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President Joe Biden Will Establish a National Monument Honoring Emmett Till at Chicago Church, 2 Locations in Mississippi
| Associated Press
Biden will sign a proclamation on Tuesday to create the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument across three sites in Illinois and Mississippi, according to the official.
Pritzker Focuses on Business Development, Clean Energy Jobs at Joliet Assembly Plant Opening
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
On Friday, Pritzker was in Joliet where he joined other elected officials and local dignitaries to celebrate the grand opening of a new Lion Electric assembly plant, the first new automotive factory in the greater Chicago area since 1965.
Chicago Organization Prepares Black Millennials for Futures in Civic Leadership
| Blair Paddock
“There’s a gap between generations and passing knowledge,” said Alexandra Sims-Jones, Black Bench Chicago co-founder. The organization connects older generations with those younger to share lessons in civic engagement and organizing.
Addressing the Growing Imbalance Between Water Scarcity and Flooding in Northeastern Illinois
| Acacia Hernandez
It might come as a surprise given our proximity to Lake Michigan, but some of Chicago’s neighbors could soon be facing a water shortage. According to a new report, flooding and scarcity can “wildly alternate in the same place or transpire in proximity to each other.”
Navigating College Applications After Affirmative Action
| Erica Gunderson
Considerations start with getting admitted and continue with questions of an institution’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion once students get inside the gates.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, July 21, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Advice for future college students in a post-affirmative action world. A local group training Black millennials to line the political bench. And preserving a historic YMCA.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, July 21, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The growing imbalance between water scarcity and flooding. Unpacking new research on long COVID. And how a local chef educates diners on fine Mexican cuisine.
Week in Review: Northwestern Hazing Lawsuits; Eliminating Cash Bail in Illinois
| Alexandra Silets
Northwestern players speak out as lawsuits multiply against the beleaguered athletics program. State prosecutors get ready to eliminate cash bail as state Supreme Court upholds law. Chicago City Council addresses snowy winter sidewalks. And remembering Tony Bennett.
Historic Bronzeville YMCA Receives Grant for Preservation Efforts
| Angel Idowu
With the grant totaling nearly $437,000, the plan is to restore what was once a safe haven for people of color who came to Chicago during the Great Migration and prepare the building for future generations.
Northwestern Medicine Study Suggests Multidisciplinary Care Best for Long COVID Patients
| Erica Gunderson
The Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center released the results of a study on 1,200 long COVID patients. According the CDC, one in five COVID-19 patients experienced long COVID three months later, about 150 million adults in the U.S.
Chef Carlos Gaytán on Demystifying Mexican Cuisine Through Social Media
| Erica Gunderson
With slim margins and constantly shifting trends, the restaurant industry can be a tough business. Chef Carlos Gaytán uses thoughtful social media content to both attract more business and educate diners about the flavors of his home country.
‘Encendidas: Women of the Young Lords’ Exhibit Reveals History of Women in Puerto Rican Civil Rights Organization
| Erica Gunderson
Throughout much of Chicago’s history, immigrant communities have made their voices heard socially and politically through the formation of street gangs. During the 1960s in Lincoln Park, a Puerto Rican gang called the Young Lords came together after being pushed out of the barrio due to urban renewal projects.
El Milagro Workers Reach Settlement in Complaint Involving Labor Organizing
| Erica Gunderson
Beginning in 2021, workers at the El Milagro tortilla factories went public with their complaints about working conditions and labor violations, including charges of intimidation, harassment and retaliation.
Chicago Police Officer Who Had ‘Improper Sexual Relationship’ With 911 Caller Suspended 9 Months
| Matt Masterson
The board reached an 8-1 decision to suspend Officer Daniel Otero for 270 days for violating a CPD rule which prohibits “any action or conduct which impedes the Department’s efforts to achieve its policy and goals or brings discredit upon the Department.”
Structural Racism May Contribute to Mass Shootings in Cities, New Study Says
Chicago had the greatest number of mass shootings in the study.
| CNN
Chicago had the greatest number of mass shootings during that period with 141, which led to 97 deaths and 583 injuries. According to the study, Milwaukee had the highest segregation index.
Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and Other Tech Companies Agree to AI Safeguards Set by the White House
| Associated Press
The White House said Friday that it has secured voluntary commitments from seven U.S. companies meant to ensure their AI products are safe before they release them.
Tony Bennett, Masterful Stylist of American Musical Standards, Dies at 96
| Associated Press
The last of the great saloon singers of the mid-20th century, Bennett often said his lifelong ambition was to create “a hit catalog rather than hit records.” He released more than 70 albums, bringing him 19 competitive Grammys and enjoyed deep and lasting affection from fans and fellow artists.
5 Things to Do This Weekend: Tacos y Tamales Festival, Explore Ancient Nightlife
| Erica Demarest
Glass painting, summer festivals and Pompeii at night usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in Chicago.
July 20, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The Chicago connection to the new blockbuster movie “Oppenheimer.” How the Cook County sheriff plans to help people when they get out of jail. And inside the city’s contribution to hip-hop.
As ‘Oppenheimer’ Opens, Here’s How Chicago Gave Birth to the Nuclear Age
| Paul Caine
“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.
At Humboldt Park Hub, Cook County Sheriff’s Office Helps People Released From Jail
| Joanna Hernandez
“We’re doing all this work with people and mental illness and working with their individual issues, but then when they would leave us, they would go out to the community with minimal services,” Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said. “And I said, OK, we will set up our own services office.”
Homicides in 30 US Cities Dropped by Nearly 10% in First Half of 2023 Compared to Last Year, Study Finds
| CNN
In the 30 cities examined, homicides declined 9.4% in the first half of this year compared to the first half of last year, with about 200 fewer homicides in that period.
Senate Committee Led by Dick Durbin Approves Bill to Impose Stronger Ethics Standards on Supreme Court Justices
| Associated Press
The Supreme Court would have to abide by stronger ethics standards under legislation approved on Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The legislation has little chance to make it through the full Senate.
Labor Board Finds Merit in Union Allegations Against Howard Brown Health
| Blair Paddock
The National Labor Relations Board found merit or partial merit in the union’s allegations, which include Howard Brown Health participating in bad faith bargaining, creating the impression of surveillance, failing to provide information and declaring impasse and refusing to bargain over layoffs.
Actors and Writers on Strike Rally in Chicago, Philadelphia as Union Action Spreads
| Associated Press
In Chicago, hundreds of strikers — many wearing black SAG T-shirts — marched and chanted at Millennium Park and Grant Park, “We’re union/United/Never be divided.” A small brass band played “This Land Is Your Land.”
Gospel Meets R&B as Two Stellar Performers Capture the Lives of ‘Marie and Rosetta’
| Hedy Weiss
“Marie and Rosetta” tells the tale of singers Marie Knight and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The play is a story of personal liberation as achieved through a hybrid of musical styles and the friendship of opposites.
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