Lightfoot: Independent Commission Should Redraw City’s 50 Wards
The decennial redrawing of Chicago’s 50 ward boundaries is messy and anything but transparent. Mayor Lori Lightfoot calls the current map an obvious case of gerrymandering, and says it’s bad for Chicago residents.
Closing Arguments Expected This Week in Death-Penalty Trial of Brendt Christensen
Federal prosecutors and Brendt Christensen’s defense team are each expected to call their final witnesses before Friday. Among those slated to testify: Christensen’s former girlfriend, who wore a wire for the FBI, and his ex-wife.
State Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke Angers Some with Judicial Pick
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke received blowback from faith and community leaders on Chicago’s West Side for appointing a white woman to fill a vacancy formerly held by a black woman.
Ready or Not, Electric Scooters Arrive on Chicago’s West Side
Dockless electric scooters – 2,500 of them – arrive in Chicago as the city launches its pilot program, but will riders stay safe?
Move of Beachside Music Fest Prompts Pushback Over Endangered Birds
Organizers of Mamby on the Beach want to move the music festival to Montrose Beach, but conservationists are pushing back because of two endangered birds living at the site.
Art Institute Show Explores ‘Iconic Photographs’
Photography has long been used to make images of iconic works of art. Sometimes the photographs themselves become icons. A new show explores a collection of famous pictures from the 20th century.
Tracing the National Security Council’s ‘Unprecedented Evolution’
The National Security Council is an integral part of U.S. foreign policy, despite the fact that most Americans know little about what it actually does. In a new book, author John Gans traces the council’s “unprecedented evolution.”
Beekeeping Behind Bars: Inmates Raise Bees at Cook County Jail
Behind barbed wire fences, Cook County Jail inmates grow vegetables, flowers, herbs, and – as of May – they’re harvesting honey from two beehives provided by a former inmate.
Deep Frydays: Ramp It Up
This week’s installment of our new battered-and-fried summer series goes deep on Chicago’s odorous namesake: the ramp.
Changes Coming to Chicago’s Embattled Workers’ Comp System
It’s a program that costs the city more than $100 million a year, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot says that under Ald. Ed Burke, it was “ripe for corruption.”
Juneteenth: A Holiday Honoring the Abolition of US Slavery
Next week, a holiday commemorates the abolition of slavery in Confederate states. We discuss Juneteenth and African American history in general.
Inside Northwestern’s Massive New Biomedical Research Facility
Northwestern University is officially opening its massive $560 million, state of the art research center next week. Get a sneak peek inside.
