This Tuesday, catch up on the latest stories from WTTW News.
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A view of Chicago looking west. (AndresGarciaM / iStock)
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The prevalence of mass youth gatherings, known as teen takeovers, often increases with the temperature as the trend becomes more popular in summer months.
So far this year, at least four major events have taken place in Chicago.
Over Memorial Day weekend, five Chicago Police Department officers were struck by a teen driver while attempting to break up a group on the Near West Side. The following day, 53 people were arrested at a gathering in Hyde Park.
Just over this past weekend, seven young people were shot in Bronzeville.
“There have been too many unauthorized, unsupervised, and unreasonable gatherings of large groups of young people, which too often now lead to fights and shootings among young people,” Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), who represents Bronzeville, said in a statement. “We need to ask ourselves as the adults in the community: Where are their parents? Where are the role models? Why are children out at night when, quite honestly, they should be home and in bed? How are we failing our youth?"
Possible solutions:
In the renewed debate over how to effectively address teen takeovers, there are a number of proposed solutions. Some local officials, like Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward), continue to voice support for a snap curfew, while some advocate for something more penal like repercussions for the participants or even their guardians. Others, like Mayor Brandon Johnson, are pushing for more youth-focused resources and activities that can serve as alternatives to takeovers.
On Monday, Chicago launched free YMCA memberships for teens throughout the summer, giving them access to the resources and programs available at their local facilities.
History repeating:
Large, at times unruly, youth gatherings aren’t new.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, media outlets frequently used the term “wilding” to describe groups of mostly Black and Latino young men congregating in cities. Critics later argued the term carried pejorative racial stereotypes and contributed to fears about urban youth.
“You can go back to the 1960s when a lot was going on in the world, identical in a lot of ways to what’s happening now, socially, politically, economically,” Bradly Johnson said. “There were riots, there were all types of things happening. What happened was the city organized youth outreach, street outreach, programs, activities, employment. What they didn’t have and what we’re adding now is mental health support services.”
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(Department of Justice, Capitol News Illinois)
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More than 100 former federal prosecutors published an open letter Monday blasting Chicago’s U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros, claiming he “tarnished the reputation” of the office in the wake of the botched “Broadview Six” case.
The letter, signed by 111 ex-prosecutors who worked in the Northern District of Illinois office, shares their “heartbreaking” concerns over a mass exodus of prosecutors, grand jury “irregularities,” and breaches of trust with judges as more and more cases have fallen apart since Boutros — a Trump administration appointee — took over last spring.
“These matters raise questions about whether there is a failure of leadership in the office we deeply respect and whether once-forbidden political considerations are infecting prosecutorial decisions,” the letter states. “The answer to both questions, in our view, is yes.”
In a statement issued Monday evening, Boutros highlighted his office’s accomplishments throughout his tenure, saying that when he took over last year he found the “storied and fabled” office “was not well.” Boutros claimed he has spent the last year “righting the ship.”
“My work is far from over and no matter what anyone says, today’s U.S. Attorney’s Office is a strong beacon of light and hope for this city,” Boutros said in his statement. “Our best days are ahead of us. I’m going to keep fighting for the Northern District of Illinois for years to come.”
More context:
Despite the broad concerns raised by the former prosecutors, they stopped short of calling on Boutros to resign his position — as a growing number of Illinois politicians have done following the dismissal of the “Broadview Six” charges.
The former prosecutors said they wrote their letter due to their love for the Northern District of Illinois office and because they know “how far these developments fall outside long-established norms.”
Chicago’s U.S. Attorney’s Office had earned a reputation for “winning significant cases while playing by the rules,” they added, while expressing hope Boutros can “begin an effort to restore this reputation.”
“That, however, will require candor from U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros; the courage to stand above and apart from political fealty; and a willingness to address the failures that have occurred,” they wrote. “It will require action, not mere words.”
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The Chicago Park District’s outdoor pools will open June 19. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
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Get ready to make a splash.
Touting its successful recruitment of a full complement of more than 700 lifeguards, the Chicago Park District announced that the city’s outdoor pools will open on June 19 — two days earlier than in 2025 — and will stay open through Labor Day, further extending the swimming season.
