>>> HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> I AM PARIS SCHUTZ.

HERE IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TONIGHT.

FROM CURFEW ENFORCEMENT THE PEACEKEEPER PRESENCE, WEIGHING SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES DOWNTOWN.

>> WE GIVE YOU A LOOK INSIDE OF A COURTHOUSE WITH RECORDS DATING BACK TO THE TIME OF THE CHICAGO FIRE.

>>> AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC, PUBLIC HEALTH FACES ITS OWN MALADY.

>>> NEW FINDINGS REVEAL HOW AMERICANS VIEW CLIMATE CHANGE.

>>> AND A NEW EXHIBIT FROM PORTIONS OF GAY BLACK MEN IN CHICAGO.

>>> FIRST, MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT IS LEAVING HER SUCCESSOR A FINANCIAL GIFT.

SHE CREDITS HER BUDGET TEAM FOR THE ROSY FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.

>> WE FIND $8.2 BILLION IN STRUCTURAL SOLUTIONS OVER TIME.

WE ARE FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT RUN MORE EFFICIENTLY.

>> LIGHTFOOT SHARED THE PROJECTION AT THE EXECUTIVES CLUB OF CHICAGO TODAY.

THE PROJECTION IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE $473 MILLION BUDGET GAP FROM BACK IN AUGUST.

IT ALSO ASSUMES THAT THE STATE PROPERTY TAX LEVY WILL RISE ACCORDINGLY.

>>> MEANWHILE, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS REVEALING ITS BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE YEAR, WHICH IS MOSTLY UNCHANGED FROM LAST YEAR.

THE DISTRICT'S 9.5 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET MEANS THAT IT WILL REMAIN FLAT.

OFFICIALS SAY THAT IS HAVE AS MANY SCHOOLS AS LAST YEAR.

SCHOOL CEO PEDRO MARTINEZ TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD SHIFT AWAY FROM RELIANCE ON BUDGETING WHERE BUDGET IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT.

YOU CAN FIND MORE ON THIS AS WELL AS ON THE MAYOR BUDGET OUTLOOK ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> RECENTLY RE-ELECTED CITY CHAIR SAID SHE IS EXPLORING A RUN FOR CONGRESS IN THE SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THAT SEAT IS CURRENTLY HELD BY LONGTIME REPRESENTATIVE DANNY DAVIS.

SHE SAYS SHE IS ALL IN IF DAVIS CHOOSES TO HANG IT UP AT THE END OF THE TERM.

>>> BUS DRIVERS IN ILLINOIS KNOW THAT IT IS CONSTRUCTION SEASON.

>> ON AVERAGE, WE CONTINUE TO SEE ALMOST 6000 CRASHES EVERY YEAR IN ILLINOIS , RESULTING IN MORE THAN 1500 INJURIES.

WE CAN AND WE MUST DO BETTER.

>> THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, STATE POLICE AND ILLINOIS TOLLWAYS HAVE TEAMED UP FOR AWARENESS WEEK, REMINDING DRIVERS TO DECREASE SPEED, ILLUMINATE DISTRACTIONS AND PROCEED WITH CAUTION IN A WORK SEWN.

STATE POLICE SAY THAT THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN INJURIES BECAUSE DRIVERS DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER AND YIELD TO FLASHLIGHTS OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

>> YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY!

>>> COMING UP IN THE PROGRAM, A TOUR INSIDE A MASSIVE STORAGE FACILITY HOLDING YEARS OF CRIMINAL COURT RECORDS.

>>> BUT FIRST, FOLLOWING THE DOWNTOWN UNREST, LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

THAT'S AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>>> DISRUPTED TRAFFIC, PROPERTY DAMAGE AND FIGHTING.

THAT WAS THE SCENE IN CHICAGO SATURDAY NIGHT AS LARGE CROWDS OF TEENS GATHERED DOWNTOWN AMID THE SUMMERLIKE TEMPERATURES.

