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Chicago’s Claim to ‘Rattiest City’ Crown in Dispute. Are We Really Just Tops at Complaining?
| Patty Wetli
For the eighth year in a row, Chicago reigns supreme over Orkin’s Rattiest Cities list, but not everyone is convinced the city deserves the dubious distinction.
Lightfoot Defends Decision Not to Fire Chicago Police Officer Who Lied About Ties to Proud Boys
| Heather Cherone
The FBI labeled the Proud Boys as an antisemitic white supremacy organization and several current and former members of the Proud Boys have been charged with seditious conspiracy for their role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.
Cook County Voters to Weigh Forest Preserves Tax Increase in Upcoming Election
| Paris Schutz
It's rare when newspaper editorial boards and fiscal watchdog groups recommend that residents vote to increase their property taxes. But that's exactly the case as Cook County voters face a binding question on their election ballot: Do you want to pay a little more to help fund the Cook County Forest Preserves?
Renee Fleming and Rod Gilfry Bring to Life Georgia O'Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz (and Broadway) in Lyric Opera Concert
| Hedy Weiss
A love affair between two artists who share a gift for letter-writing. And then a wonderfully devised celebration of Broadway classics. Talk about a study in contrasts. You could not have found a more ideal example of just such a pairing of personalities and styles than the unusual concert performed last week on the Lyric Opera stage by the golden-voiced soprano Renee Fleming and baritone Rod Gilfry, both of whom can shift easily between opera and musical theater.
Acquitted at Trial, R. Kelly’s Ex-Business Manager Seeking $850K to Cover Attorneys Fees
| Matt Masterson
Derrel McDavid on Monday filed an 18-page motion through his attorneys seeking a court order that would grant him the fees following what his attorneys called a “vexatious, frivolous, and bad faith” prosecution.
Gig Workers Push for Employment Protections, Classification Change
| Andrea Flores
Gig workers like ride-hailing drivers and delivery people are a key part of the modern U.S. economy. Most of those workers are contracted, and therefore not considered full employees with all the benefits included.
Clerk Killed During Attempted Robbery at Far North Side Store: Police
| Matt Masterson
A 66-year-old man — identified through Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office records at Salim Khamo — was killed after he was shot once in the chest inside a store in the 6300 block of North Western Avenue.
How Much Road Salt Ends Up in Illinois Waterways? Volunteer Monitors Needed for RiverWatch Study
| Patty Wetli
Meltwater carries dissolved road salt into streams and rivers, which can cause salinity to spike to deadly concentrations for freshwater fish and other wildlife.
Lightfoot’s Promises to Use Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds to Transform Chicago Falling Short: Data
| Heather Cherone
One year after the Chicago City Council approved what Lightfoot calls the Chicago Recovery Plan, city officials have spent just $130.5 million of the $1.227 billion earmarked for a host of programs including affordable housing, mental health, violence prevention, youth job programs and help for unhoused Chicagoans, according to data released as part of the mayor’s 2023 budget proposal.
Oct. 17, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
One-on-one with Sen. Dick Durbin ahead of crucial midterms. Where to vote early in Chicago. Could gig workers become full-time employees? Two downtown high rises hit the market. And a new local art exhibit.
Sen. Dick Durbin on Ukraine, Immigration and the Upcoming Midterm Elections
| Andrea Guthmann
As co-chair of the Senate’s Ukraine Caucus, Sen. Dick Durbin said any push to sit down at the negotiation table and offer Russia territory that it illegally took must come from the Ukrainians, not Western pressure.
Check Your Polling Place Before Heading Out to Vote, Chicago Board of Elections Says
| Jennifer Cotto
The Chicago Board of Elections is urging voters to look at their new precinct map before voting in the upcoming election.
Local Color on View in Show About Modernism and Monochromatic Art
| Marc Vitali
The Smart Museum on the University of Chicago campus is currently saturated with monochromatic modern art. The curators call the show “Monochrome Multitudes.”
Crain’s Headlines: 2 Chicago High-Rises Hit the Market
| WTTW News
Two Chicago high-rises hit the market, leaving more than 700 downtown apartments up for sale. And a loan tied to a distressed hotel in River North sells at a steep discount.
Mountain Lion Killed in Crash on I-88 in DeKalb County. Wildlife Officials Monitoring a Second Cougar in Western Illinois
| Patty Wetli
A mountain lion that ventured into Illinois has met with a tragic end, confirmed to have been struck and killed by a vehicle on I-88 in DeKalb County on Sunday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has announced.
In 'Swing State,' Small Town Chaos Serves as Microcosm of Widespread Social Problems
| Hedy Weiss
"Swing State" is the 10th play by Rebecca Gilman to be staged at the Goodman Theatre in the past 25 years, and one of the last plays to be directed there by her long-time champion, Robert Falls, who is now working his way through his final season as the Goodman's artistic director.
Chicago Teen Charged With Attempted Murder After Alleged Shootout at Green Line Station
| Matt Masterson
Ohday McCamury, 19, was held without bail during a hearing Monday afternoon following his arrest on the attempted murder charge, as well as two additional counts of robbery and a misdemeanor count of obstructing identification.
Hardly Anyone Saw Them, But First Snowflakes of the Season Hit the Ground in Chicago Monday
| Patty Wetli
It wasn't exactly a winter wonderland, but the first snowflakes of the season were recorded Monday morning at O'Hare, according to the National Weather Service.
2 Teens Among 8 People Killed in Chicago Shootings Over the Weekend: Police
| Matt Masterson
Chicago police said 31 people were shot in 26 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Two more people were killed in separate shootings early Monday morning.
Owners of La Michoacána Shop Sharing Mexico’s Ice Cream Culture With Chicagoans
| Joanna Hernandez
The history of La Michoacána goes back decades to a small town named Tocumbo in Michoacán. The brand name has given people like the Garcias opportunities to open their own independent businesses.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 15, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
How to apply for Cook County’s guaranteed income pilot. Disparities in breast cancer outcomes. And “The Last Word” on elevating community voices to address social inequities.
Post-Incarceration, Women Often Face Difficulties Rebuilding Their Lives
| Erica Gunderson
Since she returned home after incarceration 22 years ago, Celia Colon has turned much of her energy to helping other women rebuild their post-prison lives through her nonprofit Giving Others Dreams. But she says having a record has hindered her forward progress.
Black Women Are 41% More Likely to Die from Breast Cancer Than White Women
| Andrea Flores
Breast cancer is one of the most treatable types of cancer — when detected early. Despite that, it’s the leading cause of cancer deaths among Black women.
‘The Last Word’ on Creating Equitable Communities
| Erica Gunderson
Community activist Jitu Brown says that we are still seeing the reverberations of the decision to close 50 Chicago schools in 2013.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 15, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Challenges facing women post-incarceration. Talking with kids about sexual abuse. Highlighting Latino art. And a sweet treat as Hispanic Heritage month comes to a close.
New Exhibition Series to Showcase Work of Incarcerated Young People
| Angel Idowu
Three Chicago art galleries and programs are partnering for a three-part exhibition series as they work to explore the impact incarceration has on young people.
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