Stories by Quinn Myers
Englewood Group Continues Community Building During Pandemic
| Quinn Myers
We check in with Asiaha Butler, executive director of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) as part of our series, COVID-19 Across Chicago.
General Iron Now Links Pollution Control Equipment to Explosions
| Paul Caine
General Iron Industries believes that two explosions at its scrap metal-shredding facility that shook Lincoln Park on Monday were connected to a new piece of pollution control equipment installed last year.
State Lawmaker Gets the Boot for Breaking COVID-19 Rules
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois lawmakers wrapped up their first day of the legislative session Wednesday — and it was full of drama as they took the rare move of temporarily kicking out one of their own.
David Brown’s ‘Moon Shot’: Less Than 300 Homicides Per Year
| Paris Schutz
He’s been on the job for about six weeks, taking over at a time when homicides are up slightly over 2019 and a global pandemic has shuttered businesses and caused unemployment to spike. Still, David Brown is optimistic.
Lightfoot Vows to Push Ahead With Effort to Give Tenants 90 Days’ Notice Before Evictions Despite Opposition
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot proposed a new law Wednesday that would give renters 90 days’ notice before they were evicted without cause, but progressive aldermen blocked the measure from advancing immediately.
Outdoor Restaurant Seating Can Resume in Phase 3: Pritzker
New statewide totals: 100,418 cases, 4,525 deaths
| Kristen Thometz
By the end of the month, Illinoisans could be dining alfresco at local restaurants – a change from the state’s original reopening plan that limited restaurants to pickup and delivery services during phase three.
Chicago’s Park System Among Nation’s Best, New Ranking Says
| Patty Wetli
In an annual ranking by The Trust for Public Land, Chicago’s park system came in 10th out of the nation’s 100 largest cities, earning high marks for accessibility and amenities.
Chicago Teachers Union Suing CPS, Betsy DeVos Over Special Education Plans
| Matt Masterson
Chicago teachers say they’re being diverted from their teaching duties and forced to fulfill a “physically impossible mandate” of rewriting tens of thousands of individual education plans for special education students.
Show Your Appreciation for Essential Workers by Howling for Heroes
| Kristen Thometz
Join Chicagoans and their pooches across the city each night at 8 p.m. to show your support for health care workers, first responders and essential employees by howling.
It’s World Bee Day: Let’s Hear It For Our Native Bees
| Patty Wetli
The United Nations created World Bee Day to raise awareness of these pollinators and the threats they face. The honey bee may get all the glory, but there are 400-500 species of bees native to Illinois.
Oprah Winfrey Gives Grants to ‘Home’ Cities During Pandemic
| Associated Press
Oprah Winfrey is giving grants to the cities she’s called home through her $12 million coronavirus relief fund. After speaking with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other leaders, Winfrey decided to give $5 million to Live Healthy Chicago.
Illinois Traffic Deaths On the Rise in 2020, Safety Group Warns
| Nick Blumberg
More people died in traffic crashes in Illinois during the first quarter of this year compared to last year, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the National Safety Council.
Judge Tosses Suit Challenging DCFS Ban on Supervised In-Person Visits During Pandemic
| Matt Masterson
A Cook County judge has rejected a push to overturn a temporary ban that has prevented children in foster care from having supervised visits with their parents and siblings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Report from Springfield: Special COVID-19 Session Preview
| Amanda Vinicky
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit, Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield on Wednesday for a special session. It’s sure to be special in more ways than one.
Inflatable Art is Blowing Up During the Shutdown
| Marc Vitali
We check out the Extreme Protection Suits created by Chicago-based artist and art teacher Claire Ashley, who says she was interested in “using humor as a way to deal with trauma.”
Can’t Stop the Comedy: Performers Adapt to COVID-19
| Dan Andries
It’s said laughter is the best medicine, and while that might not be part of the CDC’s official guidelines, comedians everywhere are reaching out to audiences online, hoping for some connection and a lot of laughter.
Ald. Ramirez-Rosa on Logan Square’s Pandemic Response
| Quinn Myers
Logan Square has seen just over 1,000 cases of COVID-19. We speak about the pandemic with the 35th Ward alderman who represents part of the neighborhood in the City Council.
COVID-19 Across Chicago: Logan Square
| Paris Schutz
The Northwest Side neighborhood has been transformed by development in recent years, yielding dozens of trendy businesses and new homes. But the influx of wealthier residents has led to significant displacement of longtime residents.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot Reflects on First 365 Days in Office
| Paris Schutz
Wednesday marks one year in office for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who began her tenure as a political outsider determined to uproot the old system of aldermanic control. But that all changed two months ago.
Mnuchin and Powell Push Differing Priorities to Aid Economy
| Associated Press
Facing the gravest U.S. economic crisis in decades, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered Congress contrasting views Tuesday of what the government’s most urgent priority should be.
Illinois on Track for Phase 3 of Reopening Plan: Pritzker
New statewide totals: 98,030 cases, 4,379 deaths
| Kristen Thometz
Barbershops, salons, offices and manufacturing could reopen in just 10 days if the state moves into the next phase of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan. What that phase looks like.
General Iron Closed While Explosion Investigated, Residents Want More
| Patty Wetli
Chicago officials have ordered General Iron to cease operations while Monday’s explosion is investigated, but residents, who have been fighting for a shutdown of the facility, say the action doesn’t go far enough.
Chicago’s Skyline Set to Change as Aldermen OK Plan for Tribune Tower East
| Heather Cherone
Aldermen on Tuesday advanced a proposal to build what could become the second-tallest building in Chicago — and the third tallest in the U.S. — on what is now a parking lot next to the Tribune Tower on Michigan Avenue.
This Month is the Wettest May in Chicago History. Could More Records Fall?
| Patty Wetli
For the third year in a row, Chicago has set a new record for the most precipitation in May. But as rainy as it’s been, it will take an epic deluge to rival the city’s wettest month of all time.
City Presents Plan for Final Coal Plant Demolition, Water Cannons Included
| Patty Wetli
The city says what’s left of the Crawford Coal Plant needs to be demolished out of safety concerns. But this time, officials promise ample water will be on site to guard against a repeat of April’s botched implosion.
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