U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said modern mining practices and state and federal rules already in place address the risks. (Dec. 4, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here )U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said modern mining practices and state and federal rules already in place address the risks. (Dec. 4, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here )President Donald Trump's administration announced Friday that it won't require mining companies to prove they have the financial wherewithal to clean up their...…U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said modern mining practices and state and federal rules already in place address the risks. (Dec. 4, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here )U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said modern mining practices and state and federal rules already in place address the risks. (Dec. 4, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here )President Donald Trump's administration announced Friday that it won't require mining companies to prove they have the financial wherewithal to clean up their...WW…

Pritzker is ruining Illinois I hope all you liberals are really thrilled. You put this idiot in office as governor of the state of Illinois and by doing so, you made him think he’s now kind of the state of Illinois. He’s the person he thinks can rule the state without the legislature approving anything he does. He does not have these powers. He’s no different than the governor of Wisconsin that was found that since the legislature approved nothing that he does he has no power. And it’s time him and his queen, the mayor of Chicago, get kicked off their thrones. He’s ruining the state of...…Pritzker is ruining Illinois I hope all you liberals are really thrilled. You put this idiot in office as governor of the state of Illinois and by doing so, you made him think he’s now kind of the state of Illinois. He’s the person he thinks can rule the state without the legislature approving anything he does. He does not have these powers. He’s no different than the governor of Wisconsin that was found that since the legislature approved nothing that he does he has no power. And it’s time him and his queen, the mayor of Chicago, get kicked off their thrones. He’s ruining the state of...WW…

At least three Chicago high schools have voted to discontinue having resource officers from the Chicago Police Department — but at least 15 more have decided to keep their officers, and dozens of others have yet to decide. Chicago Public Schools released a list this week for tracking the votes by local school councils on school-based police officers following requests for greater transparency in the process. Advertisement So far, Benito Juarez Community Academy in Pilsen and Northside College Prep in North Park have voted to eliminate resource officers, as has Roberto Clemente Community...…At least three Chicago high schools have voted to discontinue having resource officers from the Chicago Police Department — but at least 15 more have decided to keep their officers, and dozens of others have yet to decide. Chicago Public Schools released a list this week for tracking the votes by local school councils on school-based police officers following requests for greater transparency in the process. Advertisement So far, Benito Juarez Community Academy in Pilsen and Northside College Prep in North Park have voted to eliminate resource officers, as has Roberto Clemente Community...WW…

It didn’t take long for Pete Ternes to learn that a good restaurant does not automatically make for a good takeout operation. His Logan Square brewpub, the Bungalow by Middle Brow, tried valiantly to keep churning out its signature thin-crust pizzas for a to-go audience during the first week of the state’s stay-at-home order in March. Advertisement But the demand overwhelmed the kitchen, which wasn’t used to 300 orders coming in at the same time. Wait times stretched to 1½ hours. “Our customers were angry and gathering into a nice friendly mob outside,” Ternes said. Advertisement He paused,...…It didn’t take long for Pete Ternes to learn that a good restaurant does not automatically make for a good takeout operation. His Logan Square brewpub, the Bungalow by Middle Brow, tried valiantly to keep churning out its signature thin-crust pizzas for a to-go audience during the first week of the state’s stay-at-home order in March. Advertisement But the demand overwhelmed the kitchen, which wasn’t used to 300 orders coming in at the same time. Wait times stretched to 1½ hours. “Our customers were angry and gathering into a nice friendly mob outside,” Ternes said. Advertisement He paused,...WW…

Just as sure as someone could take advantage of this year’s pandemic-truncated, 60-game Major League Baseball schedule to hit .400, there are bound to be players who end up with much worse stats than they’d like. After all, it's harder for a batter to make up for a bad week or a pitcher to mask a rough inning when there are only about two months to play instead of six. Advertisement And that could be troublesome in 2020, particularly for those who can become free agents next offseason. "It definitely is going to go through people's heads. It's going to affect some guys. In a regular season,...…Just as sure as someone could take advantage of this year’s pandemic-truncated, 60-game Major League Baseball schedule to hit .400, there are bound to be players who end up with much worse stats than they’d like. After all, it's harder for a batter to make up for a bad week or a pitcher to mask a rough inning when there are only about two months to play instead of six. Advertisement And that could be troublesome in 2020, particularly for those who can become free agents next offseason. "It definitely is going to go through people's heads. It's going to affect some guys. In a regular season,...WW…

