Stories by Associated Press
Illinois Man Pleads Not Guilty to Hate Crime and Murder Charges in Attack on Muslim Mother and Son
| Associated Press
Joseph Czuba is charged in the fatal stabbing of six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and the wounding of Hanaan Shahin on Oct. 14. Authorities said the victims were targeted because of their Muslim faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Alleged Highland Park Parade Gunman Won’t Testify at Father’s Reckless Conduct Trial
| Matt Masterson
Attorneys for Robert Crimo Jr., who is set to go to trial next week on seven counts of reckless conduct, had sought to call his son — alleged parade shooter Robert Crimo III — to testify in his defense.
Plan to Transform Former Jewel, Parking Lot on Far South Side Into Migrant Shelter Advances
| Heather Cherone
Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st Ward) said he was "highly disappointed" by the decision by the mayor's office to open a migrant shelter in his ward, but acknowledged he could not stop the proposal.
General Motors Reaches Tentative Agreement With UAW, Potentially Ending 6-Week Strike
| Associated Press
General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.
15 People Wounded in Halloween Party Shooting Early Sunday: Police
| Matt Masterson
No one was killed, but two people were listed in critical condition and the other 13 victims were hospitalized in fair or good condition following the shooting that took place at around 1 a.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of South Pulaski Road.
With Temperatures Set to Dip Below Freezing, Warming Buses Set to Shelter Migrants
| Heather Cherone
“With colder weather upon us, we are at an increasingly critical point in this humanitarian endeavor,” Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said in a statement.
Chicago’s Top Cop Vows to Rein in Police Overtime Spending as 2023 Bill Tops $200M
| Heather Cherone
Even though the Chicago Police Department has exceeded its overtime budget in each of the past five years, the City Council is once again poised to set aside just $100 million to cover the department’s overtime bill in the 2024 budget.
EPA to Strengthen Lead Protections in Drinking Water After Multiple Crises, Including Flint
| Associated Press
Decades after officials banned lead in gasoline for new cars and stopped the sale of lead paint there are still an estimated 500,000 U.S. children with levels of lead in their blood that are considered high, and experts say lead in drinking water is an important source.
Looking to Help Migrants and Unhoused Chicagoans This Winter? Here’s What the City Recommends
| Erica Demarest
With winter fast approaching, the city of Chicago is reminding people that asylum seekers and homeless residents are in need of clothing, toiletries and other items.
Retail Chains May Be Using Theft to Mask Other Issues, Report Says
| CNN
Retailers say theft is exploding, and some data from retailers along with numerous videos of violent store robberies and looting seem to support the claim. But some retail analysts and researchers say stores may be over-stating the extent and impact of theft.
COVID-19 Treatments to Enter the Market With a Hefty Price Tag
| Associated Press
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is setting the price for a five-day treatment of Paxlovid at $1,390, but Americans can still access the pills at no cost — for now. The less commonly used COVID-19 treatment Lagevrio, manufactured by Merck, also will hit the market next week.
Week in Review: Pushback Over Plans to House Migrants; New US House Speaker
| Blair Paddock
The city moves forward on plans to build a tent base camp in Brighton Park despite pushback. And Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling vows to remove extremists from the department.
Key City Panel Set to Consider Plan to Expand Workers’ Paid Time Off, a Measure Opposed by Business Groups
| Heather Cherone
If the measure is approved, Chicago workers would be entitled to more time off than workers in New York City and Los Angeles, and would be the first to earn time off for any reason, not just if they or a family member falls ill.
2% of Kids and 7% of Adults Have Gotten the New COVID-19 Shots, US Data Show
| Associated Press
Officials approved updated shots that have a single target, an omicron descendant named XBB.1.5. Last month, the CDC recommended the new shots for everyone 6 months and older.
Vote Set on Plan to Transform Former Jewel, Parking Lot on Far South Side Into Migrant Shelter
| Heather Cherone
The number of migrants sent to Chicago in the last 30 days has grown 30%, with the number of migrants at police stations and O’Hare growing by more than 50%, even as the mayor’s office opened several new shelters in recent weeks.
Carrera de los Muertos Takes the Pulse of Pilsen for the 16th Year This Saturday Through a Sold-Out 5K
| Acacia Hernandez
It’s going to be a colorful day in Pilsen on Saturday. More than 6,000 people are expected to come together to honor and remember their late loved ones in a sold-out race ahead of Dia de los Muertos, a well-known Mexican holiday dating back to precolonial times.
Back From Southern Border in Texas, Chicago Delegation Members Reflect on What They Saw
| Emily Soto
A delegation of local leaders and community groups from Chicago who recently visited the southern border and Texas cities discuss their trip and the lessons they brought home.
Chicago’s Halloween Forecast: It’s Going To Be a Classic ‘Throw On a Coat Over Your Costume’ Kind of Night
| Patty Wetli
The National Weather Service isn’t even trying to sugarcoat the forecast for Halloween. It’s all downhill from here.
Police Commission Asks Chicago’s Watchdog to Probe Officers Tied to Proud Boys, Oath Keepers
| Heather Cherone
“It is hard to imagine a more serious issue in police oversight right now,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said. “Chicago has to get this right.”
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 26, 2023 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Chicago’s delegation to the border is back — what they learned. Inequities in the effects of climate change in Lake County. And Carrera de los Muertos kicks off this weekend.
Consul General of Mexico in Chicago on the Devastating Impact of Hurricane Otis
| Associated Press
Survivors of a Category 5 storm that killed at least 27 people as it devastated Mexico’s resort city of Acapulco spent Thursday searching for acquaintances and necessities and hoping that aid would come quickly in the wake of Hurricane Otis.
Report Examines Unequal Effects of Climate Change on Lake County Communities
| Erica Gunderson
A new report from the Brushwood Center found Lake County residents face significant race-based disparities in health outcomes, environmental quality and access to nature.
Jefferson Park Man Spent Night in Jail After Harassment Campaign Led by Police Brass, Misconduct Agency Finds
| Heather Cherone
The probe by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability concluded that two Chicago Police lieutenants “may have directed an improper campaign of harassment” against Pete Czosnyka “in retaliation for the exercise of his First Amendment rights.”
Chicago Officials Renew Plea for Help from Federal Government as Decision on ‘Base Camp’ Looms
| Heather Cherone
More than 19,000 people have been sent to Chicago from the southern border in the past 15 months. The city is awaiting test results before finalizing a decision to build a massive “winterized base camp” in Brighton Park.
Leaf Peeping is Hitting Its Peak. Here’s How to Take Advantage of Fall Color Season Close to Chicago
| Patty Wetli
The fall foliage season got off to a slow start in the Chicago region but is making up for lost time. We’ve rounded up some resources to help you make the most of Mother Nature’s spectacular, but short-lived, autumnal display.
Grand Jury Indicts Landlord on Hate Crime, Murder Charges in Attack on Muslim Mom, 6-Year-Old Son
| Associated Press
The eight-count indictment against Joseph Czuba, 71, tracks the charges that were filed soon after the fatal stabbing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6, and the wounding of Hanaan Shahin on Oct. 14. Authorities said the victims were targeted because of their Muslim faith.
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