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Olympics Likely to Open During COVID ‘State of Emergency’
| Associated Press
Surging COVID-19 cases in Tokyo have hit a two-month high that almost guarantees the Japanese government will declare a new state of emergency to start next week and continue for the duration of the Tokyo Olympics.
Biden Visits Illinois to Sell Voters on Families Agenda
| Associated Press
President Joe Biden pitched his proposed investments in families and education at an Illinois community college on Wednesday, telling residents of the swing district that what’s good for families is also good for the economy.
Chicago Police Officer, 2 ATF Agents Shot at I-57 On-Ramp
| Matt Masterson
A Chicago police officer and two federal agents are expected to survive after they were shot early Wednesday while driving in a vehicle onto the I-57 highway. A person of interest is being questioned in connection with the shooting, officials said.
Search of Collapsed Condo Shifts From Rescue to Recovery
| Associated Press
Emergency workers gave up Wednesday on any hope of finding survivors in a collapsed Florida condo building, telling sobbing families that there was “no chance of life” in the rubble as crews shifted their efforts to recovering more remains.
Pritzker Announces Cash Bonuses, Prizes for Vaccinated State Employees
| Kristen Thometz
State employees who work in direct care facilities and have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive cash bonuses and prizes like airline vouchers and tickets to Cubs and Bears games, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday.
It’s Not Exactly Pigs Flying, But Check Out These Goats on a Boat
| Patty Wetli
ComEd treated some hard-working members of its team to the ride of their lives as a way to educate the public about the utility company’s use of goats to manage overgrown vegetation around hard-to-reach power lines.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: July 8-11
| Kristen Thometz
Country crooners, art festivals, yards of yarn and sudsy 5K races usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Delta Variant Now Makes Up More Than Half of Coronavirus Cases in US, CDC Says
| CNN
The delta variant, a more transmissible and possibly more dangerous strain of coronavirus, now makes up more than half of all new COVID-19 infections in the U.S., according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Have a Seat: Patio Furniture Shortage Tells US Economic Tale
| Associated Press
The Biden economy faces the unusual challenge of possibly being too strong for its own good. There is the paradox of the fastest growth in generations at more than 6% yet also persistent delays for anyone trying to buy furniture, autos and a wide mix of other goods.
Is a Move to Arlington Heights in the Bears’ Future?
| Alexandra Silets
The Chicago Bears are seriously bidding to buy the plot where Arlington Park has been for decades. What the sale could mean for the Chicago area.
Anti-Violence Workers in Chicago Say More Resources Needed
| Paul Caine
Following a violent holiday weekend in Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said young people need to “put down the guns.” Community organizations fighting to stem the rising tide of violence talk about their efforts and the root causes of violence in the city.
Illinois Tech Hires Raj Echambadi as Next President
| Quinn Myers
We discuss Chicago’s role in the tech world with the incoming president of Illinois Tech, who takes the helm on Aug. 16.
After Florida Collapse, a Look at Condo Building Safety in Chicago
| Nick Blumberg
The deadly collapse of a condo building in Surfside, Florida, has prompted quick action in nearby cities. It has also left some Chicagoans wondering whether any local condo buildings are at risk, and what sorts of inspections they face.
Surrounded by Unfinished Business and At Odds with the Mayor, Watchdog Will Step Down
| Heather Cherone
Inspector General Joseph Ferguson will leave his post as the city’s watchdog in October after running into a brick wall of opposition from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Chicago City Council during the final 18 months of his term in office.
Chicago’s Top Cop Says Courts ‘Making Us All Less Safe’ After Bloody Fourth of July Weekend
| Matt Masterson
At least 100 people were shot, including 18 who died, between Friday evening and Monday night in what was so far the bloodiest weekend of 2021, according to Chicago Police Department data.
Searchers at Collapse Site ‘Not Seeing Anything Positive’
| Associated Press
Officials overseeing the search at the site of the Florida condominium collapse sounded increasingly somber Tuesday about the prospects for finding anyone alive, saying they have detected no new signs of life in the rubble as the death toll climbed to 36.
Bird Feeders Still OK in Illinois, But Not Indiana, Where Mysterious Illness is Killing Songbirds
| Patty Wetli
Hundreds of songbirds have died in Indiana from a mysterious illness, prompting wildlife officials in that state to ask residents to remove all bird feeders. Officials in Illinois say they have yet to receive reports of similar infections.
July 6, 2021 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The latest on a violent 4th of July Weekend in Chicago. The Florida condo collapse: could it happen here? Inside the Bears possible move to Arlington Heights. Meet the new president of Illinois Tech.
Iowa Man Allegedly Had Loaded Rifle, Laser Sight in Hotel Room Overlooking Ohio Street Beach
| Matt Masterson
Keegan Casteel, 32, was allegedly found in possession of a loaded rifle with a laser sight and multiple ammunition magazines inside his 12th-floor Chicago hotel room overlooking Ohio Street Beach during the Fourth of July weekend.
More Than 230 People Fatally Shot in Shootings Over 4th of July Weekend in US
| CNN
In Chicago, 100 people were shot and 18 people were killed from 6 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday, according to the Chicago Police Department. There were 69 shooting incidents during that period, police said.
As Tokyo Olympics Approach, Virus Worries Rise in Japan
| Associated Press
The pressure of hosting an Olympics during a still-active pandemic is beginning to show in Japan. The games begin July 23, with organizers determined they will go on, even with a reduced number of spectators or possibly none at all.
Survey Reveals Racial, Partisan Divides on American Identity, Political Violence and Guns
| Nick Blumberg
It’s no secret that America is divided across partisan and racial lines. But a new, nationwide survey of white and Black Americans from the University of Illinois at Chicago illustrates just how deep some of those divisions are.
July 5, 2021 - Full Show
| WTTW News
A look at how Americans differ in defining their national identity. A distinctly Latino post of the American Legion. And the pandemic’s impact on plastic pollution and efforts to reduce consumption.
Amazon Begins New Chapter as Bezos Hands Over CEO Role
| Associated Press
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stepped down as CEO on Monday, handing over the reins as the company navigates the challenges of a world fighting to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Search Back on After Rest of South Florida Condo Demolished
| Associated Press
Rescuers were given the all-clear to resume work looking for victims at a collapsed South Florida condo building after demolition crews set off a string of explosives that brought down the last of the building in a plume of dust.
Biden Sees Virus ‘Independence,’ But COVID Takes No Holiday
| Associated Press
Calling a vaccination “the most patriotic thing you can do,” President Joe Biden on Sunday mixed the nation’s birthday party with a celebration of freedom from the worst of the pandemic.
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