[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME BACK I'M PARIS SCHUTZ BRANDIS FRIEDMAN IS ON ASSIGN MANY.

>> ON THE SHOW, ALDERMAN ED BURKE LOSES BIG.

WE TELL YOU WHAT THAT MEANS.

>> AS LAKE LEVELS FLUCTUATE AND EROSION WORSENS, CHICAGO BEEPS ARE BEARING THE EFFECTS.

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT THE LAKEFRONT.

FIFTH THIRD BANK IS IN HOT WATER WITH FEDERAL REGULATORS.

>> MORE IN CRAIN'S.

>> MAINSTREAM HISTORY MAYBE THEY WILL BE.

>> AND A PODCAST SERIES EXPLORES THE LGBTQ ARCHIVES OF THE GERBER HART LIBRARY.

BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> ANOTHER VIOLENT WEEKEND IN CHICAGO.

FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 27 WERE WOUNDED AND A THIRD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WAS SHOT.

THE CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN A SHOOTOUT YESTERDAY DURING A TRAFFIC STOP IN ENGLEWOOD.

HERE IS WHAT POLICE SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN HAD TO SAY.

>> THEY ARE JUST DOING THEIR JOB.

WHY WOULD YOU PERSON WANT TO KILL THEM?

FROM THE FAMILIES HERE.

THE CONCERN AND THE PAUSE THEY HAVE THAT IS THIS JOB REALLY WORTH IT?

BUT DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY THEY SHOW UP TO WORK AND RISK EVERYTHING FOR ALL OF OUR SAFETY.

EVERYTHING.

SELFLESS, SELFLESS SERVICE.

IT'S BEYOND BRAVERY AND COURAGE.

>> ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS WHO WAS SHOT LAST WEEK IS BEING RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.

OFFICER FERNANDA BALLESTEROS WAS FLANKED BY A FELLOW CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER'S SALUTING AS SHE LEFT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICAL CENTER TODAY.

THE C.P.D.

VETERAN WAS HIT BY GUNFIRE WHILE TRYING TO PULL OVER A DRIVER IN ENGLEWOOD LAST WEEK.

BEFORE LEAVING HERE IS WHAT FERNANDA BALLESTEROS HAD TO SAY TO HER PARTNER WHO TOOK HER TO THE HOSPITAL.

>> MOST IMPORTANTLY THANK YOU TO OFFICER YOUNG MY PARTNER WHO HAD MY BACK AND CARRIED ME TO SAFETY.

I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HIS QUICK THINKING AND RESPONSE.

YOU ARE MY GUARDIAN ANGEL THAT NIGHT.

>> GOOD TO SEE HER DOING WELL.

THE TWO SUSPECTS IN FERNANDA BALLESTEROS' SHOOTING ARE AT LARGE.

>> THE CITY IS TAKING STEPS AIMED AT HELPING RESIDENTS DEAL WITH VIOLENCE.

CHICAGO WILL REIMBURSE HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES AND DRIVERS FOR SECURITY DEVICES.

THE HOME AND BUSINESS PROTECTION PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE REBATES FOR OUTDOOR SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEMS, CLOUD STORAGE, VEHICLE GPS TRACKERS AND SUBSCRIPTION COSTS.

HERE IS WHAT MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT HAD TO SAY AT TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT.

>> WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM RESIDENTS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED AND WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE IT.

AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR...

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES UP FRONT, DON'T WORRY.

WE WILL HELP YOU.

IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THE INSTALLATION YOURSELF, DON'T WORRY, WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.

>> AND OFFICIALS ARE CALLING FOR MORE REGULATIONS ON AMMUNITION SALES.

COOK COUNTY SAVE TOM DART AND LAWMAKERS LaSHAWN FORD AND JACQUELINE COLLINS ARE LOOKING TO CLOSE WHAT THEY CALL A LOOPHOLE IN THE STATE LAW ALLOWING AMMUNITION SALES TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR GUN PERMITS REVOKED.

