Sixteen days before CPD Officer Krystal Rivera was killed by her partner last year, Carlos Baker was referred to a program designed to help troubled officers. He was not enrolled because an email went unanswered. Illinois Answers’ latest investigation with @chicago.suntimes.com:

Chicago Police Failed to Place Troubled Cop Under Strict Supervision Before He Fatally Shot Partner

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that subjects officers to intense oversight. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email.

illinoisanswers.org

Here, IL House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch responding to an intern's IG stories with 😍 "Separately ... Welch himself responded to social media posts by the former Benton staffer — who had previously interned in the speaker’s office — in ways she told the Tribune made her “uncomfortable.”"

Illinois House Speaker Welch’s office knew of harassment claims against disgraced state Rep. Benton years ago

The revelations from a female lobbyist and an ex-Benton staffer not only shed new light on the scandal surrounding the former two-term lawmaker, they also echo one of the most turbulent chapters in Il...

chicagotribune.com

chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog... Carlos Baker, who shot and killed his partner Krystal Rivera, was referred to a strict supervision program just weeks before the killing. But a supervisor never followed up on the email and he was never enrolled w @schuba.bsky.social @peternickeas.bsky.social

Chicago police failed to place troubled cop under strict supervision before he fatally shot partner

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that puts officers under intense oversight. Failing could mean “severe” discipline or firing. But Baker wasn't enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera bec...

chicago.suntimes.com

CPD Internal Affairs referred Carlos Baker to a program for troubled cops in May 2025. IA never answered an email about the referral; Baker wasn't enrolled. Could have led to duty change or firing. Baker fatally shot his partner (accidental, acc to authorities) couple weeks later. #chicago

Chicago Police Failed to Place Troubled Cop Under Strict Supervision Before He Fatally Shot Partner

Carlos Baker was referred to a program that subjects officers to intense oversight. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email.

illinoisanswers.org

Supt. Larry Snelling also promised an after-action look at the CPD's response to the Brighton Park shooting - the officers ordered not to respond, then to respond, whatever else - and that hasn't happened either. CPD has no records, complete or in draft form.

Jon Seidel@jonseidel.bsky.social · 3w ago

Nearly six months after Mayor Brandon Johnson ordered Chicago police to investigate alleged abuses by federal agents, it’s unclear what the decree has accomplished or what more needs to be done to enforce it. From @mariahwoelfel.bsky.social and @wbez.org: www.wbez.org/politics/202...

"Neighborhoods on the city’s South Side had some of the longest response times to 311 tree planting requests, Illinois Answers analysis of city data shows. Itaagi said she’s waited as long as two years to hear back on requests for Englewood." illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/26/c...

City Leaders Tout Tree-Planting Bonanza, But Neighborhood Disparities Persist

City departments have turned to community groups to help break through cultural barriers that have contributed to wide gaps in tree coverage.

illinoisanswers.org

As thorough an attempt as I've seen to account for the US Customs & Border Protection personnel who operated for a little over two months here. #chicago

Who Were The Midway Blitz Border Patrol Agents? Most Were Veteran Immigration Officers

Though the federal agents often wore masks concealing their identities, Block Club Chicago identified 271 of them. Many were trained specifically for crowd control, yet reported using force more than ...

blockclubchicago.org

In Illinois, 1 million people are estimated to be compulsive gamblers or at risk of becoming one. Illinois Answers and @capitolnewsil.bsky.social spoke anonymously with people whose gambling spiraled into an addiction that cost them money, relationships and peace of mind. These are their stories.

We've been working on this dive into Chicago's tree planting record for the better part of a year. Worth your time today!

Illinois Answers Project@illinoisanswers.bsky.social · last mo.

Spot the difference between these two Chicago neighborhoods:

I can tell you about every tree the city has planted in the past ~5 years. Why do I know a 3 foot tall American Hornbeam was planted on Leavitt in August of 2022? Because I want to make sure the city keeps its promises. 🧵 about trees, equity and how Chicago does (and doesn't) live up to its word.

My colleagues @alexnitkin.bsky.social @binghuihuang.bsky.social @drewjayadams.bsky.social investigated former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's promise to plant 75K trees by 2027. They even put together a really cool tool that shows you tree stats for your area! illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/26/c...

City Leaders Tout Tree-Planting Bonanza, But Neighborhood Disparities Persist

City departments have turned to community groups to help break through cultural barriers that have contributed to wide gaps in tree coverage.

illinoisanswers.org

@maggiedough.bsky.social and I sat down with more than a dozen compulsive gamblers in recovery about let them speak at length about their own lives. It is at turns sad, frightening, infuriating, occasionally funny and painfully human 🧵 illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/24/w...

What Compulsive Gamblers Know

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

illinoisanswers.org

Illinois raked in more than $2.6B in gambling tax revenues last year to help balance its budget. But that’s just a slice of the more than $7.7B that people lost gambling — more than $4.1B went to sportsbooks, slot machines and casino operators. illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/24/a...

