>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Brandis Friedman is on assignment.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> It is an historic day in the city of Chicago.

The City Council approves the centerpiece of the mayor's affordable housing plan.

>> No new pope yet after the first day of voting.

What to know about the conclave?

And a Bronzeville project years in the making finally make some headway.

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

Raja Krishnamoorthi makes it official.

He wants to be Illinois's next.

Us senator, the five-term Democratic congressman who represents parts of the northwest suburbs has been widely rumored to be interested in the seat being vacated by Durbin.

Krishnamurthy has been a prolific fundraiser with some 19 million dollars already in his war chest.

He set to face off against recently announced contenders.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton in the 2026 Democratic primary in announcing his run krishnamurthy highlighted his parents who immigrated from India and raised Peoria and said he'll be a defender of the middle >> I think that we Democrats should never be the party that defends the status quo are always agitating for change.

We're always trying to make it better.

Why?

Because we want government >> Illinois Democrats and immigrant advocates are pushing back against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

No one was in Springfield today where she said state and local sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration.

Authorities put public safety at risk and you lay blame at the feet of Governor JB Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers.

But opponents say gnomes criticisms are grounded in the facts about the lower rates at which immigrants commit crimes.

This governor has bridge about Illinois being a firewall against President Trump's immigration enforcement agenda.

>> And it is very clear that he is violating the Constitution of the United States because it is a federal law that the federal government and the president set and enforce immigration policies.

Secretary non statements about tension, very policies are simple.

Simply not true.

>> Her statements made today and the federal administration's policies and rhetoric on this issue further spread misinformation, fuel hate against immigrants and Latinos and quite frankly do nothing to make our community safer.

>> Rideshare Workers and union organizers rallied in Springfield on Wednesday saying drivers should have the right to organize.

They're calling on lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow drivers to join a union.

The status of drivers has long been contentious with many arguing they're effectively employees of companies like Uber and Lyft.

While rideshare companies contend their contractors, Illinois lawmakers have contemplated legislation in the past.

Workers and union leaders argue today that driver's face safety hazards, lower wages than they deserve and a lack of workplace protections.

Up next, the city council approved the centerpiece of the mayor's affordable housing plan.

What it entails right after this.

>> Chicago tonight, black voices he's made possible in part by the support of these donors.

>> The city Council voted 30 to 18 today to take a new approach to reducing Chicago's massive affordable housing shortfall.

It gives Mayor Brandon Johnson a major victory as he prepares to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration.

Let's listen to the mayor.

Take a bit of a victory lap after the vote.

>> For the people of Chicago who have long for transformation days here.

Here we are at the halfway point of my administration, we were able to take the hopes and aspirations of working people in the city of Chicago, working with City Council, working with developers to bring this historic ordinance into fruition.

>> W T Tw News reporter Heather Sharon joins us now with more.

Heather, Chicago is now the largest city in the United States to create its own nonprofit housing developer.

How exactly will it work?

Well, this new organization is in be governed by a 15 member board.

The mayor will have 7 appointments that will have to be confirmed by the City Council.

>> The rest will be made up of city officials, including the commissioner of the Department of Housing.

Now it will be funded with 135 million dollars that the city borrowed about a year ago as part of Mayor Johnson sort of move away from tax increment financing districts.

So that will create a revolving loan fund that the city hopes will build what it calls green social housing, affordable housing in mixed you mixed use development that will be environmentally sustainable.

Well, and I know today's vote came after hours of debate and some pretty intense negotiations behind the scenes.

>> What changed to get it over the finish line?

Well, the biggest change in the version that actually passed today gives to the office of the Inspector general and the Chicago Board of Ethics jurisdiction over this new created nonprofit developers.

So they have the authority to root out for east waste, fraud and abuse.

Also encourages the new nonprofit developer to prioritize building units that are affordable for the poor is Chicagoans.

>> People earning less than 30% of the area's median income, which $36,000 for a family of I think some transparency, something top of mind for a lot of Chicagoans.

You know, the city is facing a housing shortfall of more than 119,000 units.

>> Supporters of the plan say that city also facing some new challenges.

Why did they think this work is particularly urgent right now?

3 words, President Donald Trump, his budget proposal released this week with slash funding for affordable housing across the nation.

It would hit Chicago, particularly hard.

>> So the supporters today we have to take matters into her own hands.

We can't rely on the federal government, which, of course, has a lot of tax credit and other subsidies out there.

That may be a thing of the past in the very near future, especially with an administration that's not necessarily particularly friendly to Chicago the moment Sharon.

