[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

>> BRANDIS FRIEDMAN HAS THE EVENING OFF.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... >> IT'S MY STORE AND MY RULES.

>> AN UPDATE WHERE AND WHEN TO WEAR A MASK NOW THAT THE CITY AND STATE REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN LIFTED.

>> ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

>> CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE IN UKRAINE AS CIVILIAN CASUALTIES MOUNT AND THOUSANDS FLEE THE CONFLICT.

>> I AM TRULY HUMBLED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY HONOR OF THIS NOMINATION.

>> REACTION TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE, JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON.

>> IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE, THEN THINGS WILL CONTINUE GETTING WORSE.

>> A GROUP OF AMAZON WORKERS AT TWO CHICAGO AREA WAREHOUSES SAY THEIR ORGANIZING EFFORTS HAVE BEEN PAYING OFF.

A UNIT AT THE ST. REGIS TOWER SELLS FOR MILLIONS?

THAT AND MORE FROM CRAIN'S.

>> HOW GETTING MORE SLEEP COULD HELP PEOPLE LOSE WEIGHT.

A STUDY EXPLAINS.

[♪♪♪] >> AND WE HEAD TO THE CAME BRIA HOTEL AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE NEWEST PERFORMERS.

>> AS TENSIONS WORSEN TODAY'S TALKS BETWEEN UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS AIMED AT REACHING AGREEMENT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

UKRAINE SIGNED AN APPLICATION TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN UNION IN AN EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN ITS TIES WITH THE WEST.

500,000 REFUGEES HAVE FLED UKRAINE AMID THE ONGOING RUSSIAN INVASION.

WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE COMING UP.

>> RESIDENTS ACROSS ILLINOIS INCLUDING IN CHICAGO CAN OFFICIALLY GO MASKLESS IN MOST INDOOR PUBLIC SPACES.

AS OF TODAY, MASKS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED IN RESTAURANTS, BARS AND FITNESS CENTERS AND ON A STATE LEVEL K-12 SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES.

THERE'S REQUIRED ON TRANSPORTATION INCLUDING BUSES TRAINS AND PLANES.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES CAN STILL REQUIRE MASKS AT THEIR DISCRETION.

"CHICAGO TONIGHT'S" AMANDA VINICKY HAS THE LATEST IN JUST A BIT.

>> AFTER MORE THAN 200 ATTEMPTS THE EMMETT TILL ANTILYNCHING ACT PASSES THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TONIGHT BY A VOTE OF 422-3.

THE BILL NAMED AFTER THE BLACK CHICAGO TEENAGER KIDNAPPED, TORTURED AND MURDERED IN 1955 WOULD MAKE LYNCHING A FEDERAL HATE CRIME IN THE U.S. FOR THE FIRST TIME.

BOBBY RUSH SAID WE CANNOT BRING BACK EMMETT TILL OR THE THOUSAND OF PRECIOUS LIVE WERE LOST BUT BY FINALLING PASSING THE ANTILYNCHING ACT WE CAN TURN OUR PAGE FROM THE REPEATED FAILURE AND END THIS LONGSTANDING INJUSTICE AND PAINFUL AFFRONT TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

THE BILL HEADS TO THE SENATE FOR A VOTE.

UP NEXT, MORE ON WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE END OF THE MASK MANDATE IN ILLINOIS.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> IT'S MASKLESS MONDAY IN ILLINOIS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONGTIME THEY ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED.

AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US NOW WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

AMANDA WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW?

>> PARIS SINCE LATE AUGUST IF YOU'VE GONE TO A THEATRE, MUSEUM, GYM, WENT SHOPPING YOU HAVE HAD TO HAVE YOUR FACE COVERED.

NOT ANYMORE.

THE GOVERNOR ISSUING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT LIFTS THE REQUIREMENT FOR MASKING IN MOST INDOOR PUBLIC SETTINGS.

IS CITES A VAST IMPROVEMENT IN COVID RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS AND TRANSMISSIONS AS WELL AS NEW GUIDANCE FROM THE C.D.C.

>> I LOVE IT.

I'M SO EXCITED THAT WE NOW HAVE NO INDOOR MASK MANDATE THAT WE HAVE NO SCHOOL INDOOR MASK MANDATE.

AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS DID THE RIGHT THING THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING HOSPITALIZATIONS DOWN.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER AND WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR EVERYBODY THAT NOW WE CAN ALL SEE OUR SMILES.

>> THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS.

MASKS ARE STILL TO BE WORN ANYWHERE THE FEDS SAY THEY HAVE TO BE LIKE ON PLANES.

ALSO TRAINS AND OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSIT.

AND IN CONGREGATE SETTINGS.

PRISONS AND HOMELESS SHELTERS.

ALSO ANY HEALTHCARE SETTING.

BUT THEY ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED IN SCHOOLS.

A MAJORITY OF DISTRICTS IN ILLINOIS HAD ALREADY GONE MASK OPTIONAL AFTER A COURT RULING LIFTED A PREVIOUS MANDATE.

AND GOVERNOR PRITZKER DID APPEAL THAT THE STATE'S HIGH COURT SAYS THAT THAT ISSUE IS MASS SHOOTIN.

AND THEY ARE REQUIRING MASKS IN C.P.S.

WITH THE TEACHERS' UNION.

AND IN CHICAGO BAR STAFF AND PATRONS WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE MASKS OFF.

AND THE CITY NO LONGER REQUIRING PROOF OF VACCINATION TO GO TO RESTAURANTS AND BARS A REQUIREMENT INSTITUTED WHEN THE OMICRON SURGE.

AT THE DEARBORN DOWNTOWN, HE SAID EVERYTHING WENT WELL.

THE CITY, STATE AND C.D.C.

HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB GUIDING BUSINESSES THROUGH THE CRAZINESS AND FOUND THAT THE BEST, EASIEST AND MOST CONSISTENT OPTION IS TO FOLLOW THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

>> IT FEELS FREEING.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE TAKING ONE MORE STEP BACK FROM HELL INTO WHAT I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO CALL NORMALCY BUT INTO SOMETHING THAT RESEMBLES LIFE AS WE KNEW IT BEFORE COVID.

>> YOU MAY FIND SOMEPLACES DO STILL REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION OR THE FACE COVERINGS AND THE EXECUTIVE ORDER EXPLICITLY SAYS THEY CAN.

NOTHING PROHIBITS AN INDIVIDUAL FROM CHOOSING TO WEAR A FACE COVERING OR A PUBLIC HEALTH OR PRIVATE ENTITY TO CHOOSE TO REQUIRE FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC SETTINGS.

AND SOMEPLACES MAY ASK FOR PROOF OF VACCINATION STILL.

>> AND ONE THING I WOULD ASK IS ALL CHICAGOANS AND VISITORS TO CHICAGO BE RESPECTFUL OF A BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO STILL REQUIRE MASKS OR PROOF OF VACCINATION.

AND ALSO BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, WORK COLLEAGUES THAT MAY STILL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WEARING A MASK.

>> THE OWNER OF WICKER PARK'S SEMICOLON BOOKSTORE SAYS IT IS MORE ABOUT COMFORT THAN SCIENCE.

>> FOR US IT'S THE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE EXIST INCLUDING MYSELF.

SO HAVING THAT BIT OF SAFETY IN A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ANIMATEDLY AND A FOOT AWAY FROM YOU IS INCREDIBLE IMPORTANT IN OUR BOOKSTORE SAFE.

