Stories by Matt Masterson
Chicago Police Release Footage of Suspects in Shooting of Off-Duty Officer
| Matt Masterson
Detectives are seeking to identify two male subjects in relation to the non-fatal shooting of a 32-year-old off-duty Chicago police officer on Monday afternoon in the Calumet Heights neighborhood.
Leading Senate Dem Says Outlook Bleak on Immigration Bills
Plus: Members of Illinois’ congressional delegation talk immigration on ‘Chicago Tonight’
| Associated Press
Comments this week by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., underscored that immigration remains a complex problem for the two parties to tackle successfully, even with Donald Trump no longer in the White House. Local members of Congress weigh in on this and more.
Schools Weighing Whether to Seat Students Closer Together
| Associated Press
New evidence that it may be safe for schools to seat students 3 feet apart — half of the previous recommended distance — could offer a way to return more of the nation’s children to classrooms with limited space.
Chicago Teen Charged in December Carjacking of Lyft Driver
| Matt Masterson
Cornelius Carr, 18, was charged with vehicular hijacking and armed robbery after he allegedly called a ride-hailing service with the sole intent of carjacking the driver who arrived to pick him up.
City Has Identified ‘Concerns and Questions’ in General Iron’s Permit Application
| Patty Wetli
The Chicago Department of Public Health has requested additional information from General Iron’s parent company regarding the “cumulative impact” of its proposed Southside Recycling facility.
A Double Dose of March Migration Madness, These Tourneys Are for the Birds
| Patty Wetli
Is birding a sport? That’s up for debate even within the birding community, but you can’t say the activity isn’t competitive. There’s not one, but two March Madness-style tournaments involving birds underway.
Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Her 88th Birthday
| Alexandra Silets
The diminutive Supreme Court justice with a towering legacy would have been 88 years old Monday. Her son Jim Ginsburg and daughter-in-law Patrice Michaels talk about a classical music tribute to her.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Reflects on COVID-19 Pandemic, One Year In
| Marissa Nelson
It’s been a full year since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took the extraordinary step of issuing an executive order to halt dine-in service at bars and restaurants across the state. Five days later, the stay-at-home order was announced. The governor joins us to reflect on the past year and discuss what’s ahead.
How Technology is Helping the Visually Impaired Find Employment
| Erica Gunderson
With 10,000 people turning 65 every day in the U.S., the number of people with visual impairment or blindness is expected to rise significantly in the coming years. Here’s how two Chicago-area institutions have been working to support the visually impaired for over a century.
Daylight Saving Debate: Polls Shows Americans Split Over Springing Forward
| Blair Paddock
Having trouble springing forward? A professor of sleep medicine offers some tips to help you adjust to daylight saving time.
March Madness: Illinois and Loyola Punch Their Tickets to the Big Dance
| Evan Garcia
Get your brackets ready because March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, kicks off Thursday and two Illinois universities are among the 68 teams competing.
Local Leaders Talk Violence Prevention, Healing After Mass Shooting
| Nick Blumberg
Calls for accountability and more community resources after a mass shooting early Sunday in Chicago’s Park Manor neighborhood left two people dead and wounded 13 others. Where do we go from here?
Officials Won’t Use Tax Returns to Pay Debts for Low-Income Illinois Residents
| Heather Cherone
Low-income residents who are in debt to the state or city won’t have their state tax return used to settle those bills under a plan announced Monday by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who said she was spurred to act because “families on the edge” need their tax returns to cover overdue bills.
Aldermen Advance New Rules for Industrial Developments in Effort to Reduce Air Pollution
| Heather Cherone
The revised measure is designed to tighten regulations on recycling centers and industrial operations in an effort to reduce air pollution on the South and West sides. A final vote is scheduled for the full City Council meeting on March 24.
‘The Catastrophist’: A Brilliant Play Bound to Go Viral
| Hedy Weiss
Lauren Gunderson’s new 75-minute play about her husband, acclaimed virologist Nathan Daniel Wolfe, is a riveting one-man meditation about life and death and the nature of viruses. It’s now being streamed by Northlight Theatre.
Crain’s Headlines: Alden’s Tribune Takeover Could Be Derailed
| WTTW News
A competing bid to buy Tribune Publishing could derail hedge fund Alden Global Capital’s takeover of the Chicago Tribune. Crain’s Chicago Business editor Ann Dwyer has details on this story and more.
Illinois Launches Hotline for COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
| Kristen Thometz
A new call center will help eligible Illinois residents — including those without access to the internet — secure a coveted COVID-19 vaccine appointment by phone.
Cook County Launches ‘My Shot’ Campaign to Address Vaccine Hesitancy
| Kristen Thometz
Personal stories from Cook County residents who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine highlight a new campaign that aims to dispel misinformation and encourage others to roll up their sleeves when it’s their turn.
COPA Completes Investigation Into Officers Who Worked Under Ronald Watts
| Matt Masterson
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability announced the conclusion of its investigation into misconduct allegations made against members of a tactical team led by a disgraced former police sergeant, and has delivered its first report of findings and recommendations to Police Superintendent David Brown.
Chicago Parish Fiercely Backs Priest After Sex Abuse Claims
| Associated Press
After the first allegations surfaced in January, the Archdiocese of Chicago temporarily removed Michael Pfleger to investigate, leading to fierce backlash from parishioners trying to clear his name. They’ve flooded the archdiocese’s phone lines and staged rallies. They’ve also challenged the accusers’ accounts.
Snow and Pretty Much Every Other Kind of Precipitation on Tap Monday
| Patty Wetli
A system carrying moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will hit the area late Monday morning through early afternoon, bringing with it rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow.
Folk Legend John Prine Wins Pair of Posthumous Awards at the Grammys
| Patty Wetli
John Prine’s “I Remember Everything” won Grammys for best American roots song and best American roots performance. The singer-songwriter died in April 2020 from the coronavirus.
Life on the Bubble: Brackets Set for Return of March Madness
| Associated Press
The biggest unknown leading into a March Madness bracket reveal more than a year in the making had nothing to do with bubble teams or top seeds. Instead, it was the not-so-simple matter of which programs would be healthy enough to play.
2 Killed, 13 Wounded at Party on Chicago’s South Side
| Associated Press
Gunfire erupted at a party on Chicago’s South Side early Sunday, killing two people and wounding 13 others in what authorities say may have been a gang-related shooting.
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