Thanks very much.

Thanks, Nick.

And you can read Heather's full story on our website.

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

>> As expected it was black smoke billowing out of the Sistine Chapel today.

135 eligible Cardinals have gathered for the first papal conclave in 12 years.

Sequestered in the Vatican's sworn to secrecy and charged with electing the next pope after Wednesday's loan ballot, cardinals are set to vote for times each day until two-thirds of them agree on a successor to the late Pope Francis.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Saint Peter's Square with their eyes on that famous chimney awaiting the white smoke.

That signals a new holy see.

Joining us to discuss the process and more about the potential next pope are Michael Murphy, director of Loyal Universities, Hank Center, father Patty Gilder, a priest of the Midwest province of the Society of Jesus.

And Paula McQuade, a professor of English and Catholic studies at DePaul University.

Thank you all for joining us to talk about this.

Father Gilder, you know, Cardinals are sequestered during the vote.

They're sworn to secrecy.

Why is that so important to the process?

Yeah, I think it's and it's especially important not just for historical reasons because as we all know, they're been power players in a political agents interested affecting the outcome in their favor.

And Paul of papal elections in the past.

>> But really these days we want to have see Christie not to keep things, you know, private underneath of but relief to have a space for freedom.

So we want to be able to have Cardinal electors be able to really say what they think is going on in the church in the world to one another in an atmosphere of openness and prayer.

And so the secrecy really is meant to protect that.

It it seems a little strange for us as Americans, because we're so used to using the public sphere as a place to protect freedom of speech.

We bring everything into the open there.

But really the objective for the secrecy is the exact same a space where people can say what they really think.

Pray together thing together.

Hopefully elect a beautiful pup.

Dan Chicago, we tend to think of the back room is something unethical.

But in this case it does help to protect the process.

You know, Palm equated what sort of of meetings and conversations whether formally or informally are cardinals having him in the run-up to the I actually think a lot of the work happens in the run-up.

There's 2 or 3 days.

>> Before that, the actual before they're sequestered in which the Cardinals are meeting with one another and they're giving speeches which are called interventions and they can be absolutely crucial in deciding who the next pope is.

I mean, it's rumored, for example, that Francis, when the main reasons he was elected 2013 is because he gave an intervention urging percent of a petty saying that the that we need to bring Christ out into the world and that the other cardinals, I think we can't discount that they're actually moved and feel himself to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

And by what a lot of these speeches are sense.

I think it's incredibly important.

What happens before the conclave as important as what happens after during?

Yeah, absolutely.

And you know, Michael Murphy, the Pope Francis widely seen as as a progressive leader.

>> You know, in some of observers say a lot of the shifts were especially in in tone and in public presentation even more so perhaps than, you know, changes in in doctor him.

How do you think Frances is legacy might shape cardinals thinking during this process?

That's a great question.

I think about Pope Francis in a progressive.

I mean, depends on who you ask.

You know, is the gospel progressive >> You know what model the church ascribe to prescribe but legacy his fingerprints are on this.

And and the kind of up in loving way, you know, having appointed over 80% of the cardinals, are they all go walk in lockstep with Francis likely not.

You know, there's there's a freedom that.

>> but but the the way he touched the world remember vividly 2013 on cell phones were going off and you know, and he's was a global citizen.

And I can think of no better leader globally.

The Pope, Francis, especially at this moment.

The media's only got more robust, but I think his touches tenderness.

His hope his joy.

These are the things I'm hoping will up make the imprint on the church.

>> Although it's it's obviously tough to say, you know, a few of the least reported frontrunners heading into the conclave.

There's Cardinal Peter Paulo Arlene's that the secretary of state under Pope Francis, Colonel Pure Battista.

Pizza You know, biblical scholar, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, the so-called Asian Francis currently staying away from the Philippines.

Cardinal Peter Eyre do from Hungary.

Some more conservatives favorite for the Gilder does does being a frontrunner mean much or does the enter a poll believe the Cardinal Maxim still home to I think it I think the latter will hold true in these cases.

But for me, that is actually a very exciting thing because there have been times where the church, I think collectively knew what the issues were that we were facing.

>> And that gave us a stronger sense of how we might be able to respond to them, really who we might be able to look to, to help us respond to these kinds of issues.

I am not convinced yet that the church has has quite a sense of what the problems are that we're facing.

And then those those interventions, as you were saying there, Paula, those are the kinds of moments where people from all over the world, this is highly international, the most international church.

