Stories by Matt Masterson
Retired Police Commander Sentenced to Probation for Social Security Theft
Kenneth Johnson pleaded guilty to stealing more than $360,000
| Matt Masterson
Federal prosecutors say Kenneth Johnson continued accepting Social Security checks meant for his mother for more than two decades after her death. His sentence includes six months of community confinement and an order to pay back all the money he stole.
Eddie Johnson: ‘I Did Not Intentionally Mislead Mayor’
| Paris Schutz
Former Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is making his first public comments a day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot abruptly terminated him amid claims that he “repeatedly lied” to both the mayor and the public.
Reports Shed New Light on Chicago Police Chief’s Firing
| Associated Press
Top cop Eddie Johnson was having drinks with a woman for hours the mid-October night officers found him sleeping behind the wheel of his SUV, according to two newspapers citing unidentified sources.
Cubs Cut Russell Year After Domestic Violence Ban
| Associated Press
The Chicago Cubs did not offer a 2020 contract to shortstop Addison Russell on Monday, making the 2016 All-Star a free agent one year after he was suspended for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
Lightfoot Fires Top Cop Eddie Johnson for ‘Intolerable Actions’
| Matt Masterson
Mayor Lori Lightfoot makes a bombshell announcement: Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is terminated, effective immediately. Lightfoot says an inspector general’s investigation revealed Johnson “repeatedly lied” to both the mayor and the public.
Spotlight Politics: Top Cop Ousted Weeks Before Retirement
| Amanda Vinicky
A bombshell announcement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot – with few specifics. Our politics team digs into that story and more in our weekly roundtable.
Cirque du Soleil’s First-Ever Holiday Show Premieres in Chicago
| Marc Vitali
We get a behind-the-scenes peek at “‘Twas the Night Before …,” the new holiday production from Cirque du Soleil that’s making its debut in Chicago.
Beatboxer Finds New Sound in Opera by Chicago Composer
| Angel Idowu
For years, beatboxer Nicole Paris and her dad Ed Cage have awed audiences with their beatboxing battles as Nicole and Popz. Paris recently broke from that duet to take on a feat of her own: beatboxing in an opera.
Crain’s Headlines: Sprout Social Plans to Go Public
| WTTW News
The Chicago-based maker of social media management software announced Monday that it aims to raise $156 million in an initial public offering of stock.
Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky Vividly Conjures ‘Three Queens’ Betrayed
| Hedy Weiss
In “The Three Queens,” the trilogy of semi-staged excerpts about the lives of Anne Boleyn, Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth I now in a brief run at Lyric Opera, soprano Sondra Radvanovsky captures their essence to sublime vocal and dramatic effect.
150 Artists, Friends Bring Chicagoan’s Graphic Novel to Life
| Kristen Thometz
Chicago comic artist Ed Siemienkowicz died before he could complete his nearly 250-page graphic novel. For the last two years, more than 150 artists and friends have donated their time and skills to finish what he started.
House Impeachment Report Coming Ahead of Landmark Hearing
| Associated Press
The House impeachment report on President Donald Trump will be unveiled Monday behind closed doors for key lawmakers as Democrats push ahead with the inquiry despite the White House’s declaration it will not participate in the first Judiciary Committee hearing.
Dictionary.com Chooses ‘Existential’ as Word of the Year
| Associated Press
Climate change, gun violence, the very nature of democracy and an angsty little movie star called Forky helped propel “existential” to Dictionary.com’s word of the year.
Sticky Impeachment Trial Questions: How long? Who Testifies?
| Associated Press
While a Senate trial of President Donald Trump now appears inevitable, details of how it will unfold remain unknown. How long will proceedings last? Can either party summon witnesses to make its points? Senators will have to decide these and other, potentially thorny questions.
Holiday Stress: Amazon, Others Under Gun for 1-Day Delivery
| Associated Press
The coming weeks will be the first test of whether they can make that happen during the busy holiday shopping season, when onslaughts of orders and bad weather can lay waste to even the best delivery plans.
Chicago Parking Fees Increasing, But City Set to Save Millions
| Amanda Vinicky
Starting Jan. 1, parking meter rates will increase across Chicago, peaking at $7 per hour in the Loop. While the city doesn’t collect that revenue, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration estimates it will save $7.9 million with the plan. Here’s how.
Illinois Attorney General Releases 2019 Safe Shopping Guide
| Kristen Thometz
This year’s list highlights 30 items that have been recalled over the past year because they pose safety hazards to children, including two infant sleepers linked to more than 30 deaths.
Trump Thanks Troops in Afghanistan, Says Taliban Want a Deal
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump paid a surprise Thanksgiving visit to Afghanistan, where he announced the U.S. and the Taliban have been engaged in ongoing peace talks and said he believes the Taliban want a cease-fire.
Trubisky’s 3rd TD Pass Lifts Bears to 24-20 Win Over Lions
| Associated Press
Mitchell Trubisky started and closed strong to overcome some shaky decisions and plays in between to keep the Chicago Bears in the NFC playoff picture.
Benefit Concert to Help Cover Hospital Bills of Teen Wounded in Police Shooting
| Matt Masterson
Fifteen-year-old Rylan Wilder remains hospitalized after he was shot last week as police trailed a bank robbery suspect in the Old Irving Park neighborhood.
No Cash? Salvation Army Now Accepting Mobile Donations
| Associated Press
The charity’s leaders hope adding Apple and Google payment options will boost giving to the red kettle campaign, which makes up 10% of its annual fundraising. Those donations fund programs providing housing, food and other support to people in poverty.
O’Hurley Relishes Annual Thanksgiving Dog Show’s Popularity
| Associated Press
Television traditions on Thanksgiving have usually involved the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and then hours of football, but in recent years, another has emerged: The National Dog Show.
Embattled Illinois Sen. Martin Sandoval to Resign
| Amanda Vinicky
State Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, hasn’t made a public appearance since the FBI raided his home and offices in September. He will step down on Jan. 1, 2020.
Trump Was Briefed on Complaint Before Ukraine Aid Released
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump was briefed on the whistleblower complaint about his dealings with Ukraine before the White House released nearly $400 million in military aid to Kyiv, officials say, shedding new light on events that triggered the impeachment inquiry.
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