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Illinois Groups Demand Release of $50M in After-School Program Funding
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
The organizations say tens of thousands of students are being denied access to services because the money is not being spent.
Now Paused Tariffs Could Impact Hundreds of Billions of Dollars of Trade in Illinois
| Ben Szalinski — Capitol News Illinois
President Donald Trump’s plan to implement tariffs on key United States trading partners could affect more than $100 billion worth of goods imported to Illinois from Canada, Mexico and China. The countries were Illinois’ top trading partners in 2023.
Donald Trump Agrees to Pause Tariffs on Canada and Mexico After Pledge to Boost Border Enforcement
| Associated Press
The White House confirmed the pause to the United States, which followed a similar move with Mexico that allows for a period of negotiations about drug smuggling and illegal immigration. There is a risk that the tariffs could still come into effect, leaving the global economy uncertain about whether a crisis has been averted or if a possible catastrophe could still be coming in the weeks ahead.
Starved Rock to Receive $30M in State Funds for Much Needed Improvements, Maintenance
| Patty Wetli
Illinois officials announced $60 million in funding for improvement projects at five parks and historic sites, with the lion's share being funneled to Starved Rock.
Neko Case Just Published a Memoir. Here’s What She Had to Say About Life on the Road in 2001
| Marc Vitali
Neko Case has written the book on her sometimes wild life. She returns to Chicago this week to talk about her memoir, “The Harder I Fight the More I Love You.”
Homicides Up Slightly, Shootings Down in Chicago Through First Month of 2025: Police
| Matt Masterson
There were 38 homicides recorded throughout the city in January, an 8.6% jump over the same month in 2024, according to new data from the Chicago Police Department.
People Left to Navigate Immigration Court Complexities Alone After Federally Funded Aid Pulled
| Associated Press
Without the programs that educate people in immigration courts and detention centers about their rights and the complicated legal process, many will end up navigating the system on their own. Advocates worry that due process and the backlogged immigration courts will suffer.
EU Leaders Ponder the ‘Cruel Paradox’ of a US Ally Threatening Tariffs and a Possible Land Grab
| Associated Press
Since taking office in the White House last month, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on EU imports and refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.
Elon Musk Says President Donald Trump ‘Agreed’ USAID Should Be Shut Down
| Associated Press
Members of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, eventually did gain access Saturday to the aid agency’s classified information, which includes intelligence reports, the former official said. Musk’s DOGE crew lacked high enough security clearance to access that information, so the two USAID security officials — John Voorhees and deputy Brian McGill — believed themselves legally obligated to deny access.
Paper Mail Is Seen as a Source for Drugs in Illinois Prisons. How Is It Tracked?
| Blair Paddock
Correctional workers and Republican lawmakers have said exposure to synthetic cannabinoids in IDOC facilities has led to hospital visits and impacted prisons across the state. One man incarcerated at Hill Correctional Center said moving away from paper mail would have “devastating consequences.”
Donald Trump Says Americans Could Feel ‘Some Pain’ From His New Tariffs Against Canada, Mexico and China
| Associated Press
The trade penalties that Trump signed Saturday at his Florida resort caused a mix of panic, anger and uncertainty, and threatened to rupture a decades-old partnership on trade in North America while further straining relations with China.
Black History Month Explained: Its Origins, Celebrations and Myths
| Associated Press
The history of the month dates back almost a century, and the way it is celebrated and evolved has created history in itself.
Week in Review: Trump Funding Freeze Sows Confusion; ICE Raids Begin
| Paul Caine
Federal immigration agents — and Dr. Phil — carry out raids in Chicago. And the wide-ranging impact of a federal funding freeze.
University Health, Medical Researchers in Chicago Face Uncertainty as Trump Administration Aims to Cut Federal Funding
| Eunice Alpasan
Fears and frustrations linger among university researchers around the country whose research work is now in limbo as President Donald Trump’s administration aims to cut what it deems as “wasteful” federal spending.
FDA Approves Painkiller Designed to Eliminate the Risk of Addiction Associated With Opioids
| Associated Press
It’s the first new pharmaceutical approach to treating pain in more than 20 years, offering an alternative to both opioids and over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Illinois Students Remain at or Above National Average, According to ‘Nation’s Report Card’ Test
| Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, is a set of standardized tests administered every two years to a representative sample of fourth and eighth students nationwide. Because the tests are administered uniformly nationwide, it allows for accurate comparisons between states and over time.
Illinois Lawmakers Revive Push to Create Prescription Drug Affordability Board
| Medill Illinois News Bureau
The proposed board would be an independent body that would review and set upper payment limits in each step of the supply chain, said Anusha Thotakura, the executive director of Citizen Action/Illinois, a progressive lobbying organization.
Chicago Immigrant Advocates Push for Increased Protections as Trump Administration Targets the City
| Abena Bediako
Increased immigration raids have been reported across the country. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, confirmed nearly 1,200 arrests on Sunday. Approximately 100 people have been detained by federal officials in the Chicago area, according to the Chicago Police Department.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Jan. 30, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The impact immigration raids are having on local businesses. And the stability of federal funding going forward for local nonprofits.
Some Illinois Nonprofits Face Uncertain Future After Trump’s Attempted Federal Funding Freeze
| Bridgette Adu-Wadier
The freeze threatened to hold up trillions of dollars in funding for basic government functions like health care, infrastructure and support for children and veterans.
Pritzker Says Trump ‘Unfit to Lead’ After President’s Response to Fatal DC Plane Crash
| Amanda Vinicky
An American Airlines plane that was landing in Washington, D.C., and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight collided Wednesday night. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, and authorities report no one survived.
Business Owners in Little Village, Back of the Yards Say Sales Declining Amid Fears of ICE Raids
| Joanna Hernandez
Latino neighborhoods in Chicago are on edge amid increased reports of immigration raids by federal law enforcement agents.
Field Museum Kicks Off Year of the Snake With a Big Reveal: a New King Cobra Species
| Patty Wetli
Three new species of king cobras have recently been identified, and the Field Museum’s collection has been harboring one of the rarest for nearly 80 years.
Members of the Chicago Transgender Community Raise Concerns About Health, Safety After Trump Executive Orders
| Abena Bediako
For many in Chicago’s transgender community, the order and other policies of the new administration are cause for concern. They say the policy focus on transgender people is a distraction from other national issues.
A Jury Will Now Decide Michael Madigan’s Fate. Here’s a Breakdown of the Landmark Corruption Case
| Matt Masterson
Michael Madigan’s defense team rested Thursday, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began in the landmark case. Here is what you need to know about the case.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Jan. 29, 2025 - Full Show
| WTTW News
The White House rescinds its memo freezing federal funding. And a plan to hold companies complicit in slavery to account.
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