Black voices.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> A community need these investments now.

>> All the people narrowly pass a controversial new borrowing deal to repair city infrastructure.

Went to one minute state bill prison say they've been left behind to die after the rest of the population was transferred months ago over poor conditions.

>> Everything about America come from Chicago.

>> I from bus tours to a new museum gig, urban historian Sherman Dylan Thomas keep sharing his love for Chicago history.

>> Because we are the separate capital world.

>> And we explore the culture of the popular Chicago dance style known as step in.

>> And now to some of today's top stories.

A Chicago man is facing murder charges for 6 separate killings all happening in 2020 Chicago police and the Cook County State's attorney announced the charges today against 21 year-old Antonio Reyes.

Reyes was first arrested at the age of 17 accused of a murder that happened in June 2020 in the 5800 block of South Rockwell Street today.

Police believe he also committed 5 more fatal shootings over the course of the year across the southwest side before he was arrested for that first one, police were able to tie shell casings found at one of the crime scenes to the other scenes and they say his social media footprint was also a factor in tracing the shootings to the suspect.

Reyes has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges during today's arraignment.

270,000 Illinois residents have had their medical debts totally wiped out.

A combined total of 345 million dollars.

Thanks to a statewide pilot program.

>> In a healthy and functioning society, no one should fall funny into financial ruin simply because they got sick.

Nobody should be burdened with the kind of debt changes their lives and ruins it.

>> Governor JB Pritzker says the state only spent 2 million dollars to accomplish the feat and his 2026 budget proposal designates another 15 million to the cause pushing to delete 1 billion dollars in medical debt.

Residents eligible for the program will be notified by mail.

The head of the Chicago Park District is the most recent member of Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration to step down.

Rose a ANO is resigning as superintendent after 3 years running the agency.

And 35 years of public service dating back to Mayor Eugene Sawyer.

Its going yo came to the job during the Lightfoot administration in the wake of a scandal involving harassment and misconduct in the park district's lifeguard corps in the agency's response to it.

In a statement, the mayor expressed his gratitude for her service and hailed her accomplishments on the job as And a beloved South side barbecue spot wins a prestigious James Beard Award.

Lenz barbecue in is one of 6 recipients of the James Beard.

America's Classic Award.

The James Beard Foundation says the award is given to independently owned restaurants with timeless appeal and is beloved in the region for food that reflects character and cultural traditions of its community.

This year's selections join more than 100 restaurants across the country that received the award since 1998, including at least one in Chicago, who's hungry?

You can find out more about all of those stories on our Web site W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

Up next, a borrowing plan narrowly passes.

City Council had a Sharon on what it fund.

>> Chicago tonight, what he's made possible in part by the support of these don't use.

>> By the narrowest possible margin.

The Chicago City Council approved a plan to borrow 830 million dollars to rebuild Chicago's crumbling roads, sidewalks and bridges.

While supporters say the plan would make crucial repairs possible opponents warn the deal would saddle the next generation of Chicagoans with a massive amount of debt.

Let's listen to today's to be.

>> We need to.

Become self-sufficient.

I think this is very wise very smart rebuild the to make sure that we cause self sustain ourselves for future, but infrastructure that we need.

>> If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is you stop big game.

Short-term benefits.

Worth decades of financial harm.

We can fund important projects, invest in Chicago, but we don't have towards our children's future and saddle them with reckless debt.

>> And our Heather Sharon joins us now with more.

Heather, final vote was 26 to 23.

Why was it so close and why was this proposal so controversial?

Well, it really found itself caught between a rock and a hard place.

The rock in this case is the city's precarious financial condition.

The city already owns nearly 29 billion dollars in general obligation, debt on top of the city's nearly 37 million dollars in pension debt.

So the thought of borrowing more money was really hard for some older people to stomach.

>> The hard place was the fact that many older people don't trust.

Mayor Brandon Johnson to spend this money the way that he says that he will instead this proposal was accused of being sort of a slush fund for various projects and to sort of help the Chicago public schools figure out how to make a pension payment.

It is struggling to cover and to cover the upcoming teachers contract, which is yet to be result.

Now, that's not true.

But the mayor had hard time convincing the older people that this was just for infrastructure, even though most people love infrastructure Wright who doesn't like avoiding a pothole on the way to work.

love a good road or, you know, bridge that functions.

how did the mayor get past, though, despite the spire store while he relied on his base just like he did in the 2023 election this past with the support of all.

But 4 members of the City Council's Black caucus and the entire progressive caucus.

Now it had it not done that it would not have passed because it was opposed by conservative all older people, including some who have aspirations for the big chair themselves, hoping to carve out a more fiscally responsible lane.

