Stories by Associated Press
The Constitution’s Insurrection Clause Threatens Donald Trump’s Campaign. Here’s How That is Playing Out
| Associated Press
The Colorado decision marked the first time in history the provision has been used to prohibit someone from running for the presidency, and the U..S. Supreme Court is likely to have the final say over whether the ruling will stand.
Faith-Based Nonprofit Hosts Holiday Celebration to Bring Together Migrants, Longtime Residents in Little Village
| Eunice Alpasan
The holiday celebration hosted by New Life Centers involved a gift and free jacket giveaway, food, music and children’s character mascots.
XBB.1.5? BA.2.86? JN.1?: How to Understand the COVID-19 Alphabet Soup
| CNN
Although the common cold doesn’t get as many names – at least not the ones that make headlines – the specificity with which scientists talk about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, matters because it is still such a problem.
Who’s Dreaming of a Wet Christmas? Chicago Holiday Forecast Looking Warm and Rainy
| Patty Wetli
In fact, Dec. 25 isn’t going to feel particularly wintry at all.
Illinois Supreme Court Rules Chicago Not Liable for Street Pothole Not ‘Intended’ for Cyclists
| Dilpreet Raju — Capitol News Illinois
The case pertained to a section of the Tort Immunity Act, which states local public entities have a duty to maintain property in a safe condition for “people whom the entity intended and permitted to use the property.”
What Workers, Employers Are Seeking in an Evolving Labor Landscape
| Emily Soto
Remote working. A four-day workweek. Quiet quitting. A resurgent labor movement. These are just a few of the changes workers and employers have been grappling with over the last few years.
Chicago Announces New Year’s Eve Fireworks Along the River
| Patty Wetli
Fireworks will launch from six bridges, with a countdown to midnight projected on the Merchandise Mart.
‘It’s a Human Dignity Issue’: Data Reveals Racial, Economic Disparities in Access to Quality Nursing Home Care Across Chicago
| Blair Paddock
A data analysis by WTTW News and the Hyde Park Herald/South Side Weekly found the disparity between access to quality nursing home care for Black and White Chicagoans is stark, with highly rated homes concentrated on the city’s North Side and housing majority White residents.
Dec. 19, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Day 2 of jury deliberations in the Ed Burke corruption trial. What trends in a changing labor landscape could mean for workers. And a local man creates the Cinnamon Bear’s miniature world of Maybeland.
Deliberations in Ex-Ald. Ed Burke Corruption Trial Enter 2nd Day, As Jury Asks 2 Questions
| Heather Cherone
The first communication from the jury came approximately an hour into deliberations on Tuesday and focused on one of the charges facing one of Ed Burke’s codefendants, businessman Charles Cui.
Wanted: A New Home for Miniature ‘Maybeland,’ a Fantasy Christmas Display Inspired by an Old-Time Radio Serial
| Erica Gunderson
In suburban St. Charles, a whimsical Christmas fantasy of lollipop forests, root-beer oceans and glittering ice castles lies hidden away. The fanciful landscapes of “Maybeland” were handcrafted in intricate miniature by a Chicago father who made it all to display every Christmas season.
Chicago TreeKeepers Raise the Alarm About ‘Cemetery of Saplings’ to City’s Urban Forestry Advisory Board
| Patty Wetli
Chicago has touted the tens of thousands of trees it’s planted in recent years. But the city’s volunteer TreeKeepers say too many saplings die for lack of a maintenance plan.
Illinois Public Health Officials Urge Caution Around Respiratory Illnesses
COVID-19 hospitalizations up in recent weeks, masks recommended in certain settings
| Andrew Adams — Capitol News Illinois
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 were up 22% statewide last week compared to the week before.
Colorado Supreme Court, in Landmark Ruling, Bans Donald Trump From State’s Ballot Under Insurrection Clause
| Associated Press
The decision from a court whose justices were all appointed by Democratic governors marks the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.
No Evidence of Outbreak at Pilsen Migrant Shelter After 5-Year-Old Boy Died of Medical Emergency, According to City
Cause of death still under investigation
| Matt Masterson
According to Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Public Health, the cause of death for Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero, 5, remains under investigation, but it’s not connected to three other children who were hospitalized from the shelter Monday.
Michael Madigan Seeking to Delay Racketeering Trial as Supreme Court Hears Case on Federal Bribery Statute
| Matt Masterson
The defense teams for Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain are seeking to strike their upcoming trial date and delay all proceedings until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling in a case that could rewrite the federal bribery statute.
US, Allies Seize Website of Prolific Russian-Speaking Ransomware Gang That Claimed Theft of Illinois Patient Data
| CNN
It’s a big blow to the well-oiled cybercriminal syndicate that, according to the Justice Department, has targeted over 1,000 victims around the world and extorted them for hundreds of millions of dollars.
Ex-Employee of Cook County Land Bank Authority Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Fraud Scheme
| Matt Masterson
Mustafaa Saleh, 37, was sentenced last week to a year and one day in prison after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of wire fraud.
Southside Blooms is Now Part of Chicago’s Official History, Entering the Field Museum’s Botanical Collection
| Patty Wetli
“Our work is part of the sweep of human history. It’s very humbling,” said Quilen Blackwell, co-founder of Southside Blooms.
United, American Airlines Push Back Against Rising Costs of O’Hare Airport Expansion
| Emily Soto
Originally budgeted at $8.5 billion, the expansion is now reaching $12 billion. The most extensive part of the project is the 2.2 million-square-foot O’Hare Global Terminal, replacing what is now Terminal 2.
Dec. 18, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Jury deliberations begin in the landmark corruption trial of former Ald. Ed Burke. A project upgrading Chicago’s aging gas pipelines is on hold. And remembering Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt.
Chicago Sculptor Richard Hunt, Who Created Indelible Public Art From His Astounding Studio, Dies at 88
| Marc Vitali
Renowned sculptor Richard Hunt, whose work can be seen across his hometown of Chicago, died at age 88.
Chicago’s Natural Gas Pipeline Project Halted Amid Push for Cleaner Energy Investments
| Andrea Guthmann
There is a battle over a multi-billion dollar, decades-long project to upgrade Chicago’s aging natural gas pipelines.
5-Year-Old Boy Dead After Falling Ill at Chicago Migrant Shelter
| Matt Masterson
A Chicago police spokesperson said an investigation is underway, but it does not appear as though the boy’s death was criminal in nature.
Far South Side Land Set to Become Migrant Base Camp Polluted by Buried Fuel Oil Tank, Defunct Dry Cleaners and Nearby Gas Station: Study
| Heather Cherone
The report from Lisle-based A3E Consulting recommends “additional investigation” of the 6.5 acres of land surrounding a vacant Jewel-Osco grocery store on the border between Morgan Park and West Roseland.
Jury Begins Deliberating in Landmark Corruption Trial of Ex-Ald. Ed Burke
| Heather Cherone
Deliberations began Monday afternoon after U.S. District Court Judge Virgina Kendall spent more than three hours reading more than 300 pages of jury instructions.
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