Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting was demonized and harassed because JK Rowling claimed she was male. Her boxing career was disrupted for over a year. Now, she's been cleared to compete as female after further "sex eligibility reviews." This is going to happen again. www.reuters.com/sports/olymp...

Waymo's hoping to roll out its robotaxis in Illinois. What's already happening? How do they work? And what do people think of making the autonomous vehicles legal in the 21st state? We dive into it with @vimiller.bsky.social, @progresschamber.org, and more on today's @21st.show.

i’ll be on @21st.show at 11am talking about what we know so far and the (potential) future of self-driving vehicles in Illinois

A federal judge has struck down Broadview’s curfew on protests, ruling that restrictions set by suburban leaders have violated demonstrators’ First Amendment rights.

It comes a year after the Trump admin tried to throw out the contract for the union’s 47k workers (and tried again in December). A memo from fmr DHS Sec Kristi Noem said TSA screeners “have a primary function of national security” and thus shouldn’t collectively bargain/be repped by a union.

How much did Cook County homeowners' frustration about rising property taxes show in Tuesday’s race for Cook County assessor? Who is to blame for skyrocketing property taxes? Will Hynes suffer the same fate? Let's dig into the answers (though I fear the headline gives away the first one) 🧵/12

Young voters: What drove you to vote in this primary election? How did you vote and why? I’m a reporter with @chicago.suntimes.com. DM me if you want to share!

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi lost his bid for a third term to Lyons Township Assessor Pat Hynes. But Hynes took flak for accepting more than $100k from property tax appeal lawyers/firms, as well as money from those who had appeals shut down under Kaegi. Let’s break some of those down 🧵

USA has conceded to Venezuela

A voter's guide to the confusing world of super PACs influencing 2026 Illinois primary races chicago.suntimes.com/elections/20...

The @chicago.suntimes.com and @wbez.org live coverage for the election is live! @elleianagreen.bsky.social is out talking to voters at the polls while others (like @tinasfon.bsky.social and @mitchtrout.bsky.social) weigh in on super PACs and more. Live results will also be posted as they roll in!

interesting morning to get 100+ bot followers all at once

Hey so when you cancel your WaPo subscription you can take that money and support The 51st: 51st.news

Mark your calendars for this Friday, March 13! Swing by our local journalism pop-up at Co-Prosperity from 5-7PM to meet the humans behind some of Chicago's coolest independent newsrooms: the Chicago Reader, Lumpen Radio, and @injusticewatch.org

No injuries or deaths have been reported, though first responders were still checking for victims/assessing damage, the Kankakee County Sheriff said. The tornado touched down intermittently before strengthening near Kankakee, per NWS meteorologist David King. 📸: @tylerplariviere.bsky.social

Another Midway Blitz defendant in Chicago is opting for trial, a federal judge is told this afternoon. This time it's Jose Mauricio Rosas-Hernandez:

From @wsj.com: "Of the 279 people accused by officials on X of attacking federal officers in the past year, 181 were U.S. citizens, the Journal found. Close to half of those Americans were never charged with assault. None have been convicted at trial." www.wsj.com/us-news/immi...

The government’s official story would unravel in court — refuted by video surveillance, crime scene photos and witness statements.

Press conference not happening today at noon; has been pushed to tomorrow at 2 pm. Per press release:

Update: Sarah Afzul, the woman's sister, told me that Naqvi has been released from a detention facility in Wisconsin, where she was transferred overnight and they've been reunited with her

FYI—we've watched Dodge County jail transport officers at Broadview before, this is a known connection point for ICE detainees:

Update: Cook County Sheriff said CBP agents told them they have no idea who she is and she was never at the facility and advised the family to file a missing person report

i might be sick but i have the world baseball classic going on two screens so everything is actually fine

it bears repeating that the Texas Supreme Court ruled that AG opinions such as these do not constitute nor overrule law. the 2023 gender affirming care ban *does not* outlaw mental health servces for children with gender dysphoria. as of now ken paxton's legal opinions of are just that: opinions

“U.S. military action may gain surface level removal of a dictator,” said Iranian Chicagoan Narimon Safavi. “[But] I don’t know if I want to be liberated by people like Netanyahu and Trump.” w/ @kwashburn.bsky.social

“‘The persecution is the point,’ said Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita Democrat and the only transgender member of the Legislature, who received the [Kansas Dept of Revenue] notice on Wednesday.” To underscore that: a Kansas state legislator is among those whose driver’s license will be voided. (🎁 link:)

Johnnie Flournoy is 74 years old. He's been incarcerated since the early 1990s, and he's been going blind for much of that time. And Illinois prisons have just been letting it happen. chicago.suntimes.com/health/2026/...

