Stories by WTTW News
10 Things to Do This Weekend: July 25-28
| Kristen Thometz
An Afro-futuristic convention, cardboard creations, a poetry block party and neighborhood festivals usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.
Ex-Judge: Smollett’s Lawyers Not Allowed to Practice Law in Illinois
| Matt Masterson
Sheila O’Brien, the retired appellate judge who successfully petitioned for a special prosecutor to review the Jussie Smollett case, says four motions filed last week by the actor’s California-based attorneys should be ignored.
Boeing CEO Raises Possibility of Pausing 737 Max Production
| Associated Press
Boeing’s CEO says the company will consider temporarily shutting down production of the 737 Max if the plane’s return is significantly delayed beyond the company’s October forecast.
Chicago Animal Welfare Group Sponsors ‘Anti-Horse Carriage’ Pedicab
| Alex Ruppenthal
Save a horse, ride a bike. That’s the message some Chicago animal welfare advocates are looking to send by sponsoring one of the pedicabs that shuttles riders along Michigan Avenue.
In ‘Ghost Quartet,’ a Maze of Stories Brought to Life With Haunting Music
| Hedy Weiss
Dave Malloy’s time-warping web of a song cycle deals with competing sisters, strange parents, a photographer’s guilt, a subway murder, an astronomer, spirits (of the alcoholic variety), and the quest for love, revenge, stardom and truth over many centuries.
Police: Thieves Steal 3 Mannequins Wearing Designer Clothes
| Associated Press
Chicago police say three thieves smashed a display window of a high-end department store and stole three mannequins dressed from head to feet in designer clothes.
FTC Fines Facebook $5B, Adds Limited Oversight on Privacy
| Associated Press
The fine is the largest the Federal Trade Commission has levied on a tech company, though it won’t make much of a dent for a company that had nearly $56 billion in revenue last year.
Lifetime to Follow Up on ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Docu-Series
| Associated Press
The network announced Tuesday that it has ordered “Surviving R. Kelly: The Aftermath,” a four-part series that includes interviews with new survivors and experts on the case.
50 Years After Moon Landing, Billionaires Back Grandiose Visions for Space
| Paul Caine
Could Jeff Bezos’ vision of giant rotating habitats one day support millions of people in space? We speak with two experts about humankind’s future in space.
Aldermen Weigh in on Chicago Casino Locations, City Labor Law
| WTTW News
Alds. Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward), Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward) and Jason Ervin (28th Ward) discuss casino locations and other pressing City Council news.
Chicago Mayor, Clerk Move to Lighten ‘Crushing’ Vehicle Fines
| Amanda Vinicky
Getting a parking ticket is an annoying part of city life for most Chicago residents and visitors. But for some people, it can be life-altering.
What Will Chicago Look Like in 2050? A Look at CMAP’s Long-Range Plan
| Alexandra Silets
Erin Aleman doesn’t have a crystal ball, but she has a pretty good idea of what Chicago and the surrounding area will look like 30 years from now.
Festival inspired by Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Returns to Chicago
| Tonia Hill
Comic book lovers, pop culture fanatics and art and tech enthusiasts are flocking to McCormick Place this weekend for the Afro-futuristic celebration Wakandacon. We get a preview of this year’s fest.
Study Finds High Levels of Fecal Bacterial at Chicago-Area Beaches
| Alex Ruppenthal
A new report raises some red flags about the potential health risks associated with swimming at local beaches.
The ‘Adaptable House’ Aimed at Easing Chicago’s Affordable Housing Crunch
| Nick Blumberg
A recently completed design competition is now working with a developer to take its winning entry from concept to construction in two vacant, city-owned lots.
Advocacy Group Develops Plan for Child Health Equity in Illinois
| Kristen Thometz
A statewide coalition says it will focus its efforts on health care policies that increase children’s access to care and mental health services and address underlying social factors that impact health.
Judge to Unseal Plea Deal in Case of Former NU, Oxford Employees Charged With Murder
| Matt Masterson
A judge has agreed to make public the details of a plea agreement reached this week between Cook County prosecutors and a former Oxford University staffer who says he’ll testify against an ex-Northwestern University professor at his upcoming murder trial.
NCAA Punishes DePaul for Basketball Recruiting Violation
| Associated Press
The NCAA suspended DePaul men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao for the first three games of the regular season Tuesday, saying he should have done more to prevent recruiting violations by his staff.
Hundreds of Black Deaths in 1919 Are Being Remembered
| Associated Press
America in the summer of 1919 ran red with blood from racial violence, and yet today, 100 years later, not many people know it even happened. It was branded “Red Summer” because of the bloodshed and amounted to some of the worst white-on-black violence in U.S. history.
Retired Justice John Paul Stevens to be Laid to Rest Tuesday
| Associated Press
The 99-year-old former Supreme Court justice died last week in Florida. He served on the high court for nearly 35 years, retiring in 2010.
White Sox Host 1st MLB Game with Foul Pole-to-Pole Netting
| Associated Press
The new netting in Chicago will be 30 feet high above the dugouts and reach a maximum height of 45 feet down the lines.
Illinois GOP Denounces Controversial Facebook Post Amid War of Words
| Alexandra Silets
From President Donald Trump’s tweets to a Facebook post on the page of the Illinois Republican County Chairmen’s Association, we discuss the widening political divide and what constitutes racism.
Mayor, Aldermen Negotiate Fair Workweek Ordinance
| Paris Schutz
Should larger Chicago companies be required to let employees know of their work schedules two weeks ahead of time?
Chicago Life Expectancy Gap Driven by Race, Segregation, Says Researcher
| Paul Caine
Chicago has the largest life expectancy gap of any big city in America. We speak with a researcher who says that while “there’s no easy answer” to the disparity, the city’s high degree of racial segregation clearly plays a role.
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