>> REGARDLESS SHE SAYS THAT IT'S HER STORE AND HER RULES.

AND AS THE SOLE OWNER OF THE SHOP SHE SAYS IF SHE AND THE STAFF DO CHANGE THEIR MINDS THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND THAT IS QUICKLY PIVOT AND READJUST.

BUT FOR NOW, AND THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE IF ANYBODY COMES IN WITHOUT A MASK SHE WILL GIVE THEM ONE FOR FREE.

>> WE DON'T WANT TO DIVE INTO THE POLITICS OF THE INS AND OUTS WHY YOU DON'T WANT TO WEAR YOUR MASK IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR YOUR MASK IN THIS STORE REGARDLESS AND EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE BUT WE CAN DISCUSS BOOKS.

THAT'S IT.

>> TESTIFYING BEFORE A CITY COUNCIL HEALTH COMMITTEE, THE TOP Dr.

TESTIFIED THAT THE LIFTING OF THE MASK MANDATE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE COVID PANDEMIC IS OVER.

YOU WILL HEAR Dr. ALLISON ARWADY IN JUST A MOMENT AND SHE SOUNDS A BIT GRAVELY AND IT IS A COLD NOT COVID.

>> I'M VERY PLEASED WE ARE AT THE PLACE WE ARE.

WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE IT IS SAFE TO BE LIFTING THE REQUIREMENTS.

I EXPECT A LOT OF FOLKS WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS IN THE SHORT-TERM.

I FULLY SUPPORT THAT.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE HEARING A RANGE OF THINGS PROBABLY FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

PEOPLE EXCITED, PEOPLE VERY WORRIED.

ALL OF THOSE ARE VALID EMOTIONS AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE RISK HERE AND NOW WHICH THANKFULLY IS LOW.

>> ARWADY SAID THAT THAT MASK MANDATE COULD BE REINSTATED IF COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SEVERE CASES SURGE.

THE BEST PROTECTION SHE SAYS CONTINUES TO BE GETTING VACCINATED AND FOR THE TIME BEING, CHICAGO IS STILL SENDING OUT A DOCTOR OR NURSE SOMEBODY TO GIVE THAT VACCINATION TO THE HOMES OF ANYBODY WHO HAS YET TO RECEIVE A FIRST OR SECOND DOSE.

AND FOR NOW, THE OFFER STILL COMES WITH A $50 GIFT CARD IF YOU GET ONE OF THOSE INITIAL SHOTS OF THE COVID VACCINE.

PARIS, BACK TO YOU WITHOUT MY MASK.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOUR FACE.

I'VE SEEN IT EVERY NIGHT AS YOU HAVE BEEN COMING TO US FROM HOME.

>> THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY IS BEGINNING TO DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AS A VALUE OF THE RUBEL PLUMMETED AS UKRAINE HOLDS OFF RUSSIAN MILITARY FORCES FOR A FIFTH DAY AND NOW FEARS GROWS OF A FEES COMPETITION.

AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ANNOUNCED HE WOULD PUT RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR FORCES ON A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT.

JOINING US WITH NOW ARE YVONNE RUZICH PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL IVO DAALDER HE FORMERLY SERVED AS THE U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO NATO.

AND IAN KELLY, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AND FORMERLY SERVED AS U.S. AM WAS DOOR TO GEORGIA AND PRIOR THE AMBASSADOR FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE.

WELCOME ON THIS NIGHT.

IVO DAALDER LET'S START WITH THE SANCTIONS NOT JUST ON OLIGARCHS AND PUTIN BUT ON THE RUSSIAN CENTRAL BANK BA.

WHAT HAS THE IMPACT BEEN?

>> WE HAVE TO WAIT-AND-SEE WHAT THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE IN THE LONGER TERM.

BUT IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM THERE IS A FEAR THAT THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY IS IN WAYS GOING TO BE SHUTDOWN.

THE REALITY IS THAT WHATEVER FOREIGN RESERVES THAT RUSSIA NOW HAS CAN'T BE USED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE CONVERTED INTO RUBELS.

THAT PAYMENTS ARE COMING IN AND CANNOT BE CONVERTED INTO RUBELS AND THE ECONOMY WILL BE UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE.

AND YOU SAW THE STOCK MARKET TANKING AND IT HAD TO BE CLOSED TODAY AND THE FALL OF THE RUBEL.

THESE ARE EARLY SIGNS OF A VERY SEVERE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THESE SANCTIONS.

THESE SANCTIONS IN SOME WAYS ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SANCTIONS WE HAVE EVER PUT ON ANY COUNTRY PROBABLY BIGGER THAN IRAN HAD AN OBAMA EMBARGO AS WELL.

BUT THIS ECONOMY IS GOING TO BE UNDER SEVERE, SEVERE PRESSURE AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE LEADERS IN EUROPE HAVE BEEN WARNING ABOUT.

THIS WAS GOING TO COME.

SWIFT AND SEVERE.

>> AND THE RUSSIAN STOCK MARKET WILL NOT OPEN TOMORROW.

UKRAINE HAS HELD OFF KYIV MUCH TO THEM -- RUSSIAN FORCES MANY TO OBSERVERS' SURPRISE AND THE CONSENSUS RUSSIA MIGHT ESCALATE THE VIOLENCE AND REPORTS OF CONVOYS HEADING TOWARD THE CAPITAL KYIV DO YOU FEAR THAT VIOLENCE IS GOING TO ESCALATE?

>> THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY, I DO.

I THINK THAT KYIV IS PUTIN'S MAJOR GOAL IN THIS WAR.

IF HE HAS SAID THAT HE WANTS TO BASICALLY TAKE THE GOVERNMENT OUT.

THAT HE SEES AS TOO PRO WESTERN AND ANTI-RUSSIAN.

SO HE HAS KEPT FORCES IN RESERVE SO I DO FEAR THAT GIVEN THE RESISTANCE THAT THEY ARE FACING, IN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF KYIV THAT RUSSIA WILL RESORT TO EVEN MORE FORCEFUL MEASURES TO TRY AND FORCE THEIR WAY INTO KYIV AND THAT WOULD BE THE USE OF AR TILL RATHER AND SURFACE TO SURFACE MISSILES.

>> AND THIS COMES AS RUSSIA AND UKRAINE HELD PEACE TALKS ON THE BORDER OF BELARUS.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE THIS AVENUE HAS ANY HOPE FOR A RESOLUTION?

>> NO, I DON'T.

OTHER THAN THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER BY KYIV WHICH IS WHAT RUSSIA WANTS OR A WITHDRAWAL OF ALL RUSSIAN FORCES FROM UKRAINIAN TERRITORY IS WHAT UKRAINE WANTS I DON'T SEE A COMPROMISE.

IT'S GOOD TO BE TALKING.

THE UKRAINIANS SENT A SERIOUS DELEGATION AND THE RUSSIANS DID NOT SEND MUCH OF A SERIOUS DELEGATION IN RETURN.

DOORS NEED TO BE OPEN FOR TALKING AND DIPLOMACY IN CASE THERE'S WILLINGNESS TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

BUT WE SHOULDN'T PUT OUR HOPE AT ALL ON THIS KIND OF EFFORT TO STEM THE TIDE.

