Stories by Heather Cherone
Ethics Board Warns Candidates: Don’t Use Uniformed Cops in Your Ads
| Heather Cherone
The unsigned advisory opinion, issued Monday by the Chicago Board of Ethics, was prompted by a spate of campaign ads showing uniformed Chicago police officers and several complaints, officials said.
Chicago Tattoo Artist Charged With Sexually Abusing Customers at His Home Days Before Trial
| Matt Masterson
Miguel Deleon, who was set to go to trial this week on charges that he sexually assaulted two customers at his home, has been arrested and now faces new charges for allegedly sexually abusing or assaulting three more women under similar circumstances.
Proposed ComEd Deal Brokered by Lightfoot Blocked From Advancing at Council Meeting
| Heather Cherone
In a joint statement with ComEd released hours before she officially presented the massive deal to the City Council, Lightfoot touted the agreement as “a big win for Chicago” that will “accelerate an equitable transition to clean, renewable energy.”
FBI Searches Biden's Vacation Home; No Classified Documents Found
| Associated Press
The search, the third of a Biden site in less than two months, follows the 13-hour, Jan. 20 top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home, where agents located documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes.
Want to See the Green Comet? Adler Planetarium Will Have a Livestream Wednesday Night
| Patty Wetli
The Green Comet is making its closest pass to Earth Wednesday night and the skies are looking clear enough for Adler Planetarium to host a virtual viewing party.
Jan. 31, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on why she's dropping charges against R. Kelly. New life for the Equal Rights Amendment. Why Chicago elections are nonpartisan. And a longtime actor turns film director.
Foxx: Why Cook County is No Longer Pursuing Charges Against R. Kelly
| Blair Paddock
R. Kelly has already been convicted in other jurisdictions and sentenced to decades in prison, with more time likely to be added during a sentencing hearing next month.
Democrats Renew Push to Ratify Equal Rights Amendment
| Amanda Vinicky
The concept of the Equal Rights Amendment has been around for a century, but it's getting a renewed push of momentum in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal right to abortion.
Chicago’s Elections are Nonpartisan, But Lori Lightfoot Is Working to Cast Paul Vallas as a Republican
| Heather Cherone
Paul Vallas is a Democrat, but acknowledged that the Democratic Party has moved away from him on some issues, including charter schools.
Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Ovarian and Other Cancer Deaths, Study Finds
| CNN
Researchers examined information on the eating habits of people who were part of the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database. Eating patterns were then compared with medical records that listed both diagnoses and deaths from cancer.
US Wage Growth Slowed In The Final Quarter Of 2022
| Associated Press
Pay and benefits for America’s workers grew at a healthy but more gradual pace in the final three months of 2022, a third straight slowdown, which could help reassure the Federal Reserve that wage gains won’t fuel higher inflation.
‘Andy Warhol in Iran’ a Blistering, Thought-Provoking Play About Art and Revolution
| Hedy Weiss
During the course of just 75 intensely compelling minutes that unfold entirely in a posh hotel room in Tehran in 1976, the play poses profound questions about both art and revolution and the forces that shaped two very different men.
Elgin School District U-46 Leader Tapped as Illinois’ New Education Superintendent
| Matt Masterson
“Dr. Tony Sanders is an extraordinary choice for State Superintendent of Education,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.
Jan. 30, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Another case of mixing political campaigning with CPS. Three of the nation’s worst water polluters are in the Chicago area. The city nears a deal with ComEd to be the sole power provider. And remembering Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull.
Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, the Golden Jet, Dies at 84
| Associated Press
The Chicago Blackhawks and the NHL Alumni Association announced the death of the two-time NHL MVP on Monday. There were no further details provided by either organization.
Chicago-Area Oil Refineries Among Worst Water Polluters in US, Environmental Group Finds
| Paul Caine
Oil refineries are discharging toxic pollutants into our waterways and the Great Lakes with little oversight from regulators, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit group that advocates for enforcement of environmental law
Aldermanic Candidate Apologizes After Supporters Campaign With CPS School Marchers at Parade
| Paris Schutz
Supporters wearing campaign gear of an aldermanic candidate in the 48th Ward marched with an official contingent from Peirce Elementary School in a weekend parade.
Promontory Point Splitting Off From Army Corps’ Broader Lakefront Review
| Patty Wetli
A federal evaluation of Chicago’s shoreline by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will no longer include Promontory Point — because the Point is getting a review all its own.
President Biden to End COVID-19 Emergencies on May 11
| Associated Press
The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies’ normal authorities.
Chicago City Council Gets First Look at 15-Year Deal with ComEd Brokered by Lightfoot
| Heather Cherone
The Chicago City Council could vote on the deal as soon as March 1 – one day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Council members ask voters for new four-year terms in office.
Cook County Not Pursuing Sex Crime Charges Against R. Kelly Following Federal Convictions
| Matt Masterson
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on Monday announced her office will be dropping its case against Kelly — nearly four years after he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and abuse.
Key City Panel Endorses Effort to Crack Down on Those Who Attack Cops, Firefighters
| Heather Cherone
The measure, backed by 18 members of the City Council, won the unanimous endorsement of the City Council’s Public Safety committee and heads to the full City Council on Wednesday for a final vote.
WTTW News Explains: Why Are Chicago Elections Nonpartisan?
| Heather Cherone
When Chicagoans go to the polls to vote for mayor, there’s a crucial piece of information missing from their ballots: the candidates’ political parties. WTTW News Explains tells you the reasons why.
2 Men Killed in Separate Shootings Early Monday: Police
| Matt Masterson
According to Chicago Police Department data, 13 people were wounded by gunfire over the weekend between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Those victims survived their wounds, but two men were killed in shootings just after 6 a.m. Monday.
Little Village Honors Memory of Shooting Victim Melissa Ortega
| Erica Gunderson
It's been one year since 8-year-old Melissa Ortega was shot to death in Little Village. The community is honoring her memory with a mural and peace tree.
What’s the Human Role in ShotSpotter Gunfire Detection System? CEO Explains
| Acacia Hernandez
ShotSpotter alerts law enforcement to potential gunfire with the goal of reducing gun violence in Chicago. Critics say it's ineffective and contributes to overpolicing in Black and Latino communities.
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