|
WTTW News has the latest on the tough choices facing public transit as funding stalls in Springfield. Plus, a look at a new measure on short-term rentals and more. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
(Rawf8 / iStock) |
|
Chicago Transit Authority Acting President Nora Leerhsen said the agency has entered a “new phase” after the Illinois General Assembly failed last month to pass a measure tackling a $770 million budget gap for Chicago-area transit. Speaking at the agency’s board meeting on Wednesday, Leerhsen cautioned that there will be no changes to CTA service during 2025 and highlighted ongoing plans to boost frequency and adjust certain bus routes aimed at improving rider experience.
But Leerhsen said the agency will soon consider multiple plans for next year: one based on Chicago-area transit receiving some $1.5 billion in annual state funding, as transit agencies, advocates and lawmakers have discussed; one that anticipates lawmakers only addressing the coming fiscal cliff created by COVID-19 relief money drying up; and one that anticipates no additional funding state funding, necessitating “draconian” service cuts.
Leerhsen called the third scenario for 2026 “severe and sobering for all of us, and hard to stomach.” Anticipating a worst-case scenario, she told directors the agency could begin public outreach around potential cuts during the summer and fall.
If drastic service rollbacks are needed, “we will never abandon our values as an agency in terms of equity, access and servicing our riders in the best way possible,” she said. Metra and Pace are also expected to prepare multiple budget and service plans at the behest of the Regional Transportation Authority.
More CTA news:
Directors approved a partnership with the Cook County Health and Hospital System to install Narcan vending machines at five stations in communities with high overdose rates: Jefferson Park on the Blue Line, Harlem/Lake on the Green Line, 47th and Howard on the Red Line, and Central Park on the Pink Line. That effort came to fruition after more than a year and a half of conversations among stakeholders. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
(James Andrews / iStock) |
|
Members of the Chicago City Council would have the power to block new short-term rentals from opening in their wards, under a measure advanced Wednesday by a key Chicago City Council committee. The proposal, authored by Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st Ward), is the latest effort by city officials to block huge parties that have long been a regular nuisance in some neighborhoods.
The measure is set for a final vote by the full City Council on June 18.
The city’s current rules governing short-term rentals have “no teeth,” Napolitano said, and leave alderpeople holding the bag when irate residents complain about being kept up by noisy parties that leave a trail of trash through their neighborhoods. The only thing alderpeople can do to address those concerns is to call hotlines and reach out to liaisons with the home-sharing platforms, like Airbnb, Napolitano said.
“This just gives you a little more strength in your community,” Napolitano said.
However, Airbnb Chicago Policy Manager Jonathan Buckner called the measure “an over-broad and misguided violation of Chicagoans’ property rights, which would punish responsible homeowners and local businesses who rely on the income from travel on short-term rentals — especially in neighborhoods outside of Chicago’s traditional tourism hubs.”
More context:
In 2018, the City Council approved a 2% surcharge on all short-term home rentals to fund shelters and programs for victims of domestic violence, an initiative championed by Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th Ward). Another 4% surcharge on all short-term home rentals funds services for unhoused Chicagoans.
O’Shea asked city staff to provide him with an estimate of what the new rules would mean for funding designed to help those experiencing domestic violence. Mayor Brandon Johnson said he has not yet taken a position on the measure. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
A hospital hallway is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News) |
|
For many American families, medical debt can be devastating. According to recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 41% of adults in the U.S. have medical debt. That equates to more than 100 million Americans who owe upwards of $220 billion in health care costs.
“I believe in universal health care,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “This is the richest country in the world, and the idea that folks can’t get good medical care because they can’t pay insurance rates, you know, it’s ridiculous.”
To help residents cope with the financial and emotional strains of paying off medical bills, Cook County partnered with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt in 2022 and launched the Medical Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). MDRI was funded with $9 million in COVID-19 funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. To date, the program has erased $665 million in medical debt for nearly 557,000 Cook County residents. |
|
|
|
|
|
More From WTTW News: |
-
Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly is asking to be released from prison just three years into his 30-year sentence, claiming his life is in danger after federal officials allegedly stole confidential communications to help secure his conviction.
-
The Chicago Board of Education has appointed one of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s strategic advisors as the city’s interim schools chief.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back in the Day: June 12, 2015 - Rush Plays Last Chicago Show Ever at United Center |
 |
|
Rush at United Center June 12, 2015 (Jay Smith / WTTW News) |
|
The last time the iconic Canadian prog-rock trio Rush played Chicago was 10 years ago on this date. While June of 2015 found the United Center focused mostly on the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup run, Rush’s planned stop on the R40 Live Tour went on as planned on June 12. Their two-set, 27-song show happened two days after the arena hosted Game 4 of the NHL championship finals and boasted a career-spanning setlist that featured later-career songs and early tracks that date as far back as 1974, the year Neil Peart joined the band. Peart, who traveled to several tour stops on his personal motorcycle, wrote about the experience in a book called “Far and Wide: Bring That Horizon to Me!” This show, which was the highest-grossing concert in the R40 Live Tour ($1,450,746 in revenue), would be the last time Rush played in Chicago. The band ceased touring activity after this tour, and Peart died in 2020. Three days after the Chicago show, the Blackhawks would return to the United Center to win the Stanley Cup. |
 |
|
|
|
This Week’s Arts & Culture Events |
|
Every Thursday, WTTW News arts correspondent Marc Vitali highlights the week’s must-see cultural events.
There's both military parades and protests scheduled for this weekend. If you are looking for alternative programming or a temporary break, there’s always much to do in a place voted Best Big City in the U.S. eight years in a row. So, find a show and get a ticket — it’s a vote of confidence in our priceless shared culture.
“To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim” – Studebaker Theater
Liz Callaway made her Broadway debut in a Stephen Sondheim show and worked with the composer over the years. After his death, Callaway recorded an album of Sondheim songs that earned a Grammy nomination in the same category as Bruce Springsteen (spoiler: neither won). Now she returns to her hometown — her father was legendary journalist and “Chicago Tonight” creator John Callaway. Expect to hear a story or two about dad, an insider’s thoughts on Sondheim and great songs sung by a voice as sparkling as prosecco. June 14
“42 Balloons” – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Recent musicals at Chicago Shakes have been stellar (“Six,” “Sunny Afternoon” and “Illinoise”). Now they’ve snagged a lofty North American premiere from the producers of “Six.” It’s based on the true story of “Lawnchair Larry,” who put together a cluster of balloons to fulfill his dream of soaring high into the sky. With a score inspired by ‘80s pop music, “42 Balloons” should have a smooth liftoff from Navy Pier with little chance of rapid unscheduled disassembly. Through June 29
“Hokusai & Ukiyo-e” – Cleve Carney Museum of Art, Glen Ellyn
Japan’s shogun era comes to life through paintings, prints and immersive recreations. This exhibition focuses on 17th century Edo (modern day Tokyo) where masterful artists such as Hokusai flourished in the popular style known as Ukiyo-e. The U.S. premiere of the show is on campus at the College of DuPage, and it comes complete with an interactive manga exhibit. The museum has upped its game in recent years, so here’s a chance to dive into waves of art, innovation and history. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's your favorite animal that you can spot in the Chicago area? Tell us why. |
|
|
|
Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
5:30 PM | 10:30 PM |
|
|
|
|
Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. |
|
Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
|
|
|
|