POLICE SAY THE 15 ARRESTS WERE MADE.

THE UNRULY EVENTS HAVE LEFT CITY LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND RESIDENTS LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS IS THE FORMER ASSISTANT DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHO IS NOW A PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTANT AND CEO OF TRAJECTORY CHANGING SOLUTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> DO YOU THINK A COMBINATION OF INCREASED POLICE PATROLS AND INCREASED PRESENCE OF PEACEKEEPERS DOWNTOWN WOULD HELP TO REMEDY THIS KIND OF PROBLEM?

>> I DO THINK THAT ADDING MORE PEACEKEEPERS TO DOWNTOWN WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO DO THEIR THING FOR SURE.

I AM NOT PUSHING FOR INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT.

I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO APPROACH THIS ISSUE WITH CARE AND LOVE AND CONCERN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY.

WITH THIS IN MIND, THERE ARE A FEW POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO UTILIZE HERE.

SUMMER HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET.

WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMING DOWNTOWN AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING YOUNG PEOPLE.

SO HOW CAN WE ADDRESS IT?

FIRST, THESE AREN'T IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT FIRST WE SHOULD ASSESS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR CAPACITY AND QUALITY.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR COMMUNITIES TO GO DOWNTOWN, AND THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF QUALITY PROGRAMS.

SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS OPERATE ONLY ON THE WEEKENDS.

THERE ARE NO SATURDAY PROGRAMS.

THERE ARE NO SUNDAY PROGRAMS.

THEN WE HAVE THE QUESTION OF HOW ATTENTIVE THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE HAVE HEARD COMPLAINTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE DISENGAGED AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAMS.

SO WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO BE THERE?

>> SO YOU ARE SAYING THERE SHOULD BE MORE COMMUNITY-BASED, ASSESSING NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS.

BUT WHAT WOULD ASSESSING THE PEACEKEEPERS LOOK LIKE DOWNTOWN?

>> THEY WOULD BE STATIONED DOWNTOWN PROACTIVELY IN PREPARATION FOR THE LARGE GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE DESCENDED DOWNTOWN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BORROWED THESE PEACEKEEPERS FROM COMMUNITIES.

WE BORROW THEM TO GO DOWNTOWN FROM COMMUNITIES.

THEIR COMMUNITIES NEED THEM TO BE THERE PRIVATELY.

BUT THE ADDITION OF A NEW TEAM THAT WOULD BE ASSIGNED JUST TO WORK DOWNTOWN FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, AND THEY ARE TRAINED.

THEY CAN DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS.

THEY CAN HANDLE SITUATIONS BEFORE THEY ESCALATE.

>> MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, LAST SUMMER, WHEN THIS ISSUE POPPED UP, SHE MENTIONED THE CURFEW INCREASING SLIGHTLY EARLIER, AND KIND OF ALERTING FOLKS WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT A CURFEW IS THE SOLUTION?

IS IT EVEN BEING ENFORCED?

>> WE HAVE HAD CURFEWS FOR DECADES, AND THERE ARE STILL YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT SHOOTING AND GETTING SHOT BETWEEN CURFEW TIMES.

SO I AM NOT SURE THAT IT IS A VIABLE SOLUTION.

>> TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLE OF PARENTING AND HOW TO ENGAGE FAMILIES.

>> I THINK WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH.

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS.

THERE IS LACK OF EMPLOYMENT.

THERE IS TRAUMA THAT FAMILIES HAVE EXPERIENCED.

THERE IS UNSTABLE HOUSING.

WE HAVE TO GO DEEPER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FAMILIES ARE DOING WITH IF WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE SEE.

THE FAMILY SYSTEM IS NOT STRONG AND BEING SUPPORTED, THEN WE GET WHAT WE ARE GETTING RIGHT NOW.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS LEFT.

WE HAVE RECOMMENDED HOSTING ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH DOWNTOWN AS WELL.

WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE?

