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Jared Rutecki
@jaredrutecki.bsky.social
Investigative Reporter at @wttw.bsky.social News/Chicago Tonight. Past life: Illinois Answers Project, BGA, Columbus Dispatch, ThisWeek News. I cover cops, courts, energy, health, finance, education, pensions etc. Prolific FOIA filer. He/him.
This week’s Chicago-area live music recommendations include Chance the Rapper at Ravinia, Young the Giant/Cold War Kids, Villagerrr, Psychedelic Furs/Living Colour, Motel Breakfast and more.
Chicago-Area Live Music Recommendations for Aug. 5-11
Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
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Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation that will give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rate changes for homeowners and automobile policies.
Pritzker Signs Bills Allowing State to Review Homeowner, Auto Insurance Rate Hikes
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday that will give the Illinois Department of Insurance authority to review and approve rate changes for homeowners and automobile policies.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll be able to present a balanced budget in October after his Budget Director Annette Guzman abruptly resigned this week. news.wttw.com/2026/08/04/m...
Mayor Johnson Focusing on Building Continuity After Budget Director Annette Guzman Resigns
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll be able to present a balanced budget in October after his Budget Director Annette Guzman abruptly resigned this week.
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Breaking News: The progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, a victory for the left in a crucial state.
Michigan Election Results Live Updates: Abdul El-Sayed Wins Democratic Senate Primary
Dr. El-Sayed, a progressive former public health official, narrowly defeated Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate, in a bitter campaign dominated by the politics of Israel.
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Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center and Uptown’s Weiss Hospital closed this year after federal funding cuts and deteriorating conditions. A judge is now weighing a deal that could clear the way for new owners and a possible reopening.
Advocates Push for Two Shuttered Safety-Net Hospitals to Reopen in Chicago Area
Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center and Uptown’s Weiss Hospital both closed this year following federal funding cuts and reports of poor infrastructure and working conditions.
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Joining “Chicago Tonight” are Jennifer Reid Davis, executive director of Bottom Line Chicago, which provides academic, personal, financial and career counseling for first-generation and low-income students; and Natalia Abrams, president and founder of the Student Debt Crisis Center
Sweeping Changes to Student Loans Recently Took Effect. Here’s What to Know
Some borrowers will be hit with higher monthly payments. New professional and graduate students will have to contend with stricter loan limits. Parents will also face tighter caps on how much they can...
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An acrimonious and expensive Democratic Senate primary in Michigan that divided the party remained unresolved early Wednesday, with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive, clinging to a narrow lead over Representative Haley Stevens, a moderate. nyti.ms/4bPACIf
Michigan Election Results Live Updates: El-Sayed and Stevens Locked in Close Senate Race
The race between Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive, and Representative Haley Stevens, a centrist, had not been called as of 4 a.m. Wednesday. Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington also voted.
nyti.ms
It sure looks like Round Trip Records on Foster has closed (or at least moved)
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll be able to present a balanced budget in October after his Budget Director Annette Guzman abruptly resigned this week.
Mayor Johnson Focusing on Building Continuity After Budget Director Annette Guzman Resigns
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed confidence that he’ll be able to present a balanced budget in October after his Budget Director Annette Guzman abruptly resigned this week.
news.wttw.com
Printers Row Lit Fest: Headliners include best-selling Chicago author Scott Turow and “PBS NewsHour” co-anchor Geoff Bennett, who recently authored “Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy From Vaudeville to ‘90s Sitcoms.”
Printers Row Lit Fest Headliners Include Chicago Author Scott Turow, ‘PBS NewsHour’ Co-Anchor Geoff Bennett
The Printers Row Lit Fest will be held Sept. 12-13. The free event brings together more than 200 nationally and locally acclaimed authors, journalists, poets, screenwriters, booksellers and storytelle...
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Most Illinois retailers will be required to accept cash payments beginning in 2028 under a bill Gov. JB Pritzker signed. The measures was one of 87 bills Pritzker signed on Friday.
Requirements for Businesses to Accept Cash, Pay for Jury Duty Among 87 New Laws Signed by Pritzker
Most Illinois retailers will be required to accept cash payments beginning in 2028 under a bill Gov. JB Pritzker signed on Friday.
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Jessica Biggs, a CPS board member representing District 6B, voted against the amended budget. She said the additional state revenue adopted by her colleagues on the board shouldn’t be considered a “reasonable source of revenue.”
CPS Board Members Talk $10B Approved Budget, State Funding Assumption
A divided Chicago Board of Education last week approved a nearly $10 billion budget that relies on an additional $150 million in state funding. The spending plan comes after weeks of debate among CPS ...
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Attorneys for the city of Chicago are negotiating a “global settlement” to resolve 17 lawsuits naming eight members of a Chicago Police Department tactical team repeatedly accused of improperly stopping and searching Black men downtown, court records show.
City Lawyers Negotiating ‘Global Settlement’ of Lawsuits Naming CPD Officers Repeatedly Accused of Improper Traffic Stops
U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall signed an order on July 27 giving U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Jantz the authority to craft a “global settlement” of 17 cases which accuse the officers of viol...
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Blood donations typically drop in the summer, as vacations and school breaks disrupt the regular flow of blood drives. At the same time, demand typically rises alongside traumatic injuries.
Red Cross, Hospitals Confront Challenge of Nationwide Blood Shortage
While hospitals have so far not reported major disruptions to services, more frequent supply shortages show the need for contingency plans.
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There were 37 homicides in the city last month, the lowest total for any such month dating back to at least 1970. That total is down 18% compared to July 2025, and is less than half the totals of July 2020 and 2021, which each saw more than 100 killings.