THERE ARE 32,000 PEOPLE IN COOK COUNTY THAT HAD THEIR FOID CARD TAKEN AWAY AND MANY HAVE NOT TURNED IN GUNS AND CARDS.

>> IF YOU WANT TO START PEOPLE FROM SHOOTING TAX THE BULLET AND MAKE IT SO HIGH THAT PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY IT.

WE ARE NOT ADDING A TAX WE'RE SAYING IF YOU ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO BUY A GUN YOU ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO BUY AMMUNITION.

>> AND A FORMER ILLINOIS LAWMAKER DIED.

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN JOHN EDWARD PORTER DIED FRIDAY AFTER A HOSPITALIZATION.

PORTER REPRESENTED ILLINOIS' 10TH DISTRICT FOR 20 YEARS UNTIL 2000.

HE SERVED IN THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM 1973-1979N CONGRESS HE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND TO HONOR HIM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RENAMED THE NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER AFTER HIM.

PORTER WAS 87 YEARS OLD.

>> AND UP NEXT, THE LATEST ON ALDERMAN ED BURKE'S CORRUPTION CASE SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> A FEDERAL JUDGE AND ATTORNEYS HAVE BEEN SORTING THROUGH MOTIONS FOR TWO YEARS IN THE CORRUPTION CASE OF ALDERMAN ED BURKE.

TODAY A JUDGE GAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON ATTEMPTS TO THROW OUT KEY EVIDENCE AND HINTED THE A POTENTIAL TRIAL DATE.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER CHERONE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

THE MOTIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOREVER BUT THEY COME TO AN END AS JUDGE DOW ISSUES A RULING ON THIS AND WHAT THE BURKE LEGAL TEAM HAD BEEN ASKING FOR.

>> THIS 194-PAGE RULING RUNS THE GAMUT OVERALL OF THE EVIDENCE IN THE VERY COMPLICATED CASE.

THE RULING SPENDS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME EXAMINING A 2016 SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT NARROWED WHAT CONSTITUTES A CORRUPT ACT BY A POLITICIAN.

NOW, ALDERMAN BURKE AND HIS LAWYERS ARGUED THAT THE CONDUCT THAT HE IS CHARGED WITH DID NOT MEET THAT STANDARD.

JUDGE DOW DISAGREED AND SAID THAT ALDERMAN BURKE IS GOING TO HAVE TO PLEAD HIS CASE TO A JURY.

HAD.

>> THIS CASE WILL GO TO TRIAL AT SOME POINT.

AND WE KNOW FROM COURT RECORDS THAT INVESTIGATORS INTERCEPTED MORE THAN 9,000 CALLS MADE BY BURKE OR ANSWERED BY HIM DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.

THIS IS KEY EVIDENCE HERE FOR PROSECUTORS.

WILL IT BE ADMISSIBLE IN THE TRIAL?

>> IT WILL.

ALDERMAN BURKE TRIED REALLY HARD TO GET ALL OF THESE TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS TOSSED OUT SAYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT IMPROPERLY OBTAINED A COURT ORDER TO RECORD THEM.

JUDGE DOW SAID NOPE, THAT COURT ORDER WAS GOOD.

THESE RECORDINGS ALSO INCLUDE CONVERSATIONS HE HAD WITH DISGRACED FORMER ALDERMAN DANNY SOLIS, PERHAPS MOST FAMOUS FOR BURKE ASKING SOLIS SAYING DID WE LAND THE TUNA?

THOSE RECORDINGS WILL COME IN AND ARE EXPECTED TO MAKEUP THE BULK OF THE CASE AGAINST ALDERMAN BURKE WHO HAS PLED NOT GUILTY.

>> THERE IS A RECORDING WHERE BURKE SAYS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT I'M TOO OLD FOR THEM TO COME AFTER ME.

SO THE JUDGE SAID THE TRIAL IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2023.

THERE IS A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION CAN BURKE RUN AND RETAIN THAT SEAT?

>> HE SURE CAN.

IF YOU CAST YOUR MEMORY ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2015 HE HAD ALREADY BEEN -- 2019 HE HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED EXTORTION WHEN HE WAS REELECTED TO A THIRTEENTH TERM.

