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City, Activists Clash Over Woodlawn Housing Plans
| Aida Mogos
Tensions and frustrations are running high in the Woodlawn neighborhood as residents feel the effects of the incoming Obama Presidential Center.
Racism in Health Care Can Impact Treatment Decisions, Study Finds
| Aida Mogos
A new study from Verywell Health has found that Black patients often have a different medical experience than White patients due to discrimination and inequities in health care settings.
West Loop Mural Honors Late Fashion Designer Virgil Abloh
| Angel Idowu
Chicago’s first mural honoring the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh is now standing in the West Loop’s Time Out Market.
Black History Month Spotlight: Dr. Roscoe Conkling Giles, Surgeon
| Aida Mogos
This week’s Chicago Black History Maker spotlight is Dr. Roscoe Conkling Giles, who at age 27 became the first African American to lead the city health department.
The CSO Dazzles in Bravura Performances of Two Century-Spanning Works
| Hedy Weiss
The pairing began with Beethoven’s demonically difficult 1806 “Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major,” with Mitsuko Uchida as the incomparable soloist. And it was followed by Philip Glass’ “Symphony No. 11,” which had its world premiere in 2017, and now received a volcanic rendering by a monumental gathering of Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians.
Kids First Chicago CEO on What’s Behind the Drop in Enrollment at CPS
| Erica Gunderson
In the last 20 years, the Chicago public school system has lost more than 100,000 students, with 40,000 leaving the system in the last five years. An education advocacy group digging into the root causes of the enrollment drop found some factors unique to Chicago, and some trends that are nationwide.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, February 19, 2022 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Money tips as we ride a wave of high inflation. The reasons why CPS enrollment is declining. A Pilsen hardware store opens its doors for the next generation. And we dance our way to a salsa festival.
Latino Families Feeling the Pinch of Inflation
| Erica Gunderson
As record-high inflation impacts every American’s wallet, Latino spending patterns mean they could be feeling the pinch even more.
21st Annual Chicago International Salsa Congress Kicks Off
| Joanna Hernandez
After having to go virtual last year The Chicago International Salsa Congress is back this weekend. A four-day event celebrating Afro Latin music and dance.
Pilsen Fixture Alvarez Hardware Plans to Keep Old-Fashioned Business in the Family
| Erica Gunderson
Competition from big-box stores and a lack of successors has forced many small family-run businesses in Chicago to close their doors. But the owner of a longtime fixture on 18th Street is nailing down plans to ensure his store has a different fate.
The Week in Review: Pritzker Taking School Mask Case to State Supreme Court
| Alexandra Silets
Appeals court rules against Pritzker’s school mask mandate. A mask melee in the general assembly. Lightfoot’s gang ordinance moves forward. And another Chicago alderman found guilty in federal court.
Kim Potter Sentenced to 2 Years in Daunte Wright’s Death
| Associated Press
Daunte Wright’s mother, Katie Wright, said after the sentencing that Potter “murdered my son,” adding: “Today the justice system murdered him all over again.” She also accused the judge of being taken in by “white woman’s tears” after Potter cried during her pre-sentencing statement.
Biden Says He’s Now Convinced Putin Has Decided to Invade Ukraine
| CNN
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Matt Masterson
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
| Associated Press
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| WTTW News
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
| Marissa Nelson
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
| Marc Vitali
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
| Associated Press
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
| Heather Cherone
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
| Angel Idowu
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
| Blair Paddock
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
| Associated Press
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
| Hedy Weiss
A new play about the life of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Pride Arts Center imagines her final reflections on a remarkable life.
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