Stories by Associated Press
Officials Tout a Gaza Ceasefire Deal and Plan to Free Hostages. Israel Says Details Still in Flux
| Associated Press
Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has destabilized the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
5 Chicago Fire Department Members Broke Rules After Assistant Deputy Chief Was Found Unconscious Behind Wheel: Watchdog
| Heather Cherone
Inspector General Deborah Witzburg's probe found the department members offered the deputy chief inappropriate “professional courtesy.”
‘Historic’ Hybrid Board of Education Officially Takes Over in Chicago as Elected, Appointed Members Sworn In
| Matt Masterson
“This moment is no doubt historic," elected member Ellen Rosenfeld said, "not just for me but for all of us, because this body reflects the voices and values of the majority of the people of our district.”
Mayoral Control of CPS Ends, As Newly Elected School Board Members Take Office Amid Turmoil
| Heather Cherone
The immediate challenges facing the new school board members are enormous: They must ink a new deal with the teachers union, pick a new leader and confront the threat posed by President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to deport thousands of undocumented Chicagoans.
RTA Wants Lawmakers to Boost Its Authority to Oversee, Coordinate Chicago-Area Transit
| Nick Blumberg
The proposal comes as the Chicago region’s transit agencies are facing down an estimated $750 million fiscal cliff next year when COVID-19 relief money runs out — and amid conversations in Springfield about tying increased transit funding to major changes to the existing public transit structure.
Jan. 14, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Chicago Public Schools chief Pedro Martinez joins us in his first sit-down interview since being fired. And former House Speaker Michael Madigan wraps up his testimony.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez on His Firing, Ongoing CTU Negotiations
| Andrea Guthmann
Just days before Christmas, Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez was terminated in a unanimous vote by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s handpicked Board of Education.
‘I Put the Knife Into Cullerton’: Madigan Details Falling Out With Senate President as Testimony Continues
| Matt Masterson
Tuesday marked Madigan’s fourth day on the witness stand and his second facing cross-examination by government prosecutors.
Ratings Agency Downgrades Chicago’s Credit, Pointing to ‘Structural Budgetary Imbalance’
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson slammed S&P’s decision to downgrade the city’s credit rating, saying it was based on inaccurate information.
Civil Rights Leader José ‘Cha Cha’ Jiménez, Founder of Young Lords in Chicago, Dies at 76
| Associated Press
José “Cha Cha” Jiménez in the 1960s founded the Young Lords as a street gang to counter the growing hostility toward the Puerto Rican community in Lincoln Park, at the time one of the most impoverished neighborhoods of Chicago.
Cook County Forest Preserves Gets Humane Society’s Stamp of Approval for Animal Ambassador Program
| Patty Wetli
The certification is a validation that the forest preserve district is providing an appropriate home and care for its ambassador animals, officials said. Some animal rights activists disagree.
New Bill Would Raise the Age for Mandatory Road Tests for Illinois Seniors to 87
| Amanda Vinicky
Under the new bill, Illinois would increase the age for mandatory behind-the-wheel driving tests from 79 to 87. The proposal also creates a mechanism for relatives to report family members of any age they believe are unsafe drivers.
David Grainger, Chicago Businessman and Philanthropist, Dies at 97
| WTTW News
David W. Grainger, a longtime supporter of WTTW who led W.W. Grainger Inc. for almost three decades and ran a family foundation dedicated to making a “positive difference,” died Jan. 9 at age 97.
Ethics Board Fines Indicted Ex-Ald. Carrie Austin’s Son $7K for Supervising His Sister-in-Law
| Heather Cherone
The Chicago Board of Ethics fined indicted former Ald. Carrie Austin’s son, who works as an assistant commissioner in the Department of Streets and Sanitation, $7,000 on Monday for supervising his former sister-in-law for six years, in violation of the city’s governmental ethics ordinance.
Illinois Shelter Alliance Calls for $100M State Funding Boost to Fight Homelessness
| Medill Illinois News Bureau
Advocates hope new funding can build on lessons the state learned since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in opening new shelters and accommodations that better meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Jan. 13, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Michael Madigan faces questions from prosecutors in his corruption trial. One on one with the CTU president on contract negotiations. And Chicago’s history as a sanctuary city.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates on Contract Negotiations, Future of Chicago Public Schools
| Shelby Hawkins
The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools still have not reached a contract deal. Meanwhile, the CPS Board of Education’s publicly elected members will be sworn in this week, and the district will be on the search for a new leader since the current board fired CEO Pedro Martinez.
Chicago’s Bird Rescuers Heartbroken by Recent Avian Flu Deaths in Wild Population: ‘It’s Been a Tragic New Year’
| Patty Wetli
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors has been responding to an increase in calls for help in rescuing wild birds suffering from avian influenza.
Coyote Captured Looking for Love in Chicago Aldi’s Refrigerator Aisle
| Patty Wetli
On Monday morning, Chicago Animal Care and Control responded to a report of a coyote at the Humboldt Park Aldi store.
CTA President Dorval Carter to Resign
| Nick Blumberg
Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter plans to resign on Jan. 31. He plans to take a job as the president and CEO of Saint Anthony Hospital on the city’s West Side.
Prosecutors Get Chance to Question Michael Madigan in Ex-Speaker’s Landmark Corruption Trial
| Matt Masterson
Michael Madigan, who is charged alongside his longtime right-hand man Michael McClain, is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself. They have each pleaded not guilty.
IRS is Sending Out Automatic Stimulus Payments. Who is Getting Them?
| Associated Press
The IRS is distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who didn’t receive their COVID stimulus payments.
Daniel Levin, Real Estate Developer and 47-Year WTTW-WFMT Trustee, Dies at 94
| WFMT
Daniel Levin, a prominent real estate developer, Chicago civic leader and longtime supporter of WFMT and WTTW, died Jan. 11. He was 94.
Advocates, Lawmakers Seek to Legalize Sex Work in Illinois: ‘People Deserve Respect. Work is Work’
| Amanda Vinicky
Some state lawmakers and several organizations are advocating for Illinois to become the first state in the U.S. to fully legalize the exchange of money for sex among consenting adults.
Up to 4 in 10 People Could Develop Dementia After 55. What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk
| Associated Press
About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported Monday.
Illinois Lawmakers Ease Requirements for Those Seeking to Change Their Name
| Andrew Adams — Capitol News Illinois
The bill repeals a requirement that those seeking a name change publish a notice in a local newspaper.
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