Stories by CNN
Biden Administration Asks Supreme Court to Let Student Debt Relief Program Go Forward
| CNN
About 26 million people had already applied to the program by the time a federal judge froze it on November 10, prompting the government to stop taking applications. No debt has been canceled thus far.
AG Merrick Garland Names Special Counsel to Lead Trump-Related Probes
| Associated Press
The move, announced just three days after Donald Trump formally launched his 2024 candidacy, is a recognition of the unmistakable political implications of two investigations that involve not only a former president but also a current White House hopeful.
Berlin Philharmoniker Performs Breathtaking Rendering of Mahler’s ‘Symphony No. 7’ at Orchestra Hall
| Hedy Weiss
Every one of the theater’s more than 2,500 seats had been snapped up for this one-night-only performance of Gustav Mahler’s wildly innovative, emotionally stunning “Symphony No. 7.” The piece is a monumental 85-minute work of great sonic magic and innovation.
Christkindlmarket Is Back, Time To Get Your Gluhwein on Chicago. Here’s What’s New in 2022
| Patty Wetli
One of Chicago’s most beloved holiday traditions — the German-style Christkindlmarket — kicks off this weekend, and it’s bigger than ever, with a new location in Aurora.
Schools Struggle to Staff up for Youth Mental Health Crisis
| Associated Press
Despite an influx of COVID-19 relief money, school districts across the country have struggled to staff up to address students’ mental health needs that have only grown since the pandemic hit.
Illinois Education Superintendent Carmen Ayala to Retire
| Matt Masterson
State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala, appointed in 2019, announced that she’ll retire at the end of January.
COVID-19 Risk Bounces Back Down to ‘Low’ Across Chicago, Cook County: Federal Officials
| Heather Cherone
The move is likely to reduce fears, at least temporarily, of an imminent surge of COVID-19 once colder weather settled over Chicago for the duration, forcing people indoors.
Naomi Davis Asks Woodlawn To Put Its Faith in G.O.D.: Garden-Oriented Development
| Patty Wetli
Davis, founder of Blacks in Green, envisions Woodlawn teeming with biodiversity, resilient in the face of climate change and capable of supporting a local workforce employed in green business such as horticulture or composting.
Nov. 17, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Concerns from neighbors in Woodlawn as Obama Center construction resumes. Pat Quinn on whether he’ll run for mayor. A local couple races to stop ALS. And more with punk poet laureate Patti Smith.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Impact of Obama Center Construction on Woodlawn
| Acacia Hernandez
The Obama Presidential Center has been the source of excitement and anxiety for residents in the South Side Woodlawn community, who are eager to benefit from the major development but are concerned about being priced out. The’re also raising concerns about the difficulty of getting around the massive construction site.
Advocates Hope For Legislative Solution to Ongoing DACA Uncertainty
| Andrea Flores
Immigrants protected by the DACA program, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, have been in limbo over the last few years as the program has been challenged in the courts. Now, just weeks before the next Congressional session begins some are hoping to use the lame-duck session to protect the program.
A Conversation With Patti Smith Reveals Her Thoughts on Poetry, Prose and Veal Parmigiana
| Marc Vitali
Born in Chicago and raised in New Jersey, Patti Smith has lived an incomparable life as a poet and performer. Known as “the punk poet laureate,” she’s in the Rock Hall of Fame and won a National Book Award.
After an ALS Diagnosis, a Local Couple Turned Their Organizing Skills Toward Finding a Cure
| Brandis Friedman
Brian Wallach and his wife, Sandra Abrevaya, founded I AM ALS to find a cure for the disease and to advocate for those who have the progressive neurodegenerative disease.
Former Gov. Pat Quinn Announces He Will Not Run for Chicago Mayor
| Heather Cherone
The former governor said he will instead focus on reform efforts designed to expand the initiative effort. Instead, Quinn said he would focus on efforts to beef up the ability of voters to reform Illinois government through the initiative and referendum process.
From Nails to Clothing to Walls, Everything is a Canvas for Spifster Sutton
| Erica Gunderson
When it came to making her way in the art world, Tacarra “Spifster” Sutton started out small – like, pinky-nail small. But today, Sutton’s intricate nail art, uniquely designed on the spot for each client, is a big deal.
4 People Apply to Fill Vacant 12th Ward Chicago City Council Seat, Including Outgoing Alderperson’s Pick
| Heather Cherone
The applicants include Anabel Abarca, Ald. George Cardenas’ former chief of staff and a candidate in the Feb. 28 election.
Former DePaul Student Sentenced to More Than 7 Years For Attempting to Aid ISIS Terror Group
| Matt Masterson
Thomas Osadzinski, 23, was convicted following a two-week trial of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. On Thursday, a federal judge in Chicago sentenced him to 90 months in prison.
Pelosi Won't Seek Leadership Role, Plans to Stay in Congress
| Associated Press
Nancy Pelosi announced in a spirited speech on the House floor that she will step aside after leading Democrats for nearly 20 years and in the aftermath of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.
4 Chicagoland Starbucks Locations Join Nationwide Strike, Organizers Say
| Nick Blumberg
Starbucks workers at coffee shops in Bucktown, Edgewater, northwest suburban Cary, and west suburban Elmhurst joined a nationwide strike Thursday aimed at coinciding with the coffee giant’s popular “Red Cup Day” promotion, organizers say.
Exacerbated By the Pandemic, UIC Program Aims to Support Mental Health of Medical Students
| Eunice Alpasan
Medical students looking to enter the medical field can be particularly vulnerable to the everyday stressors and pressures of entering and working in the profession, according to those in the field.
State Lawmakers Have Quiet Discussions But Take No Formal Action on SAFE-T Act Revisions
| Amanda Vinicky
It’s been two years since Illinois Democrats passed the major criminal justice law known as the SAFE-T Act, but it’s getting a lot of attention now as the bail overhaul approaches.
Property Tax Investors Exploit Loophole, Add Financial Burdens to Struggling Cook County Homeowners
| Paris Schutz
Delinquent properties are eligible for the Cook County Tax Sale, which is administered by the Cook County treasurer’s office. That’s where a private investor buys the debt and can make a big profit off of it.
Nov. 16, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Why delinquent Cook County property taxpayers face spiraling debt. Meeting Springfield’s new leaders. Who’s in and who’s out in the mayor’s race. And NASA heads back to the moon 50 years after Apollo 11.
Lightfoot Pushes City Council to Use Downtown Property Taxes to Fund Far South Side Red Line Extension
| Heather Cherone
Lightfoot formally introduced a proposal on Wednesday to the Chicago City Council to create a new tax-increment financing district along the southern branch of the CTA Red Line to fund the extension of the train line first envisioned by former Mayor Richard J. Daley in the 1950s.
Chicago’s Oldest House Was Once Hoisted Over the Green Line. The Latest Change: It Has a New Name
| Patty Wetli
The Clarke House, built in 1836, is now the Clarke-Ford House to reflect the stewardship of Bishop Louis Henry and Margaret Ford, who rescued the building for posterity.
Lightfoot Agrees to Allow Heads of Chicago Public Schools, CTA to Testify at City Council Meetings
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot initially opposed efforts by members of the City Council to require the heads of the city’s sister agencies to answer questions from the City Council but dropped her objections Wednesday.
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