I DON'T SEE ANYBODY SOLVING THIS WAR AS LONG AS VLADIMIR PUTIN IS IN POWER AND HAS NOT ACHIEVED WHAT HE SET OUT TO ACHIEVE.

>> A LOT OF US WOKE UP TO THE NEWS THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAD PUT HIS NUCLEAR DETERRENCE ON HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT.

>> TOP OFFICIAL IN LEADING NATO COUNTRIES ALLOWED THEMSELVES TO MAKE AGGRESSIVE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR COUNTRY.

THEREFORE I HEREBY ORDER THE MINISTER OF THE DEFENSE AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO PLACE THE RUSSIAN ARMY TO PUT THE FORCE ON COMBAT ALERT.

>> THERE IS REPORTING THAT PUTIN CHANGED FROM THE WAY HE'S BEEN.

NOW HE IS MORE ISOLATED AND MORE IMPULSIVE WHAT SHOULD AMERICANS MAKE OF THIS STANCE?

>> WELL IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT PUTIN HAS TAKEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACT TO WHAT HE SEES AS A THREAT WITH AN OVERREACTION.

AND THIS IS CLEARLY AN OVERREACTION RAISING THE PREPAREDNESS OF NUCLEAR FORCES IN REACTION TO STATEMENTS FROM THE WEST.

I SEE IT MORE AS TRYING TO DETER FURTHER DAMAGE TO HIS ECONOMY.

I THINK HE HAS BEEN TAKEN ABACK AT THE KINDS OF MEASURES THAT WE'VE INTRODUCED ESPECIALLY THE CUTTING OFF THE RUSSIAN CENTRAL BANK FROM THEIR RESERVES FROM THEIR FOREIGN CURRENCY RESERVES.

I SEE IT MORE AS A WAY TO STOP US FROM USING OUR NUCLEAR OPTION WHICH WOULD BE STOP BUYING RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS THAT WOULD DRY UP A BIG PART OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT'S INCOME.

SOMETHING LIKE HALF THEIR BUDGET IS COVERED BY OIL AND GAS EXPORTS.

>> AND NO DOUBT A LOT OF THIS IS REACTION TO THE UNIFORMITY OF OPPOSITION AMONG WESTERN ALLIANCE COUNTRIES.

IVO DAALDER YOU SEE GERMANY SHUTTING DOWN THE NORTH STREAM PIPELINE AN DON'TED A MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE POSTURE.

HOW CONSEQUENTIAL HAS THIS UNIFORMITY OF OPPOSITION BEEN AMONG EU AND NATO COUNTRIES?

>> IT'S BEEN EXTRAORDINARY.

I MEAN THE INVASION HAS SHIFTED THE TERMS OF DEBATE IN EUROPE AS INDEED IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE LIVED FOR A LONGTIME IN A BELIEF WE COULD HAVE A FORM OF COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA AND NOW IT'S ABOUT CONFRONTATION AND CONFLICT AND WHAT THE GERMANS DID OVER THE WEEKEND IS REMARKABLE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

THEY SHUTDOWN NORD STREAM 2.

THEY ARE SENDING WEAPONS TO AN AREA IN CONFLICT CONTRARY TO THE LAWS SO THEY HAD TO CHANGE THEIR LAW.

THEY ARE SPENDING $1 -- $110 BILLION MORE ON DEFENSE THIS YEAR AND WILL PUT IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT THEY WILL HENCE FORTH SPEND 2% OF THE GDP ON DEFENSE.

AND THESE ARE BIG STEPS.

THEY ALSO JOINED ALL OF THE FINANCIAL SANCTIONS WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON GERMAN BUSINESS AND THEY'VE DONE IT WITHIN LESS THAN A WEEK.

IT IS A COMPLETE TURN AROUND.

AND IT JUST DEMONSTRATES HOW SERIOUS THE EUROPEANS LED BY THE GERMANS AND OTHERS ARE TAKING WHAT PUTIN HAS DONE.

HE IS TRYING TO REVISE THE COLD WAR ORDER THAT LED TO GERMAN UNIFICATION.

AND TRYING TO REVISE IT.

AND CLEARLY THE ANSWER NOT JUST FROM THE EAST EUROPEANS WHO HAVE BEEN STRONG ON THIS BUT FROM ALL EUROPEANS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE ARE GOING TO BE UNITED IN OPPOSING THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HELP UKRAINE IN EVERY WAY WE CAN SHORT OF PUTTING OUR MILITARY FORCES ON THE GROUND.

>> IAN KELLY, EVERYONE KNOWS THE MASSIVE PROPAGANDA OPERATION THAT RUSSIA EMPLOYS TO ITS PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT ENOUGH RUSSIANS PUT PRESSURE ON PUTIN TO CHANGE COURSE OR THREATEN HIS CAREER?

>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE -- WE SAW TODAY, I THINK THE BEGINNING OF SOME REAL RANKER AMONG -- RANCOR AMONG RUSSIAN CITIZENS BEING UNABLE TO WITHDRAW FOREIGN CURRENCY IN THEIR ACCOUNTS IT WILL LEAD TO AN EROSION OF SUPPORT.

BUT I THINK THAT THAT IN THE LONGER TERM, WHAT WILL REALLY AFFECT PUBLIC OPINION IS THE NEWS OF CASUALTIES.

HE WAS ABLE TO TAKEOVER CRIMEA WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT.

WAS ABLE TO CONCEAL CASUALTIES IN THE DONBAS IN 2014.

HE IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THIS MASSIVE INVASION OF UKRAINE.

I THINK YOU WILL SEE EROSION OF SUPPORT.

WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL LEAD TO A CHANGE IN HIS DECISION MAKING I DON'T KNOW.

>> A LOT TO WATCH FOR.

OUR THANKS TO IVO DAALDER AND IAN KELLY THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, HOW AMAZON WORKERS ARE ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

AMAZON IS THE SECOND LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IN THE UNITED STATES.

IN RECENT YEARS THE POPULARITY OF THE QUICK DELIVERIES MEANT THE NEED COMPANY NEEDED TO GROW FAST WITH WAREHOUSES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BUT THE COMPANY FACED PUSHBACK OVER PAY AND WORKING CONDITIONS FROM SOME OF ITS EMPLOYEES WITH STAFF IN CITIES INCLUDING CHICAGO BANDING TOGETHER TO TRY AND CHANGE THINGS.

"CHICAGO TONIGHT'S" NICK BLUMBERG IS HERE WITH MORE.

NICK?

>> YOU MIGHT REMEMBER LAST YEAR EMPLOYEES AT AN AMAZON FACILITY IN BESSEMER, ALABAMA OUTSIDE BIRMINGHAM VOTED AGAINST JOINING THE RETAIL, WHOLESALE AND DEPARTMENT STORE UNION.

BUT THE BOARD THREW OUT THE RESULTS CITING COMPANY INTERFERENCE AND ORDERED A REVOTE THE RESULTS WILL GET TALLIED STARTING IN LATE MARCH.

AND THERE IS A VOTE IN NEW YORK AT THE SAME TIME.

AND A GROUP OF WORKERS IS SEEING SUCCESS FROM ORGANIZING EFFORTS INCLUDING AFTER A RECENT WORK STOPPAGE.

>> WE'RE WALKING OUT.

>> THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES AT 2:00 A.M.ION WAREHOUSES IN SOUTHWEST SIDE GAGE PARK AND CICERO WALKED OFF THE JOB.