>> CHICAGO IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DOWNTOWN.

WE NEED TO HOST ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME DOWNTOWN AS A POSITIVE THING, INSTEAD OF SOMETHING THAT IS NEGATIVE.

>> IT IS A PROBLEM THAT I AM SURE YOU AND OTHER FOLKS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> NOW TO PARIS AND TO A WAREHOUSE HOUSING RECORDS DATING BACK TO THE CHICAGO FIRE.

PARIS?

>> RECORD-KEEPING IS LONG AND SORDID .

WHILE HISTORICAL FIGURES MIGHT BE LONG GONE, THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND EVIDENCE PERTAINING TO THEIR CASES ARE STILL AROUND, AS ARE THOSE OF NEARLY EVERY CRIMINAL CASE GOING BACK TO THE CHICAGO FIRE.

WE GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INSIDE THE KERR COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT TO LOOK AT THE RECORDS LOCATED IN, WHERE ELSE, CICERO.

THIS WAREHOUSE MIGHT NOT LOOK MUCH AT FIRST GLANCE, BUT TAKE A LOOK INSIDE AND YOU ARE GETTING A LOOK AT COOK COUNTY HISTORY.

THESE ARE THE STORIES OF NEARLY EVERY CASE THAT HAS COME BEFORE A JUDGE SINCE AROUND THE TIME OF THE CHICAGO FIRE.

THERE ARE 260,000 SQUARE FEET OF STORAGE AND BOXES, ALL IN NEED OF DIGITIZING.

LET'S NOT FORGET THE RECENT HISTORY OF THIS OFFICE UNDER EMBATTLED FORMER CLERK DOROTHY BROWN.

RECORDS APPEARED TATTERED OR EVEN MISSING.

LEGISLATION IS MOVING AT A SNAILS PACE.

CURRENT CLERK IRIS MARTINEZ SAYS THAT THE TASK OF SCANNING TENS OF MILLIONS OF PIECES OF PAPER THROUGH A COMPUTER SERVER MIGHT TAKE A WHILE.

>> SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DIGITIZE EVERYTHING EVENTUALLY.

>> IN ANY CASE, THE OFFICE MUST KEEP RECORDS OF EVERYTHING.

RECORDS ARE CONSTANTLY SHUTTLED BACK AND FORTH FROM THE COURTS, AS OLD DOCUMENTS MIGHT BE PERTINENT TO NEW CASES.

AND IT ISN'T JUST PAPER FILES.

IN THIS WING OF THE BUILDING WE FOUND A COLLECTION OF ITEMS USED AS EVIDENCE.

KEY SETS.

BICYCLES.

HERE IS EVIDENCE FROM WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FIREARMS CASE.

>> THIS REPRESENTED SOME KIND OF SHOOTING AT A COP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> THIS IS OUR JOB, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT COMES THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.

>> AND A TRAP DOOR TO A CRAWLSPACE WHERE NOTORIOUS SERIAL KILLER JOHN WAYNE GACY KEPT MURDER VICTIMS.

>> I CAME IN HERE, AND I REALLY SAID OH MY GOD, AND I GOT GOOSE BUMPS ALL OVER.

I SAID OH MY GOD!

>> LOOKING AT THE REALLY OLD CASE FILES, THEY ARE HANDWRITTEN AND BOUND.

IN THIS MASSIVE BOOK THERE IS A 100-YEAR-OLD CASE CONSIDERED THEM TO BE THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY.

THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER OF 14-YEAR-OLD BOBBY FREI AT THE HANDS OF UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO STUDENTS .

LOOKING FURTHER INTO HISTORY, AND ANOTHER NOTORIOUS CHICAGOAN'S ORDEAL EMERGES.

HERE WE HAVE A RECORD FROM 1871 TO 1875.

WE HAVE THE CASE OF A CHICAGO RESIDENT NAMED MARY LINCOLN, A.K.A.

