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Lightfoot Recounts Ancestor’s Tragedy in the Jim Crow South

The little-known story of Lori Lightfoot’s grandfather who was murdered in the Jim Crow South nearly 100 years ago.

Lightfoot Signs Executive Order Curbing Aldermanic Prerogative

Within hours of being sworn in, Mayor Lori Lightfoot signed an executive order that aims to significantly curb aldermanic prerogative. She made signing it her first order of business as a demonstration she’ll bring change to the city. 

Aldermen on Governing with Mayor Lori Lightfoot

As Mayor Lori Lightfoot takes aim at City Council corruption, we talk with four aldermen about how they’ll work with the new mayor.

Before She Was Mayor: An In-Depth Profile of Lori Lightfoot

From humble beginnings in Massillon, Ohio, to a high-powered federal prosecutor – to mayor of Chicago. Our in-depth profile of the events that shaped the life of Lori Lightfoot.

Rare Albino Alligator Arrives at Brookfield Zoo

Snowflake, a 16-year-old American alligator, is estimated to be one of just about 100 albino alligators in existence. 

In ‘Pygmalion Effect,’ Superb Dancers of Russia’s Eifman Ballet Undermined by Manic Choreography and Too Much Strauss

Watching the company as it performed Boris Eifman’s latest work, the feeling that his dancers are not well served by his relentlessly madhouse style of movement – manic, extreme, repetitive – could not be denied.

Violinist Hilary Hahn Elicits a ‘Wow,’ and More, at CSO Concert

Hilary Hahn’s bravura handling of a fire-breathing passage in Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto in D Minor” brings forth a “Wow!” from what was certainly an adult man in the audience at Symphony Center.

Measles Exposure Reported in Chicago

An individual with a confirmed measles infection took public transportation and visited several stores in the Loop late last week, according to health officials. 

Lightfoot Sworn in as Chicago Mayor: ‘This City Felt Like Where I Belonged’

Chicago’s new mayor, the first black woman and openly gay person to hold the office, takes aim at aldermanic prerogative and outlines her four guiding principles: community safety, public education, stability and integrity.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot: Inaugural Address

Did you miss the inauguration? Watch video of the ceremony or read the full text of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s inaugural address at Wintrust Arena. 

Illinois Not Alerted to Early Clues in Womb-Cutting Case

Police and Illinois’ child welfare agency say staff at a Chicago-area hospital didn’t alert them after determining that a bloodied woman who arrived with a gravely ill newborn had not just given birth to the baby boy, as she claimed.

Incoming Chicago Mayor Has Path to Historic Police Reforms

Lori Lightfoot will have a powerful ally in seeking to fulfill a campaign promise to overhaul the Police Department: a judge with authority to hold reform slackers in contempt.

In ‘Next to Normal,’ Mother’s Mental Illness Wreaks Havoc with Family’s Health

This 2008 musical is unsettling, irritating, frustrating, relentless and more. But director David Cromer and his actors have tapped into the dark charm and moments of humor in the show with great skill.

Lightfoot Rewards ‘Reform’ and ‘Old Guard’ Alderman in Council Shake-Up

Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot releases her picks for committee chairmanships, proposing that Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) lead the Finance Committee that was led for decades by Ald. Ed Burke (14th).

Illinois Bill Seeks to Legalize Syringe Exchanges Statewide

A new bill aims to fix the state’s “ambiguous” law over syringe exchange programs. Public support for such programs remains low, but advocates say they can offer critical help to those in need.

Trade War, Heavy Rains Weigh on Deere & Co.

Deere cut its profit and sales expectations for the year as a trade war between the U.S. and China escalates and farmers try to recover from a planting season besieged by heavy rains.

Web Extra, The Week in Review: Trump’s Pardon, Emanuel’s Legacy

Paris Schutz and guests discuss President Donald Trump’s pardon of disgraced former Sun-Times publisher Conrad Black, and assess some of Emanuel’s legacy ahead of Monday’s inauguration. 

The Week in Review: Lightfoot’s Ambitious Agenda

Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot says she plans to blow up politics as usual. Springfield races toward the end of the spring session with huge issues up in the air. And another Chicago alderman is arrested.

Java the Corpse Flower is About to Bloom Again — Sooner Than Expected

After blooming for the first time in June 2017, Java, one of the dozen or so corpse flowers at the Chicago Botanic Garden, is preparing to bloom again. 

Bond Denied for 3 in ‘Brutal and Heinous’ Killing of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez

A bond proffer presented by Cook County prosecutors Friday outlines the gruesome details of a pregnant teens’s death at the hands of Clarisa Figueroa and her 24-year-old daughter Desiree Figueroa.

Kim Foxx Won’t Have to Testify Amid Scrutiny of Jussie Smollett Case

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her top assistant will not have to testify about their dismissal of criminal charges against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett despite a request for a special prosecutor to investigate how that case was handled.

Expert: Fetal Abduction Rare Yet Endures Over 30 Years

Of the roughly 30 documented fetal abduction cases between 1987 and 2015, most of the mothers were slain and it’s typical for them to have been stalked or lured somewhere under false pretenses, an expert said. 

Pregnancy-Related Deaths on the Rise in the US

Nationally, black women die at a rate 3.3 times greater than white women, but the statistics in Illinois are even more grim.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg Campaigns in Chicago

The election is a long way off, but current polls give the South Bend mayor a decent shot at the White House.

Chicago Nonprofit Wants to Make Credit Work for Everyone

The nonprofit Working Credit says understanding how credit ratings work and building your own credit rating is much easier than you might think – and even more important than you might know.

Looking Ahead: Analysts Preview Lightfoot Administration

Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot unveils an ambitious 100-day plan. We talk to experts about what the future holds under a Lightfoot administration.
 

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