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CPS Announces February Public Hearings on Revised Budget
| Matt Masterson
Board President Frank Clark said Wednesday that CPS has worked out a way to fill a $215 million void left in its 2017 budget. But the district says no final decisions have been made.
Reaction to Rauner’s State of the State Address, Illinois’ Fiscal Woes
| Evan Garcia
The governor strikes a conciliatory tone in his State of State address. We get reaction from public policy professionals with different points of view.
‘Sermon to White America’ Calls for Meaningful Action on Racial Inequality
| Nick Blumberg
Author Michael Eric Dyson on the challenges faced by black Americans, and why it’s up to whites to address racial inequality.
Ask Geoffrey: Was There a Panda at Lincoln Park Zoo?
| Erica Gunderson
Geoffrey Baer solves the mystery of a viewer’s “vague memory” from the 1940s, revisits an exhibit at the Century of Progress and opens the door to the Evanston History Center.
MWRD Deal Aims to Reduce Algae Pollution in Chicago River
| Alex Ruppenthal
The decadeslong fight to clean up the Chicago River took a step forward last week with the resolution of two lawsuits targeting phosphorous discharge that has polluted waters from Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico.
City, UIC Form Academic Public Health Department
| Kristen Thometz
Wednesday morning officials from the Chicago Department of Public Health and UIC signed an agreement to strengthen and formalize their yearslong partnership.
Rauner Responds to Emanuel’s ‘Partisan Rant’
| Amanda Vinicky
Gov. Bruce Rauner is poised to deliver a State of the State address Wednesday expressing optimism about Illinois’ future, but his one-time compatriot Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants him to apologize.
Emanuel: Illinois ‘Rudderless’ Under Rauner
| Nick Blumberg
Mayor Rahm Emanuel slams the governor for not having proposed a balanced budget, and suggests Gov. Bruce Rauner begin his State of the State address Wednesday with an apology to taxpayers.
Critics Say CPS Cutting Special Ed Services to Save Money
| Paul Caine
Is CPS denying support services for children with special needs in order to save money? We speak with the author of a new report from the Better Government Association.
School Funding Commission Debating Evidence-Based Model as Deadline Looms
| Matt Masterson
A team of Illinois legislators has spent the past six months looking for some way to fix the state’s broken education funding model. But with only a week left before its final report is due, concerns have surfaced about how soon any changes will be made.
‘World in Disarray’ Author Sees Post-WWII World Order Unraveling
| Paul Caine
From Ukraine to Syria, a former foreign policy adviser to President George H. W. Bush sees a “World in Disarray.”
Bipartisan ‘Grand Bargain’ Hits Pause in Springfield
New, Higher Taxes Added to Senate Proposal
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois residents would pay a personal income tax rate of 4.99 percent under the latest incarnation of a bipartisan proposal proffered by Senate leaders.
‘Lingerie Campaign’ Activist on Changing Saudi Culture
| Maya Miller
Reem Asaad led the “lingerie campaign” that helped get women into the workforce in Saudi Arabia, and is now using her platform to highlight the ways social media has impacted the changing Saudi culture.
Chicago Activists Prepare to Defend Environment Under Trump
| Alex Ruppenthal
Dozens of Chicago activists met last week to plan a defense of environmental policies that appear vulnerable under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Dese, Dose and Dibs: the Midwest’s Weird Word World
| Erica Gunderson
How do you pronounce “Chicago”? Meet the author of a new book about how to speak Midwestern.
Susana Mendoza on New Role as Comptroller, Future of State Finances
| Evan Garcia
Illinois’ backlog of unpaid bills exceeds $11 billion. Does Comptroller Susana Mendoza think the state can ever catch up?
Trump’s Day One Executive Order Begins Dismantling of Obamacare
| WTTW News
Just hours after taking the oath of office, President Donald Trump delivered on a campaign promise. What are the implications of his executive order?
Craig Hodges’ New Memoir Outlines Experiences as ‘NBA Freedom Fighter’
| Alexandra Silets
The two-time Chicago Bulls champion talks about his new book, and the price of being outspoken.
CPS Hoping New Site Will Streamline High School Application Process
| Matt Masterson
On Wednesday, the Chicago Board of Education will vote on a vendor contract between CPS and SchoolMint, a San Francisco-based tech company specializing in digital student enrollment and registration platforms.
Survival Stories, Photos Commemorate Dark Chapter in US History
| Eddie Arruza
A new book and a Chicago-area survivor recall the infamous internment of Japanese-Americans that took place 75 years ago.
‘Bad Joke’ of Illinois Finances, Politics Prompt Out-of-State Moves
| Kristen Thometz
Thousands of people moved out of the city and state over the past three years. Two former Illinois residents weigh in on their decisions, while another wrestles with the idea of packing his bags for good.
Photos: Personal, Political Messages at Women’s March on Chicago
| Alexandra Silets
Signs displaying personal messages on issues such as women’s rights, democracy, health care and LGBTQ rights were carried by many in the crowd of thousands Saturday at the Women’s March on Chicago. Take a look at what we spotted.
Thousands of Demonstrators Flood Loop for Women’s March on Chicago
| Maya Miller
Chants of “this is what democracy looks like” echoed Saturday through the streets of downtown Chicago as an estimated 250,000 individuals flooded the area to take part in the Women’s March on Chicago.
CTU Post Claims Furlough Dates Could Violate Labor Contract
| Matt Masterson
The ink has barely dried on the labor contract between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union, but with a wave of upcoming furlough days announced, one side has made the claim that deal may have been violated already.
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