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What is CPS Doing About its Bus Shortage? Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

As Chicago Public Schools students enter their third month in the school year, nearly 4,000 of them are without reliable transportation to and from school. More than half of those students are diverse learners with special needs. The district’s transportation problem stems from a bus driver shortage happening in Chicago and across the country. Late last week, the Chicago Board of Education gave an update on who is still waiting for a reliable transportation plan from CPS and what alternatives the district has proposed. Chalkbeat reporter Mauricio Peña breaks down those plans and tells us what he’s hearing from parents. And we talk to Chicago tech entrepreneur Ismael El-Amin about his start-up called Piggyback, which connects parents whose kids need a ride with parents who can offer one.

Guests:

Mauricio Peña—Reporter, Chalkbeat

Ismael El-Amin—Founder, Piggyback

The Fight to Save Mercy Hospital Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

Mercy Hospital in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood is a safety net hospital, which means it takes any patient, regardless of income or insurance. But it’s been so much more than that. It's an institution on the South Side, where Chinese and Spanish speaking residents could talk to staff in their native language, and expectant mothers could deliver their babies close to home. So when the hospital declared bankruptcy in February, staff, patients, and neighbors were sad, scared, and worried about what would happen to Mercy. Those worries didn’t go away when the hospital was sold to a Michigan nonprofit. For the last year, WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch has been following the hospital’s financial decline and its hopeful resurrection. She explains why places like Mercy are essential and what the future holds for it.

Guests:

Kristen Schorsch—Reporter, WBEZ

Etta Davis—Mercy Hospital patient and member of Chicago Health Equity Coalition

Blackhawks’ Failure, Springfield Roundup, and Go Bulls! Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

It’s Friday, and just like that, Spooky Season is almost over. “Nerdette” host Greta Johnsen and WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky join Jacoby Cochran to look back on the week and say goodbye to October. A few stories on our minds: The Chicago Blackhawks released the results of an independent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former coach, state Dems dropped a new congressional map, and is Chicago turning a COVID corner? Our trio considers that question, and they share a couple of moments of joy from the week.

Guests:

Amanda Vinicky—Reporter, WTTW

Greta Johnsen—Host, Nerdette, WBEZ

Will Chicago Get Its First Asian American–Majority Ward? Oct 28, 2021

Show notes

The city’s Asian American population has grown 31% over the last decade, the largest of any racial group in Chicago, according to Census numbers. Chinatown, home to the city’s largest Asian American population, however is spread across three different wards, none of which have an Asian American alder person. In fact, there isn’t an Asian American on City Council, which can make the community feel left out while alder people are drawing up a ward map behind closed doors that will help each of them get re-elected. Asian American–led organizations that serve the community say it’s time they have a voice on City Council. Grace Chan McKibben, executive director at the Coalition for Better Chinese American Community, explains the reasons why a majority Asian American ward is so important.

Guest — Grace Chan McKibben, Executive Director at the Coalition for Better Chinese American Community

Do Chicagoans Want to be Police Officers? Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

The Chicago Police Department says it needs to fill 1,000 vacancies on the force. Part of their strategy is a new team focused on recruitment, and the city budget expected to pass Wednesday includes about $230,000 for advertising. That’s up from $2,400. So why are cops leaving the force? And is it as dire as some city officials would have the public believe? WBEZ criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith breaks it down.

Guest: Patrick Smith— Criminal Justice Reporter, WBEZ

Is Chicago More Corrupt Than Other Cities? Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

The Inspector General’s office has a broad mandate. Their job is to “promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in city government.” Basically, that means trying to clean up bad behavior in a city that is known for political corruption. Joe Ferguson led that office for 12 years, through three different mayors, a federal investigation of Chicago’s Police Department, and numerous scandals that have revealed racism, sexism, political patronage, and resulted in indictments of sitting alder people. He retired this month. Ferguson tells us how he kept pushing for more transparency and better government (even when it seemed like nothing would change), and answers the question: Is Chicago really more corrupt than other cities?

Guest: Joe Ferguson — Former Inspector General, City of Chicago

Related News Links:

Chicago Creative Worker Assistance Program

Where Are Chicago’s Public Restrooms? Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

Many people rely on public restrooms during the day, including delivery and ride-share drivers, cabbies, and people who are unhoused. Last year during the height of the pandemic, access to public restrooms decreased as businesses and many public buildings like libraries and park field houses closed. That got Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Emily Hoerner wondering how many public restrooms are in Chicago and who’s most affected when they can’t access those spots. We talk to Hoerner about her investigation.

Guest: Emily Hoerner — Investigative Reporter, Chicago Tribune

Here’s the Tribune’s map of public restrooms.

City v. FOP, Parole Reform, and Sky Parade! Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police have competing lawsuits over the vaccine mandate for city employees. Despite a judge ordering union President John Catanzara to stop encouraging officers on social media not to report their vaccine status, the back-and-forth continued this week as 21 Chicago police officers were placed on no-pay status for failing to comply. WTTW host Brandis Friedman joins host Jacoby Cochran and producer Simone Alicea to talk about the drama. They also discuss efforts to reform state parole laws, the Chicago Sky championship parade and a couple more moments of joy!

Guest: Brandis Friedman — Host, WTTW's Chicago Tonight and Black Voices

Some stories mentioned today:

The Chicago Sun-Times' latest on the court battle over the vaccine mandate

The Associated Press' look at how police use force against children, following the ProPublica/Nashville Public Radio investigation into one Tennessee county.

WTTW on a proposal to reinstate parole in Illinois

Simone's City Cast Chicago map (plus her poll on "The Nightmare Before Christmas")

Block Club Chicago's profile of FroSkate

Why the Max Headroom Hack is Still So Creepy Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

On a chilly November night in 1987, Chicagoans watching the 9 p.m. news on WGN were met with a disturbing sight. They saw a person in a rubber mask bouncing in front of a spinning metallic background over some garbled sound. Two hours later, Doctor Who fans saw something similar on WTTW. Someone had hacked into the stations’ broadcast signals. But to this day, we have no idea who did it…or why. The new film “Broadcast Signal Intrusion” was inspired by the real-life Max Headroom mystery. It stars Harry Shum Jr. and was directed by Jacob Gentry. Ahead of the film’s theatrical release tomorrow, Shum and Gentry tell us why the incident remains fascinating for internet sleuths and why the videos are so unsettling.

Guests: Harry Shum Jr. — Actor/Producer, “Broadcast Signal Intrusion"

Jacob Gentry — Director, “Broadcast Signal Intrusion”

“Broadcast Signal Intrusion” is out in select theaters tomorrow. It’s also one of the virtual offerings from the Chicago Film Festival, available through Sunday.

A little bit of news, y’all:

A public viewing for the late historian Timuel Black will take place today in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.

The Chicago Public Library is screening Halloweentown I & II Saturday in the East Side neighborhood.

Does Chicago Have Enough Ambulances? Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

When there’s an emergency, the last thing you want to worry about is whether an ambulance will show up. But the Chicago Fire Department has just 80 ambulances for a population of nearly 3 million people. While the department says that’s sufficient, the latest audit from the city’s watchdog shows CFD is failing to meet national standards for medical response times. A long wait for an ambulance could mean life or death, so why doesn’t the department add more to its fleet? CBS Chicago investigative reporter Dana Kozlov has spent years asking the city that question. She explains the scope of the problem and why it persists.

Dana Kozlov — Investigative Reporter, CBS Chicago

Check out Dana’s 2020 investigation into the city’s ambulance shortage.

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