>>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

>> CARJACKINGS IN COOK COUNTY HAVE INCREASED 44% SINCE LAST YEAR.

SHERIFF TOM DARD IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S BEING DONE TO ADDRESS IT.

>> WHATEVER HAPPENS BECAUSE THAT HAVE MANPOWER ISSUE.

>> UNION PRESIDENT SAYS THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS STARTING THIS WEEKEND.

OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THAT AND MUCH MORE.

WE GET TO PUT OUR NAME IN THESE TOO.

>> HOW A LAB IS TRACKING COVID-19 HOT SPOTS BY TRACKING CHICAGO AREA WASTE WATER WITH PLANS TO EXPAND STATEWIDE.

>> A NEW MOVIE INSPIRED BY THE 1987 HIJACKING ON WTTW'S AIRWAVES.

>> IT FEELS ORGANICALLY WHOLE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE LOVE.

>> AND BALLET DANCERS RETURN TO THE STAGE.

WE HAVE THE FIRST LOOK.

>> BUT FIRST SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES, THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ANNOUNCE FEDERAL GAME CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH LAST YEAR'S MURDER OF A LOCAL RAP ARTISTS.

ARE PROSECUTORS ARE CHARGING FIVE ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS WITH RACKETEERING, ACCUSING THEM OF PARTICIPATING IN A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF CARLTON WEEKLY WHO WENT BY THE NAME OF FEG DUCK.

THE MURDER OCCURRED AUGUST 4th OF LAST YEAR AT A GOAL POST.

TWO OTHER VICTIMS WERE SHOT IN THAT INCIDENT AND NO ARRESTS WERE MADE AT THE TIME.

>> WE'RE ABLE TO ESTABLISH EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A RACKETEERING ENTERPRISE HERE THAT WAS INVOLVED AND THIS MURDER WAS DONE IN FURTHERANCE OF THAT.

SO FEDERAL CHARGES WERE APPROPRIATE.

>> THE MAYOR HAS RECOMMENDED AN INTERIM CEO AT CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF RECENTLY RESIGNED FORMER CEO MIKE KELLY.

ROSA, THE CITY'S FORMER COMMISSIONER OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION SAYS LIFE FOOT WILL TAKE THE SPOT AND IS THE RIGHT LEADER AT THIS MOMENT TO BRING THE CONFIDENCE BACK TO THE PARK DISTRICT.

SHE WAS APPROVED FOR THE BOARD WHILE IT SEARCHES FOR A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT.

>>> SEVERAL POWERFUL MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL COULD BE VIOLATING STATE LAW.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT.

THE REPORT INFORMED THAT OLDER PEOPLE WHO LED POWERFUL COMMITTEES ON CITY COUNCIL USED EMPLOYEES OF THOSE COMMITTEES TO DO WORK IN THEIR WARDS.

THAT COULD VIOLATE A STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO SPEND TAXPAYER FUNDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICIES APPROVED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS.

THE REVIEW LOOKED AT SEVERAL COMMITTEES INCLUDING BUDGET, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING.

IN RESPONSE TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DENIED THAT THEY WERE DOING ANY TO VIOLATE STATE LAW.

>>> CHICAGO'S E SCOOTER PILOT PROGRAM COULD SOON BECOME PERMANENT.

A CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPROVED A PLAN TO ALLOW THE SCOOTERS TO RETURN TO CITY STREETS THIS SPRING.

THE PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW UP TO 6,000 SHAREABLE SCOOTERS FROM THREE FIRMS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE CITY'S PILOT PROGRAM AND WOULD ALLOW THOSE SCOOTERS TO EXPAND DOWNTOWN AND ON THE 606 TRAIL.

THE SPOTS WERE OFF LIMITS DURING THE PILOT.

THE FULL CITY COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO TAKE UP THE PROPOSAL TOMORROW.

>>> AND REFLECTIONS ARE POURING IN TODAY ON THE LIFE OF CHICAGO HISTORIAN CIVIL RIGHTS ICON KENNY OH 'BLACK WHO DIED AT THE AGE OF 102.

BLACK IS A WORLD WAR IIED VETERAN WHO WORKED CLOSELY WITH DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING AND HEADED ELECT THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR HERALD WASHINGTON.

OFFERED CONDOLENCES WRITING, QUOTE, TIM WAS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF PLACE AND HOW THE WORK WE DO TO IMPROVE ONE COMMUNITY CAN END UP REVERBERATING THROUGH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER CITIES AND EVENTUALLY CHANGING THE WORLD.

WE'LL HAVE MORE ON MAYOR BLACK A BIT LATER ON THE SHOW.

>>> WHICH PARTS OF THE CITY ARE SEEING THE MOST CARJACKINGS AND ANOTHER FINDING FROM THE COOK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

STAY WITH US.

THE.

>> CARJACKINGS IN COOK COUNTY ARE ON PACE TO BE THE WORST IN TWO DECADES.

