A mural that can be seen on the Kennedy has been blasted as "AI slop" by local artists and commuters. blockclubchi.co/428g9tg

Two absolute pros and outstanding people behind the mics for this new show on @wbez.org www.wbez.org/say-more-wit...

The official charity of the Savannah Bananas has a hard time explaining how its money is spent: defector.com/the-official...

In 2023, a Minnesota homeowner argued that the County violated her Fifth Amendment rights by taking her home and pocketing more than the $15,000 she owed in back taxes. Following the ruling, states rushed to reform their laws to avoid legal fallout. All except Illinois. (🖊️ Sidnee King Pineda)

NEW: Illinois is the only state that has yet to reform its tax sale laws after the Supreme Court found unconstitutional a process that can cost homeowners their residences. illinoisanswers.org/2025/09/11/l...

BREAKING: Timothy C. Evans, chief judge of the Cook County circuit court system for 24 years, has lost his re-election bid to Judge Charles Beach, 2 courthouse sources just told me. The vote this afternoon was Beach 144 and Evans 109, one of the sources said. Awaiting official statement

Strange, in court this morning. In the middle of a hearing, judge took a phone call from her "boss," then came back and ruled that documents + videos would remain secret despite prosecutors + defense agreeing the secrecy order could be lifted. When asked, chief judge's office refused to comment.

I'm pleased to report Silksong is a blast

Your weekend read: @hannahmeisel.bsky.social and others look back on the state government impasse capitolnewsillinois.com/news/10-year...

There's a lot in here about the state of the human services sector in Illinois, and I think that @ctoner.bsky.social doesn't lose sight of the ball here: The human services sector exists to moderate the risks of daily life that we all face. When it is shredded it makes life miserable.

illinoisanswers.org/2025/08/28/i... Judy Stegle has been the primary caretaker of her daughter Courtney since '97 after a catastrophic car crash. She's been unable to get help from the state/insurance to buy a lift to help her move Courtney. Clearly, someone could/should step up to make this happen?

A look at the people still left in the cold from Illinois budget impasse 10 years later with an eye towards the federal Medicaid cuts coming soon w/ @hannahmeisel.bsky.social and Molly Parker illinoisanswers.org/2025/08/28/i...

CPD told state safety regulators that Ofc. Krystal Rivera had been shot by a suspect when she'd actually been shot by her partner. The IL Dept. of Labor can, but doesn't, investigate police shootings. No attempt anywhere to correct the record or explain why. No comment from state or CPD. #chicago

Our latest about the Chicago cop who killed his partner earlier this summer during a chase into a Chatham apartment and then was accused of attacking a female cop at a bar. He says he was punched in the eye by his girlfriend's mom @schuba.bsky.social @peternickeas.bsky.social

Officer Carlos Baker has been stripped of his police powers. Baker fatally shot his partner Krystal Rivera and was accused of attacking a female officer this week. He's also under investigation for allegedly seeking video of that incident and claiming he was investigating it. tinyurl.com/2rdx49ms

Ofc. Carlos Baker, who killed his partner Krystal Rivera earlier this summer, then was accused of punching an off-duty officer outside a bar over the weekend, now stripped of police powers. #chicago @schuba.bsky.social @ctoner.bsky.social

A CPS student filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing the district of failing to adequately vet a security guard with a litany of past criminal cases who was later arrested on multiple charges of sexually assaulting the student. to.wttw.com/4m95gza

chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog... Our latest about the cop who shot and killed his partner earlier this year allegedly attacking a female cop at a bar, leaving her with a split lip and stitches @peternickeas.bsky.social @schuba.bsky.social @illinoisanswers.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com

America is crueler, smaller and stupider without public broadcasting.

New: A woman shot with a Glock that had been stolen from CPD's Gresham District station and then used in a series of shootings has sued the city, saying the gun was stolen by cops and its theft covered up. One officer named (supervising sgt) alongside city + other unnamed officers. #chicago

A woman who was shot with a Glock handgun that had been stolen from a South Side police station and then was used in a series of violent crimes has sued the city of Chicago, saying the gun was taken by police, and the theft was covered up. chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...

Significant shuffling of command staff responsibilities at Chicago Police Department - First Deputy Supt. Yolanda Talley, whose connections to scandals wouldn't fit the character limit here, stripped of most day-to-day responsibilities. #chicago @ckubzansky.bsky.social + @samjcharles.bsky.social

What are you doing @sagaftra.org??? Hogan is a good reason why the WWE wrestlers haven't been in SAG-AFTRA for the past 40 years!

A New Wastewater Plant in Carterville Could Stop Sewage Overflows — Why Hasn’t Construction Started Yet? My latest illinoisanswers.org/2025/07/15/a...