Outdoor pools will operate seven days a week and eight hours a day throughout the summer season. Schedules and programming varies by location, so the Park District recommends checking on an individual pool’s availability before heading out the door.
What to know:
Pools at Hamlin, Holstein and Tuley Parks are undergoing improvements and aren’t expected to open until July.
In addition to the city’s 77 indoor and outdoor pools, the Park District has lifeguards stationed daily at lakefront beaches, which opened May 22. The Humboldt Park inland beach will open June 19.
Pools will operate on adjusted schedules on Juneteenth. People can similarly expect shortened hours on July 3 and July 4.
With temperatures expected to soar into the 90s this week, people can cool off at neighborhood splash pads, many of which are already open for the season. According to a Park District spokesperson, crews began turning on water spray features in late May and all 200-plus will be open by June 19.
In 2025, the Park District staggered pool closures, closing the majority by mid-August, but keeping some open through Sept. 1 due to the late summer heat. This year, pools will close Sept. 7.
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: June 9, 2011 - Closing Arguments Completed in Rod Blagojevich Corruption Trial
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In 2011, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was on trial for the second time after facing 20 corruption charges related to his attempts to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama and allegations that Blagojevich shook down businesses in exchange for campaign contributions. While his first trial resulted in a hung jury on 23 out of 24 counts, federal prosecutors streamlined their case and retried the then-54-year-old Blagojevich. Though he refused to testify during his first trial, he chose to take the stand during the second trial. On this day 15 years ago, closing arguments were completed. The final day of closing arguments on June 9, 2011, featured
fist-pounding and shouting by defense attorney Aaron Goldstein and tears from Blagojevich’s wife, Patti. The former governor said that day the trial had been “a very long and hard ordeal for our children, for Patti, for me. And it's been a very lonely ordeal.” He would be convicted later that month on 17 corruption charges, including wire fraud, attempted extortion, and conspiracy to solicit bribes.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers recommend their favorite things in Chicago. This week, it’s Blake Thor, Minow Fellow for WTTW News and “Chicago Tonight,” on the music to make you appreciate the city's summers.
Blake Thor: Every season has its partner in crime. Fall and scary movies. Winter and cinnamon. Spring and remembering that going outside is, in fact, an option. But the best pairing of all is summer and music. In Chicago, you can attend a street festival or venture into any one of our multitude of independent venues for a show. But what if you're just walking around the neighborhood? While these acts may not be from the city, they're behind albums so energizing, so catchy, so grandiose that you redevelop the ill-conceived notion that life really is all sunshine and rainbows. Now, you might say, "Blake, I don’t know any such albums." Well, that's what I — and the ensuing paragraphs — are here for. So don your
secondhand airpods because I’ve got some music recommendations for you.
“Nurture” by Porter Robinson: I don’t need to convince you this is a summer album, just look at the cover. Songs like “Wind Tempos” and “do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do” are perfect for strolls along the lakeshore, while upbeat tracks like “Musician” induce the main character syndrome required for shopping downtown.
“Wyoming (Piano Works)” by Elijah Fox: You wanna grapple with the miracle of evolution? Perhaps share a moment with the rockhopper penguins over the mutual biological struggle to survive? Cue up this album and hit the zoo or aquarium. Don’t ask questions, just go. Fox perfectly captures curiosity as an emotion with songs like “Wyoming” and “Vinegar Hill.”
“Absolutely” by Dijon: Summertime is meant to fall in love and this debut album from Bieber and Bon Iver disciple Dijon Duenas captures the range of a summer fling like no other. Rejoice in the infatuated euphoria that is “Big Mike’s,” and experience heartbreak you didn’t think possible with “Rodeo Clown” and “Noah’s Highlight Reel.”
“Silent Alarm” by Bloc Party: This album belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Indie Rock. Songs like “So Here We Are” and “This Modern Love” are perfect for night drives along LSD, while “Banquet” and “Helicopter” will prepare you for a night better than liquid courage.
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If you could time-travel to any moment in Chicago's history, what would it be?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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