Stories by Angel Idowu
How Balinese Dancing is Bringing Communities Together
| Angel Idowu
A lifelong dancer is working to keep his family’s Indonesian culture alive through Balinese dancing.
Chicago Police Department Launches Early Intervention Program
| Marissa Nelson
Developed by the University of Chicago Crime and Education Lab, the system is designed to provide officers with the support they need before they harm themselves or others. A pilot program began Tuesday and will expand citywide over the next year.
House Speaker Madigan Focus of Special Investigative Committee
| Amanda Vinicky
At the behest of a trio of Republican state legislators, a special Illinois House committee will investigate whether Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has engaged in conduct that would warrant discipline.
Spotlight Politics: Trump, Biden Visit Kenosha
| Alexandra Silets
Our politics team of Amanda Vinicky, Heather Cherone and Carol Marin weighs in on the presidential candidates’ visits to Kenosha, demands for an investigation of House Speaker Michael Madigan and more.
Curfew Ends in Kenosha Ahead of Visit from Joe Biden
| Associated Press
A curfew that was in place in Kenosha for the more than a week after the police shooting of Jacob Blake was lifted Wednesday.
NIH Panel: Plasma Shouldn’t be Considered Standard of Care for COVID-19
| Associated Press
A group of medical experts advising the National Institutes of Health says there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against the use of plasma therapy for patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
COVID-19 Shines Spotlight on Digital Divide
| Evan Garcia
The coronavirus pandemic has made internet access essential and many of Chicago's Black and Brown communities hit hardest by COVID-19 also lack internet access and devices.
Sending National Guard Troops to Chicago Could Make Residents ‘Feel Less Safe’: Former General
| Heather Cherone
“The unintended effect may be that people will feel less safe,” Alicia Tate-Nadeau, former brigadier general of the guard, said of deploying troops to Chicago. “It could stigmatize areas of the city for years to come.”
Depression, Anxiety Spike Amid Outbreak and Turbulent Times
| Associated Press
Mental health therapists’ caseloads are bulging. Waiting lists for appointments are growing. And anxiety and depression are rising among Americans amid the coronavirus crisis, research suggests.
‘Exit West’: A Novel on Migration, Announced as 2020 One Book, One Chicago
| Patty Wetli
The latest selection for the citywide reading program is “Exit West” by Moshin Hamid. Events and discussions will be centered around the theme of “Beyond Borders.”
Pritzker ‘Very Concerned’ About COVID-19 Spread During Upcoming Labor Day Weekend
2,128 New COVID-19 Cases in Illinois, 27 Additional Deaths
| Matt Masterson
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois health officials are stressing the need to wear masks properly, covering the mouth and nose, and social distance during gatherings this weekend as positivity rates continue to rise throughout the state.
September 2, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Watch the Sept. 2, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”
Burke Unlikely To Face Trial in Mid-2021, Judge Tells Lawyers
| Heather Cherone
“I'd like to give you all a trial date, but I'd like to give you one we think will stick,” Judge Robert Dow said Wednesday, noting delays caused by the pandemic as well as a massive amount of evidence to sort through in this case.
United Plans to Furlough 16,000 Workers, Fewer Than Expected
| Associated Press
United Airlines said Wednesday it plans to furlough 16,370 employees in October, down from an earlier target of 36,000 after thousands of workers took early retirement, buyouts, or long-term leaves of absence.
Owner of Burned Business Accuses Trump of Misleading Public
| Associated Press
The owner of a Kenosha camera shop that was destroyed during unrest and featured during the president's visit says Trump used his store for political gain by appearing with a former owner while touring the epicenter of the latest eruption over racial injustice.
Restorations and Revelations at a Far South Side Tavern Headed For City Landmark Status
| Nick Blumberg
Inside a 1907 tavern once owned by Schlitz that's being restored by new owners and heading for city landmark status.
Illinois Congressmen on Trump’s Kenosha Visit and the Coronavirus Pandemic
| Nick Blumberg
U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Brad Schneider and Rodney Davis talk about the president’s visit to Kenosha and the next round of coronavirus relief from Congress.
Black State Officials Unveil Their List of Legislative Demands
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois’ Black legislators plan to capitalize on the intense focus on inequalities instigated by the killing of George Floyd to push forward this fall a robust policy agenda to root out systemic racism.
What You Need to Know About the Payroll Tax Holiday
| Marissa Nelson
Tuesday marks the beginning of a payroll tax holiday — but don’t get too attached to the extra cash. It’s due back in April. Here’s what you need to know.
Argonne, Fermilab at Forefront of ‘Transformational’ Quantum Research
| Paul Caine
Quantum technology is expected to transform our world, and Chicago appears to be at the center of this quantum acceleration, thanks to funding from the Department of Energy to establish two quantum research centers locally.
City Officials Defend Effort to Help Businesses Recover From Pandemic, Looting
| Heather Cherone
City officials Tuesday defended their efforts to help Chicago’s small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic and recover from unrest touched off by police brutality protests, even though only 20% of a $100 million loan fund has been spent.
Black People More Likely Get Colon Cancer in Cook County
| Blair Paddock
In Cook County, Black people are 26% more likely to get colon and rectum cancer than white people, according to the CDC. “Screening rates a bit lower, but they’re not that much lower,” said Dr. Ed McDonald, a gastroenterologist. “There’s something else going on.”
Large Antibody Study Offers Hope for Virus Vaccine Efforts
| Associated Press
Antibodies that people make to fight the new coronavirus last for at least four months after diagnosis and do not fade quickly, as some earlier reports suggested, scientists have found.
Trump Visits Kenosha, Calls Violence ‘Domestic Terrorism’
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump charged into the latest eruption in the nation’s reckoning over racial injustice on Tuesday, blaming “domestic terror” that he said fueled the violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and declaring it was enabled by Democratic leaders.
Former Mayor, Cook County Commissioner Pleads Guilty To Corruption Charges
| Heather Cherone
Former Cook County Commissioner Jeffrey Tobolski, who also served as mayor of the tiny west suburban city of McCook, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal corruption charges, acknowledging that he engaged in multiple extortion and bribery schemes while in office.
‘A Tragedy on so Many Levels’: Friend Charged in Murder of Youth Activist Caleb Reed
| Matt Masterson
Genove Martin was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and has been ordered held on $300,000 bond. Prosecutors allege he accidentally shot Reed on July 31 after he opened fire on a passing vehicle.
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