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

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> The people of Chicago know that they're there.

Entirely focused on their right now.

>> Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sits down with our Heather Sharon to talk about his tenure so far.

It's at the center of a deadly cruise ship outbreak.

But what is the junta virus?

And what is the outbreak?

Tell us about our relationship with wildlife.

>> There's so much evil in the world and there's always overcome by so much.

Goodness.

>> A family of Holocaust survivor celebrates 80 years in the United States.

>> First off tonight, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Mark the end of his 3rd year in office by sitting down with our Heather Sharon and taking a look back at another year to find by President Donald Trump and steeped in crisis.

Heather joins us now with more as the clock ticks on what Johnson hopes will be.

His first of may be more than one term in office.

Heather?

>> The mayor told me that the greatest challenge he faced this year was leading the city through so-called Operation Midway Blitz.

When the Trump administration sent hundreds of federal agents to Chicago as part of the president's promise to deport every undocumented immigrant in the United States.

Let's listen to what Johnson told me about what those days were like.

>> This was a difficult time, not just for Chicago, for the entire country and ever, you know, in a million years, did we ever believe that a sitting president, what attack American cities, the way the Trump administration did and it was important that we stood on our values.

What I was clear about is that I had to use every single tool that was available to me to protect Chicago.

>> Lets be clear.

Johnson has spent most of his time in office steeped in a crisis of some sort or not.

First in 2023, Chicago's police station filled up with migrants set to Chicago from the southern border.

And then of course, the city faced budget deficits nearly a billion dollars.

And then Donald Trump won a second term in the White House and spent most of his first year trying to strip Chicago of billions of dollars in federal aid.

Let's just let's listen to Johnson.

Talk about those battles.

>> Well, I mean, when you put it that way, we have endured quite a bit.

It has been a barrage of just crisis after crisis that I've had to manage.

But again, you know, I've made it very clear that it's that's a lot more effective and easier to lead.

When you are leading with your values and your conviction.

>> Heather, there've also been, of homegrown challenges.

A city facing an annual budget deficit topping a billion dollars.

A tense relationship between the mayor and city council.

More flash points looming on the horizon.

Johnson, you know, he also promises to make Chicago the safest most affordable, big City in America.

Where does that pushed?

And he acknowledged today it is very much a work in progress.

And in fact, it's getting harder because he says the president's war in Iran and tariffs has caused the cost of living to search.

>> Now, even as Johnson used this anniversary to sort of tout what he's accomplished over the last 3 years, one of his signature legislative accomplishments hangs in the balance next week.

The city Council is scheduled to vote on proposal that would essentially freeze his effort to end the tipped minimum wage in Chicago.

Now, earlier this week, his staff told me that the mayor supported the steal, which would put it on ice for 2 years and deny tips worker to planned raises this July.

And next July.

But let's listen to what he told me today.

>> I believe the 5 year ramp was designed as a compromise to help small businesses, you know, a business model that could keep up with the cost of living.

But again, I'm gonna look at this measure as closely possibly can.

My desire, of course, is to make sure that workers get the raises.

>> Of course, with any Chicago Mayor Johnson is going to have to decide whether or not he is running for reelection this summer.

Did he give you a sense of which way he's leaning?

Keep didn't he insisted he is focused on the future and working for the people of Chicago.

Wouldn't expect him to say anything different right?

But he did acknowledge that it's perhaps unlikely that he will achieve any other.

>> Major legislative accomplishment in the next year.

And that means as he acknowledged he's likely to run for reelection if he decides to do so as an underdog, an unusual position for a sitting mayor of Chicago, OK?

Well, he's walking to break that news with I'm sure is a Sharon, thanks so much.

Thanks, Brandis.

>> And you can read more about Heather.

Sit down with Mayor Johnson on our website.

It is all at W T Tw dot com slash news.

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

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Although it's rare the junta virus has been top of mind for many over the past 2 weeks.

outbreak of this serious disease has infected at least 9 passengers on a cruise ship that departed from Argentina in April leading to 3 deaths so far.

Meanwhile, public health officials in Illinois reported a suspected case in Winnebago County just this week that is unrelated to the cruise ship outbreak.

This has many wondering about the risk, Illinois and space.

The response efforts and how people can better prepare for emerging diseases.

Joining us, our Dr Robert Murphy, a professor of medicine at Northwestern University.