They hope could help them in the 2027 mayoral election which believe it or not is right around the corner and nobody is more ready for the wounded.

Before we let you go, what projects to the city plan to pay to pay for with this part?

So most of this money will go to roads and bridges and sidewalks.

A big chunk of it, though, will be spent at the direction of the individual older person and they can use it on really whatever they want in their words, as long as it's a lasting improvement.

The big issue is, is that the city's not going to start paying down this debt for nearly 20 years under schedule outlined for BI CFO Joe Torre ski on last night's show and that they say is a problem because who knows what the city's financial condition will be next 5 years, much less the next generation.

Who knows.

All right, Heather Sharon, as always, thank you.

Thanks.

Brandis.

And you can read Heather's full story on our website is all at W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

>> Most men were transferred out of State Bill Correctional Center near Joliet last fall because of poor conditions.

But one group wasn't included in that order.

The health care unit.

Now the last 21 minutes, state bill say they've been, quote, left behind to die.

A reporter Blair Paddock joins us now with more and Blair know you've been covering this.

We've worked on it together quite a bit.

But why was the health care unit not transferred out of Yeah.

So when a federal judge ordered that most of the men were to be transferred outside of state bill in the fall.

>> She said compared to the main housing unit in state fell which had concrete falling from ceilings mold, a host of other issues, the healthcare unit in part didn't have concrete falling from ceilings.

And so the men could stay there.

So now those 21 men, the reason that they've been given as to why they're still housed in that unit are because of their medical needs.

As I understand it, quite a few of the many dialysis which can get at that facility.

So what are the conditions like for them in there?

Yeah, the men that I've been writing to that are inside of that unit say that it's like being a its 3rd world conditions.

They are in extremely restrictive housing conditions sometimes left 24 hours a day in their cell when they get yard time, there are no activities outside in the yard.

They say that they feel like statues in the yard because of that.

And there's no programming.

They no time in the chapel.

No time in Staples Barbershop.

No educational programs, jobs.

Really anything for folks inside on top of that, they say that the food that they're getting is repeating several days in a row and it's sometimes not meeting people's dietary needs.

>> You also reported on the lawsuit over this from the disability Rights group equip for equality.

What today alleged they allege that I do see Illinois Department of Corrections acting director LaToya Hughes is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the rehabilitation act.

>> By keeping these men inside in unduly restrictive and isolating conditions compared to people without disabilities because of their disabilities.

It also alleges they are I do see is restricting people from programming because of their disabilities.

also where lastly, you know, put this into context for us with, you know, the closure and the rebuild.

The state, though.

>> Yeah, the transfers from stable in the fall are part of the state's pitch to close and rebuild staple Correctional Center as well as Logan Correctional Center.

A woman's facility in Central Illinois >> the transfers are part of this 5 year.

The state has long process to close the facility.

>> Both facilities found to have hundreds of millions in deferred maintenance.

And like I mentioned at the top some pretty poor conditions.

So the state still in the very early process of all of this with the staple transfers being the larger started visible movement in this whole Pat, thank you so much.

Thank you.

And you can read letters full story on our website.

It's all at W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

>> Up next, an urban historian on his new position.

Chicago urban historian Sherman Dylan Thomas is expanding his history lessons from social media to the museum.

He's got a new gig after Dusable Black History Museum as a brand ambassador and social media chief.

It's just one of his many projects from giving bus tours to giving TikTok lessons on the city's lesser known history.

Here with more on the new job is the urban historian himself Sherman, Dylan Thomas, welcome to Chicago tonight.

It's good to have you in studio.

>> Happy good to see you as well.

So what does it mean for you to be taking on this role at Dusable?

Because you called it sort of a dream job.

is certainly a dream job.

A full circle moment, right?

I was a kid wanted to solve with my parents and we need our having to if it's a south side to That's why depart from so that a lot of walking tours through news in and help bring a lot of foot traffic.

>> So saying appropriate for this I'm really excited to kind of help grow their audience in the social media space learn more about how museums >> So what is your vision?

you say your vision is for the role in only been on the job for like less than a month?

But how do you plan to sort of take what Dusable doesn't blend it with what you do?

>> Well, Apple find the stories of the Savile.

So that would be the first thing that we're going to do.

The second thing is to add a historical component right?

You know, if you were not here in the 80's, you don't know what was display at the dusable the 80's.

But I have access to archives and also to the special collection storage.

And then we can bring out those all artifacts social media posts on that.

We also want to be a connector.

I think here in Chicago, we should all have like these cultural institution bucket list.

