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A Rail Strike Looms and Impact on US Economy Could be Broad
| Associated Press
One of the biggest rail unions rejected its deal Monday, joining three others that have failed to approve contracts over concerns about demanding schedules and the lack of paid sick time. That raises the risk of a strike, which could start as soon as Dec. 5.
What Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift Concert Fiasco Tells Us About Chicago’s Local Music Scene
| Eunice Alpasan
Ticketmaster is a dominant force in the ticketing business, merging with Live Nation back in 2010 to create Live Nation Entertainment. Antitrust concerns and calls for the company to break up have resurfaced in light of increased attention in the past week.
Nov. 21, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Day one for mayoral candidates to turn in their paperwork — who’s in and who’s out? The Thanksgiving travel forecast. Major problems in big tech. And two massive productions on stage simultaneously at Lyric Opera.
After Pandemic Slowdown, Lyric Opera of Chicago Music Director Looks to Ramp Back Up
| Jennifer Cotto
Maestro Enrique Mazzola took over as music director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2019 with grand plans for the 70-year-old institution. Then the pandemic hit.
Crain’s Headlines: Private Equity Firm Buys Chicago Casino Site
| WTTW News
A local private equity firm buys the site where Bally’s plans a big Chicago casino complex. A national strike looms as one of the country’s largest railroad unions votes down a tentative contract. And expect a surge in airline travel this Thanksgiving week.
Chicago Painter Michiko Itatani Looks to the Cosmos for Inspiration
| Marc Vitali
The unpopulated environments created by Michiko Itatani suggest settings for sci-fi stories, filled with rockets, planets, books and music. In short, art and science. The work is about inner space – and outer space.
6 Candidates for Chicago Mayor File Thousands of Signatures to Get on Feb. 28 Ballot
| Heather Cherone
Willie Wilson, Ja’Mal Green, state Rep. Kam Buckner, Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson and Ald. Sophia King (4th Ward) all filed to run for mayor of Chicago.
Big Tech Companies Face Trying Times Amid Wave of Layoffs
| Paul Caine
A wave of layoffs at tech giants like Facebook parent Meta, Amazon and Twitter — along with falling share prices — seems to signal a changed environment for big tech.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Concert Captured Aspects of Ukraine War (and Far More) in Remarkable Ways
| Hedy Weiss
Of course the performance of the concert’s three works, led with great elan and specificity by guest conductor Manfred Honeck, music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony, was superb. It was carried off with the kind of brilliance that only the musicians of the CSO can do.
US Supply Chain Under Threat as Unions, Railroads, Clash
| Associated Press
A split vote Monday from the two biggest railroad unions follows the rejection by three other unions of their deals with the railroads that the Biden administration helped broker before the original strike deadline in September.
Race for Chicago Mayor: Who’s In and Who’s Out for 2023 Election
| Heather Cherone
A wide-ranging and still-growing field of challengers are seeking to deny incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot a second term in February 2023.
UN Climate Boss Settles for No Cuts on Emissions After Talks
| Associated Press
It could have been worse, UN Executive Secretary for Climate Simon Stiell said in a seaside interview with The Associated Press. The talks did achieve the historic creation of a fund for poor nations that are victims of climate disasters, he said.
‘Amazing’: Mom Hears Late Daughter’s Transplanted Heart
| Associated Press
Amber Morgan and Tom Johnson met for the first time Saturday, four years after he received a heart transplanted from the body of Andreona Williams, who was 20 when she died from asthma complications
15-Year-Old Girl Among 3 People Fatally Shot Over Weekend in Chicago: Police
| Matt Masterson
According to Chicago police, 20 people were shot in 15 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Push to Hike Taxes on Sales of Million-Dollar Homes to Fight Homelessness Faces Mounting Obstacles
| Heather Cherone
The last time Chicago voters passed a binding referendum that applied to the entire city was 1885, according to city records. As supporters’ paths to the ballot have been nearly closed off, they have begun shifting the fight to the 2023 campaign for mayor and City Council.
Cook County Guaranteed Income Pilot Prepares Participants for First Payments
| Erica Gunderson
At an enrollment event this week, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle welcomed some of the more than 3,000 participants in the Cook County Promise guaranteed income pilot. The participants, who were selected by lottery, are set to receive their first monthly payment of $500 on Dec. 15.
Migrants in Chicago Say They Are in Search of Work, Better Opportunities
| Joanna Hernandez
Migrants arriving to Chicago from the Texas border say they are looking to build a better lives for themselves and want to provide support to their families back home.
Book Explores Latinos’ Long Road to Political Power in Chicago
| Erica Gunderson
In his book “Latinos in Chicago: Quest for a Political Voice” author Wilfredo Cruz plumbs the history of Chicago’s Latino communities as they carved out a place for themselves in the city’s rough and tumble political climate.
Celebrating the Culture, Conversation and Comedy of Black Twitter As Social Media Company Faces Uncertainty
| Erica Gunderson
From the moment Elon Musk took the reins at social media platform Twitter, chaos has seemed to envelop the site. But even on Nov. 17, when the farewell tweets were flying and users feared the site would implode, Black Twitter was still Black Twittering.
Chicago Musician and Artist Joining Together to Inspire Next Generation
| Angel Idowu
Musician Nico Segal and contemporary artist Nikko Washington are engaging young artists in a creative partnership with nonprofit Play Together. The collaboration is encouraging students to create either artwork or music based on prompts.
Democrats Push For Action on DACA During Lame-Duck Session
| Andrea Flores
One of the priorities is a bill to protect more than 600,000 so-called Dreamers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin aims to work with Republican senators.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 19, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Black Twitter isn’t going down without a fight — what that space has meant to the Black community. A look at who profits off the Cook County tax sale. And Woodlawn neighbors caught in traffic as the Obama Center goes up.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Nov. 19, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The future of America’s immigration policy. The power of Latinos in Chicago politics. And Cook County’s guaranteed income pilot enters its next phase.
From the Owner’s Suite to the Sideline, Number of Women Working in the NFL Steadily Rising
| Associated Press
Ashton Washington was surrounded by football as a kid in Texas, but she says she preferred playing with Barbie dolls. By high school, Washington wanted a career in football. Last year, the Chicago Bears hired her as the first full-time female scout in team history.
Indicted Ald. Carrie Austin Tells Judge She is Too Ill to Stand Trial, Says She’ll Leave City Council March 1
| Heather Cherone
Austin, 73, pleaded not guilty to charges that she accepted bribes from a developer and lied to FBI agents. Indicted in July 2021, Austin has never appeared in person before Judge John Kness because of her ill health and restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Week In Review: Pat Quinn Opts Out; Mayoral Race Heats Up
| Alexandra Silets
Special counsel appointed to investigate Trump. A high profile, would-be candidate opts out of the mayoral race. Lightfoot institutes a full court press for the Red Line extension. And property tax mailings hit homeowners where it hurts.
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