Chicago City Wire

Media make it "impossible for a police officer to get a fair trial": Chicago Fraternal Order of Police

By Karen Kidd | Oct 8, 2018

"The media in Chicago is fiercely anti-police,' said Martin Preib, vice president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police. "So much so that it's almost impossible for a police officer to get a fair trial in Chicago."

Eight black Chicago aldermen bought off by Emanuel, Chicago area newspaper says

By Karen Kidd | Oct 8, 2018

A Chicago area newspaper that specializes in minority reporting is questioning whether eight black city council members were bought off with campaign donations in a $5 million legal settlement paid in a teenager's 2014 shooting death by a city police officer.

Police shooting verdict will be appealed, Chicago FOP president says

By Karen Kidd | Oct 5, 2018

"There will be an appeal," Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham told the Chicago Tribune. "Mark my words, there will be an appeal. We do think Jason has a tough road to go but he is not standing alone."

From Prairie State Wire

FY19 Budget: 'Not one penny should be spent on pork,' Ives says

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) believes state lawmakers need to reject political pork spending that was hidden in the budget passed earlier this year.

From Prairie State Wire

Pro-economic liberty group launches campaign against soaring Illinois property taxes

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Supporting a proposal to cut Illinois property taxes in half and a slate of political candidates who would help make that happen is part of Liberty Principles PAC's recently announced "Save Your Home" campaign.

City Journal: Pfleger should hold Chicago's 'criminal class' not 'social-welfare bureaucracy' accountable

By Karen Kidd | Jul 11, 2018

A recent anti-violence march that shut down the Dan Ryan Expressway was the "right cause" but the "wrong target,” an urban affairs magazine declared.

City of Chicago keeps missing state-mandated deadline for publishing Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

By Karen Kidd | Jul 5, 2018

The City of Chicago has for years missed a state-mandated deadline to publish its annual Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) because no one calls them on it, a researcher for a fiscal advocacy group said during a recent interview.

From Prairie State Wire

People in prime working age are fleeing Illinois, think tank reports

By Karen Kidd | 7 years ago

Not only is Illinois' overall population in deep decline, the number of people in prime working age also is going down in the state, a Chicago-based Conservative think tank said in a recent report.

Kessem calls on Martwick to urge Madigan to resign due to widening sexual harassment scandal

By Karen Kidd | Jun 9, 2018

Republican state House candidate Ammie Kessem is urging Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) to call on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) to resign amid a widening sexual harassment scandal.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Chicago-area family donates $2.5 million to MetroSquash

By Karen Kidd | 7 years ago

A nonprofit sports and recreational organization that brings the game of squash to youth on Chicago's South Side recently received a $2.5 million donation from a western suburban couple who own a downtown Chicago dental office, according to a press release.

Black Lives Matter movement should go into 'actual black communities,' DePaul University philosophy professor says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 2, 2018

Black Lives Matter proponents need to put their feet on the ground in their own communities, an author and philosophy professor who recently took to Twitter to decry the "systematic absence of law and order" in the federal government's response to gang violence said during a recent interview.

Former Utah lawmaker has no further comment on Preckwinkle's remark about self-employment

By Karen Kidd | May 9, 2018

In 2013, Dan Liljenquist, a former Republican Utah state senator, referred to a brief encounter with then Chicago Alderman Toni Preckwinkle, now chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party, as "one of the more sobering experiences of my life."

Rabbis' letter supporting Silverstein in primary missed 'a higher issue,' victims' advocate says

By Karen Kidd | May 9, 2018

An 11th-hour pre-primary letter from Chicago-area ultra-orthodox rabbis to shore up the flagging race of state Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) was ill-advised, the anti-abuse advocate who claims Silverstein sexually harassed her said during an interview Wednesday.

Chicago Classical Academy charter school down but not out, would-be co-founder says

By Karen Kidd | Mar 27, 2018

The would-be founders of Chicago Classical Academy, which would have been a charter school rooted in the liberal arts and set apart from existing Chicago public schools, are discouraged that their application was not approved but they're not done, one would-be founder said during a recent interview.

From Prairie State Wire

Better Government Association says Obama didn't say fathers in the home is a solution to gun violence -- but he did

By Karen Kidd | 7 years ago

Sometimes the fact-checker needs a good fact-checking.

Chicago police pension bailout may be derailed by out-migration, financial expert says

By Karen Kidd | Dec 11, 2017

Chicago’s police pension bailout in the General Assembly's budget deal this summer could be derailed if the state continues to empty out as Illinoisans flee for better tax climates and opportunities elsewhere, a researcher for a fiscal advocacy group said.

Chicago Classical Academy charter school mulling options pending CPS application decision

By Karen Kidd | Dec 4, 2017

Founding a charter school in Chicago means operating under the assumption that the city's public school system will not approve the application, a founder of Chicago Classical Academy said during a recent interview.

Gov. Rauner touts security cooperation on trip to Israel

By Karen Kidd | Nov 16, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner touted security cooperation and met with top Israeli officials to discuss mutual security interests during his official visit to that country earlier this month, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Long-vacant legislative inspector general post may contribute to state liability in lawmaker sexual harassment cases

By Karen Kidd | Nov 13, 2017

Illinois' long-vacant legislative inspector general (LIG) office, suddenly filled earlier this month after a sexual harassment scandal bloomed in Springfield, could contribute to state liability for lawmaker's misconduct, a Chicago-based attorney said during a recent interview.

State GOP criticizes Democrats for backing career politician in state prosecutor race

By Karen Kidd | Nov 6, 2017

The Cook County Democratic Committee's endorsement of state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) as a candidate for Illinois attorney general drew swift criticism from the Illinois Republican Party, who called Raoul "just another career politician from Chicago" who does House Speaker Michael Madigan's bidding in a recent release.