Today’s Daily Chicagoan is brought to you, in part, by:
|
|
|
|
|
It’s Friday and the the weekend is calling. Catch up on the latest stories from WTTW News.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Protesters march on Washington Boulevard near Union Park to protest the Trump administration’s policies on May Day, or International Workers’ Day, on May 1, 2025. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
|
A week ahead of May Day, Chicago Public Schools officials have outlined how classes will operate and what civic engagement students and staff can participate in on the annual labor holiday.
In a letter to families this week, CPS CEO Macquline King said the district is working to ensure it has enough teachers and staff in its schools next Friday, when many students and educators are expected to join labor rallies as part of an agreement reached with the Chicago Teachers Union.
“CPS is working closely with our principals to monitor this situation,” King wrote in the letter, “and if there is a shortage of staff at your school on May 1, support will be provided by our Network and Central Office teams.”
The district’s agreement with CTU leaders came after the union and some Board of Education members pushed to close schools in recognition of the labor holiday. As part of that deal, CPS has declared May 1 as a day of civic action, allowing educators to “organize across the city, and to engage our students in civic action and solidarity.”
More context:
CPS said it’s working to provide bus transportation to schools planning for field trips to local civic engagement events, but if that’s not possible, the city has agreed to support other options, which could include traveling on the CTA.
CPS said it approved a civics curriculum to guide classroom discussion on May 1. Teachers will be able to supplement that curriculum with additional materials, but King said they must be vetted by school leadership and “aligned to CPS policy and the Illinois State Learning Standards.”
The CTU, however, maintains teachers have the right to “exercise your professional judgement” in creating meaningful lessons, units and supplemental materials.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sponsor Message
|
|
Each year, more than 60,000 mothers in need turn to Catholic Charities. Offering support at a critical moment often changes the course of a mom’s life and her family’s future. Through essential services like food, diapers and even housing assistance, Catholic Charities helps families across Cook and Lake counties regardless of faith, zip code, or ethnicity. For many, hope starts the moment someone says, “You don’t have to do this alone.” Hope starts here. Learn more at catholiccharities.net
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Tailor appears on “Chicago Tonight” on April 7, 2026. (WTTW News)
|
Longtime Cook County Circuit Court Judge Sanjay T. Tailor made history in January, becoming the first Asian American justice on the Illinois Supreme Court.
Now-retired former Chief Justice Mary Theis appointed Tailor to her seat. He will serve until December 2028, when Cook County voters will elect a justice to a full 10-year term.
Tailor adds to an already exceptionally diverse bench, joining four women and three other justices of color.
“This is a court that is unlike any other court,” Tailor said. “There are four women, so it’s a majority-female court, and for the first time in its history, since 1818, it is the first majority-minority court. We have four minorities of the seven justices. It is a milestone. It is a representation of the people of Illinois.”
Tailor joins the court at a time of declining public trust in government institutions. Questions about the role of the courts and so-called judicial activism have also been prominent following contentious U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Dobbs in 2022 and the denial of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs this year.
The role of courts is to reestablish public trust, Tailor said.
“The way I see our role is not only to decide these very important issues for society, but also, perhaps more importantly, to ensure there is a high level of public confidence in the courts,” Tailor said. “I think that the courts will hold, they have always held, and they will continue to protect the rule of law.”
Tailor said he will be running to keep his seat on the bench in 2028.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Central Station, circa 1900. Credit: Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
|
In the golden age of rail travel, downtown Chicago was home to not one, not two, but six passenger train stations. These awe-inspiring buildings were more than just functional gateways. They transformed riding the rails from a practical, point-A-to-point-B necessity into an experience in its own right.
“No other city even came close to the number of terminals Chicago had,” DePaul University professor Joseph Schwieterman told Geoffrey Baer. “We are the railroad hub – times two, you might say. Chicago, particularly in the area of passenger rail, had no rivals.”
Despite their grandeur, the six stations created a bit of a headache for many travelers. Because they were all located on the periphery of downtown, any transfers between rail lines meant having to hoof it to one of the other stations. As Americans’ transportation preferences shifted to the air and the interstate, demand for passenger rail dipped dramatically by the mid-20th century. Many of the train stations below were demolished or reconfigured in the 1970s and 1980s.
“Shame on us, you might say, but in fairness the historic preservation movement gained momentum in the mid-’70s, maybe 5 or 10 years too late,” said Schwieterman.
Today, only one of the six stations is still used for passenger rail service.
Find out where they once stood.
|
|
|
|
|
|
More From WTTW News:
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Back in the Day: April 24, 1942 - Mayor Richard M. Daley Born in Chicago
|
On this day 84 years ago, Richard M. Daley, the longest-serving mayor in Chicago history, was born. He was the eldest son of Richard J. Daley, who served as Chicago’s mayor for 21 years from 1955 to his death in 1976. Like his father, Daley Jr. was born and raised in Bridgeport. The younger Daley’s career in politics started in the Illinois State Senate, as the Cook County state’s attorney, and then in 1989, as mayor of Chicago. He would leave office in 2011, just barely beating his father’s record for longest-ever tenure as the city’s head honcho.
|
|
|
|
|
Other News From Around Town
|
Every Friday, WTTW News highlights our favorite stories about Chicago from the local and national press.
What Was Really Found in Capone's Vault (Chicago Magazine)
"On April 21, 1986, a large portion of television viewers in Chicago went to bed disappointed. That night, after nearly a year of hype, three out of every four televisions in Chicago were tuned in to “The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vaults,” a live, two-hour broadcast from the basement of Capone’s former headquarters at the Lexington Hotel at Michigan Avenue and Cermak Road, hosted by the flamboyant Geraldo Rivera.
The vault at the Lexington, where Capone ran his operations from 1928 until 1932, didn’t turn up any money, jewels, or even dead bodies — but it did lure millions to watch, not only in Chicago but around the country. The show attracted 30 million viewers, the most-ever for a syndicated show and a record that stands to this day."
How Has the Black Chicago Accent Retained Its Southern Roots? (WBEZ)
"I’m from the South Side of Chicago. And when I’m on the radio or on a podcast, you can absolutely tell. When I’m answering a Curious City question and I’m trying to say that a listener asked a question, it sometimes comes out sounding like “ax.” That’s something linguists call metathesis: Sounds in a word swap places, and it’s common in Southern speech ...
I’m not an outlier. Many Black Chicagoans talk just like I do. That led a Curious City listener to ask: Why have Black Chicagoans kept so many features of Southern dialect?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What would be your advice for someone moving to Chicago?
|
|
|
Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to say:
"Sample different neighborhoods to find the one which fits you best. Summer neighborhood festival season is the best time to check the vibes." - David Paul
"Join your new neighborhood's library. CPL has so much community and education to offer." -Kathy Powers (@twopowers1)
"Register to vote. Get a library card. Sign up for your alderman’s newsletter and put their contact info into your phone so you can easily reach out to them. Welcome." -Jenna (@jennanohea.bsky.social)
"Quickly settle on the type of tavern style thin crust pizza you prefer, which baseball team you prefer, yea or nay on Maalort, and don’t EVER put ketchup on your hot dog." (@bmcchgo.bsky.social)
"The lake will seep into your soul. Don't try to resist." -Jacob Truedson Demitz
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5:30 PM | 7:00 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
|
|
|
|
|