ACCORD TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CARJACKINGS HAVE INCREASED BY NEARLY 44% THIS YEAR COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

IN MARCH, A TASK FORCE WAS FORMED BY THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE COOK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE ALONG WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO TRY TO PUT THE BRAKES ON CARJACKINGS.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE IS COOK COUNTY SHERIFF TOM DARD.

WELCOME BACK.

WHAT PROMPTED THE COUNTY TO CREATE THE STATE OF THIS.

>> WE'VE BEEN PARTNERED UP WITH THEM AND DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS IT'S HORRIBLE BUT GOING ON ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS WHERE IT'S GONE UP 500%, NEW YORK HAS GONE UP LIKE 80%.

IT'S REALLY -- IT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE, IT'S HORRIBLE AND SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS BUT THE NOTION WAS THAT THE FIRST THING WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUSLY SOLVING THE CRIMES IS GET THE DATA SO WE CAN START ANALYZING WHO'S DOING IT, WHERE THEY'RE OCCURRING MORE OFTEN AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES.

>> AND HOW WAS THE DATA COLLECTED?

WAS IT BASED ON REPORTS?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW, CHICAGO ALREADY HAD GREAT DATA, SO IT WAS ABOUT TAKING ALL THAT AND PUTTING IT INTO A DASHBOARD FORUM.

BUT FOR SUBURBAN COUNTY WE KNEW THEY WERE BEING PLAGUED BY THIS AS WELL AND THAT WAS ALL OVER THE BOARD.

SOME DEPARTMENTS HAD REALLY GOOD DATA AND OTHERS DID NOT AT ALL.

IT TOOK US A WHILE TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND IN DOING THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE COUNTY HEALTH.

>> YOU SAID THIS IS UP ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BY AS MUCH AS 500% IN SOME CITIES.

BUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHY CARJACKINGS ARE UP SO MUCH THIS YEAR?

>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO COME UP WITH THAT EXPLANATION, AND THERE'S A MYRIAD OF THEM.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DO MENTION COVID AND SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THAT.

OVER HALF OF THE CARJACKINGS ARE DONE BY JUVENILES AND DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SO MANY OF THE SCHOOLS ITSELF WERE CANCELED, AND SO THERE WAS LESS FOR KIDS TO DO AND A LOT OF IDLE TIME.

SO THAT WAS PART OF IT.

BUT THERE WAS OTHER DYNAMICS COMING INTO PLAY TOO.

THINK ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND, BRANDICE.

NOT TOO LONG AGO IF YOU HAD AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A MASK ON COMING ANYWHERE NEAR YOU, YOU KNEW TROUBLE WAS AFOOT.

NOW EVERYONE HAS A MASK ON.

SO IT MAKES IT -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LET THEIR GUARD DOWN, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY AS FAR AS TRYING TO ARREST AND PROSECUTE PEOPLE IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE NORM IS EVERYONE WEARS MASKS.

SO THERE'S A LOAD OF FACTORS COMING INTO PLAY HERE, BUT NOW HAVING DATA, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE A BETTER EFFORT AT IT AND WE'RE SEEING RESULTS, TOO, BRANDIS.

WE'RE RECOVERING CARS AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN WE THOUGHT JUST A YEAR AGO AND A BIG FACTOR IS, TOO, THAT WE'RE CUTTING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE CAR IS ACTUALLY GONE.

SO WE'VE CUT IN HALF THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR THE CAR TO BE RECOVERED SO IT CAN'T BE USED IN A CRIME THEN DURING THAT, OBVIOUSLY.

>> SO WE HAVE A HEAT MAP BASICALLY THAT SHOWS THAT THE WEST SIDE IS THE EPICENTER OF CARJACKERRINGS THIS YEAR, WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO AND A LITTLE BIT OF THE SURROUNDING AREA, AND OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT THE CPD HAS FORMED A TASK FORCE THAT INCLUDED YOUR OFFICE.

WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION ARE YOU SHARING BETWEEN AGENCY AS SOON AS.

>> LITERALLY EVERYTHING.

AND A PART OF IT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN WAYS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE FULLY APPRECIATE AT THE TIME, TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING MUCH MORE LIVE TIME, TIME INFORMATION, BUT IN DOING THAT, AS WE ALL KNOW, CAR CHASES ARE SOMETHING THAT CAN GO DRAMATICALLY WRONG IN A HURRY.

SO BY LOOKING AT THE DATA, WE ARE ABLE TO FIND A LOT OF THE PATTERNS SO WE KNEW WHEN WE'D HAVE OUR TASK FORCE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ADDING MUCH MORE PERSONNEL, WE KNOW TO HAVE THAT ACTIVATED BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO IT AROUND THE CLOCK BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ARE STRESS EVENTS BUT ALSO WE HAVE OUR HELICOPTERS UP, AND WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS CASES WHERE IN THE PAST YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO CALL OFF BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PURSUE THE VEHICLE.