MARY TODD LINCOLN.

SHE WAS DECLARED INSANE AT THE HANDS OF HER SON ROBERT LINCOLN AND COMMITTED TO WHAT WE WOULD NOW CALL A MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION.

YOU MIGHT IMAGINE THAT HISTORIANS WOULD BE SALIVATING AT THE LIVING HISTORY OF THIS BOOK RESIDING IN CICERO, ILLINOIS, ONCE HOME OF A NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL ENDEAVOR.

THE CLERK'S OFFICE SAID THEY OPENED THE WAREHOUSE IN 2012 TO CONSOLIDATE RECORDS THAT HAD BEEN HELD AT MULTIPLE FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

>>> UP NEXT, HOW AMERICANS PERCEIVE CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT IS HUMAN-DRIVEN.

STAY WITH US.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN EXISTENTIAL ISSUE FOR ALL OF US, BUT WHAT DO AMERICANS REALLY THINK ABOUT IT?

A REPORT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FINDS THAT JUST LESS THAN HALF OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HUMAN-DRIVEN.

NEARLY TWO THIRDS ARE UNWILLING TO PAY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE.

TWO OUT OF FIVE AMERICANS SAY THEY ARE LIKELY TO PURCHASE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

JOINING US IS SAM ORIE, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO ENERGY POLICY INSTITUTE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> THIS IS A POLL YOU HAVE CONDUCTED SEMIANNUALLY SINCE ABOUT 2016.

HOW HAVE ATTITUDES CHANGED FROM WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED RESEARCHING?

>> YES, WHEN WE CONDUCTED THE POLL THIS YEAR, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE CHANGES.

A LARGE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING, AND A SMALLER NOT BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE OF HUMANS PERSONALLY.

BUT THERE IS A BIG DROP IN BELIEVING THAT IT IS CAUSED BY HUMANS.

>> THIS IS SURPRISING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS FEELING THIS?

>> I THINK THROUGHOUT THE TIME WE CONDUCTED THE POLL ON THAT QUESTION, SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN ABOUT THE 30% RANGE, WHERE THEY BELIEVE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS MOSTLY OR ENTIRELY CAUSED BY HUMANS.

BUT WE VIEW A BIG DROP AMONG INDEPENDENT AND AMONG DEMOCRATS AS WELL.

>> INTERESTING.

THERE IS BROAD SUPPORT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS SUGGESTED HAVING TWO THIRDS OF CARS SOLD BEING EVs.

BASED ON ATTITUDES, HOW FEASIBLE IS THAT?

>> IT IS INTERESTING.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LAST YEAR, ELECTRIC VEHICLES WERE ABOUT FIVE TO 10% OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.

IN THIS POLL, RESPONDENTS SAID THAT THEY WERE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN BUYING ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

SO THAT SHOWS YOU THAT THERE IS SOME ROOM TO GROW.

BUT AS YOU SAID, THE BY THE MINISTRATION HAS INTRODUCED THIS RULE, AND THE GOAL OF THE DRAFT IS TO DRIVE EV SALES TO TWO THIRDS, SO THERE IS QUITE A GAP BETWEEN THOSE WHO WOULD CONSIDER BUYING ONE AND THE NATIONAL GOAL.

>> A LOT OF GROUND HAVE TO BE MADE UP.

HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THE SENTIMENTS IN THE POLL INTO PUBLIC POLICY THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT WE NEED POLICY.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT AMERICANS CAN DO ON CLIMATE CHANGE, IT IS TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS WHEN THEY LEAVE THE ROOM.

THOSE THINGS ARE GOOD.

BUT REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS SUPPORT POLITICIANS WHO WILL ENACT POLICIES AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> WHEN I LOOK AT THESE RESULTS, IT SEEMS LIKE AMERICANS WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IF THEY DETERMINE THAT IT IS COST-EFFECTIVE TO THEM PERSONALLY TO DO IT.