And Dr William Sander, a professor of preventative medicine and public health at the University of Illinois.

Thanks to both for joining us.

Dr.

Sander, I want to start with you.

How does the hand to the junta virus excuse me spread from animals to humans?

>> Well, thanks for having us.

I think the big way that we see how virus spreading is typically from droppings and urine building up and environmental conditions.

And typically down those stairs lives and that's when people can help develop pulmonary for respiratory syndromes and so you to the humiliation oftentimes of these sort of toppings are buildups from mice or rats.

And it takes quite a bit of effort.

Oftentimes areas like this then have somebody read that get infected.

>> So it's not the kind of thing.

It's not easy to pick up necessarily, but clearly it can be done.

>> Correct, correct.

>> Dr.

Murphy, what was your reaction to the word of this outbreak on the in behind us when you learned about it?

>> You know, there's a lot of things going on that are bad that we should have learned from the COVID pandemic that are sort of not being done one although the virus here in the United States that have the virus in the United States, which is called said number.

>> only transmitted as Dr Center from urine droppings feces from these mice.

But the Andes virus, which is the one involved in the cruise ship is a is a completely different virus and can transmitted person to person and many of the people on have been who have tested positive.

A lot of some of them have no symptoms.

So it's a turning everything around at this particular point.

>> And as I understand, Dr Murphy, it took health officials on the ship awhile to realize that it was hantavirus that they were dealing with.

>> Well, it took well, first of all, it's it's not that common, an Argentina.

It's 15 to 18 times more common then in the United States, we have about 30 cases per year in the United States.

They had 100 cases in the last year.

compared you know, the population is about one-sixth United kids.

they have quite a bit more.

Why is that?

You know, could be the animal itself.

It's a different animal.

Each type of animal has a different kind virus.

They can also be because humans are also transmitted.

We don't really know.

And, you know, it's just a it's very unfortunate.

And, you know, we have the people keep saying, oh, it's so, you know, you have to be in a rural area.

There has to be mice running around whatever.

You know, the cases here in the United States, you know, it was Gene Hackman wife living in very nice house in New Mexico who got it and you know, you have a luxury cruise where, you know, 3 people died before the even figured out what was going on.

>> So can still happen.

Dr Sonder Doctor Sanders season.

We have a lot of road and struggles known for its rat population.

Why hunt a virus?

Not much of a threat here in the city.

>> It's a much of a threat because, you know, mice that we as Murphy alluded to.

So strip Iris is not real transmitted by most of the rodents that we have here in the Chicago area.

So it's not as big of a concern.

typically see a lot of the number to iris cases in the western part of the new because the species of my sons most readily apparent there, and it's also the environmental conditions.

We suspect to be more favorable to read wooded areas as well.

>> To that end, Dr Murphy, what level of concern should people in Chicago or even the rest of Illinois?

Because there was a separate case, unrelated case in Winnebago County.

But what concerns you have?

>> But center's really point out, is primarily a disease of the Western states, especially the 4 corner area of the West.

However, we've had 8 cases in Illinois, including the one you just mentioned that was in the Rockford area and Winnebago County.

So you can you can definitely get it here.

And those cases are pretty well documented in the they were definitely related animal to man.

That was not the human to human it all.

That's not happening in the United States, which is a good thing.

Can things change?

You bet they can that virus can find the Andes virus can find a host here, a type of rat mouse or something like that.

You know, it could be really a game changer.

>> Doctor Sander beyond haunted virus.

Are there other health concerns that come up because of the interaction between humans and wildlife that could occur even locally?

>> Sure.

I mean, we're always concerned about a new emerging seasons.

We've had a prime example, obviously COVID-19 and we're jumping like human to human and cause a global pandemic, but we even have cases now are concerned about bird flu, highly pathogenic avian influenza in the last 3 as that's made the news and and made into Coutts admitted into dairy workers as well.

We haven't any cases of that and people Illinois, but recently cases, the wild birds you're in the state.

And so that's one of those that we keep our Jan.

I think the other pieces rabies is another one that we always think about for much of an odd to see a standpoint.

And that's our big carrier rabies.

And we certainly have written and sear in Illinois, a lot 80 honor cases of rabies in bats, time most every year.

And so that's always a concern from our standpoint, trying monitor that and make sure that you're taking on the cautions from a month.

>> Dr Murphy, our public health institutions responding to this outbreak.

