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

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> I'm bracing for and what could be mid-year layoffs.

>> Our city workers going to be facing layoffs this year.

As federal health officials scaled back on vaccine recommendations for American children.

Measles cases are on the rise.

And what new cuts grant funding mean for after-school programs and other support services at some schools in Illinois.

>> First off tonight, as major cities across the country continue to see ramped up immigration enforcement.

A surge of 2000 federal agents to the city of Minneapolis has turned deadly.

A 37 year-old woman Renee Nicole, good was shot while driving an SUV in residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis.

crowd of protesters gathered in the area where the shooting happened.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the officers were acting in self-defense alleging the SUV was speeding toward them.

Witnesses on the scene also described what they saw.

>> A 3rd person and also camouflage fatigues came and started pulling on the driver's side door handle.

Which point the vehicle backed up a few feet and started driving forward.

Agent who was on the driver's side originally was not pulling on the handle but had been there prior to that shot 2 or 3 times through the driver's side window.

>> It was an act of domestic terrorism.

What happened?

It was our ice officers were out in action.

They got stuck in the snow because of the adverse weather that is in Minneapolis.

They were attempting to push out their vehicle and a woman attacked them.

And those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and rammed them.

>> With her vehicle.

>> Meanwhile, the Minneapolis police chief says the driver was not attempting to The agents, Minnesota officials say state authorities will also investigate with investigate the shooting along with federal authorities.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is warning there could be layoffs if revenue bait into the city's budget fails to materialize.

Johnson has repeatedly called the spending plan that went into effect this month when he chose not to veto it.

Unbalanced and says it leaves the city facing a 163 million dollar deficit.

>> There were alders he chose to create projections that quite frankly just were not tethered to if, you know, reality, quite frankly.

We're going to monitor it closely.

You know, and in the event that shortfall does exist, there were going to have to go before City Council again, have another conversation about ways in which we can either mitigate the harm or have to do with the harsh reality where people will be laid off.

>> The largest chunk of that potential deficit is 89 million dollars in debt.

The city plans to collect from Chicagoans who are overdue on utility bills in red light cameras by selling the debt to a private company.

Johnson says that move is unlikely to generate significant revenue.

The city may be on its way to giving the Chicago Police Department authority to implement a curfew with at least 12 hours.

Notice in an effort to curb large gatherings of teens, City Council's Public safety committee voted today to allow the police superintendent to declare a preemptive curfew before a planned mass gathering.

Mayor Brandon Johnson says he's not decided whether he'll veto with the committee did not decide on is another ordinance that would require social media platforms to take down posts designed to advertise, quote, unlawful teen gatherings within 6 hours of being notified by city officials that the posts violate local laws.

The curfew ordinance could get a vote from the city Council on January.

21st.

Cook County father is suing the popular online gaming platform Roblox claiming the company uses reckless and deceptive business tactics that led to the exploitation of his 9 year-old son.

The federal lawsuit was filed in Northern California where the company based the 82 page complaint says the child was targeted by an adult predator who gained his trust through the AP's chat function eventually leading to the exchange of sexually explicit images.

And attorneys say the company has never provided sufficient safety measures to protect children and accuses it of deliberately concealing information about alleged per hasten predatory conduct that the app, quote, enables and facilities in a statement, roadblocks as its policies are actually stricter than those found on many other platforms.

Up next, the danger of falling vaccination rates and a rise in measles cases.

That's right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexandra and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> In perhaps its most dramatic and consequential move yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cut the number of vaccines.

Vaccines recommended to American children.

Meanwhile, the number of measles cases in the country has reached its highest level in more than 30 years.

At more than 2000 confirmed cases in the U.S.

last year, 14 of which were in Illinois.

The country is in danger of losing its so-called elimination status.

Joining us, our Chicago Chicago Department of Public Health Medical Director, Dr Brian Bora.

Dr.

Alison Bartlett, professor in pediatric infectious diseases specialist at University of Chicago, Medicine and on Zoom, We have Dr Samir director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Welcome back.

Thanks to all of you for joining us.

Okay.

So starting with this news about the immunization schedule, here are some of the major changes.

The HPV recommendation, ships from 2 doses to stating that one dose of the HPV vaccine is as effective as 2 doses.

This is, of course, according to the federal government.

Now only children who are considered, quote, high risk are recommended to receive the RSV hepatitis A hat, be dinged.

A meningococcal.