SO GOING BACK TO WHAT BILL CLINTON SAID, IT IS THE ECONOMY, STUPID.

IS IT NOT?

>> HOW DO WE GET TO FOR ON 10 AMERICANS WHO SAID THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PURCHASE ONE?

THEY GAVE US THE ANSWER.

FOR MOST, IT IS TO REDUCE THE COST.

COST IS A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO THEM BUYING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING ON.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> UP NEXT, WHAT A GREAT RESIGNATION LOOKS LIKE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT.

THE FIRST WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

>>> WHAT ARE GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER'S PRIORITIES FOR THE STATE?

THAT CAN BE DETERMINED BY LOOKING AT WHICH STATE AGENCIES ARE GROWING.

WE DUG INTO AGENCY HEADCOUNTS.

OF THOSE THAT SAW IT DROP, SURPRISINGLY IT WAS THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> PANDEMIC WAS STRESSFUL AND TURBULENT FOR MOST OF US, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

CHICAGO'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER, DR. ALLISON HARWOODY BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LAST MARCH, AFTER TWO MONTHS, EZIKE STEPPED DOWN.

>> IT HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF A LIFETIME!

>> Reporter: THIS IS PART OF THE TREND, AS ANALYZED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> I THINK THAT YOU ARE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS THE CASE ELSEWHERE.

>> AND AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, WE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.

OUR COLLEAGUE JARED POURED OVER DATA FROM THE OFFICE.

HE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES DROPPED BY 6 1/4% LAST YEAR COMPARED WITH 2021.

THE DEPARTMENT, MEANWHILE, SAID THAT HEADCOUNT OVER THE FISCAL YEARS DROPPED NEARLY 2%.

>> WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TURNOVER, ALTHOUGH TURNOVER HAS DEFINITELY HAPPENED ACROSS THE AGENCIES.

MANY INDIVIDUALS FOUND RETIREMENT OR PURSUED OTHER CAREERS.

>> I DPH DIRECTOR KEEPS A CONCERNED EYE ON STUDIES LIKE A RECENT ONE THAT WAS PUBLISHED SHOWING A NATIONAL EXODUS OF STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH WORKERS, PARTICULARLY THIS ONE.

HE SAYS IT IS A WORRISOME TREND, AND IF IT KEEPS UP, NORTHERN ILLINOIS IS NOT IMMUNE.

>> I THINK WHERE WE STARTED THIS CONVERSATION, THE TRAUMA, THE LONG HOURS, THE BURNOUT, THAT WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT PROFESSION YOU'RE IN.

>> WHAT CAN PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES DO?

>> WELL, IT IS NOT MAGIC.

PEOPLE OFTEN REACH OUT FOR BETTER PAY.

THERE ARE ALSO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.

>> AS WE MOVE FROM THE HOT HEAT OF A PANDEMIC TO THIS LONG SUMMER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOES.

>> SOME OF THAT CAN BE TOUGH BECAUSE OF THE RIGID HIRING PROCESSES.

BUT DR. TORRES SAYS THEY ARE WORKING TO UPLIFT CAREER WORKERS WELL ALSO PARTNERING WITH COLLEGES AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER PUBLIC HEALTH CAREERS.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE STARTED WITH WAS HIRING THE AGENCY'S FIRST EVER WORKFORCE DRAFTER, CHARGED WITH CREATING A NEW PIPELINE FOR STAFF HIRING, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

>> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR SAYS YOU DON'T ENTER PUBLIC HEALTH UNLESS YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THE MISSION.

YES, COVID MONEY HAD BEEN DRYING UP.

BUT THERE IS THE GRANT THEY ARE USING TO HELP LOCAL DEPARTMENTS RECRUIT AND RETAIN LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS.

>> THANK YOU.

FOR MORE DATA ON ILLINOIS GOVERNMENTAL SPENDING AND HIRING, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

NOW BRANDIS, BACK TO YOU.