THE HELICOPTER FOLLOWED THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS SOMEONE AT THE OTHER END WAITING FOR THEM TO MAKE THE ARREST.

SO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, AND IN CHICAGO AND THE FEDERAL AGENCIES, THE STATE POLICE, WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS ONE.

>> SO YOU'VE LEARNED SOME INFORMATION FROM THIS DATA, AND ACCORDING TO THAT DATABASE, CARJACKINGS OCCUR MORE OFTEN ON TUESDAYS, THE WEST SIDE AS WE SAID IS THE HOT SPOT, 2/3 OF THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN MEN, AND THE MOST TARGETED VEHICLE IS THE TOYOTA CAMARY.

WHAT OTHER PATTERNS HAVE YOU ALL NOTICED?

>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE ONCE WE STARTED LOOKING AT WHAT CARS WERE TARGETED, NOT ONLY DOES IT GIVE AN INDIVIDUAL REASON TO HAVE YOUR GUARD UP, BUT WHY WERE THEY TARGETING THE CARS?

FOR THE CAMARIES, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM, IT WAS EASIER TO SUBSEQUENTLY USE IN A CRIME, WHERE AS THE SECOND CAR WAS A JEEP CHEROKEE, I BELIEVE IT WAS.

AND THAT ONE, IT WAS MORE BECAUSE THOSE WERE ONES THAT WERE TARGETED FOR SECONDARY SALES.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO START DEVELOPING THAT.

WE HAD BETTER IDEAS ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS CREWS THAT WERE OPERATING.

AND BRANDIS, ONE THING IS IT GOES FROM THE JUVENILES BY AND LARGE ARE DOING IT FOR JOYRIDES WITH GUNS, TO SCARE PEOPLE TO DEATH, RIGHTFULLY SO, TO THE OTHER WHERE IT'S VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THEY ARE WILDLY SOPHISTICATED WITH THEIR FAUBS AND REPROGRAMMING AND THEY CAN WALK ON TO CAR LOTS AND STEAL CARS RIGHT OFF THE CLOTS AND HAVE FAUBS THAT OPEN DOORS AND START CARS UP.

>> OKAY.

LAST MONTH WE HEARD FROM COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT THAT TWO SUSPECTS TRIED TO CARJACK HER SECURITY IN FRONT OF HAD HER HYDE PARK HOME.

WHAT OTHER KIND OF TACTICS ARE YOU AND THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DEPLOYING TO STOP THE CARJACKINGS?

>> THE BIG THING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU IS THE FACT THAT ONCE WE FOUND THE DATES -- AND THAT'S MOVED AROUND A BIT.

BUT ONCE WE FOUND THE DATES AND TIMES OF THE ONES THAT WERE BEING -- WHERE MOST PEOPLE WERE BEING VICTIMIZED, WE WERE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE OUR FORCES ON THOSE DAYS, AND WE ARE -- OUR DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, WE'RE MAKING ARRESTS NOW.

SO WE'RE MAKING MORE RECOVERIES DEFINITELY.

WE'RE MAKING MORE ARRESTS DEFINITELY.

SO WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT, AND THAT'S ALL BEING DRIVEN BY US HAVING BETTER IDEAS ON WHERE, WHAT TYPES OF CARS AND WHEN THIS IS OCCURRING.

>> SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO MENTIONED THAT 2/3 OF THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN MEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS SURPRISING, THAT MORE VICTIMS WERE MEN THAN WOMEN BUT WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO MOTORISTS TO, A, AVOID A CARJACKING AND WHAT THEY SHOULD DO IF IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE A VICTIM?

>> THE ONE THING IS THAT YOU TELL PEOPLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET YOUR PROPERTY BACK.

YOU CANNOT SAVE YOUR LIFE.

YOU KNOW, FIGHTING THESE THIEVES ARE NOT A GOOD IDEA.

GIVE PEOPLE YOUR CAR.

I HAD THIS VERY DISCUSSION WITH MY OWN CHILDREN, YOU START WITH THAT, BUT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE, WHICH IS COUNTER TO THE CULTURE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW PEOPLE IN SPITE OF BEING ILLEGAL, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ON THEIR PHONES, LOOKING AT EMAILS AND TEXTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND YOU SET YOURSELF UP FOR MORE OF A VICTIM IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGED.

SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE ON YOUR TOES MORE.

SAD TO SAY THAT, BUT YOU SHOULD BE ANYWAYS AND CERTAINLY YOU SHOULDN'T BE ON YOUR PHONE.

>> SHERIFF, A FEW WEEKS AGO, SWITCHING GEARS JUST A LITTLE BIT, YOU FILED SUIT AGAINST THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OVER ABOUT 500 OR SO DETAINEES WHO WERE IN YOUR CUSTODY WHO SHOULD BE IN THE STATE'S CUSTODY, BUT YOUR PETITION WAS DENIED.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE GLC, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE?

>> I WISH WE DID, BRANDIS, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE'VE EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR AND A HALF NOW.