Addicted to Gambling in Illinois: ‘Someone Has Decided They Can Make Money Off You’

People in Illinois lost more than $7.7 billion gambling last year.  As lawmakers increasingly bet on gambling to pay the state’s bills, they have only spare change to treat compulsive gamblers

illinoisanswers.org

illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/24/w... "They’ll give you tickets to the Cubs game just to go in their little suite area, but I know it’s just like they lure you in so that you just spend a lot more and more and more."

What Compulsive Gamblers Know

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

illinoisanswers.org

Gamblers lost $7.7 billion in Illinois last year. The state collected $2.6 billion in gambling revenue. But for every $100 it collects, it devotes less than 6 cents to gambling addiction treatment.

A story about how Gov. JB Pritzker presided over the expansion of a predatory and extractive industry. This, by @ctoner.bsky.social and @maggiedough.bsky.social #chicago capitolnewsillinois.com/news/addicte...

illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/24/w... @maggiedough.bsky.social and I spoke at length with people addicted to gambling. What they shared with us was sad, shocking, occasionally funny, infuriating and profound. Something to think about next time you Kevin Hart doing an ad for Draft Kings

What Compulsive Gamblers Know

The hopes, dreams and tragedies of people who can't stop betting

illinoisanswers.org

illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/24/a... Our story on Illinois lawmakers including Gov. JB Pritzker balancing the budget off the backs of gamblers. Last year people in the state lost $7.7 billion gambling. Of those losses, more than $4.1 billion went to sportsbooks, slot machines and casino operators

Addicted to Gambling in Illinois: ‘Someone Has Decided They Can Make Money Off You’

People in Illinois lost more than $7.7 billion gambling last year.  As lawmakers increasingly bet on gambling to pay the state’s bills, they have only spare change to treat compulsive gamblers

illinoisanswers.org

“Represented by the MacArthur Justice Center, BGA and DuPage County service provider Radical Hospitality Ministries, has filed suit against elements of the judicial branch to force compliance with transparency requirements under the SAFE-T Act.”

an update on the quantum campus development, per its board meeting: -Partnership with Lake Effect Development to create some 50 homes on vacant lots near the quantum site -Hiring underway for the 750 IBM jobs for the site, with a commitment to hire a third through a City Colleges program

Trump privacy restrictions may reduce Census Bureau data www.npr.org/2026/06/12/n... Bad news for rural areas

A Trump push to cut 'statistical noise' could mean less data from the Census Bureau

New public data for redistricting and other uses may be reduced as Trump officials limit the ways the Census Bureau can protect people's privacy when it releases statistics.

npr.org

So Chicago maintains data on of every rideshare trip in the city, including pickup/dropoff locations. I tried mapping trips from a given location, but there's gotta be something more useful to do. Has anyone done a cool analysis or built anything with Chicago's TNP data?

Something I'm watching: Illinois politicians said they got $154k in campaign cash today. The big winner? 42nd Ward Ald. Brenden Reilly. He reported about 1/5 of that ($27.5k), all coming from business and real estate executives yesterday. More in the thread 🧵👇

US Dept of Education found Illinois failed to meet its targets for providing timely therapy for infants and toddlers. High demand, poor pay for therapists. Telehealth option complicated by shifting attitudes toward virtual visits, and hasn't improved wait times or therapist shortage.

Early Intervention therapies help kids — but Illinois pays providers less than other states, stalling access

Hundreds of therapists are leaving the program each year, causing some families to miss out on services they’re legally entitled to.

illinoisanswers.org

Are you a journalist, campaign staffer, activist or involved voter working on Chicago School Board elections? I'm building something that could be useful to you and I need some off the record feedback. My DMs are open.

Early Intervention is a free program for Illinois families who need physical or occupational therapy for their toddlers. It’s proven to help improve developmental delays. But the therapists who provide the care are paid less than those working in other states:

Today's @tradeoffs.org podcast episode features our @illinoisanswers.bsky.social @mindsitenews.bsky.social reporting on mental health courts, with context from Dr. Debra Pinals, a forensic psychiatrist who has spent 20 years studying + working in mental health courts. tradeoffs.org/2026/06/04/m...

Mental Health Courts Offer People Facing Prison an Imperfect Alternative

Hundreds of U.S. courts offer treatment over prison for some defendants with mental illness. But critics say mental health courts have outpaced research on their effectiveness.

tradeoffs.org

Early Intervention therapies help kids — but Illinois pays providers less than other states, stalling access by @meredithnewman.bsky.social and Madison Hopkins for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social illinoisanswers.org/2026/06/04/e...

Early Intervention therapies help kids — but Illinois pays providers less than other states, stalling access

Hundreds of therapists are leaving the program each year, causing some families to miss out on services they’re legally entitled to.

illinoisanswers.org

New from me: an under-the-radar bill pending in Springfield would beef up rules designed to push wealthy Illinois suburbs to allow more affordable housing. Here's what HB5198 would do, and where it stands: (1/7)

Cops trying to rush Ofc Krystal Rivera to a hospital in an SUV were delayed more than a minute because they couldn't find keys. Rivera's partner, who accidentally shot her and took cover for 90 seconds thinking someone else had, was holding them. #chicago chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...