>>> CHICAGO NATIVE PATRICK McCAW I WORKED AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AT THE EPA FOR DECADES.

IN HIS FREE TIME, HE ENVIRONS IT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND HIM.

THE NEW EXHIBITION OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS IS A PROVOCATIVE LOOK AT CHICAGO DURING THE PIVOTAL DECADE AND A WINDOW INTO THE STEREOTYPES.

NICK BLUMBERG HAS THE STORY.

>> Reporter: PATRICK ROPER ON PICTURES.

HIS FATHER WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER.

BUT PATRICK LIKED WORKING PICTURES, WORKING WITH A SIMPLE POINT AND SHOOT THROUGH THE 60s AND 70s.

>> ONE DAY ONE OF MY FRIENDS, HE SAID YOU NEED TO STEP UP.

>> Reporter: McCOY GOT A 30 MILLIMETER CAMERA.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE CLASSES, SO HE MADE A DEAL WITH HIMSELF.

>> EVERY DAY I WAS GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST ONE PHOTOGRAPH.

>> Reporter: McCOY CARRIED THE CAMERA AROUND HIS NICK EVERYWHERE .

>> WHEN I WOULD GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, INVARIABLY SOMEONE WOULD SAY HEY, TAKE MY PICTURE!

>> Reporter: THAT WAS PART OF McCOY'S DEAL WITH HIMSELF, TOO.

HE WOULD TAKE A PICTURE OF ANYONE.

AT NIGHT HE WOULD DEVELOP THEM AND TAKE THEM IN HIS BACKPACK THE NEXT DAY.

>> I WOULD JUST GIVE THEM THEIR PHOTOGRAPH!

>> Reporter: McCOY GOT TO KNOW PEOPLE, OFTEN TAKING THEIR PICTURES FULL-TIME.

MANY OF THEM WERE REGULARS AT THE RIALTO TAP IN THE SOUTH LOOP.

EVERYBODY FROM PEOPLE LIVING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSMEN TO DRAG QUEENS, THE CROWD WAS MOSTLY GAY BLACK MEN.

>> IN THE SOUTH LOOP, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE CHEERS.

>> Reporter: McCOY ALWAYS ALLOWED THE PERSONALITIES OF HIS SUBJECTS TO SHINE THROUGH.

>> I WANTED TO GET BEYOND THE PREJUDICES AND STEREOTYPES.

>> IT IS A SLICE OF BLACK AMERICAN LIFE THAT YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE.

YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE IT IN MUSEUMS.

>> Reporter: SHE HAD KNOWN McCOY FOR A DECADE AND HELPED HIM WILLED DOWN THE NUMBER OF SNAPS.

>> THE IDEA OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT LEISURE, THAT WOULD BE NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR!

>> Reporter: BUT AS THE 80s GAVE WAY TO THE '90s, McCOY FELT LESS SAFE TAKING HIS CAMERA EVERYWHERE.

>> THERE WERE A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I MET FOR MY TIME TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE REALLY DEAR TO ME.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS SEEING HIS PHOTOGRAPHS DISPLAYED LIKE THIS COMES WITH NOSTALGIA AND SADNESS, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF PRIDE IN WHAT HIS WORK CAPTURES.

>> IT IS A BEAUTIFUL IMAGERY OF THAT TIME PERIOD FROM A BLACK PERSPECTIVE.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I AM NICK LUMBER.

>> PICTURE BY PICTURE IS AT THE GALLERY IN LINCOLN PARK FOR JULY 15th.

YOU CAN SEE McCOY AT AN EVENT THERE ON MAY 4th.

WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS TUESDAY NIGHT.

PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT 10:00.

LORI LIGHTFOOT PRESIDES OVER HER LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS MAYOR OF CHICAGO.

>> AND WE HAVE ARTISTS WHO HELPED TO SHAPE THE BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT.

NOW FOR ALL OF US AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> I AM PARIS SCHUTZ.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, AND STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.