ONE TIME WE HAD OVER 1,000 PEOPLE WE WERE SITTING ON.

AND TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT MEANS I HAVE TO OPEN UP BUILDINGS THAT HAVE LONG BEEN CLOSED AND HAVE HAVE MY STAFF -- MANDATE MY STAFF, THIS VERY TO STAY AFTER WORK, DO AN ADDITIONAL SHIFT, SO THERE'S A HIGH BURN-OUT FACTOR ON MY STAFF THAT ALREADY IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB AS IT IS, AND WITH ALL OF THE COVID MITIGATION THINGS THAT WE DO MAKE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT, AND NOW I'M ASKING PEOPLE, TELLING PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN'T GO HOME TO WHATEVER EVENTS YOU MOOITY HAVE SET UP BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WATCH A BUILDING THAT SHOULD BE CLOSED BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WON'T TAKE PEOPLE.

THERE'S NO DISCUSSION.

THEY ALL KNOW LEGALLY THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE WITH ME BUT THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE OF MITIGATION ISSUES, WHICH I FIND SO PERPLEXING, EVERYONE SAYS THESE ARE UNDER CONTROL, VACCINATIONS GOING ON, IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY AM I STILL SITTING ON ABOUT 600 PEOPLE, WHICH REPRESENTS, BRANDIS ABOUT, A TENTH OF MANUFACTURE POPULATION HERE.

>> OAK.

THAT'S SUBSTANTIAL -- I THINK IDOC SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE THEM AS THEY ARE ABLE TO BUT OF COURSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE YOU'LL KEEP US INFORMED ON.

SHERIFF DART, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>>> UP NEXT, A LOOK AT HOW TESTING WASTE WATER CAN HELP TRACK COVID HOT SPOTS.

STAY WITH US.

THROWTZ THE PANDEMIC HAPPY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE ON COVID MEMBERS.

IN PARTICULAR HOW MANY POSITIVE TESTS ARE COMING BACK EACH DAY BUT THE NOT SO FUN NASAL SWAB ISN'T THE ONLY WAY TO TRACK CORONAVIRUS IN A COMMUNITY.

FOR THE PAST YEAR A UIC LAB HAS BEEN TRACKING THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES COVID IN WASTE WATER.

JOINING US TO EXPLAIN HOW THAT ALL WORKS AND HOW THE DATA IS USED OUR COMMISSIONER KIMBERLY OF THE METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT, THE AGENCY THAT MANAGES MUCH OF COOK COUNTY'S WASTED STORM WATER WAS AN EARLY PARTNER TO PROVIDING SAMPLES TO THE LAB.

AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE US WITH.

>> SO WHY IS TESTING WASTE WATER A USEFUL WAY TO MONITOR HOW COVID IS SPREADING?

>> YEAH, BECAUSE TEST SOMETHING LIMITED, THERE IS LIMITED ACCESS TO TESTING.

NOT EVERYBODY GETS TESTED.

TESTING TIME, AS MANY OF US KNOW, IT COULD TAKE TWO DAYS TO GET RESULTS, AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO IT.

THE OTHER THING IS PEOPLE DON'T GET TESTED -- MAYBE ONLY GET TEST IF THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS.

AND WASTE WATER CAN CAPTURE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST SYMPTOMATIC OR JUST SEEKING OUT TESTS.

>> AND COMMISSIONER, WHAT KIND OF DATA HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN FROM THESE SAMPLES?

>> WELL, FIRST, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT METROPOLITAN WASTE WATER DISTRICT DOES AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO US.

WE'RE AN AGENCY THAT WAS FOUND OVER 130 YEARS AGO AND TASKED WITH MAKING SURE OUR FRESH WATER SUPPLY STAYS SAFE BY MANAGING WASTE WATER AND STORM WATER AND PROTECTING OUR FRESH WATER SUPPLY, SPECIFICALLY LAKE MICHIGAN.

SO WHEN WE ARE PROCESSING THE WASTE WATER, IF WE CAN IDENTIFY POCKETS OF WHERE SOME OF THE VIRUS IS FORMING, IF WE CAN DO OUR PART IT COULD HELP END THE PANDEMIC.

>> PROFESSOR PORETSKY, TELL US HOW THIS WORKS.

YOU TAKE A SAMPLE OF WASTE WATER, I DON'T KNOW, IN A SEWER, AND THEN TEST TO SEE FOR TRACES OF COVID-19?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

>> EXACTLY.

SO WE'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING WITH MWRD SINCE THE START, WHICH HAS BEEN AN EARLY ADAPTNER THIS, AND REALLY MARCH 2020 WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEGAN HERE.

AND WE GET SAMPLES FROM THE WATER RECLAMATION FACILITIES THAT WWRD MANAGES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SEWER LOCATIONS, WE HAVE SOME CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITIES THAT WE'RE SAMPLING, O'HARE AIRPORT, A NUMBER OF SITES AROUND THE CITY.