>> Well, the WHO has basically taken the lead in the global outbreak of the heart of arson, as you know, United States withdrew from the who earlier this year.

>> And >> we're basically picking up the information from the newspapers and just interpersonal context that exists there.

>> All the people that were leading the agencies that would be working on Hunter virus at the CDC.

Have left the CDC.

They've been either fired or they took early retirement.

>> All those positions are empty right now.

So there's a there's a lack of leadership there.

director of the CDC is the same director of the NIH.

Right now.

He's doing it as the interim role is not trained in infectious diseases.

So there is a a lack leadership at the major health institutions and the Department of Health and Human Services in general.

There seems to just be this focus on, you know, the toxicity of vaccines that seems to be doing and they Great sounds like some concern and for for medical professionals who look to the CDC as far as if from what you're saying is what it sounds like.

That's what we're gonna have to leave.

at at the highest level of the states are doing a very good job.

>> You know, typically it's the Fed's leaving everything.

But now it's the states that are leading a different different situation.

Of course, happening today.

That's where we'll have to leave the doctor's Robert Murphy and William.

Sandra, thanks to both for joining us.

Thank you for having.

Up next, a remarkable true story of surviving the Holocaust.

>> A 3 year-old girl facing the loss of her mother, a Catholic father who converted to Judaism fighting to keep his children alive and not see Germany and 7 siblings who found refuge in the United States but were forced to endure separation from one another.

Those are the stories told in the award-winning documentary, Unbroken tracing the extraordinary survival of the Web or family during the Holocaust.

Now, 80 years after the siblings arrived in America, the Web or family is celebrating that during that journey with a screening of unbroken on May 20th at the Wayfair Theater in Highland Park.

And joining us our Ginger lane, the youngest of the web or siblings that's weighing Gingers daughter and director of Unbroken and Jenna Laine.

Also Ginger starter and executive producer of Unbroken.

Thanks to you all for being here.

We're thrilled you're here.

Thank you.

have sobeck ingenue who are the driving forces behind this Best was the driver.

That was because you, of invested years of work to bring this to life.

What was important for you make this film back?

We'll start with you.

I mean, I first learned that my mom was adopted when I was 6 years old, which is the same age that she was when she came to this country.

And I learned that she had 6 other siblings.

>> But that I would never meet them.

So you fast forward many, many years and we my mom did reunite with her family.

Eventually, but it wasn't until 2017 that we went back to her place of rescue and Jen and mom and I were standing on the farmland where she was hidden for 2 years and our hosts that particular day had a surprise for us and they invited as it surprise a descendant of the farmers to me this.

It just it was Felt like I was touching the DNA of the man who enable our Mumm survival in our ability to be here.

Just to talk to you today, Jen, why was important to you?

I mean, my mom's story is something that we both learned is young children.

But >> it is been sort of a full circle moment for her to be able to reunite with her family.

>> In the 80's and then now for to be the 80th anniversary.

It's just incredible.

And I'm just so proud of.

>> Our family and the work that he's done and that my mom has what she's really endured to be here.

It's pretty amazing that some people had so much compassion and empathy in their lives that they enabled our entire family to be here a grateful for It is really miraculous So Ginger, you lost your mother.

very young age, as we said, she is, you know, just explored in the film.

She was taken by the Gestapo to Auschwitz.

What do you remember of her?

First of all, she had very dark black hair.

And she was a heavy smoker.

But most important she had a wealth of friends.

And she was from Hungary.

And there were many Hungarians coming through Berlin and she actually worked for the underground, can help.

People escape.

So to get out of Berlin.

And I remember distinctly there we were in a apartment.

Also 95.

And next door.

There was one little tiny room.

every day somebody knew within that room, we have had no idea.

And it was people that she was sheltering and then moving through the system.

So that's pretty much what I remember of her as a warm and generous person who went out of her way to help other people.

How did how did her death impact the family at the time?

Because obviously was a time of great fear for the family.

Everybody else it was.

I of course, don't remember that.

But but I was devastated by losing her.

And there in in the documentary, there's an image of the coming up on a window sill and looking down and seeing he could stop overt aggression, in black coach putting her in the car and driving off.

And I was home alone.

Show a 3 year-old on really focuses on going to happen to me.

Rather than what's going to happen to my mother.

that I would never see again.

And she didn't.

When they took her, they didn't immediately transfer But because one of my sister said she and her.

she came back to the apartment and that was rearrested has happened several times.