See tell you why.

And Meningococcal you guys didn't know easy to do.

And immunizations based on quote, shared clinical decision-making are for wrote a virus COVID-19 influenza at several others.

Meaning those vaccines can only be administered after consulting with healthcare provider.

I want to get your reaction to these changes and I want to go around the table.

Dr.

Brian Boyle start with you.

>> Yeah, things.

I mean, this is this decision was based entirely on ideology and was not based on any new scientific evidence were any new data.

You know, this was sort of a predetermined outcome by a group of people leading HHS.

I you know, here in Chicago, we still The old set vaccine recommendations.

Unfortunately, we have our own processes in place here in the state to continue in a transparent process, a transparent way using scientific evidence to make recommendations for the people of Illinois.

Dr Bartlett.

>> I echo the fact that I'm grateful to be in Illinois where we are again, relying on the it's historic recent recommendations that are science-based, but it really poses some confusion for parents and families.

And I think also gives the impression that the recommendation to use discussions with family, about decisions for their children is that's something that do all the time and we provide medical care.

Everything is done in great consultation with patients and families.

Doctors, mayor, for a your reaction.

>> Yeah, I would say I agree with both Dr Bora and Doctor Bartlett.

The challenge here is we're in a place where decisions are being made by the federal government that are not based on up-to-date scientific information.

And we're fortunate here in Illinois with the governor's leadership.

The recently passed House Bill 767, that the only apartment public health in consultation with our immunization Advisory committee, Dr Barlett.

He's a member Dr Bore has given presentations that really allow to maintain those scientific process.

Ease ultimately here, Illinois, that changes by the federal government have no bearing on Illinois's recommendations.

We provided a notice to providers on that today.

We're ensuring that we have good clear messaging so that our providers know what recommendations to follow to ensure the health of their patients.

>> Hhs Secretary Robert F Kennedy Junior says that changes to the immunization schedule align with the schedules of other developed nations, Denmark, Germany, Japan, ADR Bora, was America's longstanding guidance?

Was it really that different from our peers?

>> It really was.

the truth of the matter is, every country has a vaccine.

Schedule designed for that country, specifically historically, you know, for decades we've had an established process by which vaccines were reviewed, recommended no scientific evidence looking at their effectiveness and their safety.

We're carefully scrutinized for every single individual vaccine.

And so this vaccine schedule that was developed for the United States.

It's based on decades.

In decades of scientific evidence.

>> Doctor Bartlett, what are your concerns with comparing the U.S.

vaccine schedule to that of other nations?

So I think there's a couple concerns.

One is, as based on the epidemiology, the frequency of diseases in each country can vary.

So recommendations can vary.

I think, you know, vaccines are really powerful.

Preventative health tool.

We don't have access to the kinds of preventative health care government provided, right?

Insurance and other access that other countries have.

And so we rely more on some of the vaccines compared with other nations who have different health care systems.

And also, I mean, a nation like Denmark is the size of its been come paired the size of the state of Wisconsin, for example, rated much bigger nation.

Us going to different issues.

in a statement.

Dr Mehmet Oz administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said, quote, All vaccines currently recommended by CDC will remain covered by insurance without cost sharing.

>> Dr Vohra.

Does this mean that, you know, vaccines that are not offered will no longer be covered and how is Illinois responding to that?

>> Well, I think there was some reassurance and the statements by Doctor Oz, doctor and Secretary Kennedy to ensure that access will remain on all of the immunizations that were recommended weather shared clinical decision-making or routinely recommended and they'll be covered by government base insurance programs.

Private insurance is have said that they will continue to cover vaccinations before with the schedule before these changes are being made.

Through our efforts.

We are working to ensure that that is the case.

>> we want to be prepared It's good that those things have been declared.

>> But we're seeing a number of changes as Doctor Bartlett previously mentioned, it causes uncertainty to do.

Our providers were working or across state agencies with the statewide vaccine initiative to ensure clarity and to provide as many tools to ensure that access is there for all Illinois, based recommendations that need scientific standards.

>> And then there's the measles the largest measles outbreak in the country currently in South Carolina with 214 confirmed cases followed by Arizona with 205 cases and 176 in Utah.

Dr.

Or what would you say is driving these outbreaks and, you know, the lower vaccination rates as well.

>> You know, they're they're they're one and the same.

So when you have pockets of people that are unvaccinated close, you know, that are that in close knit community.