Chicago Sees Lowest Homicide Total For Any July in Decades
There were 37 homicides in the city last month, the lowest total for any such month dating back to at least 1970. That total is down 18% compared to July 2025.
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A federal judge ruled late Friday that Illinois is not required to hand over its complete, unredacted voter registration data, including sensitive personal information, to the Trump administration. https://to.wttw.com/4yQdxPv
Federal Judge Denies Trump Administration Access to Unredacted Illinois Voter Data
A federal judge ruled that Illinois is not required to hand over its complete, unredacted voter registration data, including sensitive personal information. No court has yet ruled in favor of the Trum...
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Total precipitation for the month, measured at O’Hare Airport, was 5.36 inches. That’s 1.65 inches more than typically falls in July, but almost all of the rain was recorded on just three days: July 2-3 and July 27.
July in Chicago Was Hotter and Wetter Than Normal, Weather Service Says
A pair of storms on the front and back ends of July made for a wetter month than normal, according to a National Weather Service summary.
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Chicago Public Schools principals and staff this week will begin training as the district is set to implement its holistic safety plan citywide — more than two years after police officers were removed from district campuses.
CPS Set to Expand Whole School Safety Model Citywide
Chicago Public Schools principals and staff this week will begin training as the district is set to implement its holistic safety plan citywide — more than two years after police officers were removed...
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Barely a week after four beluga whales were transferred from Marineland, a defunct Canadian water park, to Shedd Aquarium, the newcomers have already made an impression on their caretakers.
How Are Shedd’s New Rescued Belugas Adjusting? Go Behind the Scenes
Barely a week after four beluga whales were transferred from Marineland, a defunct Canadian water park, to Shedd Aquarium, the newcomers have already made an impression on their caretakers.
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched a bid for Chicago mayor Sunday, joining the already large field of candidates eager to deny Mayor Brandon Johnson the second term he has yet to announce he will seek. news.wttw.com/2026/08/02/b...
Backed by Trade Unions, Alexi Giannoulias Launches Campaign for Chicago Mayor
Giannoulias, 50, who is running for a second term as secretary of state in November, will simultaneously enter the contest to be Chicago’s 58th mayor.
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Chicago Tonight | Week in Review: CPS Budget, Cellphone Ban and Chicago’s Mayoral Race, with @heathercherone.bsky.social @brendenmoore.bsky.social @vimiller.bsky.social @michaeljliptrot.bsky.social & host @brandisfriedman.bsky.social
Week in Review: CPS Budget, Cellphone Ban and Chicago’s Mayoral Race
The Chicago Board of Education passes a nearly $10 billion budget — with a big assumption. And calls for Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch to resign over his handling of a sexual harassment case.
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UPDATED STORY: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched a bid for Chicago mayor Sunday, joining the already large field of candidates eager to deny Mayor Brandon Johnson the second term he has yet to announce he will seek. @wttw.bsky.social
Backed by Trade Unions, Alexi Giannoulias Launches Campaign for Chicago Mayor
Giannoulias, 50, who is running for a second term as secretary of state in November, will simultaneously enter the contest to be Chicago’s 58th mayor.
news.wttw.com
Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping regulations Friday aimed at social media companies and cracking down on “addictive algorithms” that keep kids glued to their screens. https://to.wttw.com/4wFTj9G
Pritzker Signs Laws Regulating How Social Media Platforms Interact With Children
Gov. JB Pritzker signed sweeping regulations Friday aimed at social media companies and cracking down on “addictive algorithms” that keep kids glued to their screens.
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The report confirmed that House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch's office knew about a sexual harassment allegation against Benton as early as April 2023. @brendenmoore.bsky.social, @benszalinski.bsky.social, & @nowickipress.bsky.social report. buff.ly/zClOWgk
Childcare assistance. Early intervention. Preschool for all. Until recently, these state programs were split across three state agencies and the governor’s office. But since July 1, they’ve all been within the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood. https://to.wttw.com/4fLh8p0
In 2025, CPD officers used the highest level of force against a member of the public 47 times, according to the report. Approximately 65% involved Black Chicagoans, records show. Less than 30% of the city’s population is Black.
WTTW - Chicago PBS@wttw.bsky.social · 5d agoThat missed deadline comes as CPD officials acknowledged, again, that the number of times officers used force against members of the public “continues to trend upward,” according to the report. https://to.wttw.com/3Tzx7za
Women’s softball is gaining momentum across the world, and in Mexico, the sport’s growing popularity is creating new opportunities for women and girls who historically have had few places to compete professionally.
The Rise of Women’s Softball in Mexico City
Women’s softball is gaining momentum across the world, and in Mexico, the sport’s growing popularity is creating new opportunities for women and girls who historically have had few places to compete p...
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Illinois residents who lost food assistance benefits following federal rule changes will receive $400 under a new program announced by Gov. JB Pritzker.
Illinoisans Kicked Off SNAP to Receive One-Time $400 Benefit Under New Program
The $70 million program can support up to 175,000 Illinoisans who lost or received reduced SNAP benefits due to changes in eligibility. No paperwork or application is required; the one-time benefits a...
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NEW: Chicago police leaders failed to publicly account for all of the times officers used force against members of the public in 2025, missing a deadline set by the federal court order requiring officers to stop routinely violating Black and Latino residents’ constitutional rights. @wttw.bsky.social
CPD Brass Missed Deadline to Detail How Many Times Officers Used Force Against Chicagoans in 2025: Records
That missed deadline comes as CPD officials acknowledged, again, that the number of times officers used force against members of the public “continues to trend upward,” according to the report.
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