Stories by Patty Wetli

JP Morgan Chase Pulls Back on Lending to Oil, Gas and Coal Companies — Too Little, Too Late?

JP Morgan Chase announced this week it will throw its financial weight behind the transition to a “low-carbon economy,” but environmental activists say that doesn’t make up for the damage the firm’s lending practices have already wrought on the planet.

The Week in Review: Coronavirus Panic Crashes Markets

Coronavirus fears tank the stock market. The gloves come off in the race for Cook County state’s attorney. More turmoil at Chicago Public Schools. And the city preps for round two of electric scooters.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Candidates Ranked by 3 Bar Associations

To help navigate the options, three local bar associations have screened and ranked each candidate. Here are their recommendations.

Court Temporarily Halts Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy

Dealing a significant blow to a signature Trump administration immigration policy, a federal appeals court ruled Friday that the government can no longer make asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases wind through the U.S. immigration courts.

Pritzker, Lightfoot Outline Efforts to Handle Spread of Coronavirus

State and local officials are again saying the risk of catching the coronavirus remains low in Illinois, but they’re expanding the state’s capacity and methods to test for the virus.

4 CTA ‘L’ Stations in the Loop Closed This Weekend

Track maintenance will close four “L” stations in the Loop this weekend from 2 a.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday, according to the Chicago Transit Authority. Get the full details.

Venus and the Moon Had a Close Call and It Was Spectacular

The young crescent moon and the blazingly bright planet are in conjunction. Look to the western sky shortly after sunset Friday to see for yourself.

High-Tech Chicago Exhibit Puts Visitors Eye-to-Eye With MLK

Imagine being so close to Martin Luther King Jr. as he gives one of the world’s most famous speeches that you notice the creases in his face and then realize the late civil rights leader is looking you square in the eye.

Chicago Police Adding 50 Officers to CTA Lines to Combat Recent Violence

A new transit safety plan calls for dozens of police officers on CTA lines and a dedicated support center that will focus on solving crimes committed on the city’s trains and buses.

Grandfather, Navy Vet Among 5 Victims of Wisconsin Shooting

The five men who were killed by a co-worker at a Milwaukee brewery include an electrician, a Navy veteran, a father of two small children, a fisherman and a grandfather who is being remembered as someone who “always put his family’s needs before his own.” 

OK, It’s the First Meatless Friday of Lent. Who’s Risking Their Soul for an Impossible Burger?

Chicago made national news this week when an archdiocesan official suggested plant-based “meats” are a cheat during Lent’s meatless Fridays.

Chicago Police Consent Decree Approaches 1-Year Anniversary

At a community meeting Thursday in Humboldt Park, several dozen people spoke about their interactions with police. Sunday marks one year since a consent decree governing the department’s conduct took effect. 

Meet the ‘Mystery Man’ Behind Blago’s Commutation

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich referred to Mark Vargas as the “mystery man” that led the effort to get him out of prison. But who is he? And why did he want to take on that case?

Fired Leaders of Lincoln Park High School Speak Out

Former school administrators John Thuet and Michelle Brumfield were ousted amid “multiple allegations of serious misconduct.” But in an exclusive interview with “Chicago Tonight,” they say CPS has told them nothing about those allegations.

Million-Dollar Comics: Collector of Rare Comic Books in Chicago for C2E2

With a comic convention in town this weekend, we welcome comic book dealer Vincent Zurzolo – and his million-dollar collection.

Ask Geoffrey: The Old Kenwood ‘L’ Line

Chicago’s “L” lines are today operated by the centralized Chicago Transit Authority. But for many years, private companies actually ran and managed individual branches. Geoffrey Baer has the story of one of them.

Black Fire Brigade Offers Free Training for EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters

The Chicago Fire Department has long been overwhelmingly white, but that’s changing, in part due to discrimination lawsuits and, more recently, with the help of group that mentors and trains young first responders.

Cook County Jail Inmates Develop Plans for Business – and Life

If you needed to build a business, how quickly could you pull together a plan? What if you had to do it without access to the internet? These men did just that – in an atypical setting. Here’s how.

Jordan Peele’s ‘Candyman’ Trailer Has Dropped. Can You Spot the Chicago Locations?

A “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 horror flick of the same name, “Candyman” filmed all around Chicago last summer and fall. Anything look familiar?

Crain’s Headlines: McDonald’s Fulton Market HQ for Sale

Chicago real estate developer Sterling Bay is looking to cash out on the fast-food giant’s headquarters. 

February 27, 2020 - Full Show

Watch the Feb. 27, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Learn All About Raising Backyard Chickens, Bees, Goats and More at Urban Livestock Expo

A family friendly expo Saturday offers workshops, a resource fair and more for those curious about raising livestock in the city.

About 40% of US Adults Are Obese, Government Survey Finds

About 4 in 10 American adults are obese, and nearly 1 in 10 is severely so, government researchers said Thursday.

Prosecutors Reject Plea Deal in Case of Slain Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer

Jury selection is underway in the trial of a 46-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Paul Bauer, a 31-year police veteran near the Thompson Center in 2018.

Jimmy John’s Sprouts Linked to E. Coli Infections

Clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants have been linked with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 14 people in five states, including six people in Illinois. The company said it is no longer serving sprouts.

CPS Board OKs Change to Indigenous Peoples Day; Citywide Ordinance Languishes

Members of Chicago’s Native American community were surprised in the best kind of way on Wednesday when the Chicago Board of Education approved the change of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in its school calendar.
 

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