IF HE DECIDES TO RUN FOR THE 14TH TERM TO REPRESENT PARTS OF THE SOUTHWEST SIDE, HE COULD DO SO WHILE ALSO FACING A JURY IN THIS EXTORTION, BRIBERY AND RACKETEERING CASE WHICH WOULD TRULY BE UNPRECEDENTED IN CHICAGO HISTORY.

>> AMAZING AND IT MEANS THE CAST LASTED AN ENTIRE ELECTED TERM AT CITY COUNCIL THUS FAR.

HEATHER THANKS VERY MUCH.

THANKS, PARIS.

>> AND YOU CAN READ HEALTH THEIR'S STORY ON OUR WEBSITE AND READ THE JUDGE'S FULL RULING AT WTTW.COM/NEWS.

>> CHICAGO BEACHES ARE BEARING THE BRUNT OF FLUCTUATING LAKE LEVELS AND WORSENING EROSION THIS AS LAKE MICHIGAN LEVELS PLUMMET FOLLOWING TWO YEARS OF REACHING RECORD-HIGHS.

THE TRIBUNE DID A DEEP DIVE INTO THE ISSUE THIS WEEKEND AS EXPERTS ARE WORKING TO STAY PRO-ACTIVE.

AND JOINING US ARE CASEY SEBETTO, COASTAL SPECIALIST FOR THE ILLINOIS ACCIDENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE UNIVERSITY AT ILLINOIS URBAN NAVMENT AND JOEL BRAMMEIER PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF THE ALIE ANSWER FOR THE GREAT LAKES.

WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

CASEY, A FEW MONTHS AGO "THE NEW YORK TIMES" DID AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THAT CLIMATE CHANGE POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO CHICAGO BECAUSE OF THE CHANGING LAKE LEVELS.

GIVE US A SYNOPSIS OF THAT THREAT?

>> GREAT LAKES LAKE LEVELS GO UP AND DOWN OVER TIME.

THAT IS NORMAL.

HOWEVER WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCED RECENTLY IS THAT THE LAKE WENT FROM RECORD LOWS TO RECORD-HIGHS IN A REALLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO IT DIDN'T -- MANY COASTAL LAND OWNERS DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR THIS RISE AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR COASTAL MANAGEMENT SUCH AS THE EROSION ASSOCIATED WITH RECORD-HIGH LAKE LEVELS.

>> AND JOEL BRAMMEIER LAST TIME YOU WERE ON THE SHOW LAKE LEVELS WERE AT RECORD-HIGHS 2013 THEY WERE A RECORD LOW.

THIS WAS A SIX-FOOT CHANGE.

WHERE ARE THEY RIGHT NOW?

AND WHAT CONDITION HAVE THOSE RECORD-HIGHS LEFT CHICAGO'S BEACHES AND LAKEFRONT IN?

>> THE WATER LEVEL DROPPED OFF QUITE A BIT FROM 2020 BUT IT'S ABOVE THE AVERAGE THE LONG-TERM AVERAGE.

BUT ANYBODY WHO HAS LIVED IN CHICAGO WILL SEE THAT THE WATER LEVEL LOOKS LIKE IT'S WAY DOWN.

WHAT THAT IS UNCOVERED A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE SHORELINE, THAT OCCURRED DURING THE RECORD-HIGHS.

AND REMEMBER, A LOT OF CHICAGO'S SHORELINE IS ARTIFICIAL.

SO BEACHES ARE BUILT UP OVER THE LAST CENTURY AND SO A LOT OF THAT SAND GOT SCOURED AWAY AND YOU'RE LEFT WITH ROCKS AND WALLS AND OTHER SITTING OUT THERE IN THE WATER AND PEOPLE NOTICE THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE THE BEACHES THEY ARE USED TO SEEING.

>> CASEY SEBETTO IS THE PROBLEM WORSE IN SOME SPOTS THAN OTHERS?

>> YES, FOR SURE.