And in order to call yourself a awesome Chicago, you need to have visited the Dusable visited the National Museum of Mexican American Art and Puerto Rican Heritage Museum on Swedish American Heritage Museum.

And a Polish American has resume some help them.

I would like a punch card and you know, will last special bank was from individuals who have visited all the cultural institutions.

And I think finally, just because most Amaya's on social media of a younger demographic will introduce the museum to that demographic and then they become our lifelong members.

And lifelong patrons certainly seems like also way as you've already been doing right to get younger people more interested in a museum because a lot of times you hear museum and you're like, that's >> something old.

People it.

But it sounds like what you can do is is to get more folks younger, know, going going be excited for Let's 62nd real on Instagram, right?

And hopefully that drives into the museum.

>> To see that thing, if in-person, there are a lot of getting sort of common narratives about Chicago that can focus on on tragedy, right?

these perceptions they have an impact on communities.

>> Very much.

So, you know this, the phrase that my sister to me could Johnson are trying to get people to stop saying and that's don't go right.

As soon as you kind of paint, a whole neighborhood with a broad stroke because of the singular incident, we're hurting economically.

You're hurting the ability for people to choose and neighborhood Sullivan and then what you're also doing if you're not thinking about putting the tax burden on one side of the city.

So if you're from the north side Chicago, you should certainly want to west South sides to do better.

And so we should be painting it as a negative space.

There's no such thing as a bad neighborhood in Chicago, right when we had to Nicholas Johnson along with her coauthor on the show several weeks ago talking about their book.

Don't Go in the stories that it tells.

>> Tell me a little bit about the work that you do and how how you work to combat some of those narratives.

One thing I saw on the bus every day is once you learn the history of a space, then your perspective should change about that place.

We have a perspective shift.

You're bound to have respect for that space.

And so what I do as a historian, what I on on my social media content that about the amazing historic stuff that comes from places like were right.

You know, over the world be without a person like one of Bronx and graduated from Inglewood high schooler.

Robyn Lawrence joins the first-ever black astronaut.

He grew up in Englewood, right?

You know, I want to teach about Mavis Staples and what she was doing in South Shore, but also the fact that Carla Hayden, country's first black lab run and Congress to enter school South Shore high school.

Right.

And so I think if you learned that you appreciate that and you can't help but to move better in spaces, we respect that.

>> New reminds me of a grandma's for a room with the plastic on it, right?

It was just a space.

You respected because you knew what it took for her to get their furniture.

Like you always say everything open.

America originated in Chicago.

I'm so despite all the popularity that you've gained through TikTok and through you to, you know, you still proudly for a while he held onto your your job.

It ComEd until changed.

And then, of course, it ended.

>> Why was it important to you at the time to to keep that position to them to be with comment and have that day job in addition to all of the history that you were doing.

Yeah.

still a little sad about that was that was pretty you.

What they did to the right is that that should be done.

Anybody.

Having said that, my dad and my grandpa, they all were jobs in 2030, years and they got to retire and they get that watch.

>> So part of that was was something that I wanted for myself that I built an amazing family.

A comment.

I was there for almost 14 years old.

So you used to it.

know there's in the building downtown that I haven't been in so that when find pride in the fact that I was part of the crew that brought power back to the Sears Tower, we lost power in 2018 are the amount of people I help save who are elevators track because the power went out and I go in and do my thing.

But the other thing is just to show an example of that, you can work hard and pursue your interests at the same time.

>> In and of course, you mentioned your your comment being sad about what happened your position changed to an office position from the area operator and then eventually let go from there we'll get call mostly just to be able to hear their side of it as well.

But I imagine doing this new job, though, it probably allows you to pursue your passion in a way that having very different kind of job didn't allow for.

Yeah, it is it aligns with my mission right now.

You know, being a brand ambassador for the Dusable Museum be able to tell their stories.

You know, I'm already telling Chicago stores already do a great deal of traveling, giving guest lectures and things of that nature.

And so to do that on behalf of the museum, kind of lines up with what I'm already doing, and it's a beautiful partnership that's going to.

>> If the both of our platforms and the work that we're doing separately was what we're going to call collectively.

>> How do you share your unique knowledge of history with the people on your bus tour?

As you just mentioned, a number of amazing ways.

Thankfully, the buses retrofitted with the technology.

So we're in front of the parking lot.

That's on 47th in Cane Drive can populate pictures of Regal theater.

I can tell you how that's a space where, you know, they discovered Jackson 5.

>> We also play archival video.

