Nearly 2 million people in Illinois could lose SNAP benefits starting Saturday. Here's a list of food pantries in Chicago & the suburbs if you're looking to donate or you need extra food. tinyurl.com/2zxvrxx5

NEW: U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis is allowing the deposition of Border Patrol boss Greg Bovino to expand to FIVE hours (she'd limited it to 2), and she wants to hear about use of force by CBP in Little Village on Wednesday and Thursday. Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."

📣Hey Chicago! I'm digging into the *20-year* life expectancy gap here. Your ZIP code can determine how long you live. I'm looking to share your stories & ideas for solutions. Pls take my brief survey & share: bit.ly/ChicagoLifeGap @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com

Good news for Chicagoans, but with some caveats: ✅ life expectancy is nearly back to pre-COVID levels ✅ stark gap between Black & Chicagoans of other races has shrunk ✅can the momentum last w/dwindling government $$? Story via me & data viz via @justinmyers.net: tinyurl.com/455a2m8x @wbez.org

There are still way too many shootings and murders in Chicago, but by the numbers this was the safest summer in 60 years. Great analysis by @chipmitchell1.bsky.social chicago.suntimes.com/news/2025/09...

A must-read about Chicago police forcibly hospitalizing thousands of people. This largely untracked system can leave people in crisis traumatized & not willing to actually get treatment, per a big team including @mindsitenews.bsky.social @invisible.institute: tinyurl.com/yhmrjyr7

📣In Chicago, where you live determines when you could die. I'm digging into this stark life expectancy gap - the biggest of any big city in America. Help me understand how this impacts your life. Pls fill out & share this brief survey: tinyurl.com/3622pj9b @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago closed this morning. The owner plans a news conference today not at Weiss, but at the other hospital he owns. Interesting choice. 'Community hospitals are more than buildings – they are a promise,' state Rep. Lilly says per the release.

Community orgs, elected officials: closing Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago would have 'severe' consequences. They ask for more time for Weiss' owner to make repairs. The hospital has been in and out of compliance w/fed regulations for months, via @kwashburn.bsky.social tinyurl.com/mvae9kcd

Chicago could lose another hospital. After months of being in and out of compliance, the feds are cutting off Medicare & Medicaid payments to Weiss Memorial Hospital on Saturday. This made up 84% of their $$$ last year, w/ @kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/4j64y7xh @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

BREAKING: Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown could close as soon as Friday as the feds cut off Medicare & Medicaid funding, via me & @kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/jp8hb2ey @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @shiakapos.bsky.social

NEW: 'These actions are causing chaos, confusion, and fear ...' @ilattygeneral.bsky.social sues the Trump administration to protect gender-affirming care for young patients: tinyurl.com/4fyeskds @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

NEW: @uihealth.bsky.social suspends gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19, making it the fourth major hospital in Chicago to stop or cut back trans health care for young people as the Trump administration threatens to cut federal funding: tinyurl.com/49k4smjz @wbez.org

So much to unpack in this must-read about a Chicago hospital and 'unsafe conditions in the makeshift ER,' via @kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/yw7cdbc4

3 major hospitals in Chicago have scaled back gender affirming care for minors as the Trump administration threatens to cut their $$$. @transupfrontil.com has launched a rapid response team to connect families across Illinois w/private providers & help pay for care: tinyurl.com/ypk9xde @wbez.org

'Those words are empty.' Trans advocates & families call on @govpritzker.illinois.gov @ilattygeneral.bsky.social to protect & support them as more hospitals cut back gender affirming care for minors. They point to Pritzker and Raoul's public support for abortion: tinyurl.com/ypk9xde @wbez.org

NEW: As more hospitals in Chicago cut back care for trans youth, advocates have launched a rapid response team to connect families w/other doctors and cover the cost of everything from appointments to medication: tinyurl.com/ypk9xde @wbez.org @transupfrontil.com @aclu.org

ICYMI: Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown had to evacuate after the AC stopped working last month. Now the feds are pulling the hospital's Medicare funding, which is how Weiss makes most of its $$. Details via me & @kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/yc6xbsm2

Good morning! I'm live on @wbez.org at 91.5FM with a pop-up pledge drive! Help us fill a $3 million annual hole in our budget. Public media should be accessible to all. We have no paywall. Help us today to support you & your neighbors >> wbez.org/donate or 888-915-9239

The number of hospitals where minors can receive gender-affirming care is shrinking even more in Chicago. UChicago Medicine is the latest to stop treatment, via @vimiller.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/55m9ru9f

I’ve been busy since December tracking a basket full of 35 grocery items each month at four Chicago stores since Donald Trump’s reelection. He said he won on immigration and groceries. But the cost of my basket keeps going up. (1/3) chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...

I work in public media w/some of the smartest, kindest people who have no agenda but to help you understand what's happening in your community. Cutting funding means fewer facts about your schools, tax bills, disasters get to you & your neighbors. Pls donate to your local news. @wbez.org

A gem of a read ... ever heard of the O'Hare community in Chicago -- not the airport. Thousands of people live here w/ties to the Schorsch Brothers real estate co. (no relation, or maybe?), via @ericathompson.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/3be2vtae:

'We’ll have to pick up the pieces.' Community orgs predict more people will need help to buy food & get medical care as fed GOP lawmakers vote to slash Medicaid & SNAP. But these very orgs are already on thin margins, via @elviamalagon.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/msem4mzt

'There are families across the country that are trying to figure out how to keep their kids alive with what is already provided. It’s just exhausting.' One family's story about how drastic Medicaid cuts could put their daughter's life at risk. Pls listen/read/share: tinyurl.com/mtbw94u4 @wbez.org

Meet the 'womb service,' a group of students who deliver condoms & emergency contraception to students at DePaul University in Chicago. DePaul deems this 'inappropriate health material' and recently revoked the group's status, via @lkpwrites.bsky.social @wbez.org: tinyurl.com/yc7tj5aw

Nineteen states poised to sustain major Medicaid reductions are led by Republican governors. Their silence on the bill’s biggest cuts is giving cover to GOP lawmakers as they seek to slash Medicaid coverage. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Really excited to be part of this group of talented journalists!