SO IT DEPENDS ON THE SAMPLE, EITHER WASTE WATER OR SEWER SAMPLES, AND WE BRING IT BACK TO THE LAB AND WE LOOK FOR THE RNA, WHICH IS THE GENETICS MATERIAL OF THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES COVID.

SO WE QUANTIFY THAT AND GET NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH THERE IS IN THE WASTE WATER SAMPLES.

>> AND IF I COULD JUST ADD TO THAT.

>> YEAH, GO AHEAD.

>> COVID-19 IS DETECTABLE IN HUMAN WASTE SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO SYMPTOMS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THESE OUTBREAKS BEFORE PEOPLE EVEN HAVE SYMPTOMS, IT HELPS US TO REALLY ISOLATE WHERE SOME OF THESE OUTBREAKS MAY OCCUR.

>> PROFESSOR, IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OF AN AREA WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO DETECT SPREAD BECAUSE YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE WASTE WATER?

>> YEAH.

I DON'T WANT TO CALL -- WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY AND WHEN WE SEE THREANDZ THERE IS AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF CASES, WE NOTIFY IBPH WHO WILL DEPLOY VARIOUS MITIGATION STRATEGIES, TRY TO RAMP UP TESTING ACCESSIBILITY, VACCINATION, AND SO, YES, WE -- THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES ARE USING THIS DATA AND RESPONDING.

>> AND COMMISSIONER DU BUCLET, WHAT ARE YOU MONITORING, OBVIOUSLY THE RIVER AS IT'S BEING CLEANED UP BUT WHAT ELSE DOES MRBD MONITOR.

>> WE MONITOR THE RIVER, WE TEST FOR FECAL MATTER WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED H2 NOW.

AND AS YOUR VIEWERS PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, WHAT THE REVERSALS OF CHICAGO RIVER IS GOING AWAY FROM LAKE MICHIGAN INTO INTO LAKE MICHIGAN AND WHEN WE HAVE THE CSO DAYS, WASTE WATER GOING DIRECTLY INTO OUR LAKE.

>> PROFESSOR PORETSKY, ONCE COVID DIES DOWN, WHAT OTHER THINGS CAN YOUR LAB TEST FOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MWRD LIKE THIS?

>> YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP RIGHT NOW WITH WMRD WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON A PILOT STUDY.

WE SPOKE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR DRUG METABOLITES, OPIOIDS IN WASTE WATER BUT WE CAN TEST ANY -- LOTS OF DIFFERENT VIRAL, BACTERIALS, ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, LIKE INFLUENZA, YOU KNOW, WASTE WATER THEOLOGY HAS BEEN USED HISTORICALLY FROM THINGS LIKE POLIO TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A USEFUL PROGRAM ONGOING ONCE WE GET OVER COVID.

>> COMMISSIONER, IS THIS THE KIND OF THING THAT MWRD WANTS TO CONTINUE DOING WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES OR UNIVERSITIES, THE KIND OF THING IT CAN CONTINUE DOING BEYOND COVID?

>> YES.

ABSOLUTELY, YES TO BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO DO AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS IS TO REALLY LET OUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE FLUSHING PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES DOWN THE TOILET BECAUSE WE CANNOT FILTER THOSE OUT.

SO TO RACHEL'S POINT, IF THEY FIND THAT IN OUR WASTE WATER, IT COULD CERTAINLY END UP BACK IN OUR FRESH WATER SUPPLY, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TYPE OF MESSAGE GETS OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.

AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE DO LOOK FORWARD HAVING OTHER PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

>> ALL RIGHT, WASTE WATER VERY USEFUL FOR RESEARCH ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS.

OUR THANKS TO KIMBERLY AND PROFESSOR RACHEL.

THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> AND UP NEXT, REMEMBERING HISTORIAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST TIMUEL BLACK.

SO PLEASE DON'T GO AWAY.

IRCOULD NOT SAVE ONE OF THE BOYS OF COLOR IN MY OWN LIFE.

IF MY FAMILY COULD BE EXPOSED TO THIS HORROR, REALLY IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE.

WE ARE TRULY ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

MORE AHEAD ON THE PRACTICE INCLUDING OUR POLITICS SPOTLIGHT AND DETAILS OF THE NEW REPORTS FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE.

BUT FIRST LEGENDARY CHICAGO HISTORIAN AND ACTIVIST TIMUEL BLACK DIED TODAY AT THE AGE OF 102.

JUST A WEEK AGO WE LEARNED THAT BLACK HAD ENTERED INHOME HOSPICE SCARE AND FAWBD RAISING PAGE WAS ESTABLISHED TO HELP HIS WIFE COVER THE COST OF IT.

I HAD THE HONOR OF WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH BLACK NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO AS HE MARKED HIS .01 BIRTHDAY.

HERE'S A LOOK.

MANY WHO ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO REACH THE AGE OF 100 BECOME FORGETTABLE, TIM BLACK IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

HE STILL RECALLS CLEARLY EXACT ADDRESSES.