That's a recipe for a measles outbreak.

So I think, you know, I over the past couple years we've seen decline in vaccine coverage across the nation really and unfortunately think we're seeing some of the consequences here in the form this outbreak.

And we're not the only nation seen, as you know, our neighboring nations in Mexico in Canada have seen a lot of measles as well.

So we have a lot of work to do.

>> As mentioned, federal health officials, they still recommend that all children vaccinate against measles.

But the CDC is investigating whether or not to break up our vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella, essentially saying that it should be separated, separate vaccines rather than one combine shot.

Dr Bartlett.

What would be the impact of separating So the impact of separating them would be I think that fewer individuals be vaccinated for each of those components that we just mentioned.

Our health care delivery issues in the United States.

>> And giving more vaccines at more visits where there's already limited access is a challenge.

Families.

You don't have challenge is traveling to their appointments getting in to see their doctor.

So being able to do 3 or 4 vaccines at the same time is a much more efficient way to deliver.

What are some of the long-term effects contracting measles?

So that's a great question.

So many kids who get measles have a freezing that feb route illness with a rash, but about the brawl, meaning feverish high fevers.

Thank you so Big impressive rationed that stuffy nose, but about 10% of kids end up being hospitalized with measles.

I speak more about children because many adults have a more likely to be mute and all infants under age 12 months are vulnerable because they haven't been vaccinated.

And then there are much more serious severe consequences like swelling and inflammation of the brain and one to 3 out of every 1000 kids will die.

Dr Vohra before we run out of time.

What are the sort of a societal repercussions to having a measles outbreak?

I think both Dr Born Doctor Bartlett said this is part of the challenge around.

>> Vaccine hesitancy.

But I think there are also those who Ways in which we here in Illinois, through partnership in Chicago, in other states that we saw still 14 cases, but only 14 cases when we've seen kind 2000 across the country part of this has been great partnership local health departments.

Providers putting out opportunities for mobile clinics, getting education out there and really trying to move these efforts on grass root levels to really ensure that people stay healthy.

And that's the core message here that despite the hesitancy in reluctance putting out the best science answering people's questions.

So that we can to minimize these conduct.

is still unable to respond to them very quickly.

Thankfully is just 14, not more than that.

>> Thanks to the doctors, plural, for the work that you all do and spending time with us D'Arcy near Hora, Brian Bora and Alison Bartlett, things and thank you.

>> Up next, more federal funding cuts this time for community schools.

The U.S.

Department of Education is terminating 168 million dollars in grants for full service community schools across 11 states.

Those are schools that partner with community groups to provide a range of services for students and their families.

About 18 million dollars of that funding goes to Illinois schools where it supports a variety of programs in underserved communities.

A department spokesperson says the decision aligns with the Trump administration's quote, rejection of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Joining us to talk about how the loss of funding is impacting Illinois schools are Susan Stanton, executive Director of Act now, Illinois, an organization providing after school programs to schools across the state and via zoom, Patrick Brosnan, executive director of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, a community organization serving Chicago's southwest Side.

Thanks to you both for joining us.

So Susan Act now, you the Illinois organization that applies for this grant and then disperses it to organizations like Patrick's and Tell us about the full service community school model and what that grant money gets used for.

Yeah.

The full service community school model is in a re-imagining of how we do education.

>> It understands that when students walk into a school building, they face many obstacles that prevent school day learning.

If you are going into school and you're hungry or your parents are unemployed or you don't have clean clothes or access to hygiene products.

It's going to be really hard to focus in math class.

Well, community schools do is they look at the local problems and what individual students and families need and they bring in partnerships to try to mitigate those issues so that way students are set up for success in their education and hopefully long-term in life.

These programs are uplifting, not only students but communities as a whole.

>> Patrick, some of the Brighton Park neighborhood councils funding comes from act.

Now you will use that money to administer programming at curing Metro High School on Chicago's Southwest Side.

Talk about some of the programming that you will implement there.

>> It is an enormous amount of programming that we Curie.

We have programming that happens during school and after school and English language, learning programming tutoring program mean?

>> A CT prep program mean?

mentoring program mean where we hire for mercury students as college mentors to come back to the school in support at-risk students, all sorts of civic leadership.

Programming.

We also have a very robust you know, said a pair of programs that include robotics fitness and English language Learning program, the ESL Program E G D programming.

Their STEM programming for students.

