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Jesús ‘Chuy’ García Backs Johnson for Mayor, As Progressives Start to Close Ranks Against Vallas
| Heather Cherone
Jesús “Chuy” García’s endorsement is designed to unite the city’s progressives behind Brandon Johnson, a critical part of Johnson’s path to defeating Paul Vallas, who has consolidated Chicago’s conservative political establishment under his banner.
March 16, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
A mother’s fight for answers in the unsolved killing of her son. How a four-day workweek might, well, work. And we add some color to your winter with a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden’s orchid show.
Orchids’ Diversity is Magnified at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Annual Show. This Plant Has Color and Variety to Spare
| Patty Wetli
There’s one place spring has most definitely sprung: the Chicago Botanic Garden, where the annual orchid show is now underway. WTTW News also toured the garden’s orchid greenhouse, which isn’t open to the public.
Thank God It’s Thursday? The Push to Move to a 4-Day Workweek
| Eunice Alpasan
Talks of a four-day workweek are heating up nationwide. A lawmaker in California has reintroduced a U.S. House bill that would make a 32-hour workweek the national standard. A bill in Maryland proposes tax incentives for companies that try out a four-day workweek.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: New 400 Theaters Facing Closure After More Than 100 Years in Rogers Park
| Blair Paddock
The New 400 Theaters in Rogers Park has survived two world wars, two pandemics and an ever-changing movie industry. The current owner is looking to sell the space, making the theater’s future unclear.
Release Full Watchdog Probe of My Son’s 2016 Death Outside Police Station, Mom Demands
| Heather Cherone
“Seven years, and we still don’t have the answers. We still don’t know what happened to my son. Seven years, I’m still fighting, trying to find the truth.”
Dramatic Life of a Powerhouse Performer Captured in the Knockout ‘Tina Turner Musical’
| Hedy Weiss
Tina Turner’s fiercely dramatic, profoundly painful and wildly successful life unfolds on stage in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.”
Bernie Sanders Backs Johnson for Mayor, as Firefighters Union, 5 Black Alderpeople Endorse Vallas
| Heather Cherone
Sanders said he backed Johnson because the Cook County commissioner “understands the struggle of working people.”
COVID-19 Pill Paxlovid Moves Closer to Full FDA Approval
| Associated Press
The medication has been used by millions of Americans since the FDA granted it emergency use authorization in late 2021. The agency has the final say on giving Pfizer’s drug full approval and is expected to decide by May.
5 Things to Do This Weekend: Maple Syrup Festival, St. Patrick’s Day Stand-Up
| Erica Demarest
Maple syrup, stand-up comedy and classical music usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in and around Chicago.
US Jobless Aid Claims Fell Last Week as Layoffs Remain Low
| Associated Press
Applications for unemployment benefits are seen as a barometer for layoffs in the U.S.
Top Cop David Brown Officially Steps Down as Temporary Replacement Takes Over Chicago Police Department
| Matt Masterson
First Deputy Superintendent Eric Carter will serve as interim police superintendent until the city’s next mayor can officially appoint a replacement.
Lincoln Park Zoo Reveals Names of Lion Cubs, and They’re Unexpectedly Sweet
| Patty Wetli
The cubs were named in partnership with Maasai lion guardians in Tanzania.
March 15, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s first City Council meeting since losing her reelection bid. How the next mayor of Chicago should think about public safety. A train merger approved despite opposition. And the art of tattooing.
Tattoo Artist Ryan Henry Transforms Skin, Tells Stories
| Angel Idowu
Tattooing is a skill Ryan Henry taught himself nearly 14 years ago. It was about halfway through his career that Henry garnered national attention when his artwork was showcased on the show “Black Ink Crew Chicago.”
City Council Votes 41-2 To Ensure Nonprofit Employees Can Unionize Over Lightfoot’s Objection
| Heather Cherone
The proposal requires human service organizations that contract with the city and have more than 20 employees to agree not to fight efforts by their employees to unionize as long as workers agree not to disrupt the company’s operations while they organize.
Spotlight Politics: Fresh Endorsements in Mayor’s Race, ‘ComEd Four’ Trial Begins
| Paul Caine
Fresh endorsements in the race for Chicago mayor. The trial of the so-called "ComEd Four" is underway. And police Superintendent David Brown prepares to step down. Our politics team weighs in on those stories and more.
What Will Policing, Public Safety Look Like Under Chicago’s Next Mayor?
| Alexandra Silets
The voters of Chicago have spoken, and the message is loud and clear: The next mayor needs new strategies to reduce crime. The two contenders for Chicago’s mayoral runoff, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson, have differing views on how to address crime and violence.
Morton Arboretum, Shedd Aquarium Taking Conservation to Next Level as Global Centers for Species Survival
| Patty Wetli
“This is providing the means for us to collaborate not only within the Chicagoland area but to really make a difference in biodiversity hot spots across the globe,” said Chuck Knapp, vice president of conservation research at Shedd Aquarium.
‘We Had To Hire These Guys Because Mike Madigan Came to Us’: Opening Statements in ‘ComEd Four’ Trial Underway
| Matt Masterson
Opening statements in the trial of the “ComEd Four” — who are accused of illegally currying favor with former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan — began Wednesday.
Merger of Large Train Companies Approved Despite Opposition from Northwest Suburbs
| Jared Rutecki
The Surface Transportation Board approved the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. Illinois congressional members and transit agencies previously expressed opposition to the move.
Plan to Use Cameras to Bust Chicago Drivers Who Park in Bus, Bicycle Lanes Approved
| Heather Cherone
Drivers who park their cars in dedicated bicycle and bus lanes, as well as crosswalks, bus stops and no parking zones, will be ticketed if the infraction is captured by city cameras mounted on poles and on the front of buses and other city vehicles, officials said.
City Council Members Unveil Plan To Have City Crews Clear Sidewalks of Snow and Ice
| Heather Cherone
The proposal would launch the pilot program in dense neighborhoods and those pockmarked by vacant lots.
March 14, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The ComEd bribery trial gets underway. The state’s high court hears challenges to the no-cash-bail bill that’s been put on hold. And debating NASCAR and other events closing Grant Park for most of the summer.
Lawmakers, Organizers Want to Force Lakefront Power Plant Owner to Clean Up Coal Ash Byproduct
| Nick Blumberg
Coal ash, the byproduct created when plants burn coal for power, contains potentially dangerous materials like arsenic, mercury and cadmium that can endanger nearby water supplies. Since coal-fired power plants use a lot of water to keep their equipment cool, they’re often near bodies of water like Lake Michigan.
Grant Park Summer Closures Raise Questions About Access, Priorities
| Andrea Guthmann
Grant Park could potentially be closed to the public for 40 days for July's NASCAR Chicago Street Race, including event setup and teardown. That's just one of many events blocking free access to the park this summer.
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