I THINK THAT CHICAGO'S ADDRESSING IN ITS VARIETY OF BEACHES, WE HAVE DIFFERENT SIZES, SHAPES, ORIENTATION, AND SURROUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND ALL OF THAT PLAYED AN IMPACT OR HAD AN IMPACT ON HOW EACH BEACH RESPONDED TO THE LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS AND STORM EVENTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

WHILE SOME MAY HAVE SEEMED TO ROTATE OTHERS RETREATED UNIFORM ALI AND OTHERS WERE INUNDATED AND LOST UNDERNEATH THE HIGH LAKE LEVELS.

>> AND JOEL BRAMMEIER AS I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT JUST THE FLUCTUATING LAKE LEVELS, BUT SEVERE STORMS.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

>> YES.

SO BEACHES AND OTHER SHORELINE STRUCTURES ACT AS A BUFFER TO THE EXTREME STORMS.

WHEN YOU SEE THE WAVES PILING UP IN NOVEMBER, YOU CAN SEE THAT EROSION IN ACTION AND THOSE STORMS CAN HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON COASTAL LAND.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN FOR EXAMPLE, A SMALL BEACH IN ROGERS PARK THEY GOT HIT REALLY HARD OR SOUTH SHORE YOU SAW A TON OF FLOODING COASTAL PROPERTIES, APARTMENT BUILDINGS LOSING POWER AND THOSE EXTREME STORMS PILING UP WATER ON THE SHORELINE, AND IN THE RECORD-HIGHS OF 2020, THOSE STRUCTURES JUST COULDN'T WITHSTAND THAT KIND OF FORCE.

AND SO YOU ARE SEEING SOME IMPACTS NOT JUST TO BEACHES AND PARK LOSS BUT ALSO TO THE PROTECTION OF PROPERTIES AND PEOPLE'S HEALTH THAT THESE EXTREME HIGHS HAD AND NOW THE QUESTION IS: THE LAKE HAS GONE DOWN A BIT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE TIME WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR CREATING A MORE RESILIENT SHORELINE.

>> THE FLOODING OF PEOPLE'S BASEMENTS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKEFRONT.

CASEY SEBETTO, WHAT KINDS OF SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED?

YOU HAVE REVETMENTS IN PORTIONS AND BEACHES, YOU'VE GOT ROCKS.

WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE SOLUTION THAT IS NEEDED?

ASSUMING THAT THESE LEVELS WILL FLUCTUATE YEAR AFTER YEAR?

>> I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE AND TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY AAREAS FOR PROTECTIONS WHAT.

AREAS WERE MORE AND LESS IMPACTED DURING THE PAST TRANSITION FROM LOW TO HIGH LAKE LEVELS.

HOW CAN WE PRIORITIZE AREAS FOR PROTECTION NOT ONLY WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION AND ALSO HABITAT, FLOODING, ECONOMIC USES, RECREATIONAL USES.

SO I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DONE RIGHT NOW IS TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON THE COASTAL LANDSCAPE AND UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT JUST HAPPENED SO THAT WE CAN BEST PLAN TO BUILD OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND CREATE THE LONG-TERM PLANNING PROCESSES THAT WILL CREATE A MORE RESILIENT SHORELINE AS WATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO FLUCTUATE AND POTENTIALLY TO REACH RECORD LEVELS MORE OFTEN IN THE FUTURE.

>> AND I KNOW THERE IS FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO DO THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THIS IN 25 YEARS.

SUPPOSED TO COME OUT IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

JOEL BRAMMEIER WHAT IS ANTICIPATED TO SHOW?

>> BACK IN THE 80s WHEN THERE WAS A RECORD-HIGH, THE CORPS STUDIED THE SHORELINE AND IT WAS A LOT OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES YOU SEE ON CHICAGO'S PARKS THEY ARE REFRESHING THAT STUDY TO SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN NEXT AND THERE IS A LARGER STUDY THAT IS GREAT LAKES WIDE, LOOKING AT HOW DO WE BUILD RESILIENCE, THE ABILITY OF THE SHORELINE TO REBOUND AND TAKE CARE OF ITSELF ACROSS LARGE AREAS.

