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Posts published in “Latest News”

What Big Data Reveals About Justice In Cook County

Journalists from the Better Government Association, The Chicago Reporter and Injustice Watch have been digging into the data relating to millions of Cook County criminal cases. Emily Hoerner shares what this investigative collaborative called ‘The Circ...

Candidates Vying To Be Cook County’s Top Prosecutor

Democratic Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is taking aim at her challenger’s record on wrongful convictions a week before the election. Her Republican challenger is former judge and prosecutor Pat O’Brien. Libertarian candidate Brian Dennehy is a...

Loopholes Riddle Feds’ COVID-19 ‘Small Business’ Aid

Loans were approved for an Illinois company tied to Betsy DeVos, crooked contractors and a congressional candidate whose family business employs 1,400 workers.

Host: Melba Lara
Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Lessons From A CPS Teacher On Surviving Remote Learning

Since remote learning began in Chicago Public Schools, many teachers say sitting for long hours in front of a computer is not only hard on students, but also on them.

Host: Mary Dixon
Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

Two IL Democrats Fight To Keep Swing District Seats

Something happened in Chicago’s suburbs in 2018: two reliably red congressional districts turned blue. Now, those two Democrats are fighting to hold on to their seats.

Democrat Sean Casten is being challenged by Republican Jeanne Ives in the 6th dist...

Chicago Companies Are Innovating, Despite Pandemic

Crain’s Chicago Business published its annual list of the region’s most innovative companies on Friday. While the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for the economy and businesses, there have been some bright spots if you know where to look.

Ho...

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot On Her ‘Last Resort’ Budget

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she won’t apologize for last year’s $1 billion budget increase, and sees this year’s proposed property tax increases as a "last resort."

Host: Mary Dixon
Reporter: Becky Vevea

COVID-19 Sparks New Ideas About How To Design Cities

In Chicago, life sheltering in place isn’t changing any time soon as restrictions on gatherings remain. With COVID-19 changing the way people live and get around, some planners see the pandemic as an opportunity to rethink urban living.

Host: Mary Dix...

Pilsen Residents Oppose Historic Landmark Designation

Despite the assurances of city officials, many Pilsen residents remain opposed to a historic landmark district for the neighborhood.

Host: Melba Lara
Reporter: María Inés Zamudio

Students Set An Example For Final Presidential Debate

President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will debate one last time Thursday night. A group of Chicago-area students took part in a mock presidential debate this week, but with a lot more civility than some candidates have s...

Aldermen & Civic Groups Respond To 2021 City Budget

Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled her 2021 spending plan yesterday morning, and many Chicago aldermen and civic groups aren't happy.

Host: Mary Dixon
Reporter: Claudia Morell

Dems Put $550K To IL Justice Kilbride’s Campaign

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride is under fire from new GOP scrutiny over his ties to House Speaker Michael Madigan. Kilbride’s unexpected acceptance of $550,000 from the state Democratic Party that Madigan chairs is drawing sharp GOP critic...

A Very October Reading List

In numerous cultures, it is believed, even celebrated, that with the arrival of autumn, the veil between the living world and what lies beyond grows thin—from Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in Mexico and Spain; to Fed Gede, or Festival of the Ancestors, in Haiti; to Yu Lan, or the Hungry Ghost Festival, in China; to Halloween in the United States. While each holiday is nuanced and unique, October welcomes traditions around the globe that center on mortality. As spirits, ancestors, ghosts, and ghouls parade into our earthly realm, we offer a reading list that will invite you to consider death and dying from a wide variety of vantage points. Is the Cemetery Dead? by David Charles Sloane In modern society, we have professionalized our care for the dying and deceased in hospitals and hospices, churches and funeral homes, cemeteries and mausoleums to aid dazed and disoriented mourners. But these formal institutions can be alienating and cold, leaving people craving a more humane mourning and burial process. Is the Cemetery Dead? gets to the heart of the tragedy of death, chronicling how Americans are inventing new or adapting old traditions, burial places, and memorials. In illustrative prose, […]

The post A Very October Reading List appeared first on The Chicago Blog.

Democratic Justice Fights To Stay On IL Supreme Court

Democratic Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride, who’s seeking another 10-year term on the court, needs 60% of the vote in a largely Republican district to win the seat. If he loses, it could help Republicans pave a path toward conservative control of th...

NY Times Uncovers A Pay-for-Play News Network

New York Times reporter, Davey Alba, found a nationwide network of local news sites publishing propaganda, including in Illinois. Sites with names like the Cook County Record, The Kankakee Times, and The Lake County Gazette may look like regular news s...

Kim Foxx And Pat O’Brien Have Different Visions

This year’s race for the position of Cook County’s top prosecutor offers a competition between two very different visions for the county’s criminal justice system.

Host: Mary Dixon
Reporter: Patrick Smith

Chicago In ‘Second Surge’ Of COVID-19, Mayor Says

Chicago is seeing its highest number of cases since the spring, and they’re expected to keep climbing. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot implored people to wear masks, keep their distance from others, and especially avoid big gatherings as the holidays appr...