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City Council Approves Massive TIFs for Lincoln Yards, The 78
| Paris Schutz
After months of debate, the controversial $1 billion public subsidy for Lincoln Yards is now law. City Council approved the measure hours after Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot softened her opposition to the project.
Defense: Accused in China Scholar’s Death Denied Proper Care
| Associated Press
Lawyers for a former University of Illinois student accused of killing a Chinese scholar say university counselors didn’t offer him adequate care when he sought help for suicidal and homicidal thoughts.
Johnson Publishing Company Files for Bankruptcy
| Associated Press
Johnson Publishing Co., former owner of the iconic Ebony and Jet magazines that helped changed the negative image of black people portrayed by U.S. media, filed for bankruptcy liquidation Tuesday in a federal court in Chicago.
Stage is Set for Major Fight Over Illinois Constitution, Tax Policy
| Amanda Vinicky
The latest on a possible – and major – amendment to the state constitution that would lift a requirement that all income be taxed at a flat rate.
Chicago Couple Opens Lakeside Resort in Wisconsin’s Northwoods
| Erica Gunderson
A dispatch from Wisconsin’s Northwoods, where Darren and Genevieve Coady hopes to reel in other Chicagoans who want an old-fashioned vacation experience.
Man Accused of Claiming to Be Timmothy Pitzen to Remain Jailed
| Associated Press
A U.S. magistrate ordered an Ohio man to remain jailed without bond Tuesday on a charge that he lied to federal agents about being a missing child from Illinois.
Chicago School Board: Better to Elect or Appoint?
| Alexandra Silets
There’s a grassroots push for an elected school board in Chicago, but how would a move away from an appointed board impact students? We discuss the pros and cons with Jesse Sharkey and Rufus Williams.
Neil Shubin Hunts Fossils in Antarctic ‘Graveyard’
| Paul Caine
Renowned University of Chicago paleontologist Neil Shubin recently returned from an expedition to search for fossils in Antarctica. He tells us about his trip.
New Book Tells Stories from Inside the Therapist’s Room
| Nicole Cardos
She is a psychotherapist and author of the “Dear Therapist” advice column. Lori Gottlieb tells us about her new book, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.”
Zero-Waste Advocate Shares Strategies for Reducing Trash
| Erica Gunderson
In many ways, modern American life is set up for convenience and speed – and that can generate a lot of garbage. What you can do at home to reduce your waste output.
Sales Dry Up for Boeing’s Grounded 737 Max Jets
| Nick Blumberg
Lawsuits mount and sales tumble in the aftermath of two deadly crashes involving Boeing’s 737 Max jet. Can the company repair its reputation? Commercial pilot Rob Mark weighs in.
Illinois Leads Nation in Exonerations After Police Corruption Scandal
| Matt Masterson
Nearly one out of every three criminal exonerations in the U.S. last year occurred in Illinois, according to a new report. Most of those cases stemmed from disgraced former police Sgt. Ronald Watts and his crew.
Illinois Has Confirmed 154 Cases of Potentially Deadly Fungal Disease
| Kristen Thometz
State health officials say Illinois has had 154 confirmed cases of candida auris, a rapidly spreading fungus that can cause severe illness and even death, between May 24, 2016 and April 4, 2019.
Chicago Symphony May Cancel More Concerts As Strike Persists
| Associated Press
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra may cancel more concerts after striking musicians rejected what it calls its last, best and final offer on a new contract.
Illinois is Really Close to Legalizing Marijuana … Or Is It?
| Amanda Vinicky
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer is counting on Illinois to legalize recreational marijuana as part of his proposed spending plan. The latest in the ongoing debate over legalization.
Economists Differ on Prospects for City, State Under Progressive Agenda
| Paul Caine
With Gov. J.B. Pritzker seeking a state graduated income tax and Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot rethinking tax subsidies for controversial city projects, two economists offer their take on the local and national economy.
Emanuel, Lightfoot Strike Deal on Lincoln Yards Vote, Rankling Aldermen
| Paris Schutz
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot cut a deal on Lincoln Yards, confusing aldermen who were set to make a key vote Monday.
Bleacher Bum Turns Passion for Baseball into Art
| Jay Shefsky
A story from the Wrigley Field bleachers, where one fan’s love for a beer vendor turned her into a baseball artist.
‘The Torture Machine’ Recounts 50 Years of Fighting Police Misconduct
| WTTW News
From the murder of Fred Hampton to the Jon Burge torture ring, a new book by attorney Flint Taylor recounts the fight for justice in the face of racism and police misconduct in Chicago.
Loyola Basketball: A History of Remarkable Ramblers Teams
| Alexandra Silets
Longtime Chicago sportswriter Fred Mitchell tells us about his new book as we look back at the Loyola Ramblers’ magical season – just one year ago – when they went all the way to the Final Four.
Gauthier’s ‘Mega Israel’ a Thrilling Dance Trifecta of Originality, Technique and Endurance
| Hedy Weiss
Fearsome choreography, dazzling dancers and innovative sound and music marked the Chicago debut of Gauthier Dance in a stunning program at the Harris Theater.
Bolingbrook Man Gets 19 Years in Prison for Having Sex With Underage Boys
| Matt Masterson
Posing as an escort online, a suburban man convinced underage boys to send him pornographic images of themselves, then used those images to blackmail some of his victims into having sex with him.
Illinois Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Purdue Pharma
| Kristen Thometz
A Connecticut-based opioid pharmaceutical manufacturer used deceptive marketing practices to increase prescriptions for its painkillers, according to a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Boeing Cutting Production Rate of Troubled 737 Max Jet
| Associated Press
The company said starting in mid-April it will cut production of the plane to 42 from 52 planes per month so it can focus its attention on fixing the flight-control software that has been implicated in two deadly crashes.
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