Lightfoot’s CPS Budget Proposes Millions for Upgrades, Improvements
Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils her first budget proposal for Chicago Public Schools – and it comes as she negotiates a new contract with the Chicago Teachers Union.
Landmark Status in Pilsen: Good or Bad for the Neighborhood?
The Pilsen neighborhood has been at the center of battles over gentrification. Now the longtime Mexican American community is facing a new twist involving old buildings.
Chief Judge Evans: Gun Violence Not the Result of Bail Reform
Chief Judge Timothy Evans responds to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s concerns about suspects with illegal guns getting out on bail.
Meet the YouTube Botanist with a Thick Chicago Accent and Foul Mouth
Joey Santore isn’t your typical plant expert, but his colorful style and depth of knowledge have proved popular. We go for a stroll through Wolf Road Prairie, an 80-acre nature preserve in Chicago’s western suburbs.
Deep Frydays: Hot Tips
Since the rib tip is not only a Chicago institution but also a finger food, we decided it was the best candidate this week for a beer-batter-and-hot-oil dunk.
UChicago Empower Initiative Adds Diversity to Student Body
A year after announcing it was dropping mandatory SATs as part of its admissions process and increasing financial aid for low-income and rural students, the University of Chicago is seeing an impact on enrollment.
Trump ‘Thinking Very Seriously’ About Commuting Blagojevich’s Sentence
President Donald Trump tells reporters he is “thinking very seriously” about commuting the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a 2010 contestant on “The Apprentice” who is now halfway through his 14-year prison sentence.
Spotlight Politics: State Sen. Tom Cullerton Fights Federal Indictment
An indicted state senator keeping a leadership post, and city officials react to deadly shootings. Our politics team weighs in on those stories and more in our weekly roundtable.
Racial Tensions Boiling Over in City Water Department
Two years after a scathing report unveiled a rampant problem at the Department of Water Management, more employees are speaking out about what they call a toxic culture at the city agency.
New Community Garden Aims to Shed Light on Urban Indians
The First Nations Garden in Albany Park was created by the American Indian Center and the Chi-Nations Youth Council in partnership with the city of Chicago. “It’s become a beacon for native people,” said 17-year-old Adrien Pochel.
Research Collaborative Partners with Communities to Address Chicago’s Gun Violence
A group dedicated to addressing Chicago’s gun violence offers an update on what it’s learned through conversations with community members impacted by gun violence in the North and South Lawndale neighborhoods.
CPS Teacher Shortage Hits Black and Special Needs Students Hardest
Each year, hundreds of Chicago Public Schools are having to make do without teachers and substitutes because of a teacher shortage. But according to new reporting from WBEZ, that shortfall does not impact all schools and students equally.
Pot Prohibition in Illinois Will Persist, Even After It’s Legal
Marijuana will be legal in Illinois in five months, but a growing number of communities across the state are considering saying “no” to cannabis sales within their borders, including suburban Naperville.
