A few things to know about how Chicago is preparing for Ebola: ✔️The risk here is LOW ✔️Adult patients would go to Rush; kids to Lurie Children's ✔️The city routinely trains for this, not just when there's an outbreak. ✔️If you're traveling this weekend ... >> tinyurl.com/4djwm675

📣NEW: The risk of Ebola arriving in Chicago is low, but local leaders are using lessons from a decade-old playbook they created during another Ebola outbreak just in case. 5 things to know from O'Hare to the hospital: tinyurl.com/4djwm675 @wbez.org @luriechildrens.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com

NEW: Nearly 3,000 nurses at Endeavor Health in the Chicago area are working to unionize over pay cuts and what they say are unsafe working conditions putting patients at risk ... as executives get bonuses. tinyurl.com/3mfabz2t @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

📣 Starting *today* about 120,000 people in Illinois could start losing federal food assistance, known as SNAP. Here's what to know, from a Chicago area food pantry guide to how to meet new SNAP requirements, via @elviamalagon.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/5n782jzh @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

📣Life expectancy in Chicago tops pre-pandemic levels, with Black Chicagoans leading the way. The 20-year death gap between neighborhoods still persists. Details & context >> tinyurl.com/5n6e2zrz @wbez.org

📣NEW: Life expectancy in Chicago has bounced back since COVID-19 pandemic. ✔️Life expectancy was at all-time high (80 yrs) per new 2024 data ✔️Biggest gains on South, West sides ✔️Black Chicagoans made the most gains ✔️Still 20-year death gap between neighborhoods tinyurl.com/5n6e2zrz @wbez.org

📣A must-read: Flooding in Chicago is getting worse. Here's why & what you can do about it, via @brettchase.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com: tinyurl.com/3yyw72mw @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social

We got word that West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, which abruptly closed last month over $$, is reopening primary care clinics at the hospital. That's despite being served eviction notices. The CEO is fighting that in court, via @kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/7c2ckpfm

📣NEW: Illinois regulators have little power to stop hospital closures. State lawmakers are calling for: ✔️all hospitals to file plans w/the state in case they close or suspend services ✔️for-profit hospitals that largely shield their $$ to open up their books tinyurl.com/5byadcbc @wbez.org

📣NEW: Illinois regulators have little power to stop hospital closures. State lawmakers are calling for: ✔️all hospitals to file plans w/the state in case they close or suspend services ✔️for-profit hospitals that largely shield their $$ to open up their books. tinyurl.com/5byadcbc @wbez.org

As West Suburban Medical Center closes: ✅hospital struggled for months (no heat, broken x-ray machines, no docs on call for ICU, per inspection reports) ✅State criticizes sudden closure, but it's allowed by law ✅Medical staff prez calls for new CEO w/@kwashburn.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/yrreuyuc

NEW: Months before West Suburban Medical Center abruptly closed, the hospital struggled to treat patients — and keep the heat on. @kwashburn.bsky.social and I have receipts. tinyurl.com/4sbbjeku @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

It’s official. Preckwinkle wins. The crowd at Little Black Pearl on Chicago’s South Side erupts in cheer. They chant ‘four more years!’ and ‘Happy Birthday!’ Across town, Reilly concedes and thanks his family.

I’m at Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s election night party. It’s also her birthday. The longtime Cook County Board prez has a big lead over Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly.

It's primary election eve! Voting in Chicago and Cook County? Here's our voter guide -- where candidates stand on the issues that matter to you. You can even build your ballot ahead of time: tinyurl.com/2wjj8rns @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @shiakapos.bsky.social

📻Please click *PLAY* and travel with me to Angela & Sammie Taylor's community garden on Chicago’s West Side, where food is medicine. It's a homegrown solution to narrowing the 20-year death gap in Chicago: tinyurl.com/mwfetr2c @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social

Johnnie Flournoy, a 74-yr-old man incarcerated in IL, says he's nearly blind bc for years he has been denied a simple treatment for glaucoma. He's not at all alone. His story of medical neglect is a common one in IL prisons. @chicago.suntimes.com chicago.suntimes.com/health/2026/...

Your Friday joy ... a trip to a community garden in Chicago's West Garfield Park, where Angela & Sammie Taylor are doing their part to help people live longer on the West Side: tinyurl.com/mwfetr2c @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com @shiakapos.bsky.social @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker quietly included about $144M in his proposed state budget to keep funding health insurance for elderly immigrants who don’t have legal status. Tune in to @wbez.org/91.5FM at 3:30/5:30PM for details. More on the budget pitch from @mitchtrout.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/uucufte5

Lots to dig into as longtime Cook County Board Prez Toni Preckwinkle runs for a 5th term against Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly, a conservative Democrat, w/@mariahwoelfel.bsky.social.Their takes on: ✅ICE ✅Medicaid losses ✅prop tax system delay tinyurl.com/hv48j7ws @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

DHHS officials announced the referral for investigation on social media Jan. 15, naming five other hospitals in addition to Lurie's. In response, the hospital said it won’t give any prescriptions to patients <18 who would be new to gender-affirming care at its hospital. w/ @kschorsch.bsky.social

ICYMI: A homegrown solution to closing the 20-year life expectancy gap in Chicago between West Garfield Park & the Loop ... an inspiring story from a mom & her son. Pls press play, read & share! tinyurl.com/65chevtr @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @wbez.org

Your moment of joy today: A son’s mission to transform his mom's health turned into Peace Runners 773, a running & walking group on Chicago's West Side. It's part of a broader effort to help close a 20-year 'death gap' in the city: tinyurl.com/65chevtr @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social

📣A must-read fact check about one of the biggest talkers in Chicago right now. The city's head tax was long called a job killer, but is there evidence to back that up? Via @mariahwoelfel.bsky.social @amyqin.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/yertb9bw @wbez.org @civicfederation.bsky.social

Press play! 📻 My first radio story on the staggering 20-year life expectancy gap in Chicago is out. Hear what it's like for a mom & her son to live in the death gap, and what they're doing about it: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @wbez.org

In Chicago, there’s a 20-year life expectancy gap between a West Side community & the Loop downtown — the widest death gap across neighborhoods of any big city in the U.S. Many of these deaths are preventable. Here’s what families are doing about it. tinyurl.com/yd8bx2r5 @longreads.com @wbez.org

Another stunning data viz about the 20-year death gap in Chicago. Many of these early deaths are preventable. Data viz by @justinmyers.net. Full story: tinyurl.com/yd8bx2r5 @wbez.org @chicago.suntimes.com

A stunning visual of Chicago's 20-year death gap, mapped on the L, via @myersjustinc.bsky.social @chicago.suntimes.com. Here's what residents & community leaders are doing to close this gap: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social @watchdogdiva.bsky.social @kffhealthnews.org

In West Garfield Park in Chicago, residents can expect to die *20* years earlier than those in the Loop. Even kids know they might not grow old. Meet the families & community leaders working to close this death gap. Pls read & share: tinyurl.com/47r2vcj5 @wbez.org @chjreportinghealth.bsky.social

I've spent a lot of time in Chicago's West Garfield Park community recently. Being priced out of their homes is a big fear. Some of that fear has come to fruition -- huge property tax bill hikes in one of the poorest areas of the city: tinyurl.com/4ernvc7y, via @davidstruett.bsky.social

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