But we've ever had here, representative the Cardinal, it can can really respond to 2 one another by telling the stories that they've heard from being pastors of the people of God around the world, if they can be attentive to one another in that way, we're going to see something very surprising happened here and their conversations and in their Well, you know, and you to that point McQuaid, Pope Francis worked to bring in a lot of voices, especially from outside of Europe, places where >> the church is growing.

Regions like Africa and Asia.

I mean, I think is a fair to say we expect that to affect this conclave.

If, you know, I think it will absolutely affect conclave.

How affect the conclave?

I don't know.

I mean, is what say because I think it's well, you can generalize.

I think out.

It's very difficult.

Once you get in there and you listening.

So I think affect it.

He's also, as you know, appointed a lot of Cardinals They're appointed by him.

But I'm just not sure I wouldn't.

I wouldn't say it's predictive.

It's going back one of the things that we've we've seen a little bit is that in the general and general interventions here.

>> The initial interventions over the last handful of days, the first ones were often made by some of the older cardinals.

Those and they're all were all there, all But the ones who are overweight could not participate in the election.

And so what that allowed the those for speeches when we people notice that they were not overly critical of Francis, but they were critical and people were saying, well, we're not entirely sure about some of these changes that have been made.

But as time went on and some of the younger cardinals who are also electors from all over the world got to speak.

What we tend to to see were people who were more in tune with what we call the Sun Odle the listening the accompanying style of Pope Francis.

That doesn't mean they agree with everything that Francis did either.

But it does mean that we're moving forward in the same kind of spirit.

And those men were the ones who will be in the room and be able to make these decisions that's real quick that sat because what you're suggesting is a different in style that the style defense is going to be more important.

>> And the listening rather than with ideas that since I got Michael, you want answered sure office on to say, yeah.

70 countries.

>> This the this time around in 2013, there are cars from 48 countries so that that's the good news.

More global church Francis vision.

The bad news is they don't know each as well.

But they also spent 2 to October together and Senate.

So they do each other a lot of ways to think about, you know, handicap in this papacy.

The pope I mean, is people been betting on this is the 16th but on I think the technology is touch this conclave more than anyone.

But I'm also gonna say that with all that kind of like social media.

>> Kind of in trouble and instrumentals ation tech that there's a hunger for transformation from non-Catholics who are we were sympathetic this time around to the conclave in the papacy that I've noticed a long time.

It does seem like there is a great degree of attention on this, even from among cap, you know, not not you know, do you think that's down in some way to the sort of work Francis did as a global citizen, perhaps certainly policy agree.

Absolutely.

And to social media he was I think the next pope.

>> I think they are looking for someone is going to be adept to social media and how to use it for quite a bit of a Catholic.

Sometimes sure then then with that than outside of that 100%.

you know, for Graney said, there's the pope has to balance a lot of rules.

You know, they're they're a pastor there, a public face there, an administrator.

What are some of the qualities that you're looking for in the next pope when it comes to balancing those things?

Yes, if we just take those 2 trajectories that you're naming for us, Nic, I think those are very helpful because we can kind of look, as we would say, and, you know, in a little bit of line out intra, we can look out extra be out.

Intra needs are significant.

The church has real financial issues going on right now.

>> And there are there are structural changes that Pope Francis has begun that need to be stabilizer solidified or altered in ways that the next pope will see fit to do.

we need someone who is a really astute administrator, someone who knows how to work with others.

Collegiately collaboratively to declare stable rolls.

What are you really taken care of and how are you doing that?

That internal stuff does need to be done, but the external stuff, Pope Francis just shown so much there.

So we really do need someone who can be the Latin word.

Also for the another Latin word for the papacy is pontifex.

It just means to be a bridge builder.

And so we want to pope who can both bridges build a bridge internally to people inside the church and externally to those who are far looks like because there's mean the American viewers out here there is a local guy.

Colonel Robert Priebus, who is the only probably I've heard in a long time.

probably not going to happen, but he has the right temperament patties.

do sing here.

He's a great administrator, a balance.

position, a global person.

So that might be one of these dark horses be very interesting to see what comes of this.

I know you through will be watching it closely and millions of people as well.

>> That's where we'll have to leave it for now.

But thank you very much for joining us.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nick.

Up next, details into a new trail making headway in Brownsville.

Historical trainer out is in line for a new life.

The Bronzeville trail revitalization.

Is project is underway after years of planning, it aims to turn a disused rail line in the historic district into a path for walking biking and gathering the west end of the trail will start near 40th in Dearborn Street, extending eastward 2 miles along 41st Street and ending at Lake Park Avenue.

