Latest News from Chicago City Wire

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Denying diplomas no way to help high school grads, political writer argues

By Karen Kidd | May 8, 2017

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel needs to go back to the chalkboard and map out a better way of improving public education than holding high school diplomas hostage, a political writer said on a radio talk show recently.

Radio hosts rap Rauner for missing his Chance

By Karen Kidd | Apr 22, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner missed more than a beat at his meeting with Chance the Rapper, the hosts of a Chicago-based radio talk show said recently.

Not all minimum wage advocates have pure motives, economist says

By Karen Kidd | Apr 22, 2017

A proposal to raise Illinois' minimum wage to $15 per hour would knock low-skilled workers out of their jobs, George Mason University economist said on a Chicago-based radio show recently.

Am I blue? No, but I have a right to speak, radio host argues

By Karen Kidd | Apr 12, 2017

The owner of a chain of Illinois news outlets — including this one — answered critics and defended the right of conservatives to have a voice in the largely blue state during a recent broadcast of a Chicago-based radio talk show that he co-hosts.

Medicaid, education must be key budget planks, former senator says

By Karen Kidd | Apr 4, 2017

Lawmakers in Springfield hammering out the so-called Grand Bargain need to restore the faith of business in Illinois, a former state senator turned technology and manufacturing advocate said during a recent Chicago-based radio talk show appearance.

Quigley warned that Wolf is at the door for primary challenge

By Karen Kidd | Apr 3, 2017

Chicago's political plight is so pathetic that Benjamin Wolf has decided to challenge a member of his own party for his U.S. House of Representatives seat next year.

Hughes: Alderman's inflammatory posts will eventually catch up with him

By Karen Kidd | Mar 30, 2017

Democrat Chicago Alderman John Arena probably, for the short term, will get away with posting salty and inflammatory comments on his Facebook page but it won't last, the co-host of a Conservative Chicago-based radio talk show said during a recent broadcast.

Mishandling of energy project cost Chicago taxpayers millions, watchdog reports

By Karen Kidd | Mar 30, 2017

Chicago's former legislative inspector general turned government watchdog has called on the mayor and Infrastructure Trust to explain how officials permitted large portions of city-owned buildings to be liened to a private bank to finance an energy upgrade project.

Former legislative inspector general offers three steps to end Chicago corruption

By Karen Kidd | Mar 13, 2017

There are three steps to reducing corruption in Chicago and they begin with completely rewriting its weak and archaic ethics ordinance that protects entrenched politicians, the city's former legislative inspector general turned government watchdog group CEO said.

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Obama connection to Chicago props up Illinois politics as usual, communications director says

By Karen Kidd | Mar 12, 2017

For better or worse, Chicago informed former President Barack Obama at least as much as Obama informed Chicago, a communications director for a Chicago-area political group said during a radio broadcast.

California pension cases called unlikely to affect Illinois

By Karen Kidd | Mar 10, 2017

Two California appeals court rulings that public employee pensions may be changed so long as the changes are "reasonable" will probably not cause ripple effects in Illinois despite its need for some kind of financial miracle, a government watchdog researcher said recently.

Magazine: Chicago archdiocese hire is more evidence of liberal conversion

By Karen Kidd | Feb 22, 2017

The Chicago archdiocese's decision last year to hire a liberal-minded editor to run a Catholic magazine was yet another visible sign of a hard push to the left by the Church in the U.S., an executive at 'Church Militant' said during a recent interview.

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Analyst slams ruling that upholds Chicago's food-truck regulations

By Karen Kidd | Feb 19, 2017

A Cook County Circuit Court judge's recent decision to support Chicago's 200-foot rule restricting where food trucks can go is limiting choice in the city, a marketing manager for a think tank said during a recent radio talk show.

Pawar not a serious Democratic contender for governor, critic says

By Karen Kidd | Jan 22, 2017

The Chicago alderman little known outside of the Windy City who recently tweeted his run for governor will end up a footnote in the race given the other talent the Democratic Party can summon, a host of a talk show recently said.

Protests greet Madigan's controversial re-election as House speaker

By Karen Kidd | Jan 18, 2017

As one of the first votes of the newly sworn-in Illinois House, long-serving House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) was re-elected to a 17th term in that seat.

Analyst: Chicago can take lead nationally in pension reform, even with a bankruptcy

By Karen Kidd | Dec 24, 2016

Chicago's pension crisis seems insurmountable, but if the city can find a resolution, the rest of the country likely will follow that lead, a noted financial analyst said during a recent interview.

Analysis: Pension-fund fine against charter schools part of systematic oppression

By Karen Kidd | Dec 12, 2016

Slapping charter schools with $1.8 million in fines for being late on pension-fund payments is exactly the opposite of how the state should be treating such educational programs, a Chicago-based journalist said during a recent conservative radio talk show.

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'Illinois Rising' hosts rip self-satisfied Chicago City Council's budget

By Karen Kidd | Dec 11, 2016

Two Chicago-area talk radio hosts offered a bitterly comical take on City Council's celebration of its recently passed balanced budget, saying some serious issues weren't mentioned the day it passed.

Pro-growth reforms called for to stem exodus of millennials

By Karen Kidd | Dec 4, 2016

Citing worrisome data that indicates millennials are fleeing the state and taking their families with them, a Chicago-based conservative think tank is urging state lawmakers to pass pro-growth reforms.

Analyst: Credit downgrade to junk spells more trouble for Chicago Public Schools