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Stories by Acacia Hernandez

Goodbye Gas Stoves? Proposal Seeks to Make All New Construction in Chicago Use Electric Appliances

Advocates say the proposed ordinance aims to combat climate change and reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, while critics believe it would increase cost and risk reliability.

Effort to Remove Donald Trump From the Illinois Primary Ballot Continues in State Court

Donald Trump is “not qualified for the presidency and cannot be placed on the ballot because he is ineligible under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, for having engaged in insurrection having previously sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution,” Illinois residents argue in a petition asking the Cook County Circuit Court to take the case. 

Trio of 15-Year-Olds Charged After Armed Robbery at CTA Red Line Stop

Chicago police on Tuesday morning announced that two boys and a girl have been charged with armed robbery. The boys also each face an additional count of armed robbery stemming from a separate incident Monday.

Jan. 30, 2024 - Full Show

Election officials rule on whether Donald Trump can be on the Illinois ballot. CPS students walk out in support of Gaza cease-fire. And an effort to ban natural gas in new Chicago homes.

‘Champion’: A Brilliant Operatic Exploration of a Famous Boxer’s Tragic Life: Review

It is an absolute knockout — both literally and figuratively. And that is the most concise way to describe “Champion,” the physically, emotionally and musically stunning work now on the Lyric Opera stage, writes WTTW News theater critic Hedy Weiss.

Chita Rivera, Revered and Pioneering Tony-Winning Dancer and Singer, Dies at 91

Chita Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of ”West Side Story” and was still dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy a half-century later in 2015’s “The Visit.”

Chicago Nonprofit to Receive $15M in Federal Funding to Help Launch Regional Water Sustainability Industry

The U.S. National Science Foundation awarded the grant to Current Innovation NFP, a nonprofit “innovation hub” whose mission is to “solve pressing water challenges caused by climate change and pollution.” 

CPS Students Hold Walkouts in Support of Gaza Cease-Fire

Students from Ogden International High School and Walter Payton College Preparatory High School marched to City Hall, carrying signs and chanting slogans such as “Viva Vida Palestina” and “our tax dollars are being used to commit war crimes.”

New Gallery, Community Hub Links Incarcerated Artists to Chicago Communities: ‘We Use Art as Connective Tissue’

The West Side gallery is in line with work the Prison + Neighborhood Arts Project has been doing for over a decade: connecting teaching artists and scholars to incarcerated students through classes, workshops and lectures.

Illinois Election Board Votes to Keep Trump, Biden on March Primary Ballot

The Illinois State Board of Elections on Tuesday voted to reject attempts to knock former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden off the ballot. The bipartisan board was unanimous in each of the rulings.

President Joe Biden Has Said He’d Shut the US-Mexico Border If Given the Ability. What Does That Mean?

A border deal had been in the works for months and seemed to be nearing completion in the Senate before it began to fall apart, largely because Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump doesn’t want it to happen.

Prosecutors Ask Judge to Sentence Madigan’s Ex-Chief of Staff Tim Mapes to As Much as 5 Years in Prison Following Perjury Conviction

In a sentencing memo filed Monday, the government asked a federal judge to sentence Mapes to between 51 and 63 months in prison following his conviction last August on charges of making false declarations and attempted obstruction of justice.

Fate of Officer Who Fatally Shot Adam Toledo Depends on Whether Chicago City Council Rejects Push to Upend Police Discipline System

Whether the officer who shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo is publicly held accountable for the teen’s death depends on whether the Chicago City Council votes this week to reaffirm their rejection of an effort to upend the system used for 60 years to punish officers.

Native Mollusks Are Key to Freshwater Ecosystems. Here’s How One Group is Helping Build Mussel Mass on the Chicago River

Freshwater mussels can be a river system’s best friend, but they’re missing from long stretches of the Chicago River. Here’s a look at one effort to reintroduce them.

Rep. Delia Ramirez on Immigration Policy, Congressional Conflict Over Bipartisan Border Deal

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago), herself the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, weighs in on the situation in Washington and efforts to address immigration.

Jan. 29, 2024 - Full Show

The latest on whether the city will evict migrants from city-run shelters. Congress members look to strike a deal to clamp down on border crossings. And a look at how exactly Cook County calculates property taxes. 

Sports Columnist Rick Telander Focuses His Pen on Children’s Poetry in New Book

Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander certainly waxes poetic when lamenting the fates of our oft-underperforming sports franchises. But now he’s turned his literary and wordsmith abilities to poetry in a new book called “Sweet Dreams: Poems and Paintings for the Child Abed.”

A ‘Black Voices’ Community Conversation: Latest Efforts to Preserve Legacy of Illinois Black Panther Party

For the latest “Black Voices: A WTTW News Community Conversation,” Brandis Friedman met with leaders and researchers to discuss their push to memorialize the Illinois Black Panther Party and include its history in the National Register of Historic Places.

Illinois Partners with Google to Launch New Portal for Children’s Mental Health Resources

The Illinois Department of Human Services is partnering with Google to launch a new centralized portal for children’s mental health care, state officials announced Monday.

Chicago Won’t Evict Migrants Until At Least Mid-March, Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces

Mayor Brandon Johnson did not lift the requirement that migrants leave city-run shelters in 60 days — instead, the nearly 14,200 men, women and children in city shelters will have longer to find more permanent housing.

Hearing Officer Says Donald Trump Should Be Removed From Illinois Ballot, but It’s a Decision for the Courts

Election officials should vote Tuesday to allow President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to run in Illinois’ presidential primary contest, hearing officers and the state election board’s top lawyer recommend.

Tax Season is Under Way. Here Are Some Tips to Navigate It.

If you find the process of filing your taxes too confusing, there are plenty of free resources to help you get through it. Here are some things you need to know. 

First Installment of 2023 Cook County Property Tax Bills Arrives On Time

Property tax bills for Cook County residents are available online at cookcountytreasurer.com and should hit mailboxes this week.

Innovations High School Closed Monday After 2 Students Killed in Loop Shooting

In a message posted on its webpage, Innovations High School informed students that classes would be canceled Monday and then resume Tuesday.

2 People Killed by Gunfire Over Weekend Across Chicago: Police

According to Chicago Police Department data, 13 people were shot across the city between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

National Effort to Crowdsource Route 66 History Seeks Stories, Photos from Chicagoans

“Route 66 was the first great American road trip,” said Amy Webb with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The trust is crowdsourcing Americans’ stories, memories and photos of the famous road that connected the Midwest to the West.
 

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