>> WE GOT FED UP WITH BEING UNDERPAID, OVERWORKED, LIED TO.

>> THE ORGANIZED EMPLOYEES WANTED THE FREEDOM TO WORK A VARIETY OF ROLES IN THE WAREHOUSE AND $5 INCREASE IN HOURLY PAY.

>> WE HAVE TO UNITE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IF WE DON'T NOTHING WILL GET DONE.

>> THIS MONTH AMAZON GAVE THEM A RAISE.

EMPLOYEES WILL START AT $18.

>> NOT EVERYTHING WE ASKED FOR.

BUT IT WAS ABOUT HALF.

AND I THINK WE WON IT FOR OTHER FACILITIES HERE IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA.

>> AMAZON DENIES THE RAISE WAS RELATED TO THE WALKOUTS.

THE COMPANY SAID QUOTE THE RECENT PAY ADJUSTMENTS WERE PART OF A REGULAR WANING REVIEW PROCESS AND IMPACTED EMPLOYEES AT TWO DOZEN SITES AROUND CHICAGO.

THE ORGANIZED WORKERS SAY MORALE HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE ACTION.

>> NOW WE FEEL LIKE MANAGEMENT IS WALKING ON EGGSHELLS WE TURNED THE TABLES ON THEM.

>> AMAZONIANS UNITE SECOND NOT A FORMAL LABOR UNION.

THE GROUP'S LED WALKOUTS AND PETITIONS FOR WATER FOR EMPLOYEES, COVID SAFETY MEASURES AN COMMENDATIONS FOR LONG OVERNIGHT SHIFTS.

ORGANIZERS DON'T DISCLOSE HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE IN THE GROUP BUT THEY ARE ACTIVE AT THE GAGE PARK AND CICERO FACILITIES.

>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS UNION WORK WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A UNION WHETHER AMAZON RECOGNIZES US OR NOT.

>> THE COMPANY AGREED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR EMPLOYEES TO ORGANIZE.

IN A DECEMBER SETTLEMENT WITH THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD AMAZON AGREED TO NOTIFY WORKERS TO TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION AND SAID IT WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THOSE EFFORTS.

>> WE DESERVE MORE AND BETTER THAN WHAT WE ARE RECEIVING.

>> CHRIS ZAMARRON IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMAZON LABOR UNION ORGANIZING WORKERS IN STATEN ISLAND.

HE WAS FIRED AFTER LEADING A COVID SAFETY WALKOUT AND AFTER LAST YEAR'S FAILED VOTE IN ALABAMA DECIDED TO ORGANIZE HIS FORMER WORKPLACE AS AN INDEPENDENT UNION NOT AFFILIATED WITH AN ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION.

>> WE THINK THAT WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO PRETTY MUCH TAKE ON THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE UNION BUSTING THAT AMAZON DOES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT USE THE SAME SPIELS WITHIN AN ESTABLISHED UNION.

>> AND CHICAGOLAND MEMBERS SAY AFFILIATING WITH AN ESTABLISHED UNION WOULD FEEL LIKE AN UNNECESSARY GO BETWEEN.

>> WE ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW HOW THINGS ARE INSIDE THE WAREHOUSE AND SOMEONE ELSE STEPS IN FROM AS A UNION REP WE FEAR THAT THEY WON'T LISTEN OUR VOICES.

>> MEMBERS SAY THEY'VE SEEN QUICKER RESULTS THAN THEY THINK A TRADITIONAL UNION CAN OFFER WITHOUT THE WORK OF TRYING TO ORGANIZE A FORMAL ELECTION.

THE GROUP'S DECIDING THE NEXT ISSUES WORKERS WANT TO TACKLE AND THINKING ABOUT EXPANSION.

THEIR GOAL... >> A PRESENCE AT EVERY FACILITY SO THE PEOPLE KNOW THEY HAVE TO RESPECT US BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES THAT DO THE WORK.

AND IF THEY DISRESPECT US WE CAN CHOOSE NOT TO DO THE WORK.

>> IN A STATEMENT, A SPOKESPERSON SAID QUOTE... >> ALL RIGHT THANK YOU.

AND WE SHOULD MENTION THAT THIS IS YOURS FIRST DAY AS A FULL-TIME REPORTER YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR YEARS ACE PRODUCER AND PART-TIME REPORTER.

BUT WELCOME TO THE FULL-TIME STAFF.

>> THANK YOU I'M EXCITED.

I STARTED PRODUCING IN 2014 AND BEEN ON AIR SINCE 2016.

SO I'M EXCITED TO KEEP CONTRIBUTING TO ALL THE GREAT WORK COMING OUT OF THE NEWSROOM.

BUT I SHOULD MENTION THAT STORY IN 2016 WAS NOT MY FIRST TIME APPEARING ON WTTW.

TAKE A LOOK... >> WE HAVE A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY BOY IN THE STUDIO NICK IS HERE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY HELLO.

THERE HE IS ON YOUR SCREEN.

NICK IS SIX YEARS OLD AND THIS GUY IS A MEMBER FIRST OF ALL.

HE WATCHED A LOT OF CHANNEL 11 AND HE IS SITTING THERE WRITING SCRIPTS FOR FUTURE TELEVISION SHOWS.

I JUST REVIEWED THEM HE NEEDS AN AGENT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HE HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE WHATEVER HE DECIDES TO DO.

>> THERE YOU HAVE IT.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS FIRST WORDS NOT SURE.

>> PART OF THIS JOB IS GOING AND ANSWERING PLEDGE PHONES DURING THE DRIVE.

LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT, TOO.

>> CANNOT WAIT TO GET STARTED.

>> GOOD JOB AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> NEW REPORTS FOR INSURANCE COMPANY STATE FARM SIGNALED HOW MUCH THE PANDEMIC UPENDED THE AUTO INDUSTRY.

AND THE ST. REGIS TOWERS SEES THE HIGHEST PRICE SO FAR.

HERE IS CRAIN'S BUSINESS EDITOR ANN DWYER.

LET'S START WITH STATE FARM INSURANCE THEY REPORTED A $3 BILLION LOSS INSURING CARS AND SIGNED UP MORE POLICIES.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE BOTTOM LINE AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY AT LARGE?

>> THIS TIME LAST YEAR EVERYBODY WAS STILL LARGELY HUNKERED DOWN AND IT WAS GOOD FOR STATE FARM'S AUTO BUSINESS BECAUSE IT MEANT FEWER OF US WERE OUT DRIVING AND HAVING ACCIDENTS.

AND A YEAR LATER PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND THEY ARE REPORTING AT STATE FARM THEY TOOK A $3.4 BILLION LOSS IN THE BUSINESS OF COVERING AUTO OWNERS.

BUT EVEN SO, THEIR OVERALL INVESTMENTS DID HELP PUSH THE COMPANY INTO THE BLACK.

ALSO ON THE PLUS SIDE THEY LAWNED RECORD GROWTH IN POLICIES THAT COULD BE PROFITABLE DOWN THE ROAD BY GETTING COMPETITIVE ON PRICE.

>> A LITTLE BIT OF BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS FOR STATE FARM.

THE OLD MAIN POST OFFICE, HOLD TO WALGREENS AND A NEW TENANT?

>> THE TENANT IS VILLAGE MD THEY ARE A PARTNER WITH WALGREENS.

THEY GOT A BIG CASH INFUSION FROM WALGREENS LAST FALL.

$5.2 BILLION.

THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF OPENING PRIMARY CARE CLINICS IN WALGREENS STORES AND OTHER LOCATIONS.

THEY DID DETERMINE THEY NEEDED A BIGGER OFFICE SO WHY NOT BE CLOSE TO WHERE WALGREENS IS GOING TO BE AT THE OLD POST OFFICE.

THE OLD POST OFFICE IS ALMOST FULLY LEASED AND IT IS A SIGN THAT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO CUT DEALS AS A LANDLORD, OFFERING TENANTS SWEETENERS AND INCENTIVES YOU CAN FILL UP AN OFFICE TOWER IN DOWNTOWN YOU HAVE TO BE CREATIVE.

AMAZING CONSIDERING WHERE THE POST OFFICE WAS 10 YEARS AGO.

MORE REAL ESTATE NEWS.

THE 80TH FLOOR UNIT AT THE ST. REGIS TOWER SOLD FOR NEARLY $9 MILLION, IT'S DESIGNED BY JENNY GANG DOES THAT MEAN THERE WILL BE MORE BIG DOLLAR SALES?

>> THEY KEEP ONCOMING.

EVERY TIME WE THINK THAT THE MARKET IS GOING TO COOL OFF AT THAT RANGE WE FIND OUT ABOUT NEW DEALS SIGNED.

AND OUR UNDERSTANDING IS BEYOND THIS 8 -- 8.85 MILLION DOLLAR DEAL THAT JUST LEARNED ABOUT TODAY, THAT THERE'S SIX MORE CONTRACTS PENDING AT HIGHER PRICE POINTS IN THAT BUILDING.

SO IF YOU ARE SHOPPING FOR A REAL ESTATE IN THE $8 MILLION AND UP CATEGORY YOU HAVE COMPETITION APPARENTLY.

>> THE MONEY KEEPS MOVING IN THE HIGH-END SECTOR OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET.

ANN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, PARIS.

>> AND STILL TO COME ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT"... A LOOK AT WHAT IS AHEAD FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON.

AND HOW INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF SLEEP COULD BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BATTLE OBESITY AND AND THAT FROM A RECENT SLEEP STUDY.

>> IT MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THE POWER OF JUST BEING IN THE SAME ROOM.

>> AND TRAPEZE COUPLE DUAL ROSE WHY AUDIENCE INTERACTION MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE AT THE TEATRO ZINZANNI.

>> FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... ELECTED OFFICIALS LAUNCHED A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE ILLINOIS THE FIRST STATE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE TO UNDOCUMENTED LOW INCOME IMMIGRANTS.

>> IT IS TIME TO MAKE SURE THE 149,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS STATE RIGHT NOW WORRIED ABOUT AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT, WORRIED THAT THEY WORK 60 HOURS A WEEK EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING THIS PANDEMIC THAT THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR THAT THEY CAN NOT AFFORD AN EMERGENCY ROOM.

THAT THEY KNOW THAT HEALTHY ILLINOIS WILL LEAD THE WAY IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF ILLINOIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TOO HAVE HEALTHCARE FINALLY IN THIS STATE.

>> THIS WOULD BE AN EXPANSION TO A PROGRAM THAT WILL ALLOW ILLINOIS TO PROVIDE MEDICAID LIKE HEALTH BENEFITS TO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS OVER AGE 55 STARTING IN MAY.

IT INCLUDES IMMIGRANTS WITH LEGAL STATUS WHO DO NOT QUALIFY FOR STATE OR FEDERAL PROGRAMS.

>> SPRING TRAINING FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS IS NOT IN FULL SWING DUE TO A LOCKOUT AND THE START OF THE 2022 REGULAR SEASON COULD BE AT RISK AS WELL.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SAYS IT WILL CANCEL REGULAR SEASON GAMES IF IT DOESN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MLB ASSOCIATION BY THE END OF DAY TODAY.

PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS INCLUDING INCREASING THE MINIMUM SALARY FOR YOUNGER PLAYERS.

OPENING DAY REMAINS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 31 WITH THE WHITE SOX HOSTING THE MINNESOTA TWINS AND THE CUBS ON THE ROAD AGAINST THE CINCINNATI REDS IF LABOR PEACE PREVAILS.

>> THE OBAMA'S PRESIDENTIAL CENTERS ARTWORK FIRST PIECE WILL COME FROM ROGER HUNT IT WILL BE FEATURED ON THE GROUNDS.

HUNT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WOODLAWN AND THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF ARTISTS WHO WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY THE OBAMA FOUNDATION.

HUNT WAS LAST FEATURED ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT" FOR HIS MONUMENT HONORING TRAIL BLAZING JOURNALIST IDA B.

WELLS.

THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO MEET TO DISCUSS HEARINGS ON JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCED JACKSON AS THE SUPREME COURT NOMINEE.

JACK SOP IS NO STRANGER TO THE SENATE GETTING CONFIRMED TO HER CURRENT POSITION ON THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS ON THE DC CIRCUIT WITH 3 REPUBLICANS CONFIRMING THAT NOMINATION.

JACKSON WOULD MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT.

AND JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE JOSEPH MORRIS, PARTNER AT THE LAW FIRST MORRIS AND DE LA ROSA AND FORMER ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL UNDER PRESIDENT REAGAN AND THE CHAIR OF WTTW'S COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.

>> DAVID FRANKLIN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAW AT DePAUL UNIVERSITY AND CLERKED FOR JUSTICE GINSBURG.

AND KORI CAREW, AND AUDRA WILSON PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF THE SHRIVERRER CENTER ON POVERTY LAW.

WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

AUDRA WILSON YOUR REACTION TO THE NOMINATION OF JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON?

>> THANK YOU AND AS I SAID BEFORE WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NOMINATING A BLACK WOMAN I KNEW ABOUT JUDGE JACKSON AND SHE HAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE AND IMPECCABLE OF CREDENTIALS, RAD LIVE, HARVARD LAW AND CLERKED FOR THREE FEDERAL JUSTICES INCLUDING JUSTICE BREYER HIMSELF.

I THIS THIS IS AN AMAZING NOMINATION.

I KNEW IT WAS COMING AND I HOPE THAT SHE IS NOT GOING TO BE HAVING TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT SOME OF THE BACKLASH AND THINGS THAT ARE COMING FROM CONSERVATIVES WITH HER NOMINATION.

>> AND DAVID DADE YOU KNEW HER WHILE SHE CLERKED FOR BREYER YOU CLERKED FOR GINSBURG.

WHAT WERE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF HER?

>> KETANJI BROWN JACKSON OR JUDGE JACKSON, IS TERRIFIC.

SHE IS THOROUGH, DETAIL ORIENTED.

SHE IS A TERRIFIC RESEARCHER AND WRITER.

AND SHE HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR LAW CLERKS.

SHE IS WARM AND HAS A TERRIFIC ENERGY ABOUT HER.

JUST A KIND PERSON.

AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT IF SHE IS CONFIRMED, SHE WILL PROBABLY SHARE JUSTICE BREYER'S PRAGMATIC FOCUS ON PROBLEM SOLVING.

BUT SHE ALSO MIGHT HAVE SOME OF JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR'S WILLINGNESS TO SPEAK HER MIND ON MATTERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO HER.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF SHE IS CONFIRMED WHAT KIND OF JUSTICE SHE TIRNS OUT TO BE.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING FROM DECISIONS IN HER LOWER COURT POSITIONS THAT GIVE YOU A SENSE WHAT HER JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY MIGHT BE?

>> I LOOKED AT HER LOWER COURT DECISIONS.

I AM DELIGHTED TO SEE THE NOMINATION OF A JUDGE WHO WILL COME TO THE SUPREME COURT WITH AN UNUSUAL BACKGROUND FOR A JUSTICE.

SHE HAS BEEN A TRIAL JUDGE OF THE SHE WAS A TRIAL JUDGE IN THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND NOW AN APPELLATE JUDGE SHE WILL HAVE SERVED IN ALL THREE LEVELS IN THE JUDICIARY AND THAT IS AN UNUSUAL PATH AND THAT IS A WONDERFUL THING.

SHE HAS MADE A VALUED EFFORT TO ACCOMMODATE HERSELF TO THE STREAM OF LEGAL THINKING THAT GOES BY THE TERM ORIGINALISM OR TEXTUALISM.

IN SEVERAL OPINIONS SHE WROTE AS A DISTRICT JUDGE AND IN HER ONE MAJOR OPINION AS A COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE SHE HAS SHOWN AN ABILITY TO APPLY THAT TECHNIQUE THAT APPROACH TO JUDICIAL REASONING.

I DO NOT SEE, HOWEVER, A CLEAR JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY EMERGING FROM HER ENGLISHAL RECORD.

I DO NOT KNOW HER PERSONALLY.

I HAVE READ HER DECISIONS.

WHAT I SEE IN HER WRITTEN DECISIONS IS A VERY SMART, VERY INTELLIGENT JUDGE WHOSE WORK IS WELL WITHIN THE MAINSTREAM OF THE AMERICAN LEGAL TRADITION.

IF I WERE A MEMBER OF THE SENATE A REPUBLICAN MEMBER OF THE SENATE FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS BASED ON WHAT I KNOW ABOUT JUDGE JACKSON I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF CONFIRMING HER.

>> WE'LL SEE IF THERE IS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

KORI CAREW JOE MENTIONED HER UNUSUAL BACKGROUND AND SERVED AS A PUBLIC DEFENDER.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE WILL MEAN FOR HER JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY IF SHE IS CONFIRMED?

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.

THE DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THE DIVERSITY SHE BRINGS AS A PERSON FROM AN UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP IS GOING TO LEND ITSELF TO BRING IN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO DECISION MAKING AND THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FELLOW JUSTICES ON THE BENCH.

WE KNOW OUR EXPENSES SHAPE THE LENSES THROUGH WHICH WE SEE AND HOW WE JUDGE AND AS LAWYERS [INAUDIBLE] DON'T GET TO MAKEUP THE RULES AS WE WISH.

HAVING THAT DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE ADDS A PUBLIC DEFENDER AND TRIAL EXPERIENCE AND SERVED IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IS GOING TO BRING A VERY WELL ROUNDED LENS TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

AND THAT IS JUST A WONDERFUL THING WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

>> AND DAVID FRANKLIN SHE IS NO STRANGER TO THE PROCESS WITH THE U.S. SENATE CONFIRMED TWICE BEFORE FOR THE CIRCUIT AND APPELLATE COURT AND GOT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THE LAST TIME AROUND.

DO YOU THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A BIPARTISAN PATH OF CONFIRMATION THIS TIME AROUND?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

IN THEORY IT DOESN'T MATTER AS LONG AS THE DEMOCRATS HOLD THEIR VOTES TOGETHER BECAUSE THE VICE-PRESIDENT CAN CAST THE DECIDING VOTE.

I WOULD HOPE THAT SHE WOULD GET THE SUPPORT OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS WHO THINK LIKE JOE MORRIS.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD MY BREATH ABOUT THAT.

WE LIVE IN AN INCREDIBLY POLARIZED TIME.

BUT I THINK REGARDLESS WHETHER SHE IS CONFIRMED OR NOT SHE IS GOING TO BE IN THE MINORITY IN CASE AFTER CASE BECAUSE THERE IS A 6-3 SUPER MAJORITY ON THIS COURT AND IT IS A COURT THAT IS REACHING OUT TO DECIDE CASES IN ALL KINDS OF CONTROVERSIAL AREAS BE IT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, ABORTION, GUN RIGHTS, ET CETERA WHERE I EXPECT THAT AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS, A JUDGE JACKSON WILL FIND HERSELF TO BE MORE OF A BOYS CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS THAN A CONSENSUS BUILDER.

>> REPLACING JUSTICE BREYER IS NOT EXPECTED TO CHANGE THAT 6-3 BALANCE.

AUDRA WILSON DO YOU FORESEE ANY ROAD BUMP TO HER PATH TO CONFIRMATION?

>> I TEND TO AGREE WITH DAVID.

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO SAY.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE RHETORIC THAT HAS COME OUT INCLUDING RACIST RHETORIC SUGGESTING PEOPLE SHOULD BE NOMINATED FOR WHAT THEY DO AND NOT HOW THEY WERE BORN WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS IS WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THINKING OF THE NATURE OF POLITICS TODAY AND HOW PARTISAN THINGS ARE AND THE UNDER CURRENT OF RACISM IS THAT, YES, I THINK THERE WILL BE ATTACKS ON HER THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CREDENTIAL AND MUCH MORE IDEOLOGICALLY DRIVEN BUT I'M HOPING THERE WILL BE VOICES OF REASON THAT REALIZE THERE IS NO REASON TO ASAIL HER CHARACTER OR CREDENTIALS.

SHE IS PROBABLY MORE QUALIFIED THAN MANY PEOPLE IN RECENT HISTORY THAT HAVE BEEN NOMINATED.

I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE VOICES OF REASON.

>> AND JOSEPH MORRIS PRESIDENT BIDEN DID GET PUSHBACK FOR PROMISING IT WOULD BE AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN AND HE MADE THE PROMISE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT APPROACH?

>> NO, I THINK THE RACIST IS JOE BIDEN IT WAS SHAMEFUL THAT HE MADE JUDGE JACKSON AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION NOMINEE.

SHE DESERVES TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE MERITS OF HER CREDENTIALS AND MERITS OF HER MIND AND HER WORK AS A LAWYER AND JUDGE.

I THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE SHE WAS BEING NOMINATED BECAUSE IT WAS BECAUSE OF HER RACE AND SEX AND IT WAS A MISTAKE FOR PRESIDENT REAGAN NOMINATED SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR.

SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO GO DOWN AS AN ACCOMPLISHED JUDGE.

THE 6-3 VOTE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT THE MARGINS.

THE VAST AMOUNT OF THE WORK OF THE COURT IS ARRIVED AT BY DECISIONS THAT ARE MUCH, MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.

THEY ARE OFTEN WHAT WE WOULD CALL AND THIS IS NOT ONE, A BIPARTISAN MAJORITY.

OFTEN THE COURT IS UNANIMOUS.

OFTEN THERE ARE ALIGNMENTS OF THE JUSTICES THAT GO OUTSIDE THAT 6-3 PARTISAN ARRANGEMENT IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE JUDGES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE REPRESENTATIVES.

THEY ARE MEANT TO DECIDE QUESTIONS OF LAW BASED ON DECISIONS MADE BY OTHER PEOPLE, CONGRESS, THE CONSTITUTION, PEOPLE WHO WRITE CONTRACTS AND WILLS EXTERNAL TO THE JUDGES.

IF I HAVE ANY CRITICISM OF THE REPRESENTATION THAT THE LACK OF DIVERSITY AND IN THE NOMINATION OF JUDGE JACKSONS HER LAW SCHOOL SHE WILL BE YET ANOTHER HARVARD LAWYER ON THE COURT.

THERE ARE FOUR HARVARD LAWYERS AND FOUR YALE LAWYERS AND ONE LAWYER FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

>> HARVARD YALE IS THE PIPELINE.

KORI CAREW AT THE SAME TIME HOW IMPACTFUL IS IT THAT SHE IS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN ON THE SUPREME COURT?

>> OR WOULD BE?

>> IT'S SUPREMELY IMPACTFUL.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY WHITE MEN AND WHITE MEN ARE NOT THE ONLY FORM, GENDER AND COLOR THAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO THIS IS WHERE I WOULD DISAGREE WITH ATTORNEY MORRIS THAT BY EMPHASIZING HE WAS GOING TO APPOINT A BLACK WOMAN WHAT JOE BIDEN WAS RECOGNIZING THERE ARE IMMENSELY QUALIFIED BLACK WOMEN OUT THERE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE TO A FEW THAT THE EXCELLENCE WE SEE ON OUR SUPREME COURT ONLY COMES IN ONE COLOR AND GENDER AND THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IS THINKING ABOUT IT THROUGH THIS LENS WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY THAT MADE A PROMISE AROUND LIBERTY AND EQUALITY THAT HAS NOT BEEN TRUE FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

AND TO SEE A BLACK WOMAN ON THE SUPREME COURT, A DARK SKINNED BLACK WOMAN BUT A DARKED SKINNED BLACK WOMAN THAT WEARS HER HAIR NATURALLY.

SOMETHING WE DON'T SEE ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE CHILDREN WHO HAD A BLACK TEACHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIFE LAST YEAR.

IT'S SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM A GROUP THAT FACES ADDITIONAL HURDLES AND CHALLENGES IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND OUR SOCIETY AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S NOT JUST A REFLECTION OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE COMMUNITIES SHE REPRESENTS BUT ALSO THAT SHE MEANT -- ACHIEVEMENT FOR US AS A COUNTRY THAT WE ARE AT A PLACE THAT COLOR IS BEING ALLOWED TO SHINE IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN FOR THE MAJORITY.

>> AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS CONFIRMATION PROCESS AND TALK TO ALL OF YOU AGAIN.

THANKS TO JOSEPH MORRIS, DAVID FRANKLIN, KORI CAREW AND AUDRA WILSON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP IS OFTEN HARD TO COME BY BUT A STUDY SHEDS LIGHT HOW EIGHT-AND-A-HALF HOURS OF SHUT EYE BENEFITS OUR HEALTH.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO EXTRA HOURS OF SLEEP COULD REDUCE CALORIC INTAKE BY 270 CALORIES PER DAY AND IT COULD BE TREATMENT FOR OBESITY ACCORDING TO A JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AND UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON AND JOINING US IS ONE OF THE AUTHORS, Dr. ESRA TASALI DIRECTOR OF THE SLEEP CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

IF YOU COULD, HIGHLIGHT THE PRIMARY RESULTS AND FINDINGS OF YOUR STUDY WHAT DID YOU FIND ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GETTING EIGHT TO EIGHT-AND-A-HALF HOURS OF SLEEP.

IN OUR STUDY WE FOUND THAT GETTING SUFFICIENT SLEEP LOWERS THE NUMBER OF CALORIES YOU EAT BY ON AVERAGE 270 CALORIES A DAY.

WHICH HAS IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS, WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS.

>> AND HAVE YOU FOUND UNDERLYING SCIENTIFIC REASON WHY IS THAT MIGHT BE THAT MORE SLEEP IS CONNECTED TO CONSUMING LESS CALORIES?

>> WE DID NOT NECESSARILY EXAMINE MECHANISMS IN OUR STUDY.

IT WAS A REAL-LIFE STUDY AT PEOPLE'S HOMES.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW FROM PRIOR RESEARCH THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SPENDING MORE TIME IN BED AND HAVING LESS TIME TO EAT.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT BEING FULLY RESTED MAKING YOU FEEL LESS HUNGRY EATEDING LESS CALORIES THEREFORE HAVING LESS RISK FOR WEIGHT GAIN.

>> COPING WITH THAT SLEEP DEPRIVATION BY EATING MORE.

DESCRIBE THE METHODOLOGY HOW YOU DID THIS AND HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO ALTER THE SLEEP PATTERNS OF 80 PATIENTS?

>> WE STUDIED ADULTS WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT.

THEY WERE GETTING LESS THAN SIX-AND-A-HALF HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT.

BELOW THE RECOMMENDED EIGHT HOURS.

WE EXTENDED THE TIME THAT THEY SPEND IN BED BY WHAT WE CALL A PERSONALIZED SLEEP HYGIENE COUNSELING SESSION.

WE WENT THROUGH THEIR BEDTIME ROUTINE.

IT WAS ONE-HOUR FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW.

WE REVIEWED THEIR SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS, WORK SCHEDULES, FAMILY MEMBERS, THEIR PETS, ALL THEIR SOCIAL NEEDS AND WE TRIED TO ADD EXTRA SLEEP WHEREVER WE CAN AROUND THE BEDTIME.

AND MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK IT'S NOT AS HARD AS PEOPLE THINK.

DOING SMALL ADJUSTMENTS FOR BEDTIME ROUTINE OR AROUND THE WAKE UP TIME CAN PROVIDE EXTRA SLEEP ON A DAILY SCHEDULE.

>> DURING THE PERSONAL SLEEP HYGIENE COUNSELING SESSIONS, WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON TIPS THAT YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE TO IMPROVE THEIR SLEEP HYGIENE?

>> THE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION IN OUR SLEEP HYGIENE PROGRAM WAS LIMITING ELECTRONICS AROUND BEDTIME.

TRYING TO STAY AWAY FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, OR VIDEO GAMING OR RESPONDING TO TEXT MESSAGES.

THIS WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION.

BUT BESIDES THAT, CERTAINLY PART OF THE SLEEP HYGIENE COMPONENTS INCLUDE LIMITING THE EXPOSURE TO LIGHT, LIMITING STIMULATING ACTIVITIES.

RELYING ON RELAXING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS READING A HARD COVERED BOOK OR DOING SOME EXERCISE DURING THE DAY.

>> BEYOND THIS CONNECTION TO OBESITY YOU'RE FINDING HOW IMPORTANT IS EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP EIGHT-AND-A-HALF HOURS OF SLEEP TO OUR OVERALL HEALTH OR THIS MYTH THAT SOME FOLKS CAN GET BY ON FOUR TO FIVE HOURS AND BE FINE.

IS THAT A MYTH?

>> THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM NUMBER OF SLEEP FOR ADULT POPULATION IS SEVEN HOURS.

I THINK THE FIVE-HOUR FOR ME BY EVIDENCE FOR NOW, IS A MYTH.

THERE COULD BE EXCEPTIONS BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM AMOUNT OF SLEEP IS SEVEN HOURS, SEVEN TO NINE HOURS FOR ADULTS.

AND I WANT PEOPLE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT SLEEP IS NOT JUST FOR YOUR BRAIN FOR FEELING ALERT THE NEXT DAY ON YOUR COGNITIVE FUNCTION BUT ALSO FOR THE REST OF YOUR BODY AND OUR STUDY SPEAKS FOR THAT.

IN ANYWAY IT IS SLEEP IS BENEFICIAL FOR EVERY CELL IN YOUR BODY.

FOR YOUR METABOLISM.

FOR YOUR BLOOD SUGARS, YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE ET CETERA.

>> HOW CONNECTED DO YOU THINK LACK OF SLEEP IS TO HEALTH PROBLEMS IN AMERICA LIKE OBESITY?

LIKE HEART DISEASE?

>> IT IS HIGHLY CONNECTED.

INSUFFICIENT SLEEP HAS BEEN SHOWN IN LARGE EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDIES TO INCREASE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK.

METABOLIC DISEASE RISK, PARTICULARLY DIABETES AND EVEN CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY.

AND THERE IS A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC THAT OCCURRED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES AND OUR SLEEP DEPRIVATION HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

SO I THINK THAT WE'RE ALWAYS PREACHING ABOUT DIET AND EXERCISE.

BUT SLEEP GETTING SUFFICIENT SLEEP COULD BE A THIRD PILLAR TO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS.

>> ABSOLUTELY A HUGE COMPONENT TO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

INTERESTING STUDY.

Dr. ESRA TASALI THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND WE'RE BACK WITH MORE IN JUST A MOMENT.

FIRST WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER... TEATRO ZINZANNI RETURNED FOR DINNER AND SNOW EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER.

ARTS CORRESPONDENT, ANGEL IDOWU INTRODUCES US TO THE CHICAGO ARTISTS THAT ARE TAKING CENTER STAGE UNDER THE BIG TOP WITH A NUMBER OF CIRCUS PERFORMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

>> WELCOME TO THE BIG TOP HOME OF TEATRO ZINZANNI.

[♪♪♪] >> IT'S CIRQUE DU SOLEI MEETS CABARET WITH A LITTLE CIRCUS ACTION IN-BETWEEN.

>> YOU CAN SEE ANY MUSIC IN CHICAGO.

THINGS ARE STARTING TO OPEN UP AGAIN.

AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT STORIES BEING TOLD.

NONE OF THAT IS GOING TO BE ANYTHING LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN HERE.

>> COMPRISED THE CIRCUS PERFORMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, THE DINNER AND A SHOW IS REMINDING AD YEBSES WHAT IT'S LIKE TO CONSUME LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AGAIN.

[♪♪♪] STEPHANIE THOMAS PLAYS MADAM.

SHE GREW UP SINGING AND PERFORMING BUT NOTHING COMPARES TO THIS EXPERIENCE.

>> I'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN JUST WATCHING THE AUDIENCE AND HONESTLY SEEING WHAT THEY CONNECT TO AND HOW.

IT'S LIKE GOSH I REALLY WANT TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT CAN I DO IN MY PERFORMANCE TO DO THAT HOW CAN I BE THE BEST VERSION OF THIS CHARACTER?

MY JOB IS TO PLEASE YOU RIGHT NOW NOT FOR ME TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF AS AN ARTIST OR TRY TO WIN AN AWARD I WANT TO MAKE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME.

>> UNLIKE TRADITIONAL SHES, TEATRO ZINZANNI ALMOST ALWAYS RELIES ON IMPROV.

>> THE TWO WEEKS OF REHEARSAL LET'S MAKE ALL THE PEOPLE DON'T DIE AND EVERYTHING ELSE WE'LL FIGURE OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.

IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE.

SO, YES THERE'S BEEN LIKE WE'VE ADDED IN SONGS, CHANGED SONGS.

DIFFERENT TRANSITIONS.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING TO WORK UNTIL ARE YOU IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE IT'S UNCONVENTIONAL FROM WHAT I'M USED TO.

NOW THAT I GET IT I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY.

>> TRAPEZE COUPLE AGREE WITH TEATRO ZINZANNI THEY HAVE TURNING AND TWISTING TOGETHER FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

WHILE THE WORK ALLOWED THEM TO TOUR THE WORLD NOTHING IS LIKE THIS PRODUCTION.

>> THIS HAS MORE STORY AND I WOULD SAY MORE INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE CAST.

>> WE GET TO INTERACT WITH THE GUESTS HERE.

LIKE MOST OF THE SHOWS WE WORK YOU JUST DO YOUR ACT AND THAT'S IT.

>> IT MAKES THE AUDIENCE MORE APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THEY ARE SEEING AS WELL BECAUSE THEY SEE YOU AS A FULLER HUMAN BEING AND CLOSER UP.

>> BY THE TIME WE'VE GET TO OUR ACT WE'VE HAD LOTS OF EXPERIENCES WITH THE GUESTS.

WE'VE PLAYED WITH THEM AND TALKED WITH THEM AND WHEN WE ARE ON THE TRAPEZE IT IS MORE OF A CONNECTION.

>> IT'S JUST LIKE THE MONKEY BARS.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS.

>> IT WAS AFTER A TEMPTED A COUPLE OF ROUTINES THAT I REALIZED JUST HOW MUCH UPPER BODY STRENGTH IS NEEDED TO PERFORM IN THE AIR.

>> WHEN SHOWTIMES BEGINS THE TRAPEZE ARTISTS SWING 14 FEET FROM THE AIR.

>> THE CIRCUS IS ART IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF GYMNASTICS, DANCE AND THEATRE.

THAT IS WHY THEY TRAIN THREE TO FOUR DAYS A WEEK FOR FOUR HOURS A DAY.

>> ON THE ACT, WE WILL DO ANYTHING THAT FEELS A LITTLE OFF DURING THE ACT WE'LL PRACTICE THE SEQUENCES AND THEN WE'LL PLAY.

WE'LL WORK ON SOMETHING NEW OR SOMETHING FOR FUN.

AND THEN WE END EACH PRACTICE WITH CONDITIONING I'M PULLING HER UP AND TRAPEZE IS A FULL BODY WORKOUT JUST DOING IT IS A WORKOUT AND HAVE FUN DOING IT.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE INVOLVED IN A SHOW WHERE THE ENSEMBLE EXTENDS BEYOND THE STAGE.

>> PEOPLE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE OUT AND HAVE FUN.

THAT LIKE ANIMATING WITH THE GUESTS IT WAS IN THE PAST LIKE IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT TO WARM-UP AND HERE NOW THEY JUST WANT TO PLAY.

SO IT'S REALLY NICE THING BEING ABLE TO INTERACT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET INTO THE JOKE AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING SO YOU FEEL MORE I DON'T KNOW.

>> FEEDBACK, MORE ENERGY.

>> I ALSO FEEL LIKE THE INTERACTION MAKES IT THEM REALIZE HOW DIFFERENT LIVE PERFORMANCE IS FROM SCREEN.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M ANGEL IDOWU.

>> AND YOU CAN CATCH TEATRO ZINZANNI PERFORMANCES WEDNESDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS UNTIL AUGUST.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.

>> AND WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS MONDAY NIGHT.

JOIN US IN A FEW MINUTES FOR OUR NEXT VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

JOANNA HERNANDEZ WILL MODERATE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AFRO LATINO HISTORY.

AGAIN THAT IS ON-LINE TONIGHT AT 8:00 P.M. AND YOU CAN RSVP AT WTTW/EVENTS.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.