>> 6230 ... >> Reporter: AND EXACT DATES.

>> DECEMBER THE 4th OF 1955.

>> Reporter: FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AGO.

IT'S FITTING THAT A MAN WHO WOULD MAKE HIS LIVING AS A HISTORIAN WOULD LIVE TO SEE SO MUCH OF IT.

BLACK'S FAMILY MIGRATED TO CHICAGO FROM ALABAMA IN 1919 WHEN HE WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.

GROWING UP IN THE NOTORIOUS BLACK BELT, HE RECALLS THE REDUCE HIS FAMILY WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW TO AVOID TROUBLE.

>> DON'T SPIT ON THE SIDEWALK THE DON'T TALK TOO LOUD.

>> Reporter: HE ATTENDED BURK ELEMENTARY AND LATER THE BOMBING AT PEARL HARBOR INTERRUPTED HIS 23rd BIRTHDAY.

WHILE SERVING IN EUROPE DURING WORLD WAR II, A VISIT TO A CONCENTRATION CAMP WOULD CEMENT HIS PASSION FOR WORKING TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER.

>> THE CAMP WHERE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN EXTERMINATED SYSTEM SYSTEMATICALLY.

>> BLACK WENT TO COLLEGE AT ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY AND THEN EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BEFORE BECOMING A TEACHER.

THEN HE HEARD A VOICE ON TELEVISION IN 1955.

>> HE ARTICULATED FOR ME THE WAY WE FELT.

THE WAY WE HAD FELT AND IN THE IMAFT WORLD WAR II BUT CONTINUED TO BE GOOD AMERICANS.

>> Reporter: BLACK WOULD WORK WITH DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WHEN HE CAME TO CHICAGO AND HE HELPED ORGANIZE THE CHICAGO CONTINGENT WHO WENT TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE HISTORIC MARCH ON WASHINGTON.

>> THE ATTITUDE WHICH HAD BEEN INSPIRED BY MY MOTHER AND FATHER THAT A CHANGE IS GOING TO COME, THE DOOR IS GONNA OPEN, BE PREPARED TO WALK IN.

THAT ATTITUDE OF OPTIMISM THAT I INHERITED FROM THE CAMP CONTINUED THE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.

>> Reporter: WORKING WITH KING WOULDN'T BE HIS LAST CHANCE TO HELP OPEN ANOTHER HISTORY-MAKING DOOR.

THOUGH HE RAN AND LOST HIS OWN RACE FOR CHICAGO ALDERMAN, HE DID HELP CHICAGO ELECT ITS FIRST BLACK MAYOR HERALD WASHINGTON.

>> I MEAN, HE WAS PART OF HERALD WASHINGTON'S INNER CIRCLE.

HE WAS ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WENT OUT AND GOT THE MONEY, THAT GOT THE REGISTERED VOTERS, THAT GOT THE CLOUT TO HELP GET HIM ELECTED, EVEN IF HE WAS A WISE OLD MAN OF POLITICS.

>> Reporter: POLITIC ACCOUNT COLUMNIST ANN RECALLS A TRIP TO 16 BOW AND MALI IN AFRICA YEARS AGO WHEN THEY BOTH TAUGHT AT CITY COLLEGES.

>> TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT OUR LIVES IN CHICAGO AND DISCRIMINATION AND RACIAL INJUSTICE THAT WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH THEN AND NOW WITH THAT HISTORY BACK IN AFRICA.

>> Reporter: BLACK IS A CONSUMMATE TEACHER WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES NOT ONLY FROM HIS RESEARCH BUT ALSO HIS LIFE.

>> SO COTALK TO YOU ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER KING KING AND WHY HE CAME TO CHICAGO AND WHAT HE DID HERE.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST TELLING HIS KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S WHAT HE LIVED.

COMMITTEE TELL YOU ABOUT WASHINGTON, ABOUT BROWN.

ALL OF THE MAJOR POLITICAL MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY HE WAS THERE FOR.

>> Reporter: ANOTHER MOMENT HE WAS THERE FOR... >> HELLO, CHICAGO.

>> Reporter: SEEING THE COUNTRY ELECT ITS FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

>> HE WAS GIST A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.

>> HAVE A FEELING OF GREAT SATISFACTION.

AND THIS POINT A SENSE OF FULFILLMENT AS THE END OF TIME COMES FOR YOUR SATISFYING THAT -- HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHERS.

>> AND AMONG THE CONDOLENCES COMING IN TODAY, REVERENDS JESSE JACKSON CALLED BLACK'S, QUOTE, A GREAT TEACHER AND A TALL TREE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS FOREST.

CONGRESSMAN BOBBY BRUSH SAID, QUOTE, TIM'S ENTHUSIASM AS AN AUTHOR AND EDUCATOR WAS INSPIRING AND HIS IMPACT IS UTTERLY INCAME CALCULATABLE.

HIS WIFE OF 40 YEARS SAYS BLACK'S DECLINE WAS RAMMED AFTER ENTERING HOSPICE LAST WEEK.