We have over 500 students security that is enrolled that are enrolled in programming right now at Uri and over 200 parents and community members of this is a huge loss for for the southwest side.

>> Susan, since the grant cuts were announced, Illinois schools have reported 277 staff layoffs, discontinuation of 708 student and family support programs.

What has the fallout been like for the families in the schools that benefit from the funding?

>> It's been devastating ad.

We got this news right before the holidays.

Schools had no time to pivot to make alternative plans as to what they were going to do with their staff or they were going to tell students some students left on winter break and they came back and their teachers or their clinicians were just gone without any explanation.

No opportunity say goodbye.

Parents were scrambling on the first day.

Back from break to figure out what am I gonna do with my child after school?

I need to work These very real impacts in the moment.

I'm schools can't really maintain staff without a guarantee of long-term funding.

So we are seeing services have been shut down and they don't continue to get worse every single day to we get a long-term resolution.

Did you ever receive any of reasoning or explanation from the Trump administration about why these grants have been cut?

We still don't have very definitive reasons as to what what happened am the grants were terminated without any sighting.

Any specific activities we participated in or or what we would have violated.

And so we're still trying to ascertain that ourselves.

Patrick Department of Education officials said diversity, equity and inclusion policies are behind these cuts in funding, writing, quote.

>> Many of these programs use overt race preferences or perpetuate divisive concepts and stereotypes which no student should be exposed to.

What is your response to that?

Do you see this, Patrick, as you moved see this move, as you know, further crackdown that the administration has done on Non dei initiatives and programming.

>> I mean, it is so hard to respond to that claim.

I know that we applied for this program with Curie High School with Chicago, Public Schools.

The Department of Education approved the program plan that we put in place and all the partners throughout the state of Illinois.

And we were in full compliance with everything that we set out to do Kerry you know, it's a it's a huge neighborhood school on the southwest side.

It serves Latino students.

It serves black students.

It serves Asian students.

It serves white students.

>> Every student, a curious eligible for these programs.

Obviously we have some programs that are more that are specifically tailored for students struggling academically.

Are students that have, you know, other social emotional issues are or want or need some additional services.

But every students eligible for these programs.

So we just don't understand.

You know what the administration is is saying when when makes its claim.

>> Now each of you you're part of 2 separate lawsuits over this issue.

Susan, tell us about the act now lawsuit and what you're all hoping to achieve.

>> Yeah.

So act now filed in federal court and we asked for a temporary restraining order against the government's actions that was unfortunately denied.

But as it was, the department had stepped in and said they were willing to negotiate and reexamined the grand.

We still don't have a resolution to to that.

And we're still considering what would further legal action look like?

Or, you know, is there an opportunity to work with the department to figure this And so in our lawsuit, what we were trying to to claim was that you need to say to a grant activity or just some sort of deficiency in our performance in order to cancel a grant.

And you can't just do that without a lack of clarity.

So we're really focusing on the grants process and procedure.

>> Patrick, tell us a little bit about the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.

You all teamed up with the American Federation of Teachers in your own lawsuit.

What do you all working towards?

very similar goal?

We I mean, essentially Congress appropriated this funding and then re appropriate of this funding and, >> you know, the fact that they are not complying with the grants as they were executed appropriated.

I mean, this is the issue.

And so we want we believe that that.

>> cancellation or termination, the grant was done unlawfully.

And so we are we are petitioning the court to reinstate these this funding.

>> Patrick, what happens in the meantime, what if these funds don't material materialize?

Is there another way to fund this work?

>> I mean, right now, you know this, this we've been partnered with Curie for for years and ride a different ways.

We are, you know.

We are going to make sure to continue to partner, committed to Curie.

We want to make sure that we're able to continue as many services and supports as we can.

We're working Chicago public schools to try identify some additional funding if that's possible.

But but, you know, this is that, you know, there are not a lot of resources right and we need our grants are so important.

>> All right, Patrick, thank you so much.

That's where we'll have to leave it up.

Best of luck to each of you.

Patrick Brosnan, students, easements, and thank you.

And that is our show for this Wednesday night.

You can stream Chicago tonight on our W T Tw YouTube channel every evening and catch up on any programs you may have missed and you can join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10, the Trump administration freezes billions of dollars in funding for child care services and democratic lead states including Illinois.

A look at the potential impact.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> A close caption made possible why Robert, and A Chicago personal injury and wrongful death and sponsor