Trump is screwing up the science of sex -- and that has implications for everyone's health care. My latest: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Five months after his Operation Midway Blitz case fell apart, Ray Collins still has to warn potential employers, "I was arrested for a felony." Still, he says "they can't tarnish who I am." On the people left to pick up the pieces after winning in court: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

While the cars still have drivers (for now), Bike Lane Uprising’s Christina Whitehouse wishes the energy was aimed at transit — namely working CTA elevators. “It’s been put on the backburner for so many years, and [public transit] has the opportunity to be great, accessible and affordable.” 🧵/7

"Books are being challenged in Scottish schools. Librarians fear a 'chilling effect' on freedom of speech" A third are LGBTQ+ www.theferret.scot/books-scotti...

Good morning freaks & geeks! The Chicago Reader Union starts bargaining for our new contract today 🐀 🔥 Our members are united, dedicated, & strong. Follow along here & on Instagram (@chicagoreader.union) to learn how you can support us in the weeks to come.

It's gonna be a hot union spring. Workers at The TRiiBE are organizing!!! Sign their letter demanding TRiiBE management recognize their union 👉 actionnetwork.org/letters/were...

We, the staff at @thetriibe.com are unionizing. Please support us in our efforts and sign our petition. actionnetwork.org/letters/were...

PHOTOS: I went hunting for the Chicago Waymo fleet and found them in a parking garage near the Thompson Center.

Chicago court hearing scheduled for ex-boyfriend of Heather Mack in Bali killing @vimiller.bsky.social reports: chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/02...

NEW: I spoke to the sex workers organizing a union at Sheri's Ranch, a brothel in Nevada, about a contract that they say could threaten their right to control their images online. The fight is already serious: since the drive began, four workers have been fired. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

follow @cstguild.bsky.social for updates on bargaining!

Chicago’s fake spring may be coming to a close, but that just means it’s bargaining season! Today marked the start of negotiations to ensure Chicago Public Media respects and protects the Sun-Times Guild journalists bringing you hard-hitting local news.

Under pressure, Cook County’s top prosecutor outlines plan to crack down on lawbreaking ICE agents NEW from @sophiesherry.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

ProPublica published children's letters and drawings documenting their sadness and suffering at Dilley. And Dilley staff are now retaliating by confiscating kids' letters and drawings. www.sacurrent.com/news/san-ant...

Former Congressman and Black Panther leader Bobby Rush credits Jackson with saving his life after party leaders Mark Clark and Fred Hampton were gunned down by Chicago police. “He was a simple man with a mission to lift up the downtrodden, the marginalized and the hated of the world.”

The latest - Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump cuts to HIV, lead poisoning prevention funds chicago.suntimes.com/health/2026/..., reports @vimiller.bsky.social

Martinez plans to pursue a Federal Torts Claim Act complaint against Homeland Security and the agent who shot her.

Instead, I spoke to 4 housing workers who partner with the city. They were unequivocal: encampment closures don't solve homelessness, they perpetuate it. "I don't feel encampments should be closed at all." chicagoreader.com/news/housing...

Fritz Kaegi is running for this 3rd term against challenger Pat Hynes, the Lyons Township assessor who worked as a residential field inspector in the office for 23 years. It comes as residential property tax bills are rising fastest in predominantly Black neighborhoods on the South and West sides.

Among the people in Chicago living in SNAP households who are 22 or older, a CPS lunchroom porter is among the 47% who are employed but still need government support to help buy groceries, according to 2024 U.S. Census data analyzed by WBEZ.

The Mayor's Office of Homelessness has extended their window of public comment on their Five Year Blueprint on Homelessness to Feb 13: www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...

JUST IN: In a new court filing, attorneys for Marimar Martinez call Chicago's U.S. attorney's office "active enablers of an out-of-control client." They cite reports from @chicago.suntimes.com and @npr.org in which DHS refuses to back down on claims that Martinez is a "domestic terrorist."

JUST IN: Chicago's Marimar Martinez is expected to attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address: