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

I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

>> AND I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... >> EVERYWHERE IS SHORT STAFFED.

>> OFFICIALS HOPE THE OMICRON VARIANT IS AT A TURNING POINT AS HOSPITAL WORKERS SEEK HAZARD PAY.

>> THIS MAYOR SHOULD LIVE THE CITY.

>> STUDENTS MAY BE BACK IN CLASS BUT THERE IS NO LOVE BETWEEN THE CHICAGO'S MAYOR AND THE TEACHERS' UNION.

>> CHICAGO HAS ITS FIRST MAJOR MUSEUM UNION AS THE ART INSTITUTE AND THE SCHOOL OF THE ART ITS CONSTITUTE VOTE TO UNIONIZE.

>> THE LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

>> A FISH OUT OF WATER NOT LITERALLY.

RESEARCHERS IN ISRAEL TEACH A GOLDFISH TO DRIVE AND THAT AND MORE STORIES IN THE WORLD OF SCIENCE.

>> THE COOL THING IS I CAN FIND ART THAT I LIKE AND GIVE IT A DIFFERENT MEDIUM.

>> AND MEET A MAN TURNING HIS PANDEMIC HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS.

FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS' UNION PASSED THE DISTRICT'S PROPOSAL FOR NEW COVID MITIGATIONS.

18620 MEMBERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS AND 55% OF THEM VOTED TO APPROVE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROPOSAL WITH 44% VOTING AGAINST IT.

IN A STATEMENT UNION PRESIDENT JESSE SHARKEY SAYS THE VOTE RESULTS SHOW A QUOTE CLEAR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE BOSS.

MEANWHILE THE MAYOR IS PLEASED BOTH SIDES HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT.

THIS COMES AS STUDENTS RETURNED TO THE CLASSROOMS TODAY.

C.P.S.

CANCELED FIVE DAYS OF CLASSES AMID THE C.T.U.

LABOR ACTION REFUSING IN-PERSON WORK AMID THE SURGE IN COVID CASES.

88% OF TEACHERS REPORTED TO SCHOOL TODAY ACCORDING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

COVID TESTING WAS A KEY STICKING POINT AND GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER HELPED SECURE 350,000 TESTS FOR C.P.S.

THIS WEEKEND.

TODAY, THE GOVERNOR COMMENTED ON THE STUDENTS RETURN.

>> THE BEST PLACE FOR KIDS RIGHT NOW IS IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND I'M SO PLEASED THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHICAGO STUDENTS ARE RETURNING TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR TEACHERS.

HEALTH AND SAFETY MUST BE OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS FOR KEEPING SCHOOLS FROM GOING REMOTE.

>> AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ALSO ANNOUNCES TODAY IT WILL INCREASE COVID TESTS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS BY 10 MILLION A MONTH.

MEANWHILE ILLINOIS PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS REPORT MORE THAN 34,000 NEWLY REPORTED COVID CASES.

AND 145 ADDITIONAL DEATHS.

THE STATE'S SEEN 2,522,000 REPORTED DEATHS WITH 2804 DEATHS SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

7,000 PATIENTS WERE REPORTED TO BE IN ILLINOIS HOSPITALS.

ILLINOIS' PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR SPOKE ABOUT THE RISE IN CASES.

>> I KNOW WE'VE BEEN ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IF WE'VE SEEN THE PEAK OF THE OMICRON SURGE.

WHILE IT'S TOO SOON TO TELL, BUT OF COURSE WE WOULD LOVE TO REPORT THAT GOOD NEWS.

WE KNOW WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH MASKING AND VACCINATIONS AND BOOSTING AND WE LOOK TO GET THERE SOON UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW, TODAY, THE HOSPITALS ARE BEARING THE BRUNT.

>> AND THAT IS 2.5 MILLION REPORTED CASES NOT DEATHS AS I SAID.

AND HOW THE SURGE IS IMPACTING HOSPITALS IN JUST A BIT.

AND CHICAGOANS MAYBE GETTING A BREAK FROM SLIPPERY SIDEWALKS AND STREETS AFTER THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES YET, THE CITY IS WARMING UP TO ABOVE 30° AT LEAST.

THIS WEEKEND'S FREEZING RAIN FOLLOWED BY FRIGID TEMPERATURES LED TO ICY SIDEWALKS AND ROADS CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING AND WALKING CONDITIONS.

BUT A SLIGHT FALL HAS BEGUN WITH AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURES.

TEMPERATURES IN THE 20s AND LOW 30s THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

>> AND UP NEXT, THE IMPACT THE LATEST COVID SURGE IS HAVING ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> AS WE HEARD ILLINOIS' TOP DOCTOR SAID SHE WOULD BE THE FIRST IN LINE TO SAY THE OMICRON TIDE TURNED BUT SHE CAN'T.

IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL.

AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US WITH A DEEPER LOOK AT COVID CASES AND THE SURGES WIDER IMPLICATIONS ON HEALTHCARE.

AMANDA?

>> YES, WE HEARD PARIS SHARE THOSE TOTALS.

COVID CASES SETTING RECORDS AND SO TOO ARE COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS WITH THE AVERAGE THE PAST SEVEN DAYS EXCEEDING 7100.

>> WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS MANY COVID PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL AT ANY POINT IN THE PANDEMIC.

NOT IN SPRING OF 2020, NOT IN THE WINTER OF 2020, THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE HIGHEST NUMBER AND NOT JUST BY A COUPLE.

OUR PREVIOUS TOTALS HAVE BEEN SMASHED.

>> ILLINOIS PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR DR. NGOZI EZIKE SAYS THE TOTALS ARE LEAVING HOSPITALS WITH A HARD TIME TREATING OTHER PATIENTS THREATENING CARE FOR CAR ACCIDENT VICTIMS PEOPLE WHO SUFFER A HEART ATTACK OR CANCER COMPLICATION.

THE STATE HAS ASKED BUT NOT REQUIRED HOSPITALS HOLD OFF ON SO-CALLED ELECTIVE PROCEDURES.

AURORA ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH IS NOT DOING SO ACROSS THE BOARD THE DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE Dr. ROBERT CITRONBERG SAYS WITH HIGH NUMBERS OF PATIENTS AND STAFF HAVING COVID, VARIOUS HOSPITALS WITHIN THE TWO SYSTEMS ARE DOING SO.

ELECTIVE, A BIT OF A MISNOMER.

>> WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BEDS OR ENOUGH PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE PATIENTS TO DO IT SAFELY.

NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE ELECTIVE PROCEDURES DON'T MEAN THEY DON'T NEED TO BE DONE.

THEY DO THEY ARE JUST NOT EMERGENCIES.

IT IS CONCERNING THAT WE HAVE TO POSTPONE ELECTIVE PROCEDURES AS YOU ARE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> NOW, WELLINGTON THOMAS IS AN EMERGENCY ROOM TECH THE LORETTO HOSPITAL AND HE SEES FIRSTHAND THAT COVID IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE.

>> WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST WAVE ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO IT WAS KIND OF -- IT WAS BAD.

THIS TIME IT'S PROBABLY THE WORST I'VE SEEN IT.

EVEN IN MY DEPARTMENT, WE'VE HAD AT ONE POINT ALMOST EVERY PATIENT IN OUR ROOMS WAS ALL COVID.

WE'VE HAD PATIENTS IN THE HALLWAYS, SEVERAL DAYS IN THE HALLWAYS WITH PATIENTS BEING THERE BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE ROOM.

>> THOMAS IS A LEADER WITH SEIU HEALTHCARE ILLINOIS AND THE UNION IS RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THE STATE SHOULD MANDATE A DELAY IN THESE ELECTIVE PROCEDURES.

SEIU'S CONCERN WHY ARE SOME HOSPITALS CONTINUING THE PROFIT MAKING PROCEDURES EVEN AS SAFETY NET HOSPITALS LIKE LORETTO ARE PARTICULARLY STRESSED.

THOMAS SAYS IT TAKES A PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TOLL THAT HAS HIM CONSIDERING QUITTING.

KIM SMITH IS A PATIENT CARE TECH AT NORTHWESTERN MEDICAL AND SHE SAYS THAT SHE ALSO HAS TO QUESTION WHETHER SHE SHOULD PLACE A PRIORITY ON CARING FOR THE PATIENT OR FOR HERSELF.

>> THE TRUTH IS THAT I'M GOING TO WORK AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY COWORKER BESIDE ME HAS COVID.

AND THEN I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TAKING IT HOME TO MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON WHO IS TOO YOUNG TO GET VACCINATED OR ME BEING TOO OLD TO GET SICK AND I'M WORRIED.

AND THE FACT IS THAT I WANT TO CARE FOR SOMEONE APPROPRIATELY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SICK AND THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THE BEST CARE EVER.

THEY ARE ALREADY AFRAID.

HOW DO I DEAL WITH MY OWN PERSONAL FEAR?

>> SEIU HEALTHCARE WANTS HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES TO GET A PAY BUMP FOR WORKING IN THESE CONDITIONS AND TIMES NOT JUST FOR NURSES AND DOCTORS BUT UNIVERSAL HAZARD PAY THAT IS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES.

THE STATE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION HAD NO INITIAL COMMENT ON THIS.

THE GOVERNOR MEANWHILE SAYS ILLINOIS IS BRINGING IN SOME 2,000 HEALTHCARE WORKERS INCLUDING A FEDERAL TEAM AND THEN SOME HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEES ON CONTRACT HELP TO BOOST STAFFING.

ILLINOIS TEMPORARILY LOOSENING LICENSING RULES.

>> OUT OF STATE HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE NOW ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING IN ILLINOIS DURING THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WITH EXPANDED PERMISSION ALLOWING THEM TO CARE NOT JUST FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS, BUT FOR ALL PATIENTS IN NEED.

SECOND, DOCTORS WHO RECEIVED THEIR MEDICAL TRAINING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY CAN NOW PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO LICENSED PHYSICIANS HERE IN ILLINOIS.

>> ADVOCATE AURORA'S Dr. ROBERT CITRONBERG HOPES AS HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HAVING TO QUARANTINE FROM COVID RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL WELL, OPERATIONS WILL SOON HE HOPES BE ABLE TO RESUME AS NORMAL.

HE ALSO SAID THERE IS GOOD THERAPEUTIC NEWS AS A NEW MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT COMES ONBOARD.

>> THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS PRODUCT HAS ACTIVITY AGAINST THE OMICRON VARIANT THAT THE PRIOR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY USED DID NOT.

SO THIS ANTIBODY IS ACTIVE AGAINST OMICRON.

AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

WE'VE STARTED ESTABLISHED INFUSION CLINICS AROUND OUR SYSTEM IN ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN TO GIVE OUTPATIENT FUSION.

SO WE'VE BEEN RAMPED UP TO FULL SPEED THIS WEEK ON THAT.

>> THE FIRST ORAL ANTIVIRALS APPROVED BY THE F.D.A.

FOR COVID CARE HAVE NOT YET ARRIVED IN ILLINOIS HOSPITALS.

BUT THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS SAID THEY ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE WITHIN THE MONTH.

AND I'M TOLD IT COULD BE WITHIN COMING DAYS.

WITH THAT BRANDIS, BACK TO YOU.

>> AMANDA, THANK YOU.

>> AND NOW TO PARIS AND LABOR ACTION AT AN ICONIC ARTS INSTITUTION.

>> YEAH THAT IS RIGHT.

EMPLOYEES AT THE SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE VOTED TO UNIONIZE TODAY AND THIS COMES ONE DAY AFTER WORKERS AT THE ART INSTITUTE ALSO VOTED TO FORM A UNION.

IT IS THE FIRST MAJOR MUSEUM UNION IN CHICAGO AND WILL REPRESENT MORE THAN 200 ART ITS CONSTITUTE EMPLOYEES INCLUDING INSTALLERS, CURATORS, LIBRARIANS AND RETAIL WORKERS.

MORE THAN 200 EMPLOYEES COVERED AT THE SCHOOL INCLUDE ADVISERS, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS, MAIL ROOM WORKERS AND OTHERS AS WELL.

AND JOINING US WITH MORE ARE ANNA FEUER, ACQUISITIONS AND COLLECTIONS MANAGER AT THE ART INTERESTS CONSTITUTE'S LIBRARY AND RESEARCH CENTER AND A MEMBER OF THE ART INSTITUTE WORKER UNITED ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.

AND STEVEN GREENHOUSE, A FORMER "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER WHO COVERED LABOR FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, BEATEN DOWN, WORKED UP THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF AMERICAN LABOR AND WE INVITED THE ART ITS CONSTITUTE TO PARTICIPATE.

WE THANK THE TWO OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I WILL START WITH YOU, ANNA FEUER WHAT LED THE ART ITS CONSTITUTE AND THE SCHOOL TO FORM A UNION?

>> THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT STARTED JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IT WAS JUST ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PANDEMIC HAS NOT CREATED NEW PROBLEMS IT'S EXACERBATED OLD ONES THAT EXISTED FOR YEARS.

WE ARE OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID AND WE NEED A VOICE THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO FORM A UNION.

>> THIS WAS IN THE WORKS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND STEVEN GREENHOUSE THE PANDEMIC ITSELF HAS HAD A BIG IMPACT ON THE LABOR MOVEMENT ESPECIALLY IN THE NONPROFIT AND CULTURAL SECTORS.

GIVE US CONTEXT HERE?

>> SURE.

SO AS HAPPENED AT THE ART INSTITUTE, IT THE CLOSURES MADE WORKERS LOSE WEEKS OF PAY.

AND UNHAPPY WHO WAS CALLED BACK.

AND AT HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THEY CLOSED AND WORKERS AND THEY REOPENED AND WORKERS FELT JERKED AROUND AND MANY TIMES THE WORKERS FELT THEY WERE NOT GIVEN ENOUGH PPE TO PROTECT THEM AND COMPLAIN THAT THEIR STORES ARE ALLOWED IN CUSTOMERS AND THAT SUBJECTED THEM TO DANGERS AND THAT THEY SAID WE'RE RISKING OUR LIVES GOING TO WORK.

AND YOU WHITE WORKERS ARE WORKING AT HOME PULLING IN LARGE SALARIES AND NOT GIVING US EXTRA PAY.

A LOT OF WORKERS ARE VERY UPSET DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THEY WANTED THINGS TO BE BETTER AND MANY THOUGHT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR LIVES?

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR PAY AND WIN HAZARD PAY AND UNIONS ARE THE WAY TO DO THAT.

>> AND YOU'VE SEEN SMALL EXAMPLES OF THAT HERE IN CHICAGO WITH THE STARBUCKS STORE.

THE NONPROFIT SECTOR.

ANNA FEUER WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU AND THE UNION WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AT THE BARGAINING TABLE WITH THE ART INSTITUTE.

THE ISSUES HAVE GONE BACK MANY YEARS.

>> WE'RE STARTING TO PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT THE SPECIFICS OF THAT CONTRACT.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING.

IT TAKES A LOT OF TAKING, SURVEYING.

THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW NOW THAT WE'VE WON TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST CONTRACT IS DOES THE MOST FOR THE MOST PEOPLE.

RIGHT NOW AS AN INDIVIDUAL I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE GETTING A YEARLY COST OF LIVING RAISE WOULD BE A HUGE DEAL FOR ALL OF US.

IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING A COST OF RAISE YOU ARE LOSING MONEY EVERY YEAR AT ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE WORKING TWO JOBS.

IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THE LEVEL OF PAY WE ARE EXPECTED TO DO FOR THE LEVEL OF WORK WE PUT FORTH.

BASIC PAY EQUITY AND NOT ONLY RAISE CLASSIFIED IT HELPS THE RACISM DIVIDE THAT EXISTS.

A BASELINE MORE EQUITABLE PAY SYSTEM WOULD BE A HUGE DEAL FOR US.

ON TOP OF THAT, JUST HAVING A VOICE.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I'VE HEARD NOW THAT THE SCHOOL AND MUSEUM ACCOMPLISHED THE VICTORIES THEY WILL FINALLY HAVE TO LISTEN TO US.

IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING FEELING LIKE YOU ARE WORKING AT THE WHIMS OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE AFFECT YOU.

>> AND ISSUES FOR WORKERS AT GROCERY STORES THAT HAVE ESSENTIAL JOBS LOOKING FOR HAZARD PAY.

WHAT ABOUT THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS?

WHY IS LABOR MORE RESURGEIENT IN THESE INSTITUTIONS.

>> OVER THE PAST YEAR THE WHITNEY AND GUG EN HYME UNIONOUSED, THE BOSTON FINE ARTS UNIONIZED LOS ANGELES MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART UNIONIZED.

THERE IS A WAVE AND A LOT OF MUSEUM WORKERS THOUGHT WE LIVE IN THESE EXPENSIVE CITIES WE ARE NOT PAID THAT MUCH.

PART OF IT IS THAT THE THOUGHT THAT YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGED CUSHY JOBS DOING WHAT YOU LOVE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO YOU PAY YOU MUCH.

AND THAT SQUEEZED PEOPLE.

PEOPLE FELT ALL THE MORE WE NEED A UNION TO HELP RAISE OUR SALARIES TO AFFORD THE RENTS IN OUR CITY AND AFFORD TO PAYBACK STUDENT DEBT.

AND IT'S NOT JUST IN MUSEUMS.

WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS IN MANY FIELDS ARE UNIONIZING.

AND YOU SAID NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ADJUNCT PROFESSORS, NURSES AND PEOPLE IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.

A LOT OF COLLEGE EDUCATED PEOPLE FEEL COLLEGE PEOPLE PROFESSOR DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO MY VOICE AND DEMOCRACY SUPPOSEDLY OUR VOICES COUNT IN GOVERNMENT.

BUT IN A WORKPLACE WE FEEL THAT OUR VOICE REALLY ISN'T LISTENED TO.

WORKERS WANT A VOICE.

AND I THINK THAT IS A BIG REASON ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN PEOPLE FELT PUSHED AROUND AND BOUNCED AROUND THEY FEEL WE COULD REALLY USE A VOICE TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE TREATED IN A FAIRWAY AND TO HELP ENSURE THAT OUR INSTITUTION OUR PLACE OF WORK DOES A BETTER JOB SERVING THE PUBLIC.

>> ANNA FEUER YOU WON A VOICE.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE ART INSTITUTE'S RESPONSE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS?

WE DID INVITE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ART INSTITUTE AND THEY DECLINED OUR REQUEST.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO WORK WITH THEM?

>> THEY RAN AN ANTIUNION CAMPAIGN AGAINST US WHICH WAS DISAPPOINTING IF NOT SURPRISING.

THE BOSS IS THE BOSS NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO.

AND AT LIBERAL INSURANCE CONSTITUTIONS THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT.

LOOK HOW "THE NEW YORK TIMES" REACTED TO THEIR WORKERS UNIONIZING.

THEY ARE RUNNING AN ANTIUNION CAMPAIGN THERE, TOO.

THE REACTION WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE LEFTIST IDEALS WE SUPPORT UNIONS OF COURSE BUT NOT HERE.

WE DON'T NEED IT HERE BECAUSE WE LISTEN TO YOU.

WE DO SO MUCH FOR YOU AND IT'S NOT TRUE.

YOU CAN TELL US THAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT BUT OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE DOES NOT LIE.

WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED AND WE KNOW HOW TO GET IT WHICH IS TO FORM A UNION.

WHY SO MANY MUSEUMS WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT AND TALKED TO PEOPLE AT THE WALKER AND WE HOPE WE INSPIRE OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN CHICAGO TO FOLLOW OUR FOOTSTEPS.

CAN YOU HAVE A VOICE AND IMPROVE YOUR WORKPLACE BUT THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES BUT IT WON'T BE GIVEN TO YOU.

>> PUT THIS IN CONTEXT IN TERMS OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT WE ARE SEEING THE RESURGENCE BUT IS IT TO THE LEVEL OF THE GLORY DAYS OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT DECADES AGO?

>> WE ARE SEEING AN UPTICK AND UPSURGE IN LABOR ACTIVISM.

WE'VE SEEN STRIKES AT COMPANIES LIKE KELLOGGS AND NABISCO AND NOW SPREADING TO CHICAGO, CLEVELAND AND OTHER CITIES.

YET ONLY ONE IN 10 AMERICANS ARE IN UNIONS RIGHT NOW AND IT'S DOWN FROM ONE IN THREE DURING THE 1950s.

BUT ONE IN TWO AMERICANS SAY THEY WOULD WANT TO JOIN A UNION IF THEY COULD.

YET ONE IN 10 ARE.

I THINK BIG PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO JOIN A UNION BUT COMPANIES MANAGEMENT FIGHT VERY, VERY HARD TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM FORMING A UNION EVEN WHEN THEY WANT TO.

SO THERE IS AN UPTICK.

THERE'S MORE IDEALISM ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE FORMING UNIONS AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE SEEN THE UNIONIZATION AT THE ART INSTITUTE AND THE SCHOOL AT THE ART INSTITUTE.

>> WE WILL FOLLOW THE MOVEMENTS IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THANKS TO ANNA FEUER AND STEVEN GREENHOUSE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NICE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, COVID'S IMPACT ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE CHRONICALLY ILL. FIRST, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

AS WE APPROACH THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ADVOCATES SAY HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND THE GOVERNMENT STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVID CARE.

WHILE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE AT HIGHER RISK A REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES FINDS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PRIORITIZED FOR VACCINES IN SOME STATES.

IN ADDITION, ADVOCATES SAY THE STRESS FROM COVID HAS EXACERBATED ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE THAT EXISTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC LIKE A SHORTAGE OF DIRECT CARE WORKERS.

JOINING US WITH MORE ARE KRISTIN BERG, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO.

AND ANDRES GALLEGOS, CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY AND A BOARD MEMBER OF ACCESS LIVING.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

KRISTIN BERG LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE.

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE PANDEMIC AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

>> WELL, IT'S BEEN A CRISIS.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PARENTS I'VE HEARD FROM AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING JUST EPIDEMIC RATES OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY.

AND I'M HEARING ABOUT BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES THE CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING ISOLATION, LONELINESS.

IT RUNS THE GAMUT WHETHER I HEAR ABOUT LACK OF ACCESS TO NECESSARY SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL SHUTDOWN OR WHETHER I'M HEARING ABOUT A KID NOT GETTING OUT OF BED OR A KID BANGING THEIR HEAD.

BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS THEY'VE BEEN ISOLATED ALONE AND WITHOUT THE NECESSARY SERVICES THEY NEED.

>> ANDRES GALLEGOS, WHAT CHALLENGES DO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE WHEN THEY ARE ACCESSING TESTING SPECIFICALLY?

>> WELL, TESTING IS THE ABILITY TO GET TO TESTING SITES IN MANY INSURANCE TANSES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION OR READILY AVAILABLE TRANSPORTATION.

AND HERE IN CHICAGO, THE PERSONAL RIDESHARING SERVICES LIKE UBER AND LYFT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEY HAVE TO RELY ON MASS TRANSPORTATION WHICH PUTS THEM AT GREATER RISK BEING AROUND INDIVIDUALS WHO THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE VACCINATED OR NOT.

AND JUST GETTING TO THE SITE ITSELF.

>> KRISTIN BERG HOW IS THE SHORTAGE IN HEALTHCARE ACCESS AFFECTED PEOPLE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY?

>> WELL, THE LONG WAITS HAVE BEEN AWFUL.

I HAVE A STUDENT FOR EXAMPLE, SHE IS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST STUDENTS I'VE EVER WORKED WITH HER.

AND EVERYDAY SHE IS WONDERING IF SHE IS GOING TO END UP BACK IN A NURSING HOME SHE RELIES ON DIRECT CARE WORKERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY.

AND THAT HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON HER MENTAL HEALTH.

SHE IS ALSO GOTTEN BEHIND IN HER CLASSES.

AND HAD TO GET EXTENSIONS.

IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL.

I KNOW LOTS OF KIDS WHO ARE ON EXTENSIVE WAIT LISTS TO ACCESS NEEDED MENTAL HEALTH HEALTHCARE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE WITH NO END IN SIGHT.

AND THEY ARE ENDING UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

SO THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM.

THAT'S HOW OUR SYSTEM IS FAILING OUR KIDS WITH DISABILITIES.

IF THEY ARE ENDING UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHEN WE KNOW MANY OF THE ISSUES COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH EARLY SCREENING AND CARE BUT IT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

>> ANDRES GALLEGOS, THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES FOUND THAT THE STATE ROLL OUT OF VACCINES DID NOT ALWAYS PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ILL TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT, PLEASE.

>> WHAT WE FOUND WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INDIFFERENCE OR INNOR RANS IN IGNORANCE IN LIGHT OF THE FACT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE HIGHER RISK TO CONTRACT THE DISEASE AND POORER OUTCOMES ONCE CONTRACTED.

MANY STATES STILL DEPRIORITIZED PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR THE VACCINATION.

AND AS A RESULT SOME OF THE DECISIONS HAD DEADLY CONSEQUENCES AS WELL.

SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT WE'VE SEEN PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE NEEDS AND HAS NOT BEEN WELCOMING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> THAT LEADS TO THIS NOTION OF LIVING WITH COVID.

WE ALL WILL BE LIVING WITH IT AND PEOPLE SHOULD ACCEPT THIS IS THE NEW REALITY EXCEPT THAT IS TROUBLING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THERE WAS A QUOTE EARLIER FROM THE C.D.C.

THIS WEEK SAYING THAT OH, THIS IS FANTASTIC.

NOW YOU KNOW THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING 75% OF THOSE DIES ARE THOSE WITH MULTIPLE CO-MORBIDITIES.

THOSE ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PEOPLE LIKE ME, FRIENDS, RELATIVES, MY COLLEAGUES, THEY ARE THE ONES DYING.

AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A VICTORY YET.

WE ARE THE ONES WE CAN'T GO PLACES.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY NAVIGATE THESE FIERCE CHALLENGES AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR PERSONAL SAFETY.

WE CANNOT GO BACK TO NORMAL YET.

>> I HEAR YOU REFERRING TO THE STATEMENT FROM THE C.D.C.

HEAD AND SOMETHING SHE HAS BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENT THIS WEEK WHERE SHE WAS REFERRING TO A SMALL SUBSET OF PEOPLE IN A TEST GROUP BASED ON A STUDY.

I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU AND ANDRES GALLEGOS YOU FIRST, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AT THE LOCAL OR FEDERAL LEVEL TO PROVIDE BETTER COVID CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?

>> WELL, THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS.

AND THAT IS TO LOOK AT US NOT AS A CONDITION OR DISEASE BUT A PATIENT POPULATION.

YOU KNOW WE SUFFER FROM THE FACT THAT DESPITE THAT WE'RE OVER 64 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WE ARE NOT VIEWED AS A MINORITY GROUP NOT VIEWED AS ANY GROUP FOR PURPOSES OF ANY PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS OR ANY INTERVENTIONS.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE IS HEALTH EQUITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

THE NATIONAL COUNT ON DISABILITIES PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON A FRAMEWORK FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

AND THE ISSUES WE SEE DURING THE PANDEMIC WE'VE SEEN AS I MENTIONED PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC AS WELL.

AND SO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE FAILINGS AND THE SHORT COMINGS OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

>> AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT.

THANKS TO ANDRES GALLEGOS AND KRISTIN BERG FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, THE STORY OF A CHICAGOAN WHO TURNED A NEW SCHOOL INTO A -- SKILL INTO A SMALL BUSINESS.

STAY WITH US.

>> AND THERE'S MUCH MORE AHEAD ON THE PROGRAM INCLUDING OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM WITH DETAILS ON THE RACE FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR.

REMEMBER BACK IN 2020 WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE STARTED BAKING BREAD AT ONCE?

IN THE EARLY DAYS OF PANDEMIC MANY CHICAGOANS USED SOCIAL MEDIA TO LEARN NEW SKILLS AND HOBBIES ONE IS JUAN LOPEZ, A LIFELONG EASTSIDEER WHO USED TIKTOK VIDEOS TO TEACH HIMSELF A SKILL THAT HE TURNED INTO A SMALL BUSINESS LAST SUMMER.

ERICA GUNDERSON HAS THE STORY.

>> I CAME TO STARS THAT'S BEEN MY LIMITATION.

ONE OF THE FIRST SOMEBODY ASKED WAS THE LOGO AND IT HAD TINY STARS.

I IT LOOKED LIKE A FUR IFRY BLOB.

>> ASIDE FROM HIS MORTAL NEMESIS THE STAR SHAPE JUAN LOPEZ SAYS HE CAN MAKE ANY IMAGE INTO A FLOOR COVERING.

>> I'VE DONE ANMY THOSE ARE ENTRY INDICATE BECAUSE THE HAIR HAS SHADING IT HAS FOUR COLORS OF PURPLE.

I'VE DONE SPORTS STUFF.

I DID A VIRGIN MARY RUG AND ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THIS ON THE FLOOR?

NO WAY I WILL PUT IT ON THE FLOOR.

GREAT.

>> HE BEGAN MAKING CUSTOM RUGS LEARNING THE TRAFFIC FOR WORKING THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT FOR CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND HIS SON BY SELLING COMMISSIONED DESIGNS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN POP-UP MARKETS.

>> I WAS WORKING IN OVERNIGHT JOB AND ALSO TAKING MY SON TO SCHOOL AND PICKING HIM UP FROM SCHOOL.

THE HARD PART WAS HIM GETTING OLDER AND THE FACT WHEN I WAS WORKING I WAS CONSTANTLY TIRED.

AND THAT KID HAS SO MUCH ENERGY.

BEING ABLE TO BE HOME IT IS BEEN A HUGE BLESSING.

>> HE USED VIDEOS HE FOUND ON TIKTOK AND TRIAL AND ERROR.

>> BOUGHT THE MACHINE AND TRIED IT.

KIND OF ALMOST IN A SENSE TATTOOING WHEN YOU ARE A TATTOOEST IT IS A FRAMEWORK AND YOU TRACE IT AND IT WAS IN THE SUMMER WHEN I STARTED DOING COMMISSIONS PEOPLE WERE ASKING CAN YOU DO THIS?

LOPEZ IS QUICK TO SAY HE DOESN'T CONSIDER HIMSELF AN ARTIST BUT THE CRAFT AS A WAY TO COLLABORATE WITH ARTISTS.

HIS EARLIEST PIECES WERE VERSIONINGS OF STREET ARTISTS CHARACTERS.

>> COOL THE BIRD.

THIS IS A PIG.

I CAN FIND ART THAT I LIKE AND GIVE IT A DIFFERENT MEDIUM.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THE FEEL AND BEING ABLE TO TOUCH IT AND RUN YOUR HANDS THROUGH IT.

>> WHAT DOES HIS SON THINK?

>> HE THINKS IT'S COOL.

IN HIS WORDS HE WILL LOOK THAT IS COOL AND THEN HE WILL LEAVE.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.

>> AND YOU WILL FIND MORE ON JUANITOS RUGS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>> AND STILL TO COME ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT", STATE HOUSE SPEAKER CHRIS WELCH MARKS HIS FIRST YEAR IN THE ROLE OR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM TALKS ABOUT HIS TENURE SO FAR AND MUCH MORE.

AND NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY ASTRONOMERS WITNESS A RED STAR GO SUPER NOVA FOR THE FIRST TIME AND A DRIVING GOLD FISH IN ISRAEL.

>> BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> LEGISLATORS WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO SPRINGFIELD NEXT WEEK.

THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ANNOUNCES IT'S CANCELING IN-PERSON WORK FOR THE SECOND WEEK THIS YEAR.

INSTEAD LAWMAKERS AND STAFF WILL WORK REMOTELY.

ILLINOIS HOUSE SPEAKER CHRIS WELCH AND DON HARMON CITED CONCERNS IN THE COVID CASES.

THE HOUSE IS NEXT SCHEDULED TO MEET IN-PERSON THE LAST WEEK OF THIS MONTH.

AND THE SENATE IS NEXT SCHEDULED TO MEET IN-PERSON THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.

>> WE WILL HAVE MORE ON THIS WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

>> A NEW COVID TESTING SITE IS NOW OPEN AT THE DURK SON FEDERAL COURTHOUSE.

IT'S OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY FROM 9:00 A.M. 4:00 P.M. AND IT WILL BE CLOSED ON FEDERAL HOLIDAYS.

THE SITE USES SHIELD ILLINOIS' SALIVA PCR TESTS.

APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED AND CAN BE MADE ON THE SHIELD PORTAL.

A COMPUTER IS AVAILABLE AT THE COURTHOUSE TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT.

>> AND THE SENATE PASSES A BILL TO HONOR EMMETT TILL AND HIS MOTHER MA'AMMY TILL.

THE BILL THAT WOULD AWARD THEM THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

14-YEAR-OLD CHICAGOAN BECAME A SYMBOL OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AFTER HE WAS LYNCHED IN MISSISSIPPI IN 1955.

HIS MOTHER PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN MAKING SURE HIS STORY WAS NOT FORGOTTEN.

AT HIS FUNERAL SHE INSISTED ON A OPEN CASKET TO SHOW HIS BRUTELIZED BOBBY.

RUSH IS A RESPONSE TORE OF A BILL TO ISSUE A POSTAGE STAMP IN HONOR OF MAMIE TILL MOBLEY.

>> A DYING MAN RECEIVES THE FIRST-EVER PIG HEART TRANSPLANT.

ASTRONOMERS WITNESS A RED GIANT STAR ABOUT SUPER NOVA RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY A BIOMARKER OF DEPRESSION AND A GOLDFISH IN ISRAEL GOES FOR A DRIVE.

AND JOINING US TO BREAKDOWN RECENT SCIENCE STORIES WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BACK RABIAH MAYAS VICE-PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION AT THE HUMAN OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

LET'S START WITH THE FIRST STORY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND DOCTORS ANNOUNCED THEY SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFERRED A GENETICALLY MODIFIED PIG'S HEART INTO A DYING HUMAN INELIGIBLE FOR A HUMAN HEART.

AND I WANT TO WARN VIEWERS IT IS A LITTLE BIT GRAPHIC HOW BIG A DEAL IS THIS?

>> SO THIS IS HUGE.

AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEWS COMING FROM MY HOME STATE OF MARYLAND IT IS A FANTASTIC DEVELOPMENT IN USING GENETICALLY MODIFIED PIGS FOR THE TRANSPLANT OF NO REJECTION IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CONCERNS WHEN DOING ANY TRANSPLANT AND YOU CAN IMAGINE IT'S INCREASED WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A TRANSPLANT FROM A DIFFERENT SPECIES.

THE RESEARCHERS MODIFIED THE PIG TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF AGGRESSIVE REJECTION.

>> SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PATIENT NOW?

WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS.

DOCTORS ARE CLOSELY MONITORING THIS?

>> WHAT IS GREAT IS THE FIRST 48 HOURS OF ANY MAJOR SURGERY ARE CRITICAL HE HAS GONE THROUGH THOSE.

AS OF EARLIER TODAY HE WAS ON A HEART LUNG MACHINE.

POTENTIALLY HE COULD GET OFF THAT SOON.

THE GENTLEMAN WAS VERY, VERY SICK AND THE REASON HE WAS ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A HUMAN TRANSPLANT WE ARE HOPING THIS IS AN AMAZING STEP FORWARD IN TRANSPLANT SCIENCE.

>> DOES IT MEAN WE COULD SEE MORE ANIMAL TO HUMAN TRANSPLANTS?

>> I THINK POTENTIALLY.

THIS IS JUST ONE STEP.

IT WILL BE YEARS CERTAINLY BEFORE SOMETHING LIKE THIS CAN BE MAINSTREAMED BUT CONSIDERING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE WAITING LISTS EVERY YEAR JUST IN THE U.S. AND NEVER GET THEIR ORGANS THIS HAS EXTRAORDINARY POTENTIAL IF IT'S ABLE TO SCALE.

>> AND THE STORY ABOUT THE DRIVING GOLDFISH.

WHAT POSSESSED RESEARCHERS IN ISRAEL TO TEACH GOLDFISH HOW TO DRIVE?

>> WELL, I CAN'T SAY WHAT WAS DRIVING THEM.

BUT I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THEY WERE SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND WAS WHETHER THE ABILITY OF AN ANIMAL, A GOLDFISH TO MOVE AND TO NAVIGATE IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY CONFINED TO THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY LIVE OR IS IT MORE OF A UNIVERSAL PROPERTY.

ANIMALS NEED TO MOVE AND NAVIGATE TO FIND FOOD, FIND A MATE AND BE SAFE.

THEY WERE INSPIRED TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY COULD TRAIN A GOLDFISH TO MOVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE NATURAL ONE.

>> AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CONTRAPTION WHERE THE GOLDFISH IS STEERING ITS TANK OF WATER.

EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS?

>> SO IT'S SUPER COOL THEY TRAINED THE GOLDFISH USING FOOD TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION, LEFT, RIGHT, FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS.

AND THE TANK HAS A CAMERA ON TOP AND A THREE D SCANNER THAT SENDS INFORMATION TO A COMPUTER.

BASED ON WHAT DIRECTION THE GOLDFISH IS MOVING IT WILL SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE WHEELS TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT.

AND EVIDENCE THAT GOLDFISH MEMORIES ARE LONGER THAN POP CULTURE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE?

>> THEY MIGHT BE SMARTER THAN WE THINK.

>> SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

OUR NEXT STORY RESEARCHERS CLOSE TO HOME FOUND LINKING A BLOOD TEST TO DEPRESSION.

EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS.

>> THIS RESEARCH IS BASED ON PRIOR EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT THERE IS A PRO SEEN PROTEIN THAT IS LOWER IN PEOPLE WITH A CERTAIN TYPE OF CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND KNOWN ANOTHER PROTEIN IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT [INAUDIBLE] AND IN SOME PATIENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DEPRESSION, THAT PROTEIN GETS STUCK AND IS NOT ABLE TO ACTIVATE.

THEY FOUND EVIDENCE THAT THEY COULD USE A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST TO DETECT THE LEVELS AND HELP UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT IS GOING ON WITH PATIENTS IN DEPRESSION.

>> HOW DOES IT IMPACT PEOPLE FOR DEPRESSION?

>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS STUDY FIRST IS THAT THE TEST IS SUPER SIMPLE.

PLATELETS WHICH YOU CAN GET IN A BLOOD DRAW IT'S QUICK AND EASY.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT IN LOOKING AT THE LEVELS OF THE PROTEINS IT CAN HELP DIAGNOSE QUICKLY WHETHER AN ANTIDEPRESSANT TREATMENT IS WORKING AND IF IT'S NOT HELP A PATIENT GET AN ALTERNATIVE COURSE OF TREATMENT MORE QUICKLY.

>> AND SO YOU MENTIONED THIS CHEMICAL.

IS THIS A CAUSE OF DEPRESSION THEN PERHAPS THAT SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED?

>> NO, I THINK THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS PRODUCED IN RESPONSE TO NEUROTRANSMITTERS.

LIKE SEROTONIN WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR THINGS LIKE MOOD AND A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS IN THE BRAIN.

AND SO IN FACT WHEN THE LEVELS ARE STIMULATING THE CHEMICAL THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT HAVING THE DEPRESSION BUT WHEN THE LEVELS ARE REDUCED IT'S CONSISTENT WITH SOME OF THE DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS.

>> ASTRONOMERS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY THEY HAVE WATCHED IN REALTIME A RED GIANT STAR GO SUPER NOVA.

REMIND US RED GIANT SUPER NOVA DEFINE THE TERMS FOR US.

>> A RED GIANT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST KIND OF STARS IN THE UNIVERSE.

IT WAS A RED SUPER GIANT SO BIGGER THAN A GIANT AND IT'S CLASSIFIED STARS ARE CLASSIFIED BY THEIR LOOM NOSETY.

HOW MUCH LIGHT THEY ADMIT.

THE STARS ARE 10 TIMES MORE MASSIVE THAN THE SUN AND THE SUPER NOVA IS ONE OF THE FINAL STEPS IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF A STAR.

WHEN IT EXPLODES AND THEN ULTIMATELY DIES.

AND SO IT WAS FASCINATING THAT THE RESEARCHERS FOR THE FIRST TIME BE ABLE TO MEASURE AND TEST THE SUPER NOVA OF A STAR OF THIS SIZE.

>> WHAT IS THE IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS STUDYING THE UNIVERSE AND THE ORIGINS OF THE GALAXY?

>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS SUPER COOL ABOUT SPACE IS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DISTANCE IN SPACE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TIME.

SO THIS PARTICULAR RED SUPER GIANT WAS 120 MILLION LIGHTYEARS AWAY FROM EARTH.

IT WILL TAKE 120 MILLION YEARS FROM THAT LIGHT.

>> THIS HAPPENED 120 MILLION YEARS AGO >> YES.

THINGS THAT HAPPENED A LONGTIME AGO DETECTING WITH MODERN-DAY TELESCOPES AND IT IS LEADING THE RESEARCHERS TO UNDERSTAND IN A DIFFERENT WAY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE STARS ARE AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE GALAXY AROUND IT.

>> HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

HOW RARE IS IT TO SEE SOMETHING THIS IN REALTIME?

>> EARLIER IN 2020 THERE WAS SOME INDICATION BASED ON SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE LIGHT EMITTING FROM THE STAR, THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO GO SUPER NOVA AND SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THAT WHEN IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

RESEARCHERS WERE USING A POWERFUL TELESCOPE BASED IN HAWAII.

AND WERE ABLE TO MONITOR THAT OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS AND SEE IT HAPPEN.

>> WHEN THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THAT TIME DINOSAURS WERE LIVING ON EARTH, I THINK.

>> WE WERE DEFINITELY NOT HERE.

>> WE WERE NOT HERE YET BUT WE'RE SEEING IT NOW.

AMAZING HOW THAT WORKS.

THANKS AS ALWAYS TO RABIAH MAYAS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU, PARIS.

>> OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM DISSECTS THE BATTLE OF IN-PERSON LEARNING AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> C.P.S.

STUDENTS RETURNED TO CLASS BUT THE BAD BLOOD BETWEEN MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT AND THE TEACHERS' UNION SEEMS LIKELY TO PERSIST.

MORE CANDIDATES EMERGE FOR STATE-WIDE SEATS.

HERE WITH THAT AND MORE ARE AMANDA VINICKY, HEATHER CHERONE AND PARIS SCHUTZ FOR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

AMANDA, C.P.S.

STUDENTS RETURNED TO SCHOOL UNDER THE DEAL APPROVED THIS WEEK BY THE UNION'S HOUSE OF DELEGATES RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS NARROWLY OK'd THAT PLAN.

55.5% VOTING IN FAVOR OF IT.

18,000 MEMBERS OF THEIR 25,000 MEMBERS VOTING.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL US?

ANYTHING ABOUT WHETHER MEMBERS SUPPORT UNION LEADERS OR ABOUT THE LEVERAGE AT THE C.T.U.

HAS OVER THE CITY?

>> I THINK THAT THERE IS A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DISCUSS HERE.

THERE IS A LOT OF CONSTERNATION ABOUT RETURNING TO SCHOOL.

SOME TEACHERS SAYING WHAT DID WE FIGHT FOR?

THIS WAS A SUPER EXPENSIVE WAY BECAUSE TEACHERS WEREN'T PAID FOR THE DAYS THEY WERE NOT TEACHING OF GETTING KN95 MASKS THAT THE DISTRICT SAID WERE ON THE WAY AND OTHERS WERE NOT THRILLED THAT THE UNION HAD TAKEN THIS ACTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I'M NOT SURE THAT STACY DAVIS GATES OR JESSE SHARKEY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR TENURE SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT TO REMEMBER WE THINK OF THESE ACTIONS FROM A PUBLIC POINT OF VIEW BUT UNION LEADERS RUN FOR ELECTION THEMSELVES.

NOT SAYING THEY NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR OWN FUTURE.

BUT CERTAINLY I THINK THAT THAT CLOSE VOTE SHOWS THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE COVID MEANS A LOT.

IT IS SCARY FOR FOLKS.

BUT IT'S ALSO THEIR OWN CHILDREN.

MANY C.P.S.

MEMBERS ARE C.P.S.

PARENTS THEMSELVES.

SO THIS ISN'T THE NORMAL SORT OF UNION ACTION WHERE YOU SEE A MORE UNIFIED FRONT.

>> DESPITE UNION LEADERSHIP MAKING A DEAL WITH THE CITY, C.T.U.

VICE-PRESIDENT STACY DAVIS GATES MONDAY CALLED MAYOR LIGHTFOOT QUOTE UNFIT TO LEAD THE CITY.

>> SHE IS ON A ONE-WOMAN KAMIKAZE MISSION TO DESTROY OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SHE HAS NOT TAKING GOOD CARE OR THE SAFETY OF THE WORKERS AND THE STUDENTS THAT ATTENDS.

SHE LEVERAGES BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS WHEN SHE IS FIGHTING.

BUT SHE AIN'T IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING IN THAT BUILDING THAT LOOK LIKE A PLAN OF SAFETY.

>> HEATHER DO YOU EXPECT THE C.T.U.

WILL BACK A CHALLENGER TO THE MAYOR OR WHETHER IT IS A CANDIDATE THAT THEY SUPPORT OR SOMEONE FROM WITHIN AS MANY HAVE SUSPECTED IT COULD BE STACY DAVIS GATES?

>> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CHICAGO TEACHERS' UNION WILL ENDORSE A CANDIDATE IN THE 2023 ELECTION.

I DO NOT OFTEN MAKE PREDICTIONS BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT ONE.

AS TO WHETHER STACY DAVIS GATES, HERSELF, IS GOING TO RUN TIME IS GOING TO HAVE TO TELL.

BUT YOU HEARD HER JUST SAY SHE MINCED NO WORDS.

THE SHE MADE NO BONES ABOUT IT THAT SHE BLAMES MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, NOT ONLY FOR THE WORK STOPPAGE HOWEVER YOU CALL IT, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT MANY OF HER MEMBERS MANY TEACHERS IN CHICAGO FEEL VERY UNSAFE AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO ARE ALSO WORRIED.

THERE WAS NO KUMBAYA MOMENT AT THE END OF THIS DISPUTE.

IF ANYTHING PEOPLE ARE ANGRY BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHERS DON'T THINK THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED OUT OF THIS.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE ANGRY THAT IT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

NOBODY'S HAPPY.

>> AND JUST LAST NIGHT HERE ON THIS PROGRAM, STACY DAVIS GATES WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION AND ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE PLANNED TO RUN AND LIKE MANY POLITICIANS SAID SHE IS FOCUSED ON THE JOB SHE HAS BOTH AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF C.T.U.

AND AS A MOTHER OF STUDENTS IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

A GROUP OF C.P.S.

STUDENTS ORGANIZING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAY THEY ARE PLANNING A WALKOUT FRIDAY.

SOME C.P.S.

PARENTS ARE COORDINATING TO KEEP STUDENTS HOME THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

THE COVID SAFETY PLAN THAT THE DISTRICT AND THE UNION AGREED TO HASN'T NECESSARILY DONE MUCH TO QUELL THE FEARS AROUND THE VIRUS?

>> PERHAPS NOT.

AND AS BOTH AMANDA AND HEATHER MENTIONED, THE UNION DID NOT GET A LOT OF WHAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR IN TERMS OF TESTING AND THE METRICS TO SHUTDOWN SCHOOLS THEY GOT A LITTLE BIT.

THERE WAS COMPROMISE.

YOU ARE SEEING STUDENTS DO THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS THE OMICRON SURGE IS HERE.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE 55-44 VOTE FOR A SECOND.

THERE IS A PATTERN WE SEE IN THE LABOR STOPPAGES.

FIRST WITH THE STRIKE OF 2019 WHERE THE UNION LEADERSHIP GETS ITS MEMBERS ALL RILED UP AND THEY VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY TO GO ON STRIKE OR INSTITUTE A LABOR MOVEMENT AND THEN THEY ARE OUT AND THEY COME BACK AND AGREE TO SOMETHING THAT WASN'T EVERYTHING THAT THEY ASKED FOR.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE AND IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE SO MUCH OF C.T.U.

DOING THIS IS ABOUT CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE.

THEY WANT TO CONTROL THE PERCEPTION I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DID THAT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PARENTS AFTER THE LABOR STOPPAGES THAT WERE NOT IN THE CORNER OF C.T.U.

THEY PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF ANGER FOR C.P.S.

AND THE MAYOR.

BUT NOT SIDING WITH C.T.U.

BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS OF AT HOME REMOTE LEARNING THEY KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT'S BEEN AND IT CAME AT THE 11TH HOUR.

PERHAPS C.T.U.

DID NOT HAVE LEVERAGE.

AND THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THEY AGREED TO THIS DEAL THAT A LOT OF THE MEMBERS DON'T LIKE.

>> I ALSO WONDER THE FACT YOU HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE YOU HAVE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN CONSTANTLY WEIGHING IN ON CHICAGO, AND THE POTENTIAL TROUBLE THAT COULD CAUSE OF COURSE DEMOCRATS ARE EYEING MIDTERM ELECTIONS WHETHER I DON'T KNOW THERE WAS ANY SORT OF INTERFERENCE FROM WASHINGTON THAT MIGHT HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN GETTING THINGS TIED UP.

>> WITH THE MIDTERMS COMING DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT THIS INNER PARTY FIGHT.

GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER AND MAYBE YOU KNOW THIS BETTER, I DON'T THINK WE HEARD FROM HIM UNTIL TODAY.

THERE WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TESTS BUT HE DIDN'T REALLY PUT HIS THUMB ON THE SCALES MUCH, DID HE?

>> NO.

HE DIDN'T.

AND YOU HAD SOME CALLING FOR THAT.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER JIM DURKIN ASKED FOR HIM TO WEIGH-IN.

UNCLEAR WHAT NECESSARILY THE GOVERNOR COULD DO BUT WE DID HEAR HIM SAYING YES THE PLACE FOR CHILDREN IS TO BE IN SCHOOLS AND THAT IS A DECISION AT THE ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MADE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR LIMITING SOMEWHAT THE CAPACITY FOR DISTRICTS TO BE ABLE TO GO REMOTE.

THAT REALLY IS SORT OF -- THERE IS A LOT OF TECHNICALITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT OPTIONS DISTRICTS HAVE IN TIMES SUCH AS COVID BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU HEARD THE CPS LEADERS REFERENCE.

>> AND THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE WILL BE LOOKING INTO.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO CITY COUNCIL NEWS, THOUGH, SAD LOSS THAT WE WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

HEATHER TELL US ABOUT DICK STONE?

>> HE COVERED CITY HALL FOR WIND AND IT IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION TO SAY HE SET THE STANDARDS THAT WE ALL STRIVE TO LIVE UP TO.

HE IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN FOR PEPPERING MAYOR RICHARD J. DALEY WITH QUESTIONS AND SERVED WITH UPI AND WORKED AS A POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE AT WTTW THAT HAS BEEN THINKING OF FRAN SPELMAN, THE CITY HALL REPORTER AND HIS WIFE AND THEIR SON JASON.

AND WE WILL STRIVE TO LIVE UP TO THE EXAMPLE THAT DICK SET FOR ALL OF US COVERING THE WILD AND WILLIE CITY HALL IN CHICAGO.