THESE ARE IMPORTANT STUDIES BECAUSE THEY CAN BE THE FIRST STEP IN UNLOCKING THE MAKE INVESTMENTS THAT IS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE GREAT LAKES SHORELINE.

WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF CLEAN UP AND PREVENTEDDED INVASIVE SPECIES WE HAVE NOT INVESTED AS MUCH AS NEEDED TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THE SHORELINE.

AND THESE CORPS STUDIES CAN BE THE FIRST STEPS TOWARDS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY GET SUPPORTED AND DONE SO WE HAVE A ROADMAP WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST THE NEXT DOLLAR IN CREATING HEALTHY GREAT LAKES SHORELINES.

>> CASEY SEBETTO, IS IT FAIR TO ANTICIPATE NRUKSIATING LAKE LEVELS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND DECADES?

IT WAS AT A HIGH LAST YEAR AND IT'S COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

IS IT ALL JUST ABOUT THE SNOW THAT HAPPENS UP NORTH AND THE MELT OFF?

>> THERE ARE A VARIETY OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE LAKE LEVELS.

IT INCLUDES PRECIPITATION, EVAPORATION, RUNOFF, WATER SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE, AND ALL OF THESE FACTORS ARE INFLUENCED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO I THINK IF WE CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE WAY WE HAVE, WE CAN EXPECT THAT WE WOULD SEE MORE OF THESE FLUCTUATIONS AND LIKELY SEE MORE OF THESE MORE EXTREME FLUCTUATIONS LIKE SEEING THE HIGHER HIGHS AND THE LOWER LOWS.

IT'S HARD WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALL EXPERIENCING TOGETHER AS IT UNFOLDS.

BUT I THINK WE ARE TRYING TO LEARN SO THAT WE CAN BE A PRO-ACTIVE AS POSSIBLE AS WE ANTICIPATE THESE CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE.

>> WELL, WE WILL CONTINUE COVERING THIS AND OUR THANKS TO CASEY SEBETTO AND JOEL BRAMMEIER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS, PARIS.

>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH.

>> UP NEXT SOME OF TODAY'S TOP BUSINESS HEADLINES SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> A LEGAL BRAWL BETWEEN FIFTH THIRD BANK AND FEDERAL REGULATORS IS UNDERWAY.

WALMART IS HIRING BIG TIME AND A STUDY SAYS COOK COUNTY HAS EARNED ITSELF A NEW TITLE.

CLIMATE CHANGE REFUGE.

HERE TO EXPLAIN THAT AND MORE IS CRAIN'S BUSINESS REPORTER DANNY ECKER.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THAT FIRST STORY THE U.S. CONSUMER PROTECTION FINANCIAL BUREAU IS INVESTIGATING FIFTH THIRD BANK FOR A SERIES OF UNAUTHORIZED ACCOUNTS THE BANK OPENED UP.

CAN YOU FILL US IN ON THIS?

>> THIS DATES BACK TO 2020 THE FEDERAL REGULATOR GROUP SUED FIFTH THIRD AND SAID A LOT OF THE BANKS' ACCOUNTS FROM 2010-2016 EMPLOYERS WERE CREATING FICTITIOUS ACCOUNTS TO BOOST SALES GOALS AND A LOT WAS OCCURRING IN CHICAGO.

THE BANK HAD SAID OK MAYBE 2,000 ACCOUNTS BUT THE REGULATORS ARE SAYING THAT IS UNDERSTATED THE PROBLEM.

THERE WERE POTENTIALLY MULTIPLE HUGE MULTIPLES OF THAT THAT WERE CREATING PROBLEMS AND THEY'VE SAID THE BANK IS GETTING IN THE WAY OF THEIR EFFORTS TO VERIFY IT.

AND AS FOR WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BANK, THE BUREAU ARGUES THIS COULD BE SIMILAR IN SCOPE TO THE WELLS FARGO SCANDAL THAT WAS OCCURRING AROUND THE SAME TIME AND THEY WANT IT TO GO BEFORE A JURY AND IT'S MUCH MORE LIMITED THAN THE BUREAU IS MAKE IT OUT TO BE.

