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It’s Tuesday. After yesterday’s gorgeous weather, expect rain, thunderstorms and maybe even a tornado later. But first, check out these stories from WTTW News.
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From left: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi speak during a “Chicago Tonight” U.S. Senate candidate forum on March 9, 2026. (WTTW News)
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Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly and U.S. Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi said Monday they will vote against any additional funding for the war launched by President Donald Trump against Iran.
All three appeared Monday in the last debate in the intense Democratic primary to replace U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. With a little more than a week until the March 17 election, the debate hosted by WTTW News’ “Chicago Tonight” was the first after Trump launched the war against Iran that has already killed seven members of the U.S. military.
Kelly and Stratton during the debate flatly ruled out supporting any additional funding for the war effort. All three Democrats blasted the president for launching the war without first getting congressional approval, as required by federal law..
After WTTW News published an article about the debate, Krishnamoorthi sent a statement saying, ”of course I would not support funding to pay for Trump’s impulsive war.”
Both chambers of Congress failed to pass a war powers resolution that would have restricted military action in Iran. Both Kelly and Krishnamoorthi voted to rein in the president, while Stratton said she also supported it.
“I do not believe this war is justified, and I would not vote to authorize additional supplemental funding for this war to continue,” Stratton said.
More context:
During the hourlong debate the candidates also clashed over how to respond to Trump’s aggressive efforts to carry out the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. All three vowed to support efforts to rein in the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents.
Stratton again called for ICE to be abolished, while Kelly said the Department of Homeland Security should be dismantled, “the whole kit and caboodle.” By contrast, Krishnamoorthi has said he will “abolish Trump’s ICE,” calling for the agency to focus on core functions as it did before Trump took office.
The winner of the Democratic primary will advance to the Nov. 3 general election against the winner of the Republican primary: R. Cary Capparelli, Casey Chlebek, Jeannie Evans, Pamela Denise Long, Jimmy Lee Tillman II or Don Tracy.
Other Democrats in the race include Kevin Ryan, Steve Botsford Jr., Bryan Maxwell, Jonathan Dean, Sean Brown, Awisi A. Bustos and Christopher Swann.
To learn more about the candidates, check out the WTTW News Voter Guide.
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Sponsor Message
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Make your plans to celebrate this April with the Poetry Foundation, offering a full roster of FREE public programs, including:
- a poetry reading with Chicago’s own National Book Award winner Patricia Smith;
- a live performance by chamber music collective D+Composed;
- a library packed with more than 40,000 books of poetry for readers of all ages.
Visiting Hours: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 11 AM–5 PM; Thursday 11 AM–6 PM
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The Obama Presidential Center is set to open to the public on June 19. (Courtesy of Obama Presidential Center)
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A decade after former President Barack Obama announced Chicago as his choice for what was then billed as a presidential library, the Obama Presidential Center has an opening date.
An invitation-only dedication ceremony will take place June 18, featuring yet-to-be-named entertainers and speakers.
Members of the public will be welcomed for their first look on June 19, coinciding with Juneteenth. The celebration will continue through June 21, with an open-house style schedule of live performances, family-friendly activities, food, art and storytelling.
In a video announcement released over the weekend, Obama struck many of the same optimistic notes that characterized his presidency. The center, he declared, is not a monument to the past.
“It is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo. If you feel that way, this is your invitation to join us,” Obama said.
Admission is free to the majority of the center’s amenities, including the surrounding grounds. But the museum itself will require time-ticketed entry. The fee structure has yet to be announced, but “will be in line with other Chicago cultural institutions,” officials said.
Tickets will go on sale in May, with details still to come.
Some backstory:
While the opening of the center is expected to be an economic boon to Chicago, its construction has not been without controversy.
The site choice of historic Jackson Park and the ceding of 20 acres of public land drew criticism and resulted in a protracted lawsuit. The height of the museum, which towers over the community at 225 feet, also came under fire.
Residents of surrounding South Side neighborhoods, concerned about gentrification and rising housing prices, pressed hard for a community benefits agreement to preserve affordable housing.
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Aspira Early College High School (WTTW News)
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Students and families from a pair of Chicago charter schools are scrambling after learning their schools will be shut down and all staff are expected to be laid off next month, before the end of the current academic year.
The ASPIRA charter network intends to close both ASPIRA Early College and ASPIRA Business and Finance high schools by April 3 due to what it says is a “lack of funding,” forcing hundreds of students to transfer mid-year while teachers and staff must now find new jobs.
That announcement comes days after ASPIRA leadership wrote to families telling them they remained “committed to completing the 2025–2026 academic year without disruption.”
Chicago Teachers Union charter rep Caroline Rutherford said the sudden closures and layoffs have been “nothing short of chaos” and claimed ASPIRA’s CEO Edgar Lopez never notified parents or students of the decision.
“Teachers were forced to inform students without any communication or direction from the charter operator or from the school district,” Rutherford told Chicago’sBoard of Education at a meeting Monday morning. “Students were crying, calling their parents and coping with massive confusion and stress with no clear path from ASPIRA or (Chicago Public Schools) on what would happen next.”
The two publicly financed, but privately operated charters are located on the North Side and collectively enroll more than 500 students, according to CPS data.
In its closure letter, ASPIRA leadership said CPS “will not provide any additional funding” to the charter network this academic year to help it continue operating the two schools.
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: March 10, 2006 - 100,000 Chicagoans Protest Anti-Immigration Bill
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Twenty years ago today, police estimated that a crowd of over 100,000 Chicagoans congregated downtown to stand up for immigrant rights and protest a controversial bill called the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The proposal would have built a border fence, drastically strengthened enforcement, electronically surveilled workers to verify their legal status and increased punishments for those aiding undocumented people. The massive crowd marched a two-mile
stretch from the Near West Side's Union Park to the Loop's Federal Plaza. Among the crowd, in what was at the time one of the largest pro-immigrant demonstrations in American history, were Mayor Richard M. Daley, Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Though the bill passed the House, it never made it through the Senate and never became law.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers highlight their favorite things in Chicago. This week, it’s reporter and editor Matt Masterson on where to find a good cup of coffee.
Matt Masterson: Raising a 1-year-old is extremely fulfilling. He’s learning to walk and talk and be his own little person. What’s not so fulfilling is the amount of rest my wife and I typically get as he also learns how to stay asleep past 5 a.m. That’s where a good cup of coffee becomes critical.
Even more so that toys and daycare, coffee has rocketed to the top of our expense list. Fortunately there’s a bevy of great cafes to help us stay caffeinated and coherent throughout the day. Here’s some of our favorites:
Ritual Coffeehouse: Located right by the Irving park Brown Line, Ritual had been our main go-to cafe for years until we recently moved. A cozy atmosphere and delicious coffee, along with fresh-baked muffins, scones and other treats had us coming back multiple times a week. It’s also open late and serves as a great spot to work remotely. (1821 W. Irving Park Road)
Botanical Cafe: My favorite cold brew in Chicago is found here at this Lincoln Avenue cafe, which also doubles as a plant store. The pastries and seasonal lattes shouldn't be skipped either. (3740 N. Lincoln Ave.)
Brew Coffee Lab: A new find following our move into the suburbs, this cafe is found inside the Des Plaines Metra station. The coffee is excellent, but so too are the brioche breakfast sandwiches and yummy waffles. (1501 Miner St., Des Plaines)
Hexe Coffee Co.: Hexe is well-known at this point, but it always lives up to the hype for me. Great coffee, amazing baked goods and a perfect outdoor patio for working, sipping or just hanging out in the summer. (2000 W. Diversey Pkwy)
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What's your favorite local movie theater? 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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