Meet Marely. Medicaid covers the cost for medically fragile children like her to live at home instead of in a far more expensive hospital or nursing facility. Private insurance often doesn't cover the full cost, if at all. Fed cuts to Medicaid put all of this at risk. lnkd.in/g3p65dGt @wbez.org

A really touching story about one of the most famous people in Chicago: Sister Rosemary, the tough-as-nails longtime leader of Misericordia, where people w/disabilities thrive. She was 94, via @neilsteinberg.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/yc4rhytz

NEW: A federal judge ruled on Monday that the termination of hundreds of grants by the NIH was “void and illegal." "This represents racial discrimination, and discrimination against America’s LGBTQ community,” he said. “I would be blind not to call it out." www.propublica.org/article/trum...

So many layers to this. In Chicago, choosing not to confront the problem of the city’s nearly empty public schools, via Mila Koumpilova @chalkbeat.org‬ in Chicago + @jsmithrichards.bsky.social @propublica.org: tinyurl.com/3wdcfthn

Hey folks, I'm hopping on @wbez.org/91.5FM in a bit to ask for your support. ICYMI, public media is under attack. WBEZ stands to lose about $3 million a year. We're *accessible to all* but we need $$ to bring you the news. Support facts. Support independent news >> wbez.org/donate.

📣Hey Chicago! We're talking all things medical debt at *noon today* on 91.5FM/@wbez.org's Reset show. We're taking calls >> 866-915-WBEZ. Join us! Context in the meantime: tinyurl.com/bd8e5uk8

NEW: Cook County started erasing local residents' medical debt a few years ago. The total so far: nearly $665 million has been wiped out, helping more than 500,000 people. Details: tinyurl.com/bd8e5uk8 @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @lowninstitute.org

⬇️Before #COVID19 vaccines, pregnant women who caught the virus were more likely to end up in the ICU, be on a ventilator and die. Hence, the recommendation for them to get vaccinated, via Jackie Fortier w/‪@kffhealthnews.org‬: tinyurl.com/5n7f7c5d

📣Do you live in Illinois and have Medicaid health insurance? Help me understand what Medicaid means to you with this quick survey. Your answers are *confidential* and will help in my reporting. Pls share! tinyurl.com/yc7uzkba @shrivercenter.bsky.social @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

📢I’m looking to understand what Medicaid health insurance means to people across Illinois & what could happen if you or your loved ones lose coverage. Pls fill out this *confidential* survey & spread the word. tinyurl.com/yc7uzkba @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

Heads up >> CDC contradicts its boss, RFK Jr. Says healthy kids can get COVID-19 boosters, via @fenitn.bsky.social tinyurl.com/2s3nsvr4

Even if you don't have Medicaid health insurance, massive cuts could impact everyone. Tune in at *noon* on 91.5FM/@WBEZ's Reset show to learn more. Context in the meantime: tinyurl.com/45p2p92m @wbez.org

@npr.org sues Trump administration over executive order to cut federal funding to public media. NPR + three local stations are suing President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal. chicago.suntimes.com/media/2025/0...

NEW: Pay a property tax bill in Cook County? Get a speeding ticket and need to go to court? A massive cut to Medicaid health insurance could fan out to every Cook County resident. Here's why: tinyurl.com/45p2p92m @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @shrivercenter.bsky.social

A team of my colleagues at @invisible.institute have been working hard on this reporting for months, and I’m excited to see it out in the world today. Please read below, and congratulations to @mizamudio.bsky.social and Dana Brozost-Kelleher, among many others, on this story.

The new Pope was born at historic Mercy Hospital in Chicago and grew up at old St. Mary parish. @bylaurenfitz.bsky.social traces his journey to the Vatican. He's the first Pope from the U.S. tinyurl.com/49s7kaa8 @chicago.suntimes.com @wbez.org

NEW: With a tight state budget, IL Gov. JB Pritzker has proposed cutting a state health insurance program for low-income immigrant adults. But a new study suggests providing coverage actually gives hospitals a financial boost and can help all patients. tinyurl.com/2cf4a3fj

Do not read while eating. Promise me. // First-time homebuyers find attic full of cat feces, bones in their Chicago bungalow chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog... by @szreports.bsky.social

Struggling to pay your sky-high property tax bill in Cook County? You might be eligible for some relief. The county plans to give one-time payments of $1,000 to residents struggling the most to pay their bills. Details ... pls share! tinyurl.com/8mub6rnx @wbez.org

NEW: Cook County touts the success of their guaranteed income pilot program. How people mostly spent $$$ ✅ food ✅ rent ✅ bills ✅ transit What’s next: planning the future of the program tinyurl.com/2yr8y5k5 @wbez.org

Illinois' Attorney General says state law bans hospitals from discriminating against patients because of their gender identity. Some stopped trans surgeries anyway. Families, medical students & advocates fight back. 'Step up, do better ... ' tinyurl.com/5n6jc85u @wbez.org

📣100+ medical students @nufeinbergmed.bsky.social urge the school & teaching affiliate Northwestern Medicine to resume surgeries for trans youth. Students say the policy: * Alienates trans patients, faculty & staff * Impacts training * Contradicts health equity tinyurl.com/5n6jc85u @wbez.org