>> IF I COULD JUMP IN DICK STONE LATER IN LIFE BECAME A POLITICAL CONSULTANT I TALKED WITH HIM.

VERY NICE MAN, CLEARLY HAD SO MUCH LOVE FOR HIS FAMILY AND ESPECIALLY HIS WIFE FRAN WHO TOOK HIS MAN TELL AND BECAME THE DEAN OF THE CITY HALL PRESS CORPS AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH HER AND HER FAMILY.

>> TO CITY COUNCIL.

CITY COUNCIL HELD A LONG SERIES OF HEARINGS YESTERDAY OVER -- THIS QUESTION IS GOING TO GO TO HEATHER OVER THIS CONTENTIOUS WARD REMAP.

HOW LIKELY IS THE MAP HEADED FOR REFERENDUM?

>> IT IS MORE LIKELY NOW THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

THERE WAS SOME HOPE THAT THIS SORT OF A HOLIDAY BREAK WAS GOING TO RESET EVERYTHING AND PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO A COMPROMISE.

BUT IF ANYTHING, THE ACT MONEY DIALED IT UP -- ACT ROW MONEY DIALED IT UP A FEW NOTCHES.

ALDERMAN MICHELLE HARRIS THE RULES COMMITTEE SAYS IT COULD COST TAXPAYERS $40 MILLION.

BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANY DOCUMENTATION OF THOSE COSTS.

AND IN FACT, THE REFERENDUM IS BUDGETED FOR BY THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS.

SO I WILL BE ASKING A LOT MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

>> AS ALWAYS, SO THIS AFTERNOON, GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER WHO HAD BEEN ISOLATING AFTER BEING EXPOSED TO COVID GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THE CURRENT RISE IN CASES.

>> THIS CURRENT WAVE OF COVID IS CAUSING MORE PEOPLE TO GET SICK THAN EVER BEFORE IN THE PANDEMIC.

AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE SERIOUS ILLNESSES AND DEATHS ARE AMONG THE UNVACCINATED.

BUT IT'S DIFFICULT AS THIS MOMENT IS, THERE WILL BE AN END TO IT.

>> AND TO THAT END, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ANNOUNCED A CAMPAIGN TO PERSUADE THE UNVACCINATED TO GET A SHOT.

AMANDA, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO JUST HAVEN'T DUG IN ON THIS HOW MUCH OF A DEPARTMENT DO YOU THINK THIS CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO MAKE?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF TELEVISION AND RADIO AND MEDIA.

AND YET, I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT ANY COMMERCIALS ARE GOING TO CHANGE FOLKS' MINDS AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE PANDEMIC.

IT'S ANYTHING YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE MANDATES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED WITHIN CHICAGO AND COOK COUNTY TO REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION TO DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, WOULD CHANGE MINDS OR THE RISE OF OMICRON LOOKING AT HOSPITALIZATION STATS THAT THAT WOULD LEAD PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE VACCINATED OR HAVE BEEN FRIGHTENED TO DO SO AND ALSO BY THE WAY, IT'S BEEN NOW SOMETIME SINCE THE INITIAL DOSE OF VACCINE SO PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT ANY SORT OF IMPACT FROM THAT HAVE SEEN THAT THAT IS NOT HAPPENING.

BUT I DON'T IMAGINE THE ADS ARE GOING TO DO IT.

>> CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR CAN START GATHERING SIGNATURES THAT IS COMING UP AGAIN.

THEY CAN GATHER THE SIGNATURES TOMORROW.

A LOT OF RUMBLINGS WE'RE SEEING NEW REPUBLICAN POTENTIALLY JUMP IN THE RACE.

>> YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY IN AN ELECTION CYCLE THE PETITIONS CIRCULATING STARTING TOMORROW.

IF YOU TALK TO SOURCES IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND REPORTS, THERE WILL BE A NEW CANDIDATE ANNOUNCED PERHAPS AS EARLY AS EARLY NEXT WEEK.

LIKELY TO BE THE MAYOR OF AURORA RICHARD IRVIN WITH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATE ON THE SLATE AVERY BOURN A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SPRINGFIELD THE SLATE THAT WOULD GET SIGNIFICANT MONEY OF THE STATE'S RICHEST PERSON KEN GRIFFIN.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS ASSOCIATED WITH GOVERNOR ROUNDER ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE -- RAUNER ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THE CAMPAIGN.

IRVIN IS AN ODD CHOICE BECAUSE HE HAS VOTED DEMOCRAT IN RECENT ELECTIONS AND TAKEN POSITIONS WITH THE COVID MITIGATIONS ARE JOHN NOTHDURFT POPULAR WITH THE REPUBLICAN BASE.

IF HE IS A GRIFFIN CANDIDATE HE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

IT WOULD SEEM TO BE THE TACT HE WOULD TAKE TO TALK ABOUT CRIME AND FOCUS ON KEEPING ILLINOIS SAFE AND CHICAGO SAFE BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN KEN GRIFFIN'S CAUSE CELEB AND HE LAYS SO MUCH OF THE BLAME AT PRITZKER'S FEET.

>> ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THE FACT THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOES NOT HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL?

>> YES, THIS IS THE WATCHDOG THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SEE ANY POTENTIAL OR USE ACCUSATIONS OF WRONGDOING BY STATE LEGISLATORS AND SOMETIME THAT OFFICE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR YEARS AND YOU HAD A HUGE BACKLOG OF CASES BUILT UP FOR AN INSPECTOR GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE.

YOU HAVE THE FORMER INSPECTOR GENERAL SAYING THAT THIS IS AN OFFICE THAT IS A PAPER TIGER.

DESPITE ETHICAL CHANGES THAT WHY SHE IS LEAVING.

SHE MADE THAT KNOWN IN JULY AND YET AGAIN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CANNOT AGREE ON A REPLACEMENT.

RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOBODY SAFEGUARDING OTHER THAN US JOURNALISTS TRYING TO DO OUR BEST.

>> HEGHTDER SAME CASE IN CITY COUNCIL, NO INSPECTOR GENERAL THERE EITHER.

WHAT'S UP?

>> THAT IS RIGHT JOE FERGUSON LEFT OFFICE THREE MONTHS AGO THIS WEEK.

WE HAVE NO SENSE OF WHEN A RECOMMENDATION WILL BE MADE TO THE CITY COUNCIL'S ETHICS COMMITTEE FOR A REPLACEMENT.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER MAYOR LIGHTFOOT WILL ACCEPT THAT RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE SHE WAS CRITICAL OF JOE FERGUSON.

AND WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIONS THAT IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY THE INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL.

I GUESS SEND US YOUR COMPLAINTS AND ALLEGATIONS AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST.

>> CAN I CHIME IN?

IT TOOK SO MANY YEARS FOR THE IG TO HAVE THE TEETH THAT IT ENDED UP HAVING AND INDEPENDENCE IF THE CITY GOES BACK ON THAT THAT INDEPENDENCE AND THAT POWER THAT IS A LOSS FOR THE CITY.

THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THIS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT IS SPOTLIGHT, AMANDA VINICKY HEATHER CHERONE AND PARIS SCHUTZ THANKS, GUYS.

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

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THE VILLAGE OF SKOKIE COULD SOON HAVE AN AUTO VENDING MACHINE ACROSS FROM A FOREST PRESERVE BUT NOT ALL RESIDENTS ARE IN FAVOR OF THAT.

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FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> I'M PARIS SCHUTZ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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