Crash

According to the Chicago Fire Department, the collision occurred at 31st Street and Kedzie Avenue. Of the 16 people who were taken to area hospitals, two were adults who were listed in critical condition.

Why Hollywood Writers Are Striking and the Immediate Impact

Streaming and its ripple effects are at the center of the dispute. The Writers Guild of America says that even as series budgets have increased, writers’ share of that money has consistently shrunk.

Chicago-Born Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens’ Private Papers Open to Public

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who died in 2019, served on the court for nearly 35 years. In that time, the court decided cases on issues including abortion, affirmative action, presidential power, gun rights and the rights of prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention center.

May 1, 2023 - Full Show

The community is responding to more migrants arriving in Chicago from Texas. A crucial deadline for Medicaid recipients. The threat of a rising Mississippi River. And the challenges inside Pontiac Prison.

As Migrants Continue to Arrive, Chicago Officials and Community Groups Say They’re Out of Money and Space

Chicago officials say they are having a hard time finding places for migrants to stay, with dozens now sleeping at police facilities.

Medicaid Renewal Process Starts as Illinois Officials Urge Residents to Return Information

During the pandemic, the number of low-income and disabled people who received government-backed health care grew in Illinois, and across the country, because at the height of COVID Congress made it illegal for states to kick anyone off Medicaid.

At Least 6 People Dead After Windstorm Leads to Massive Crash on Interstate 55

The crashes occurred late in the morning and involved 40 to 60 passenger cars and multiple tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said. The highway was shut down in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles north of St. Louis.

Why Is There Shortage of Adderall, Ozempic and Other Meds?

In recent months, unexpected demand spikes, manufacturing problems and tight ingredient supplies have contributed to shortages that stress patients, parents and doctors.

Mississippi River Crests at Davenport, Testing Barriers

The peak water levels this spring will likely rank in the top 10 of all time in many places, but the National Weather Service said river levels will generally remain well below past records. 

Shootings, Homicides in Chicago Down 10% Through First 4 Months of Year: Police

There have been 166 homicides recorded in the city thus far this year, according to the Chicago Police Department. That’s fewer than the same time periods in both 2022 and 2021, but higher than the 156 homicides recorded through the end of April in 2020.

150 Years Later, Dixon Bridge Tragedy That Killed 46 Among Nation’s Worst

Post-Civil War Dixon, 103 miles west of Chicago, was a growing city split by the formidable Rock River. On May 4, 1873, the 4-year-old bridge twisted, splintered and rolled over. Forty-six people perished, many immured by the unrelenting gridiron just below the water’s surface. 

Inside Pontiac Prison Where Mental Health Issues, Violence, Officer Shortages and Aging Facilities Are Leading to Calls for Reform

The conditions that come with Pontiac Correctional Center’s age are just part of the reason inmates and advocates call it inhumane. Another reason is the climate inside. WTTW News details the issues facing the maximum security prison. 

Small Business Owner Gives ‘The Last Word’ on Second Chance Employment

About 26,000 people leave Illinois prisons each year, and many of them report having trouble finding employment once they’re home.
 

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