So gives people a chance to see what was that we see what was you are certainly inspired as to what is possible historic houses like Armstrong's house and were in Humble park taking to the side where Frank Bomb Row Wizard of Nowhere in McKinley Park.

will talk about, you know, Walt Disney's time at the high school.

>> So it is designed to not only that, the history will talk about some stuff that kind of stinks to write.

We go bad.

They can lots in south and West side.

We talked about the realigning.

You talk about the contracts that created vacant lots.

>> I have people count the amount of grocery stores.

They see all my tours so that way they visually recognize that, you know, a food desert from a spot that's not a food desert.

>> So you've done a lot of things, right.

And obviously you've just got this new job.

You've only been on it for about 5 But what's what we keep seeing you grow.

And so I'm curious about what's next for Dylan.

What what's the big?

What's the next big dreamer?

The next big thing you want So I would like to see my show.

You don't know.

Shy on some eyes network was having a lot of currently due to its on you, too, sir.

Please check it out.

I would love to see that on networks phase.

And I'm also having conversations with the people that Stephen look than others to kind of like Chicago history play.

>> Maybe even a Chicago history like the script is series a feature film.

But to be honest, I'm happy doing what I'm doing right now.

I love doing a bus tour is vital to anything else will live up to history people Chicago.

>> And I happy man alright, currently in the in the best place for it.

Nobody I'd rather spend last few days of Black History Month event with then the TikTok historian himself storming Times.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Good to see Thank you.

Good to see that.

Of course.

And speaking of Chicago, history, up next, we explore the culture of step in the dance style popularized in Chicago.

Chicago is the step in capital of the world.

That's if you ask the godfather of step in himself.

Dj Sam Chapman, who is credited with coining the term and though the dance crazes popularity has spread across the country, no one can do it quite like the hometown originators this Black History Month.

We take a look at the culture and history of step in.

>> Ice, I don't know with that, Bob.

And to Lauer, MGM grand from there.

It just exploded.

>> Before stepping became step in, it was known as bopping.

But DJ.

Sam Chapman coined the phrase in the 1960's after admiring a friend's moves on the dance floor.

Braver would be dancing with the lady and he'd be.

>> And I would say step on.

Draper said Don Draper and the words stepping.

thing I knew I would put on a flyer.

Its popularity expanded and other fellow West Siders became inspired to host parties to resist the disco era.

We had nowhere to go.

>> So I had this idea that, hey, I'm going to keep music alive.

A woman fondly known as Black Mary Harris hosted 7 events for more than 60 years.

>> At 17 years old, she says she became a residential sweetheart for a social club and the environment inspired her to host her own party's.

We almost got shut down.

Because we have so many people up there before graduating to big venues and clubs across the South side, Harris and her crew used whatever location was available.

Anybody that had a basement that we could use.

>> We would pay them a certain amount of money in fill out those index Carr's pass some mild and had a DJ.

And we just danced all night.

It took me almost 4 years to get one party off the ground and look what that party has turned into.

We all over the >> Paris says hosting a steppers event doesn't require much but a few essentials.

The music had to be off the chain and the venue had to be.

>> Bathrooms, good parking a good dance floor.

Back in the day where we've learned it was always.

If the man could do I can do it.

So you're not going out to me.

Because of you do it, baby.

I'm coming back step and requires a certain skill set.

They work on a practice.

These moves.

>> Over and over and they get them down it.

>> They perfected if he did something and I did we did it together.

>> It was the Blinn, the man.

That was the footwork.

It was mannerism of how you move your body.

And though other cities have adopted Stepan, Chicagoans can always claim the original set.

We are the cav a little world.

>> Nobody can do it like Chicago because first of all, Detroit.

>> But Chicago, we do.

It's 7 days a week, every day and all of will be packed.

And in addition to their moves, steppers always have to bring their looks.

You go to a step resume.

It.

>> Everybody is sharp.

Outfits gets you had to be right.

You know, you because you know it watching your feet.

>> And what's more 7 provided people with a space to let loose and relieve their worries ballot out on a first time in my party.

>> Leave all that mess outside.

You come in here, free spirit have a good time to get up when you believe my pardon.

And even as new dances Emerge, Chapman remained confident that step will never leave the dance floor.

>> What I stepping and I said we haven't even scratched surface because I'm noticing.

And grandparents that he's in children, they babies to step.

>> Stepan lives on.

And though it originated on the Westside, Stephen is just as popular in the city's south side.

And of course, throughout Chicago.

And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Most day is next week.

So check out our website for 5 local bakeries that serve up that classic treat and join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 now for all of us here at Chicago tonight, Black voices.

I'm Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law Chicago personal injury and wrongful death that supports free educational