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Biden Says He’s Now Convinced Putin Has Decided to Invade Ukraine

Russian misinformation is building up to a false justification for Putin to move against Ukraine, Biden said, accusing Russia of ceasefire violations in the “rapidly escalating crisis.”

City Officials Reject Permit for Southeast Side Metal Scrapper

Officials with the Chicago Department of Public Health rejected the permit because of the “potential adverse changes in air quality and quality of life that would be caused by operations, and health vulnerabilities in the surrounding communities.” 

Teen Charged in Fatal Shooting of Driver at Stop Light in Old Irving Park

Hader Garcia, 18, was arrested and charged this week with one count of first-degree murder stemming from the fatal Dec. 18 shooting of 36-year-old ​​Richard Robinette. Garcia was denied bail during a hearing Friday afternoon.

VP Harris Heralds NATO Unity as Ukraine Crisis Grows

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday heralded NATO unity during the escalating Ukraine crisis and warned Russia that the U.S. and Western allies stood ready to respond with tough sanctions if President Vladimir Putin moves forward with an invasion of Ukraine.

Appellate Court Rebuffs Gov. Pritzker’s Attempt to Reimpose School Mask Mandate

The ruling declared the governor’s appeal moot because a General Assembly committee declined on Tuesday to reissue rules from the Illinois Department of Health requiring masks to be worn in school buildings. 

February 17, 2022 - Full Show

Residents respond to a new report about the General Iron operation on the South Side. City Hall weighs the mayor's plan to go after gang money. Accelerating inflation. And theater critic Hedy Weiss.

‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village

As a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine looms, residents in the neighborhood are feeling the impact acutely. Many have family still living in Ukraine and feel limited in what they are able to do to help them.

Hedy Weiss on 5 Must-See Shows Currently Running at Chicago-Area Theaters

Theater critic Hedy Weiss joins “Chicago Tonight” to share her thoughts on five shows currently playing on Chicago-area stages. 

P.J. O’Rourke, Irreverent Author and Commentator, Dead at 74

Patrick Jake O’Rourke was a Toledo, Ohio native who evolved from long-haired student activist to wavy-haired scourge of his old liberal ideals, with some of his more widely read takedowns appearing in a founding counterculture publication, Rolling Stone.

Lightfoot’s Revised Plan to Go After Gangs’ Profits Advances; City Officials Can’t Provide Evidence It Will Stop Crime

A proposal from Mayor Lori Lightfoot to fight crime by going after the profits earned by Chicago’s gangs advanced Thursday over the objections of progressive alderpeople and civil rights groups. The 10-4 vote by the Chicago City Council’s Public Safety Committee tees up a showdown over the controversial measure at Wednesday’s full City Council. 

New Theater Production Honors 18th Century Black Composer

Musician, friend to Mozart, music teacher to Marie Antoinette, and skilled fencer. These are just a few of the accolades that describe the man known to be the first Black composer of the 18th century.

Advocates’ Next Plans in Fight Against Southside Recycling Facility Permit

Early this week, a city assessment said the proposed Southside Recycling plant would not have an adverse effect on resident’s health. But advocates, who’ve been protesting the plant, disagree.

January Retail Sales Surge 3.8% as Consumers Defy Inflation

Retail sales jumped 3.8% from December to January, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, a much bigger increase than economists had expected. Though inflation helped boost that figure, most of January’s gain reflected more purchases, not higher prices.

In ‘When There are Nine,’ a New Play About Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the End Triggers Memories of All That Came Before

A new play about the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Pride Arts Center imagines her final reflections on a remarkable life. 

Man Upset Over Traffic Tickets Stalked Lori Lightfoot, Fired Handgun Near Her Home, Prosecutors Say

Joseph Igartua, 37, has been charged with one count of reckless discharge of a weapon and three counts of stalking. All of those charges are felonies and Igartua was ordered held without bail during a hearing Thursday.

5 People Dragged from Their Car Near Brickyard Mall During Unrest Should Receive $1.67M, Committee Decides

The Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee voted 13-7 to send the recommendation from city attorneys to the full City Council for a final vote on Wednesday. 

Park District’s Gleaming New Track and Field Center Now Named for Conrad Worrill, the Man Who Dreamed It Into Existence

The Chicago Park District’s state-of-the art track and field center at Gately Park in Pullman, which opened in 2021, owes its existence to decades of pushing and prodding by the late Conrad Worrill. Now it’s named for him.

Chicago Police Officer Charged With Punching Handcuffed Man After Christmas Eve Shootout

Christopher Hillas, 43, was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct following an incident in which he was allegedly captured on body camera video punching a man multiple times during a pat down on Christmas Eve.

City Council Committee Agrees to Pay $1.4M to Family of Toddler Killed During Police Chase

The Chicago City Council is set to pay $1.4 million to the family of a toddler who was struck and killed by a car driven by a man being chased by police.

High School Senior Charged in Fatal West Town Shooting of 15-Year-Old Boy

Tremell Neloms, 18, was denied bail during a hearing Thursday after he was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal Jan. 18 shooting of Rauner College Prep freshman Caleb Westbrooks.

Biden: Infrastructure Plan Gives $1 Billion for Great Lakes Cleanup

The infusion from the bipartisan measure enacted in November, combined with annual funding through an ongoing recovery program, will enable agencies by 2030 to finish work on 22 sites designated a quarter-century ago as among the region's most degraded. 

Jesse White Endorses Anna Valencia in Secretary of State Race, Boosting Her Bid

White’s endorsement puts his powerful political machine behind Valencia in the contest against former State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Ald. David Moore (17th Ward).

Snow Swings South, Worst of Storm To Miss Chicago

An expected snow-making weather system took a swing south, downgrading anticipated accumulation in the Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service. The evening commute could still be messy.

February 16, 2022 - Full Show

A doping scandal takes over the Olympics. The latest confusion about the Illinois school mask guidelines. Will a scrap metal company be approved for the Southeast Side? And brace for winter weather. 

Spotlight Politics: Dems Turn on Pritzker’s Mask Mandate

Republicans and Democrats turn against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate, and the conviction of Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson  Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

Thursday’s Wintry Mix: Expect a Messy Morning and Even Nastier Evening Commute

Meteorologists have a clearer picture of the timing of Thursday’s winter storm, and it looks likely to snarl both the morning and evening commutes, especially in Chicago.
 

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