Stories by WTTW News
Health Officials Report 5 More Cases of Hospitalizations Linked to Vaping
| Kristen Thometz
Nearly a week after an Illinois resident died following hospitalization for a severe respiratory illness linked to vaping, health officials are reporting an additional five cases in the state.
Watchdog: Comey Violated FBI Policies in Handling of Memos
| Associated Press
The Justice Department’s inspector general says James Comey broke FBI rules by giving one memo containing unclassified information to a friend with instructions to share the contents with a reporter.
Farmers’ Loyalty to Trump Tested Over New Corn-Ethanol Rules
| Associated Press
The Trump administration granted waivers to 31 oil refineries so they don’t have to blend ethanol into their gasoline. Since roughly 40% of the U.S. corn crop is turned into ethanol, it was a fresh blow to corn producers already struggling.
McDonald’s Offering Harassment Training to All US Workers
| Associated Press
The Chicago-based company said Wednesday that its franchisees have committed to provide the training — a combination of online work and in-person discussions — to 850,000 employees.
Spotlight Politics: Joe Walsh Wages Primary Challenge Against Trump
| Paris Schutz
A long shot presidential candidate from Illinois. Our politics team takes on the 2020 presidential election and more in our weekly roundtable.
Ask Geoffrey: Who Were Joe Hill and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn?
| Quinn Myers
Since Chicago’s early days, anarchists, labor agitators and political radicals of all stripes have passed through the city. In the early 20th century, that included a legendary songwriter – and the subject of one of his most famous songs.
Gary Mayor Gets New Role: Freeman-Wilson to Lead Chicago Urban League
| Tonia Hill
One of Chicago’s leading organizations aimed at addressing the needs of the African American community is about to get a new leader. We speak with outgoing Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson.
A Pantry in a Pilsen Health Center Takes Aim at Food Insecurity
| Nick Blumberg
Food insecurity is a nationwide problem, but studies show it’s even more acute in Chicago. How one food pantry is trying to tackle the problem.
Top Cop Eddie Johnson on Organ Donation, Chicago Violence
| Alexandra Silets
In 2017, Daniel Johnson donated a kidney to his father, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. In 2018, Daniel was sworn in as a Chicago police officer. The two join us to discuss the successful transplant and Chicago’s policing challenges.
Alderman: Budget Gap Could Be As High As $1.3 Billion
| Paris Schutz
Just how big is the city’s budget deficit? And will Mayor Lori Lightfoot propose new taxes to close it? Lightfoot will likely spell out some of that in a much-anticipated “State of the City” address Thursday evening. Here’s a preview.
Remember Chicago’s Last Waterfall? It Looks Much Different Now
| Evan Garcia
On Chicago’s Northwest Side, a gently sloping riverbed occupies the former site of a small but historically important dam. We visit a popular fishing spot – for humans and birds alike – at River Park.
12 Things to Do This Labor Day Weekend: Aug. 29-Sept. 2
| Kristen Thometz
Street festivals, live jazz, handmade gifts, global foods and a football season preview usher in the long weekend. Here are a dozen things to do in and around Chicago.
The Beauty of Coral Reef, Captured on 89 Giant LED Panels
| Alex Ruppenthal
A new installation combining art, architecture and technology provides an immersive look at the underwater world of reefs.
Police Sgt. Sues City, Eddie Johnson Over Alleged Cheating on Department Exam
| Matt Masterson
Sgt. James Prah Jr. claims he’s being “intimidated into silence” by Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and his wife because he reported their alleged involvement in a purported cheating scheme during a departmental exam.
Facebook Tightens Political Ad Rules, But Leaves Loopholes
| Associated Press
The changes include a tightened verification process that will require anyone wanting to run ads pertaining to elections, politics or big social issues like guns and immigration to confirm their identity and prove they are in the U.S.
Top Women’s Hockey Players Announce Series of Tournaments
| Associated Press
More than 200 of the world’s top female hockey players will play a series of tournaments as part of an effort to establish a single professional league with a sustainable economic model, featuring the world’s top talent, and pay a livable wage and include health care.
OxyContin Maker, Government Attorneys in Settlement Talks
| Associated Press
State attorneys general and lawyers representing local governments said Tuesday they are in active settlement talks with Purdue Pharma, the maker of the prescription painkiller OxyContin that is facing billions of dollars in potential liability for its role in the nation’s opioid crisis.
Activist Calls for Racial Equity as Transportation Revolution Looms
| Paul Caine
Chicago and the world is on the brink of a transportation revolution – and activists for racial equity want to ensure the benefits of that revolution reach communities of color.
Federal Election Chair Sounds Alarm on 2020 Election
| Paris Schutz
Federal authorities have repeatedly warned about foreign influence in U.S. elections, but a core federal agency that keeps watch on elections is suddenly without any enforcement ability. We speak with Federal Election Commission Chair Ellen Weintraub.
Chickens and Roosters Rescued from Foul Play in Chicago
| Alexandra Silets
People commonly adopt dog and cats from the pound, but there’s a new phenomenon in Chicago: stray chickens and roosters are being rounded up in an effort to find them their forever homes.
EPA Consent Order Requires General Iron to Reduce Air Pollution
| Alex Ruppenthal
New rules for a scrap metal yard on the city’s North Side require the facility to reduce emissions of potentially cancer-causing compounds after it violated federal air pollution standards last summer.
Illinois AG Seeking Additional Time to Hand Out Suburban Express Refunds
| Matt Masterson
The Illinois attorney general’s office has been so inundated with payment requests stemming from its consent decree with a former Champaign-based bus operator that they’ve asked a federal judge to amend the agreement itself.
DOJ Moves to Add More Marijuana Growers for Research
| Associated Press
The Justice Department said Monday it would move forward to expand the number of marijuana growers for federally authorized cannabis research.
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