>> BIGGER ISSUE THAN FIFTH THIRD MADE IT OUT TO BE.

FIFTH THIRD IS A SUPPORTER OF WTTW.

ON THE NEXT STORY WALMART IS OPENING A GIANT WAREHOUSE OUT AROUND JOLIET.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE WAREHOUSE AND TRUCKING INDUSTRIES IN GENERAL?

>> THE BIG NEWS IS ABOUT JOBS.

WALMART PLANS TO HIRE 1,000 WORKERS IN JOLIET.

IT IS A 1.1 MILLION SQUARE-FOOT WAREHOUSE.

THIS IS MORE WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING WITH AMAZON, WHICH HAS GROWN WITH THE RISE OF ON-LINE SHOPPING AND WAREHOUSE SPACE HAS BEEN OFF THE CHARTS.

WALMART IS TRYING TO KEEP UP AND THE CHICAGO AREA IS A STRATEGIC HUB FOR BUILDINGS LIKE THIS.

WILL COUNTY IS TOO HUGE CENTERS AT I80 AND 55.

THIS IS THE THING WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE AND ONE OF THE HOTTEST SECTORS IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.

>> SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE GOING UP EVERYWHERE.

A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT THE COOK COUNTY IS A TOP DESTINATION FOR THOSE FLEEING CLIMATE CHANGE.

EXPLAIN THAT FOR US?

>> YES, HAVEN'T YOU HEARD PEOPLE MOVE TO CHICAGO FOR THE WEATHER?

THAT IS WHY EVERYONE MOVES HERE.

THIS IS A STUDY FROM HIGH HIRE A HELPER, COOK COUNTY WAS SEVEN ON THE LIST OF THE 10 PLACES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE MIGRANTS ARE HEADING.

IN OTHER WORDS WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING.

SO A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING TEXAS, MANY WERE MOVING TO ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA BUT COOK COUNTY ALSO IS VERY POPULAR IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHETHER THAT IS A TREND THAT CONTINUES WITH CLIMATE CHANGE WITH MORE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY WANTING TO COME TO THE CHICAGO AREA.

>> AND WE'LL SEE HOW LONG THEY LAST HERE ONCE THEY GO THROUGH OUR WINTERS.

DANNY ECKER THANK YOU, SO MUCH.

>> THANKS, PARIS.

>> AND UP NEXT, A PODCAST SERIES EXPLORING QUEER HISTORY WITH HELP FROM A LOCAL LIBRARY.

FIRST, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER... >> A LIBRARY FILLED WITH COLLECTIONS OF PEOPLE'S STORIES IS COMING TO LIFE IN A PODCAST SERIES.

"CHICAGO TONIGHT'S" JOANNA HERNANDEZ RECENTLY WENT TO THE GERBER HART LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES TO MEET THE PEOPLE UNBOXING LGBTQ HISTORY.

HERE IS ANOTHER LOOK.

>> MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE PLANS TO GO TO WISCONSIN OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

WE'LL VISIT THE OUT BACK, A WOMEN ONLY CAMPGROUND.

AT THE GERBER HART LIBRARY YOU CAN FIND ANYTHING FROM OLD NEWSLETTERS TO COSTUMES.

AND EVEN A BARRY OF ROSIE O'DONNELL.

THERE ARE ISLES FILLED WITH BOXES TELLING STORIES OF THE BOX.

>> I THINK QUEER HISTORY GETS BOILED DOWN TO STONEWALL, AIDS AND GAY MARRIAGE AND THERE IS NO CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW RICH THE HISTORY IS BEFORE STONEWALL AND THERE IS NO CONVERSATION ABOUT POSITIVE MOMENTS.

>> PROGRAM COORDINATOR JEN DENTEL STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER EIGHT YEARS AGO AND WAS ENCHANTED BY THE LIFE OF A CHICAGO DRAG QUEEN MISS TILLEY.

