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A Focus of Political Campaigns, Illinois’ SAFE-T Act Likely to See Tweaks This Year

The law, known as the SAFE-T Act, will eliminate cash bail come January. But it’s likely the law will see an overhaul of its own — or at least, tweaks — before then.

After Supreme Court Ruling, Telemedicine Abortion Exists in Legally Confusing Territory in Some States

After the Dobbs Supreme Court decision, the legality of telemedicine abortion in some states isn’t clear for providers and patients.

Hubbard Street Dancers Flawless In Program That Needed Greater Variety

“Refraction” is the all-encompassing title of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s fall program at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and it marks the start of the celebrated company’s 45th anniversary “Sapphire” season.

Permanent Punishment, Part 2: Women, Caregivers Face Specific Challenges in Legal System

The reasons women commit crimes are different, and often overlooked, researchers say. And since 58% of incarcerated women are mothers to children under 18, the permanent punishments they face affect not only them, but their entire families. 

Murder Charges Filed Against Woman Accused of Pushing 3-Year-Old Nephew Into Water at Navy Pier

A spokesperson for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office on Tuesday said it has modified the attempted murder charge filed against 34-year-old Victoria Moreno into a charge of first-degree murder after her 3-year-old nephew Josiah Brown died of his injuries.

US Job Openings Sink as Economy Slows, Cost to Borrow Rises

The number of available jobs in the U.S. plummeted in August compared with July as businesses grow less desperate for workers, a trend that could cool chronically high inflation.

Federal Judge Handling Chicago Police Consent Decree, Ed Burke Cases Leaving Court

Judge Robert Dow will be stepping down from his role before the end of the year to take on a new position with the Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter and Country Music Queen, Dies at 90

Loretta Lynn, the Kentucky coal miner’s daughter whose frank songs about life and love as a woman in Appalachia pulled her out of poverty and made her a pillar of country music, has died. She was 90.

Planned Parenthood Plans Mobile Abortion Clinic in Illinois

The announcement came 100 days after the Supreme Court ruling that stripped away constitutional protections for abortions, allowing states to ban the procedure. Illinois didn't institute an abortion ban, but neighboring Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee did, along with several other states in the South and Midwest.

Permanent Punishment, Part 1: Nearly 1,300 State Laws Prevent People with Criminal Records from Moving On After Serving Their Sentences

In Illinois, an estimated 3.3 million people have criminal records, which can include everything from an arrest to years spent in prison. But even once their criminal case has run its course, the punishment continues. Those who know the system best are working to make change for those looking to rebuild their lives.

Oct. 3, 2022 - Full Show

The first installment of our new series, Permanent Punishment, about life with a criminal record. The mayor’s election year budget address. Boiling down recycling in Chicago. And the Supreme Court’s next term.

While Chicago Recycling Rate Remains Stubbornly Low, Advocates and Officials Eye Improvements

Chicago has long had a tortured relationship with recycling. City leaders have scrapped old programs and replaced them with new ones, but the result is the same  recycling rates in the single digits. 

Permanent Punishment Discussion: Barriers to Reentry

A record can include everything from an arrest— not necessarily even a conviction — to years spent in prison. But even once that criminal case has run its course in the legal system, oftentimes the punishment continues.

WTTW News Explains: Chicago’s Recycling Woes

Chicago bills itself as a world-class city, but when it comes to recycling, its performance has been less than first-rate. 

Tony La Russa Steps Down as White Sox Manager Over Heart Issue

Tony La Russa, a three-time World Series champion who turns 78 on Tuesday, missed the final 34 games with the underachieving White Sox. He left the team on Aug. 30 and doctors ultimately told him to stay out of the dugout.

John Brennan, Longtime WTTW-WFMT Trustee, Dies at 60

John Brennan, a real estate investor and civic leader who was an active WTTW and WFMT trustee for the last 18 years, died suddenly on Monday. He was 60 years old.

3-Year-Old Among 5 People Killed in Chicago Shootings Over the Weekend: Police

According to Chicago Police Department data, 34 people were shot in 28 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.

Flush With Cash, Lightfoot Proposes Election Year Budget with No New Taxes, Fees

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to close a projected $170.6 million budget gap in 2023 relies on booming tax revenues that she said proves Chicago’s budget has fully recovered from the economic catastrophe caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Permanent Punishment: Guide to Resources and Organizations

A list of resources for formally incarcarated people and the organizations working to support them. 

Housing Advocates Stage Tent Encampment in City Hall During Mayor’s Budget Address

Chanting “Housing is a human right! Lightfoot will not stop our fight!” and “Lo-ri! We’re calling on you!” anti-homelessness activists staged a tent city at City Hall to demand a dedicated funding stream for subsidized housing, just as Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered her yearly budget address.

As New Term Starts, Supreme Court Welcomes the Public and a New Justice

Monday’s session also is the first time new Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court’s first Black female justice, will participate in arguments. And the public is back for the first time since the court closed in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Got a Fir You Could Part With? Chicago Needs a Christmas Tree

Nominations for the city's official Christmas tree are being accepted through Friday.

Florida Deaths Rise to At Least 68 Amid Struggle to Recover from Hurricane Ian

Florida, with nearly four dozen reported dead, was hit hardest by the Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest to make landfall in the United States. Flooded roadways and washed-out bridges to barrier islands left many people isolated amid limited cellphone service and a lack of basic amenities such as water, electricity and the internet.

Chicago’s Theater Community Pivoted During the Pandemic. Now Leaders Have to Adjust to New Audience Habits

When the COVID-19 lockdown hit in March 2020, Chicago’s artistic productions were abruptly placed on hold. Now more than two years later, theater companies are evaluating a path forward with an audience that has new expectations. 

Biden Pledge to Make Federal Fleet Electric Faces Slow Start

President Joe Biden, a self-described “car guy,” often promises to lead by example on climate change by moving swiftly to convert the sprawling U.S. government fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles. But efforts to eliminate gas-powered vehicles from the fleet have lagged.

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 1, 2022 - Full Show

The push for affordable housing in Chicago. Plus, the impact of pharmacy deserts. The landscapes and people of Puerto Rico in a new exhibit. And libraries going beyond just offering books. 
 

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