Chicago may see an influx of federal agents as soon as this week as President Donald Trump readies to make good on repeated pledges he would try to tamp down violence here, a move that would come amid growing controversy nationally about federal force being used in American cities. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for example, is crafting plans to deploy about 150 federal agents to the city this week, the Chicago Tribune has learned. Advertisement The Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, agents are set to assist other federal law enforcement and Chicago police in crime-fighting...…Chicago may see an influx of federal agents as soon as this week as President Donald Trump readies to make good on repeated pledges he would try to tamp down violence here, a move that would come amid growing controversy nationally about federal force being used in American cities. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, for example, is crafting plans to deploy about 150 federal agents to the city this week, the Chicago Tribune has learned. Advertisement The Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, agents are set to assist other federal law enforcement and Chicago police in crime-fighting...WW…

Mayor Lori Lightfoot got her road map to spend $1.1 billion in federal coronavirus relief money through the City Council with ease Wednesday, in spite of protests from some aldermen who pressed in vain for promises that none of the funds will be spent to pay police. The package succeeded with just nine votes against it on the same day aldermen trying to get Chicago police removed from public schools also suffered a setback on their long-shot proposal when it got sent to legislative purgatory. Advertisement Lightfoot administration finance officials have spent weeks making the case for their...…Mayor Lori Lightfoot got her road map to spend $1.1 billion in federal coronavirus relief money through the City Council with ease Wednesday, in spite of protests from some aldermen who pressed in vain for promises that none of the funds will be spent to pay police. The package succeeded with just nine votes against it on the same day aldermen trying to get Chicago police removed from public schools also suffered a setback on their long-shot proposal when it got sent to legislative purgatory. Advertisement Lightfoot administration finance officials have spent weeks making the case for their...WW…

The vast majority of sexual assault and abuse reports made to the Chicago Police Department in the past decade — between 80% and 90% — have not resulted in an arrest, according to a study of city data released Thursday. The findings in the report by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation reflect the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing problem with clearance rates, but also shine a light on the traumatizing effects the lack of arrests can have on victims, advocates said, many of whom rarely report such crimes at all because of fears the system will challenge and doubt them....…The vast majority of sexual assault and abuse reports made to the Chicago Police Department in the past decade — between 80% and 90% — have not resulted in an arrest, according to a study of city data released Thursday. The findings in the report by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation reflect the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing problem with clearance rates, but also shine a light on the traumatizing effects the lack of arrests can have on victims, advocates said, many of whom rarely report such crimes at all because of fears the system will challenge and doubt them....WW…

After the defeat of his signature policy initiative, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday said Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should no longer be in charge of the state Democratic Party. Although he’s said Madigan should answer questions about Commonwealth Edison’s admission that it engaged in a yearslong bribery scheme to try to win the speaker’s favor, Pritzker previously has stopped short of questioning his role as the head of the state party. Advertisement Pritzker’s comments come after U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin told WTTW-Ch. 11 in an interview Wednesday that he believes the governor’s...…After the defeat of his signature policy initiative, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday said Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should no longer be in charge of the state Democratic Party. Although he’s said Madigan should answer questions about Commonwealth Edison’s admission that it engaged in a yearslong bribery scheme to try to win the speaker’s favor, Pritzker previously has stopped short of questioning his role as the head of the state party. Advertisement Pritzker’s comments come after U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin told WTTW-Ch. 11 in an interview Wednesday that he believes the governor’s...WW…

Illinois legislators late Saturday night overwhelmingly approved a measure aimed at helping bars and restaurants who’ve been forced to close for dine-in service during the pandemic. The bill would allow establishments to sell cocktails for pickup and delivery in sealed containers. Third-party services like Grubhub and DoorDash would be prohibited from making cocktail deliveries. Advertisement The measure, which was approved unanimously in the Senate and by a 104-6 margin in the House, also extends liquor licenses for 120 days and delays license fees for six months after restaurants and bars...…Illinois legislators late Saturday night overwhelmingly approved a measure aimed at helping bars and restaurants who’ve been forced to close for dine-in service during the pandemic. The bill would allow establishments to sell cocktails for pickup and delivery in sealed containers. Third-party services like Grubhub and DoorDash would be prohibited from making cocktail deliveries. Advertisement The measure, which was approved unanimously in the Senate and by a 104-6 margin in the House, also extends liquor licenses for 120 days and delays license fees for six months after restaurants and bars...WW…