Good morning, Chicago.
In the shadow of the 2001 terrorist attacks and in a city with persistent crime problems, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley pushed so-called Police Observation Devices as a game changer, one that would “stop violent crime before it occurs.”
Two decades, hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of cameras later, an Illinois Answers Project and Chicago Tribune investigation has found that reality has fallen far short of those early promises. While installing thousands of police surveillance cameras has undoubtedly helped catch criminals and solve crimes, Chicago’s ever-growing system has yet to become the crime-fighting panacea Daley predicted.
In the absence of any comprehensive analysis from the city, the Tribune and Illinois Answers did their own assessment of Chicago’s POD camera program.
Read the full investigation from the Illinois Answers Project’s Madison Hopkins and the Tribune’s Joe Mahr.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Stateville prison almost empty after state moves quickly to comply with court order
The state is on track to have moved all but a few inmates out of Stateville Correctional Center by a court-ordered deadline Monday, marking the end of an era for the dilapidated century-old facility and a moment of relief for some former inmates who say they are still haunted by memories of their time there.
For more than a month, the Illinois Department of Corrections has been transferring hundreds of Stateville inmates to prisons around Illinois, leaving the storied maximum security facility in Crest Hill, near Joliet, almost deserted.
Downstate racetrack to move ahead with casino, while Hawthorne in suburban Stickney fights lawsuit
A downstate horse track will go ahead with plans for a casino, leaving Hawthorne Race Course in west suburban Stickney still waiting to complete a deal for one.
Accel Entertainment recently agreed to buy Fairmount Park Racetrack, now doing business as FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing in Collinsville, for $35 million.
Accel, a video gaming terminal operator, plans to invest $85 million to $95 million for temporary and permanent casinos on the site, while retaining racing, creating a “racino.”
Inside Mayor Brandon Johnson’s stunning fight for control of Chicago schools as CTU contract talks stall
The long-simmering standoff between City Hall and Chicago Public Schools leadership that just blew up in the public eye leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson caught between the union that bankrolled his campaign and the school system he’s charged with leading.
The latest strife at CPS, stemming from the mayor’s unprecedented push to oust CEO Pedro Martinez in the midst of stalled contract negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union, raises questions about longer-term political fallout for Johnson, who’s already fighting on several fronts.
Top members of Gov. JB Pritzker’s communications team exiting
Two top members of Gov. JB Pritzker’s communications team are leaving their jobs in his administration, the governor announced Friday.
Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin, both deputy chiefs of staff, were among the longest-serving members of Pritzker’s administration, holding posts in the office dating back to the governor’s first campaign in 2018.
‘Failure’: How Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf described the record-setting season during Sunday’s final game
“Failure” and “embarrassing” were two ways Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf described the Chicago White Sox’s record-setting 2024 season in a statement released Sunday.
The Sox completed the worst season — in terms of losses — in modern-day MLB history Sunday with a 9-5 victory against the Detroit Tigers in front of a sellout crowd of 41,740 at Comerica Park. Lenyn Sosa hit a three-run home run for the Sox, who won five of their last six games for a final record of 41-121.
The Sox finished with one more loss than the 1962 expansion New York Mets, who went 40-120.
Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox have a new TV home. Here’s what to know about the Chicago Sports Network.
Starting tomorrow, the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox will have a new TV home — but many in Chicago won’t be able to see it.
Here’s what to know about the Chicago Sports Network.
Week 4 recap: Chicago Bears beat the Los Angeles Rams 24-18 as the offense finds its groove in the second half
Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift broke out with 93 rushing yards and 72 receiving yards Sunday to fuel a 24-18 victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field.
The Bears offense totaled just 97 yards in the first half but broke out in the second half to finish with 264. The victory broke a two-game losing streak after back-to-back road losses.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 17 of 23 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown.
Swift broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run with 12 minutes, 26 seconds to play in the fourth quarter to put the Bears up 24-15. That play immediately followed Williams’ 22-yard pass to Cole Kmet to get the Bears into Rams territory.
It was Swift’s first touchdown as a Bear and came after he totaled just 68 yards rushing in the first three games.
The attack on Pearl Harbor silenced a burgeoning ‘America First’ movement
Early in World War II, a battle of words was fought by an unlikely political alliance headquartered in Chicago and determined to keep the United States out of the conflict. The message received a quick and enthusiastic response.
Garth Greenwell’s latest book is “Small Rain.” (Oriette D’Angelo / Farrar Straus and Giroux)
Biblioracle: I didn’t think I liked autofiction until I read ‘Small Rain’
Today’s subject is autofiction, specifically, the autofiction that comes in the form of Garth Greenwell’s new novel, “Small Rain.”
Despite being a portmanteau of “autobiographical fiction,” autofiction should not be confused with autobiographical fiction. There’s no definitive categorization of these differences, but John Warner distinguishes them this way.
The secret lives of Maurie and Flaurie, the Superdawg rooftop icons in Chicago
Maurie and Flaurie are still missing.
When a crane plucked the couple off the roof at Superdawg Drive-In on Sept. 4, we were promised they would return after a “SuperSpa” experience in a few weeks. The figures have stood over the hot dog stand in Chicago for 76 years. A banner in their place reads, “MAURIE & FLAURIE WILL RETURN SUPER SOON!”
But where are these beloved culinary and cultural icons? What’s happening to them? And what’s taking so long?
First, we need to know about their history and secret lives.
