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This Thursday, take a step back from your day to read these stories from WTTW News.
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A file photo from a transgender rights demonstration. (WTTW News) |
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Some local hospitals that have been at the forefront of providing gender-affirming care to patients under the age of 19 have pulled back on those services. The move comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to stop federal support for gender-affirming care for young people.
Lurie Children’s Hospital announced in February it was no longer providing surgery for patients younger than 19. Rush University Medical Center and UChicago Medicine also recently said they will cut some services for youth. Rush said in a statement that while it is pausing hormonal care services, it will refer patients to other programs for services it doesn’t provide.
“Rush has paused on offering hormonal care to new patients under the age of 18,” Rush University Medical Center said in a statement. “This decision was made in collaboration with our clinical leaders. Rush does not provide surgical treatment to patients under 18 years of age."
What advocates and experts say:
Rach Washart, a student at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said the cuts would impact services such as puberty blockers and some surgeries such as mastectomies, the only procedure done on minors.
“Research has shown time and time again that access to this care is life-saving,” Washart said. “Young people, especially young trans people, really struggle with mental health and have very high rates of anxiety and depression. Numerous studies have shown that access to gender-affirming care — whether that’s hormones, surgical or even just a social support network of providers — can really reduce those rates and reduce the levels of suicidal intention, self-harm and adverse mental health outcomes.”
Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Brave Space Alliance and interim CEO for Equality Illinois, said both families and hospitals will be put at risk.
“For the young people who relied on that care — but also the families — it means that they’re going to be left with a void of service provision,” Parker said. “It means that the care providers who have provided care to these young people may also face repercussions, whether that looks like legal charges, whether that looks like the potential of imprisonment, fining, so many things.” |
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias speaks at a news conference on July 30, 2025, announcing a campaign aimed at reforming car insurance ratemaking practices. (WTTW News) |
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced an advocacy campaign Wednesday aimed at ending the practice of insurance companies using socioeconomic data — such as credit scores and ZIP codes — to set car insurance rates.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office announced a series of town hall meetings, and a website, to gather stories from residents about their experiences with “skyrocketing rates” and “unfair and discriminatory ratemaking practices,” Giannoulias said during a news conference.
“Currently, insurance companies use a number of factors to determine your premium, including several that have nothing to do with your driving record,” Giannoulias said. “The horrible, hard truth is that car insurance companies charge you more for auto insurance based on your credit rating, the neighborhood you live in and your age.”
Some backstory:
The launch of the campaign comes after Gov. JB Pritzker called for more transparency and regulations on insurers earlier this month after the Bloomington-based insurance company State Farm increased home insurance rates in Illinois.
In Illinois, vehicle owners are required to buy insurance. The state is home to one of the most competitive insurance markets in the country, according to insurance association organizations, with more than 200 companies offering insurance policies.
Upcoming town hall meetings are scheduled on several dates that can be found here, with more time and location details to be shared on the Illinois secretary of state’s website. |
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Lily Tomlin is pictured in an interview with WTTW News on July 23, 2025. (Nicole Cardos / WTTW News) |
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Before WTTW News arts correspondent Marc Vitali's interview with Lily Tomlin began, she told him that in the 1950s she had hitchhiked to Chicago from her hometown of Detroit. It was December and she was wearing ballet shoes.
The actor and comedian is now 85 years old and a legend many times over. She is back in Chicago, and this time she didn’t hitchhike. She’s here to support “Billie Jean,” a play about another living legend — Billie Jean King, the groundbreaking champion of tennis and equality. They chatted at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where this summer “Billie Jean” is center court and center stage.
The show was “developed by special arrangement” with Lily Tomlin and three others (Jane Wagner, Harriet Newman Leve and Stephanie Sandberg). We wanted to know what that credit meant — and found out that, ultimately, she’s really just a big fan of the player and the person.
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Jimmy Soto, who spent four decades behind bars for a double homicide he didn’t commit, has officially received his certificate of innocence, more than a year after Cook County prosecutors dismissed all charges against him.
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The family of a worker who was fatally shot at Navy Pier has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged gunman.
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Back in the Day: July 31, 2015 - Paul McCartney Headlines Lollapalooza |
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The Beatles first played Chicago on Sept. 5, 1964, headlining the International Amphitheatre following their iconic appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." More than 50 years after that historic concert, a member of the Fab Four, Paul McCartney, headlined the city’s biggest music festival in Lollapalooza. Over a career-spanning, 32-song setlist, Macca ripped through Beatles favorites like “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” “Blackbird,” “Something,” “Hey Jude,” “Helter Skelter” and many others alongside favorites from his solo career and band Wings. Brittany Howard of the band Alabama Shakes joined him during the encore for a rendition of “Get Back.” At the time, this newsletter producer was writing for RedEye Chicago, and wrote, “Even at 73, McCartney exudes the energy of an artist half his age. He bounces around onstage, bobbing his head to the music and looking in awe at the thousands and thousands of fans.” The headline of the article was “Let’s just rename it Paul-apalooza.” Paul McCartney returns to Chicago for two nights at the United Center on Nov. 24-25. |
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This Week’s Arts and Culture Events |
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Each Thursday, WTTW News arts correspondent Marc Vitali highlights the city’s must-see cultural events.
Marc Vitali: You have to admire the chutzpah of Lollapalooza to boast “NO HIDDEN FEES” on a Platinum ticket that costs $2,130. Hooray for transparency! If you’re spending money at Lolla, enjoy yourself and skip this week’s list. But if you plan to avoid the raucous caucus in Grant Park, please read on. Most of the events below have no hidden fees — especially the free ones.
The Second City – Free Classes
The Second City offers improv classes — and one writing class — to celebrate International Self-Care Day (which was last week, but who’s counting?). These drop-in classes are free but you must register — a small price to pay to cultivate your sense of play. Could there be a better way to step away from the daily grind than taking a 90-minute class to laugh and connect? Make it a summer of self-love and briefly forget what a horrible person you are. (I kid.) Through Aug. 6.
“The Sweetest Season” – Goodman Theatre
Storytellers, musicians and comedians gather at the Goodman for this fourth annual festival subtitled “A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity.” There’s a special focus on Two Spirit community members — there’s even an Indigenous drag show fit for kings and/or queens. Staged in partnership with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (formerly the Mitchell Museum in Evanston) with an assist from the art-minded folks at the Center for Native Futures. Aug. 1-2.
CatVideoFest – Music Box Theatre
The Music Box’s 70mm Film Fest and Kurosawa Retrospective start soon, so why not scratch out some fun time for meow, myself and I? These mini-movies of mischievous mousers ought to be catnip for the soul — plus, this 73-minute herd of cats is only available in theaters. Besides featuring frisky felines, “CatVideoFest” benefits local animal shelters. Aug. 2-3, 5.
“Parade” – CIBC Theatre
A musical based on the notorious 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, who was accused of the murder of a teenage employee. Antisemitic prosecutors and publishers fanned the flames to enact a gross miscarriage of justice in Georgia. This is the acclaimed touring production of the Tony Award-winning show with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (“The Last Five Years”). Part of the Broadway in Chicago series, “Parade” opens Aug. 5.
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What’s your favorite movie that takes place in the Chicago area? Tell us why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. |
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
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