Statement from Chicago Fire supporters group Sector Latino. The supporters section staged a silent protest turning their backs to the field and then walked out later in the match. This is in protest of the team's silence around immigration and the banning of 3 fans for holding a protest ICE banner.

chicago.suntimes.com/2025/07/02/f... A week after @peternickeas.bsky.social @schuba.bsky.social and I published our story about the background of the cop who shot and killed his partner, the woman's family has allied with a powerful law firm calling for an independent investigation into her death

ICYMI: A Chicago officer who accidentally shot and killed his partner had racked up more than a dozen misconduct complaints in just four years on the force. illinoisanswers.org/2025/06/27/c...

We, the staff of @citybureau.bsky.social, are forming a union! A strong media system needs strong workers. We’re asking our leadership to formally recognize the City Bureau Workers Guild so we can shape the future of local media together. You can join our movement by:

The Chicago police officer who accidentally shot+killed his partner earlier this month was accused of flashing a gun at a woman while she was on a date with another man at a North Side bar. This was during his probationary period when CPD could have summarily fired him. #chicago

A young Chicago cop had racked up more than a dozen misconduct complaints by the time authorities say he inadvertently shot and killed his partner, Krystal Rivera. buff.ly/MDNoCqM

The officer who authorities say accidentally shot + killed his partner had accrued more than a dozen misconduct allegations against him during his 3.5 years as a PO. Five were during his probation period, when CPD could have summarily fired him. Unclear how he ended up on a tac team. #chicago

The Jewel-Osco pharmacy division is arguing that the National Labor Relations Act unconstitutional. An important story about the beloved local grocer and labor by the excellent @taliasoglin.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/23/j...

How an Ex-Police Officer Fired for Sexual Misconduct Slipped Through CPS Background Checks to Work at Lane Tech — disturbing story from @jaredrutecki.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2025/06/18/h...

Wasted Waters: How Southern Illinois is Coping with Decades of Sewage Flooding… and Why it Still Isn’t Solved. My latest for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social illinoisanswers.org/2025/06/17/w...

Great story from my @illinoisanswers.bsky.social colleague Janelle O'Dea about the almost overwhelming sewage problems plaguing a handful of small, poor towns in Southern Illinois illinoisanswers.org/2025/06/17/w...

Digging up every last copy of ET buried in the New Mexico landfill and putting it in

✝️🍕

Douglass High School on the city’s West Side now has 27 employees for 28 students. The cost to run the school is $93,000 per student. “'Is a Douglass student getting a $93,000-a-year experience? No.'" From @chalkbeat.org / @propublica.org - Mila Koumpilova / @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

If you missed it yesterday, I spoke to fans, economists and players unions and wrote long about the overlapping ways in which the Club World Cup represents a collision of all the untenable forces in modern soccer.

Police officer shot, 82/Drexel, earlier tonight. Department brass and others at University of Chicago Hospital. Cops for blocks in each direction from here. #chicago

Pleased to report the "Oregon Trail" designer is a retired guy with a cool science blog who has published posts such as "What Is a Fox?" medium.com/the-philipen...

Got an email from a former Mike Madigan attorney, who is now a Minneapolis folk musician. His latest song, "The Fall of the Velvet Hammer" is self-explanatory youtu.be/7ReDeMRVlEY?...

Chicago’s other football club — the Fire — is doubling down on its commitment to the city, with team owner Joe Mansueto announcing a plan to personally finance a $650 million soccer-specific stadium to be built along the Chicago River in Related Midwest’s development, The 78.

This @illinoisanswers.bsky.social piece from @alexnitkin.bsky.social provides some more clarity on the legal cloud hovering over the "compromise" citywide ADU/granny flat ordinance that would send far NWS & SWS applicants to the ZBA vs a universal program. illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/27/g...

As part of @IllinoisAnswers' series "Making it in Chicago," @_MJHopkins and I investigated the cost of child care in Cook County. We found the state's largest child care subsidy doesn’t provide enough relief for many families and providers. illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/27/w...

After a community listening tour last fall, we charged ahead, reporting on topics as big as... child care costs affordable housing & healthcare student loans Gig work violence interrupters and aging in place. Our series "Making it in Chicago" is the result: makingitinchicago.illinoisanswers.org

illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/13/c... Such a great story about the Kafka-esque "crime-free housing" laws in the Midwest and the tenants caught in in the mess

Want to know more about Dolton's history? Spend some time with this 2018 deep look at what happened in this village interactive.wbez.org/dolton/ by @ctoner.bsky.social and Miles Bryan and Sebastian Hildalgo

Brilliant collab between @ctoner.bsky.social, photographer Sebastian Hidalgo and Miles Bryan

How have other states tried to address the misuse and abuse of restraint chairs in county jails? This week, we bring you examples from 3 states. illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/15/h...