THE FUNDRAISING PIECE WE MENTIONED EARLIER HAS REACHED $112,000.

NO FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED JUST YET AND WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF BLACK ON CHICAGO'S BLACK VOICES THIS SATURDAY AT 6:30.

>>> STILL TO COME, WE'LL TALK WITH A LEAD ACTOR IN A NEW MOVIE INSPIRED IN PART BY THE 1987 HIJACK OF WTTW AND WGN'S AIRWAVES.

>> WHATEVER HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THAT MANPOWER ISSUE, THAT FALLS INTO THE MAYOR'S DOORSTEP.

>> AND A ARE WITH A OF WORDS IS ESCALATING WITH THE CHICAGO POLICE UNION THAT IS THREATENING SHORT STAFFING OVER THE MAYOR'S VACCINE MANDATE, WE BREAK IT DOWN.

>> IT FEELS ORGANICALLY WHOAL WHOLE THAT WE DO WHAT WE LOVE.

>> AND BALLET DANCERS RETURN TO THE STAGE.

WE HAVE THAT FIRST LOOK.

BUT FIRST MORE OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAYS TEACHER AND OTHER STAFF WILL NOT BE BARRED FROM RETURNING TO WORK IF THEY'RE UNVACCINES IF THEY AGREE TO WEEKLY COVID TESTING.

THE DEAD LANE FOR TEACHERS TO BE VACCINATED IS THIS FRIDAY AND THE DISTRICT HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID THAT THOSE WHO DIDN'T RECEIVE A COVID SHOT WOULD BE TOLD TO STAY HOME.

THE DISTRICT'S REVERSAL COMES AFTER BOTH THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION AND SCIU LOCAL SENT A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND COOL MIRAMAR TEEN NEZ SAYING THE CITY WAS UNFAIRLY ENFORCING THE VACCINE MANDATE AND SAYS NEARLY 90% OF ITS MEMBERS ARE VACCINATED.

>>> AND CHICAGO BASED BOEING HAS JOINED A GROWING LIST OF MAJOR COMPANIES REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO BE VACCINATED OR FACE TERMINATION.

THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER HAS BE GIVEN WORKERS A DECEMBER 8th DEADLINE TO COMPLY OVER AN APPROVED REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION SUCH AS DISABILITY OR SINCERELY HELD RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

THE COMPANY SAYS THE MOVE IS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH THE PRESIDENT'S VACCINE MANDATE WHICH APPLIES TO EMPLOYEES OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS AS WELL AS FEDERAL WORKERS.

>>> AND FIRST LADY JILL BADEN CONTINUED HER TRIP THROUGH THE MIDWEST TODAY WITH A CHARTER FOR OBSERVATION OF THE MONTH.

SHE HAD A LISTENING SESSION THIS MORNING AND HEARD ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES AS DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

>> I'M A DAUGHTER OF AN IMMIGRANT AND MY FAMILY WAS ROOTED IN PANAMA AND WE ROOTED OURSELVES IN SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO AND WE KNOW THAT CERTAIN AREAS ARE PREDOMINATELY BLACK SO YOU HAVE AFRO LATINO FAMILIES ROOTING THEMSELVES AND DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.

SO WE HAD A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.

>>> AND A NEW FILM INSPIRED BY A BIZARRE MOMENT IN CHICAGO TELEVISION HISTORY.

PARIS.

>> THANKS, BRANDIS.

LONG-TIME WTTW FANS REMEMBER BACK IN 1987 OUR AIRWAVES WERE HIJACKED BY AN UNKNOWN TV PIRATE WHO TOOK OVER OUR SIGNAL DURING THE DR. WHO SHOW.

NOW, LUCKILY SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE OF ALL -- [ JUMBLED AUDIO] AND DON'T WORRY, OUR BROADCAST HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN OVER AGAIN BY THAT LOOK-ALIKE.

IF CASE YOU CAN ASK YOUR PARENT BESIDE MAX.

THAT WAS FROM THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT AND NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER IT'S INSPIRED A NEW FILM DEBUTING TOMORROW AT THE CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.

JOINING TO US TALK ABOUT THE FILM CALLED BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION IS LEAD ACTOR HARRY SHUM JUNIOR WHO YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE FROM HIS ROLES IN THE SHOW GLEE AND THE FILM CRAZY RICH ASIANS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

AS I UNDERSTAND, IT'S LOOSEY BASED ON THE SERIES OF INCIDENTS AND A BIT FICTIONALIZED.

>> YEAH, IT'S INSPIRED BY THAT INCIDENT AND I PLAY AN, A CIEFIST THAT BASICALLY STUMBLES ON THESE INTRUSIONS AND STARTS TO FIND OUT THAT THERE'S A DARKER CONSPIRACY THAT IS SOMEWHAT CONNECTED -- HE THINKS IT'S CONNECTED TO HIS RECENT WIFE'S DEATH.