Organizers hope to honor the area's cultural significance and help improve the community's health outcomes and opportunities.

Joining us with more on the project, our John Adams, executive director and founder of the Bronzeville Trail Task Force and John, leading architect for the project and founder of the architecture firm Jack, thank you both for joining us.

We appreciate know, John Adams, you've been working on this project for about 5 years now.

I know there's a lot that's gone into getting up to this Tell us briefly where things currently stand with the development of the trail.

Sure.

>> October of 2024.

The city Chicago committed 5 million dollars for a pilot activation.

The trail project.

And that was after the city had commissioned a feasibility study which certainly concluded that it's feasible.

And the first commitment, the first spending of that 5 billion was to produce the urban planning document, which is known as a framework plan and the city led a task order in March to a pre qualified bidders and those bids were due by April 15th 2025. and so literally we're anxious and waiting for the city to make a selection, which we think perhaps by the by the end of next week and then we'll know believe consulted the prime for us all to will be on the framework plan.

That's an exciting point in the You know, John, this line used to carry freight and passenger trains.

>> What kind of work are you looking to do in terms of of remediating preserving this embankment?

>> Sure.

So from a remediation standpoint, of course, it has to be cleaned up.

you know there we don't know exactly what the plan will be yet and how deep we need to go to remove soil.

That study still has to take place.

But with respect to what can come watch the cleanup, happened is a review of natural and native plant life that they originally we want to bring that back.

Of course, we want to restore the overpasses.

So the child then becomes connected.

Also, stations that can be reactivated for different uses that become hubs of activity for the neighborhood.

>> And I know you've already begun gathering stories around the trails history.

How do you plan to incorporate them into the project?

Sure.

So for starters, those stories you're going to manifest into a podcast series.

Okay.

And then the archive gets built and built and built and then there will be QR codes along the path that will allow folks to be able to Jack in, if you will, and experience some of the history as their traversing the trail.

And, you know, John Adams, I know this train line has a lot of history, including its proximity to the Roberts Temple Church.

You you know, remind us that the significance behind that, oh, my God.

>> Certainly it was a Johnson publishing.

That made the decision to.

Photos of open casket of Emmett to you.

That happened in 1955. and certainly a lot of archival photos to show all the people who took the time to view his body and certainly movies that have been made about many of them until as well as Roberts Temple is now the National Monument.

And we knew when began the project just because of the proximity of the embankment to Robert's temple in this literally adjacent.

But right up against the parking lot.

The Roberts Temple is going play a significant role.

But I also want to mention just go back to your first question is that the city committed after the freight where plan is completed, that we will go right into this is sort of a technical term phase.

One construction the estimation is the that particular task order we'll have about a 2 million dollar price tag and it gets a little more heavily into engineering and more architectural work.

And so we anticipate that by 2028, the framework plan and phase one construction will be completed and as Mr. referenced, we also looking to get the remediation.

>> Well, and you know, and I know you've got some financial support, several million dollars for the early phases, but it's likely you you may need federal support for this do for see potentially running into roadblocks there.

You know, given the current administration and how are you thinking about trying to overcome that?

So we do think right now it's problematic >> the the funds that the city has committed.

Certainly going to take us right up to November of 2028 when we can hit the yeah.

That's right.

And so at least for now, you know, we're in good hands because all the dollars local.

>> But you certainly, you pointing out the projects like this, this simply don't happen without federal dollars.

And the north side of Chicago.

I mean, one of the poster child of repurposing embankment is a Bloomingdale 606, trail and my numbers could be off a little bit.

But Mayor Emanuel was able to cure about 55 million from the federal government in order to make that trail reality.

Yeah, certainly a key piece of support there.

You know, John, as as this development goes forward, how do you hope to incorporate the community and the things that >> that they want and need?

So absolutely.

It will be an amenity to the community.

And so you can't create an amenity for the community or tourism for the greater community without engaging.

So there will be a lot of community engagement up front to pull the community.

actually, from our perspective, we like making sure we understand the rhythm of our client.

The rhythm of the community and pull it together.

So it all comes together as an architect on from the landscaping to the bridges, to the furniture, to the murals, to the activation of the station's the community will be totally involved and embraced as part of the design process.

For that, I can imagine feels very gratifying to see project come this far and we're looking forward to seeing how it develops, but we'll have to leave it there.

John Adams and John, thank you both for joining us to talk.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 now for all of us here in Chicago tonight.

I'm Nick Lambert.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed caption News me Pass by Robert, a cliff and Clifford law Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death that supports educational