>> LOOK AT MISS TILLEY SHE HAS THE CAT EYE THERE'S FRINGE AND GLOVES AND A BEEHIVE.

SHE WAS A DRAG QUEEN IN THE 40s AND PASSED IN 2005.

HER BIGGEST PERFORMANCES WERE THE 60s AND 70s.

>> NOW, MISS TILLEY'S STORY IS COMING TO LIFE IN A PODCAST SERIES CALLED "UNBOXING QUEER HISTORY".

>> IT'S CITING TO SEE YOURSELF REFLECTED BACK TO YOU IN HISTORY AND I FEEL THAT PARTICULARLY WITH THE LATINA COLLECTION A GROUP THAT GATHERED MONTHLY IN THE LATE 90s.

TO JUST BE LATINA AND BE QUEER TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT IT AND BRING IN THEIR FAMILIES.

>> ONE THING THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT WAS THE SOFTBALL TEAM.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE ACTUAL HATS AND UNIFORMS AND LIKE IMAGINE LIKE THE PRIDE WEARING SOMETHING THAT HAS BOTH OF THESE IDENTITIES.

>> AUDIO PRODUCER ARI COHN PITCHED THE IDEA TO GERBER HART AND WITH THE HELP OF A GRANT IT GREW INTO A EIGHT-EPISODE SERIES.

DIVING IN THE LIVES OF AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TRANSGENESIS.

>> A ACTUAL JOURNAL AND THIS IS A COLLECTION WE HAVE MANY COPIES OF.

AND YES, THEY INTERVIEWED PEOPLE.

>> IT STARTED HERE IN CHICAGO UP IN EDGEWATER.

IN 1995.

>> THIS IS HER.

SO CUTE.

PODCAST CREATORS SAY THE SERIES GIVES LGBTQ TRAIL BLAZER A VOICE TO UNPACK THEIR EXPERIENCES.

>> THE PEOPLE WE INTERVIEWED TALKING TO US ABOUT THEIR HISTORY AND THAT WE WERE EVEN INTERESTED IN IT WAS A POINT OF SO MUCH EMOTION FOR THESE ELDERS THAT WE TALKED TO.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

>> 91, THEY WERE SEIZING FILMS.

>> THE GROUP SHARES DISCOVERING THEIR QUEER LINEAGE EMPOWERED THEM AND HOPES LISTEN HERS FEEL THE SAME.

2000 WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO.

>> 22 YEARS.

>> THINK ABOUT THE PHOTOS OF YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS HAVING FUN AT A BAR AND THE BROCHURES ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION YOU ARE STARTING.

YOUR SHIRTS, HATS THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE AND I HOPE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT JUST EXISTING IS IMPORTANT.

>> HOPE THEY LAUGH I THINK WE'VE FOUND WAYS TO BRING JOY AND LAUGHTER TO THE FOLD BECAUSE QUEER HISTORY IS A LOT OF FUN.

IT DOESN'T ONLY HAVE TO BE THE HEARTBREAK WE HAVE HAD TO ENDURE.

>> I AM HAPPY AND HOPE IT FEELS LIKE A CELEBRATION.

>> CURVY GIRL.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>> THE GERBER HART LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES HAS BEEN PRESERVING QUEER COLLECTIONS SINCE 1981.

HEAD TO THE WEBSITE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE PODCAST.

AND WE'RE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS.

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

ABBREVIATED TO BRING YOU THE RIVER TOUR WITH GEOFFREY BAER.

STAY CONNECTED BY SIGN UP FOR YOUR DAILY BRIEFING.

AND YOU CAN GET "CHICAGO TONIGHT" STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YouTube AND OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM/NEWS.

YOU CAN ALSO GET THE SHOW VIA PODCAST AND THE PBS VIDEO APP.

AND PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT ONTARIO P.M.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE LATEST CANDIDATE TO ENTER THE RACE FOR CHICAGO'S MAYOR RODERICK SAWYER.

I'M PARIS SCHUTZ THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

[♪♪♪]