We arrest him finally she was deported.

And we were ever lost.

My father now had to take care of 7 children.

And it would be wonderful if you could get a job.

Which was impossible.

He been arrested 19, 3, for and one of the faith first concentration camps, right?

And he was out.

He was released and he came back home at >> the film goes on tell a lot more, of course, about how you will eventually escaped on invest eur.

It raced your your mother and your aunts and uncles steps there, Germany during the Holocaust.

Of course, you've mentioned how various people hid them along the way, especially for those couple of years on the farm.

What was it like for you to follow this trail to actually stand there?

We see you in the film, you know, holding the phone up so that your mom is a part of it as well, right?

Right.

I mean, it was incredible.

I feel so lucky that we had at the 50th anniversary of their immigration to America.

>> My Uncle Alfonse moms, brother had written a 40 page document the family caught a brief history of the Web or siblings.

And we took that 40 page document, every location, every building, every street every city.

We took it and put it into Google Maps.

And that was our road map.

That's how we created our locations.

Where are we going to scout?

And we didn't know if we would come up with anything if what would bear fruit in the city or the street and some things didn't.

But most did.

And it was really pretty incredible to feel like I was walking this their steps of how they actually started in Berlin, went out of all rain and then eventually made their way down to store from then up to Brummer Haven where the SSA Marine Flasher departed and then came to America.

Great.

There is a scene that I want to during which your sister Ruth, she manages to bike from a small village in Germany.

Back to Berlin.

>> Despite a Russian air assaults, you and the rest of the family are already on the run at this point.

So Iraq separated.

Let's watch.

>> No, also by they are.

I broke the law.

Come to my.

And whatever food I had gone put behind me on the and thought about going.

We're likely calm on outside and, you know, strange thing happened on way.

The robot it dropping It was one bomb that off and that company.

flying through And I want lead the wrong time fine.

>> Yeah, scrappy bunch of Wonderful.

She's right in the middle of the family.

She took good care of me she was the most dynamic dramatic after a person our family that really comes through in the film Thank you.

It and I don't the group would have gotten here.

If it hadn't been for growth who dragged me to to the and Red United Nations Relief Fund.

And we sat there and waited and waited until finally we were called in.

She it only America.

That's where we're going.

And you know, whatever think about it.

But for the lack of strangers.

We never have made it.

The first person being our savior.

All right.

Fischman and his wife, the next somebody at that UNRWA who said to cover yourself orphans, if you want to get out.

Because we only had at that point.

Our father living.

And then every place we went, I kind of feel like there was angel watching and helping us.

So you and your siblings.

Your arrive in New York in you are eventually brought to Chicago.

Know there is.

>> Jenna, want to come to you on this because it seems like there's a bit of a cruel irony here, right with you know, fight and scraped to stay alive and to stay together in Europe only to be separated once they arrive in America when they're safe.

It's a heartbreaking.

It's a heartbreaking part of story, but it's also you'll see that they all do come back together in such a beautiful way.

But it does if it does make it a little bit difficult at that one point in the film to watch and you think to yourself, how could that possibly be when all this has happened?

But I would also say it isn't just the lack of these strangers.

It is that they made the choice.

They made the choice to be empathetic.

They made the choice to act and to do what they knew in their hearts was the right thing to And so that's really what the story is about.

the lesson that we're trying to teach through the film through the education night, etc.

That's really the goal of the Web or family or its foundation.

tell stories like this.

But their stories are hopeful because everyone has the ability to make a choice and it only takes one person.

It is is absolutely inspirational.

That is what we'll have to leave it.

Congrats on 80 years to your family and your big family because it's big family growing and growing.

Congrats.

General Wayne Beth Lane Ginley, thanks to all of you.

>> Thank you so much.

Again, Unbroken is showing May 20th at the Wayfair Theater in Highland Park.

>> I know before we go tonight, you are invited to join us for a W t Tw News town hall about police community relations in Chicago.

It is Tuesday May 26th at 06:00PM at Cal U Haul in Pilsen.

You can reserve your free tickets at W T Tw Dot com slash events.

Tickets are limited.

So sign up today.

Tell your friends again.

That is at W T Tw dot com slash events.

And that's our show for this Thursday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5.37, for the week in review.

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

Stay healthy and safe and have a thing.

>> caption Ms may pass?

I love eclipse and a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death.