Stories by Eunice Alpasan
Chicago White Sox Change Stadium Name to Rate Field
| Eunice Alpasan
The new ballpark name comes after the mortgage company Guaranteed Rate, which has secured naming rights for the stadium since 2016, announced this summer that it would be rebranding to Rate.
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments Over Law That Could Ban TikTok in the US If It’s Not Sold
| Associated Press
The law, enacted in April, set a Jan. 19 deadline for TikTok to be sold or else face a ban in the United States. The popular social media platform has more than 170 million users in the U.S.
Local Live Music Recommendations for Dec. 18-24
| Josh Terry
Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
Temp Agency or Tech Platform? Advocates Say Staffing Apps Are Skirting Laws, But Companies Say They’re Exempt
| Nick Blumberg
The companies behind apps for temp workers have drawn millions in funding, hundreds of thousands of workers, and legal action over their labor practices — including here in Illinois.
Dec. 17, 2024 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The mayor finally seals a budget deal — our Spotlight Politics team breaks it down. And asking the governor for grace after decades in prison.
Demolition of Damen Silos Clears Key Hurdle, as Army Corps Lends Its Approval
| Patty Wetli
The massive silos — popular with urban explorers and famously featured in “Transformers: Age of Extinction” — date back more than a century but haven’t been used as grain elevators since the 1970s.
Waiting for Grace: Incarcerated People Hope Pritzker Addresses More Petitions for Clemency
| Brandis Friedman
Executive clemency is designed to extend mercy and restore opportunity for people who were convicted of crimes and have demonstrated successful rehabilitation. But in Illinois, advocates say that grace has been slow to come for people with criminal records, some of whom are still in prison.
Prosecution Set to Rest its Case in Michael Madigan’s Landmark Corruption Trial
| Matt Masterson
Former Illinois House Speaker 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.
Kennedy Reversible Express Lanes Set to Reopen Mid-January, IDOT Officials Say
| Eunice Alpasan
Express lanes are set to reopen Jan. 13 pending successful completion of testing, which will begin Jan. 2, weather permitting, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The Winter Solstice is Almost Here, the Northern Hemisphere’s Darkest Day
| Associated Press
Here’s what to know about how the Earth’s march around the sun splits up the year.
Indiana Man Who Killed Brother, 3 Others Will Be Put to Death in State’s 1st Execution in 15 Years
| Associated Press
Joseph Corcoran, 49, has been on death row since 1999, the year he was convicted in the shootings of his brother, James Corcoran, 30; his sister’s fiancé, Robert Scott Turner, 32; and two other men: Timothy G. Bricker, 30, and Douglas A. Stillwell, 30.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Picks 10 New School Board Members, as Mayoral Control of CPS Ends
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s picks, which include a mix of well-known community activists and candidates who lost their bids to win a seat on the board, will join the 10 people who won in November.
Dec. 16, 2024 - Full Show
| WTTW News
We’re live from City Hall with the latest on the budget battle. Efforts to regulate the state’s hemp industry. And a look at Chicago food insecurity.
Teacher and a Teenage Student Killed in Shooting at a Christian School in Wisconsin
| Associated Press
A student opened fire at a private Christian school Monday morning in Wisconsin, killing two people in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died, police said.
10% of Chicago Residents Have Received Updated COVID-19 Vaccine: City Health Department
| Eunice Alpasan
Public health officials are encouraging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible so they can get some protection ahead of holiday gatherings.
Pritzker Endorses Bill That Would Impose New Regulations on State’s Hemp Industry
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
Illinois lawmakers passed legislation in 2018 to allow the commercial production of hemp, the same year Congress legalized hemp nationwide through the 2018 Farm Bill.
Chicago City Council Narrowly OKs Johnson’s $17.1B Budget That Hikes Taxes by $165M
| Heather Cherone
The budget passed 27-23, with just 18 days to spare, averting an unprecedented shutdown of city government.
Caught on Camera! River Otter Snapped for First Time in 15 Years of Monitoring by Lincoln Park Zoo’s Wildlife Cams
| Patty Wetli
After more than a few false IDs and several tantalizing random hints of an otter-like shoulder or tail, one of the zoo’s cameras finally clicked at the right moment and, for the first time in nearly 15 years, caught an otter in full view.
Schools Are Cutting Bus Service for Children. Parents Are Turning to Ride-Hailing Apps
| Associated Press
Reliance on school buses has been waning for years as districts struggle to find drivers and more students attend schools far outside their neighborhoods.
Start Sharpening Your Puns, Chicago. Annual ‘Name a Snowplow’ Contest Is Now Underway
| Patty Wetli
Submissions are due by Jan. 4 or whenever entries hit 20,000, whichever comes first.
Community Organizations Work to Combat Chicago’s Food Insecurity Crisis, Grocery Deserts
| Medill School of Journalism
With one in five Chicagoans facing food insecurity, residents are working to feed their own with grassroots efforts led by community nonprofits.
Mayor Brandon Johnson Drops Plan for $68.5M Property Tax Hike in Latest Budget Proposal
| Heather Cherone
The spending plan still calls for a host of other taxes and fees to rise by an additional $165.5 million, including increases in the taxes levied on software licenses, cloud services and other digital goods as well as subscriptions to streaming and cable television services.
Officials Demand Explanation on Mysterious Drones as More Sightings Reported in New York Metro Area
| CNN
Federal agencies are facing intense pressure to give the public more details on unexplained drone sightings in the New York City metropolitan area that have been going on for weeks over residential neighborhoods as well as restricted sites and critical infrastructure.
Investigation Underway After Man Shot, Seriously Wounded Near Vehicle With Off-Duty Chicago Police Officers
| Matt Masterson
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said it is investigating an “off-duty officer involved incident” after a 26-year-old man was struck during an exchange of gunfire in the 1000 block of South Mayfield Avenue.
Court Denies TikTok’s Request to Halt Enforcement of Potential US Ban Until Supreme Court Review
| Associated Press
A federal appeals court left in place a mid-January deadline in a federal law requiring TikTok to be sold or face a ban in the United States, rejecting a request made by the company to halt enforcement until the Supreme Court reviews its challenge of the statute.
Week in Review: Mayor Cancels Budget Vote; Illinois and Chicago Prepare for Mass Deportation Plan
| Paul Caine
Why the mayor called off a budget vote. Pritzker pushes back on mass deportations. And calls for a crackdown on unregulated hemp.
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