SO HE GOES DOWN THIS RABID HOLE IN AN ARRAY OF CHARACTERS AND SEES IF HE EITHER FINDS MORE OF HIMSELF OR AT LEAST WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS WIFE.

>> WE MENTIONED AT THE TOP, FANS IN GLEE KNOW YOU VERY WELL, KNOW YOUR CHARACTER THERE.

WHAT DREW TO YOU THIS PARTICULAR SCRIPT?

>> I MEAN, LOOK, YOU LOOK AT THOSE INTERVIEWINGS, AND IT'S EERIE BUT ALSO IN SOME WAYS YOU KIND OF LAUGH AT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE -- IT'S UNSETTLING SO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT AND I THINK THE SCRIPT DEFINITELY HAD A LOT OF THAT.

WHILE GOING ON THIS FUN RIDE WHERE YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU CAN GET CLOSER TO THE TRUTH.

AND CHICAGO IS JUST ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO PHOTOGENIC, IT'S SUCH A GREAT BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO ALSO PLAY IN THIS ERA THAT I NEVER GOT TO PLAY IN BEFORE IN THE LATE '90s.

>> THE 80s AND 90s.

YEAH, LET'S LOOK AT A CLIP FROM THE FILM WHERE YOUR CHARACTER FIRST SEES THE MAX HEAD ROOM CLIP.

>> I THINK A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENTAL -- [ STATIC ] >> WHAT WAS YOUR RESEARCH LIKE FOR THIS, AND DID IT DRAW YOU ANY CLOSER TO ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE ACTUAL MAX HEAD ROOM INCIDENT WHICH TO THIS DATE IS STILL UNSOLVED, I THINK.

>> THAT'S THE CRAZY PART OF IT ALL IS, THERE WERE ACTUALLY -- I THOUGHT, OKAY, MAYBE A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FOUND SO INTRIGUING THAT THEY GO INTO FOR RUPPS AND ACTUALLY PUT THEIR THEORIES OUT AND DO THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION.

SO GOING DOWN THAT RABID HOLE MYSELF, DOING THE RESEARCH, IT'S JUST FASCINATING TO KNOW THAT THIS LEFT SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON SO MANY PEOPLE AND I THINK IT'S REALLY WHY -- WHY WAS THIS DONE AND WAS THERE ANY HIDDEN MEANING, HIDDEN AGENDA, AND I THINK THAT ALSO SAYS A LOT ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE LOOK AT IN LIFE.

LIKE WHAT IS THE HIDDEN MEANING BEHIND CERTAIN THINGS THAT, ESPECIALLY HIJACKING AND HACKERS, THAT KIND OF INSPIRED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND SEE IT AS A DANGER OR AS A PRANK.

>> AND OBVIOUSLY HACKING 30 YEARS LATER IS A MUCH BIGGER THING THAN IT WAS BACK THEN.

SO IT'S KIND OF FORESHADOWING IT.

ARE THERE ANY THEORIES THAT YOU HAVE DONE THAT -- HAVEN'T DONE THAT SEEM INTERESTING TO YOU THAT EXPLAINS EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

>> I THINK A COUPLE OF THEORIES THAT WERE INTERESTING IS THE DISGRUNTLED WORKER, YOU KNOW, A DISGRUNTLED WORKER WHO KNEW ABOUT IT AND OTHER THEORIES WERE LIKE, NO, ALL YOU NEED IS MORE POWERFUL MICROWAVES TO DESTRUCT THE SIGNAL AND ANYBODY COULD HAVE DONE THAT AT THAT TIME.

AND IT'S JUST -- JUST ALSO SAYS HOW THESE SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT THAT EVERYONE USES SOMETIMES CAN BE OVERPOWERED BY SOMETHING YOU BUY AT RADIO SHACK.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE ARGUMENT TOO.

WHAT STATEMENTS WERE PEOPLE MAKING AND I THINK WITH OUR MOVIE, IT'S EXPLORING ALL OF THAT AND ALSO WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU GO EXPLORE THE TRUTH THAT YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO FILED THE ANSWERS TO.

>> DISGRUNTLED WORKERS, I THINK WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES IN THE STUDIO RIGHT NOW THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AROUND AT THAT PERIOD.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU FILMED THIS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO IN CHICAGO.

WHERES ABOUT DID YOU FILM?

>> IT WAS FILMED ALL OVER IN DOWNTOWN, AND WE WENT IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF CHICAGO AS WELL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SEQUENCE WHERE YOU FIND THESE LIKE KIND OF BASEMENTS THAT HAVE THAT WINDOW THAT -- THAT BUBBLE WINDOW THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE PEOPLE'S FOOTSTEPS AND THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY UNSETTLING ABOUT THAT, BUT I FEEL IT'S ONLY PARTICULAR TO CHICAGO.

I DON'T KNOW THE FOCUS BEHIND IT BUT THERE'S MOMENTS IN THERE WHERE YOU JUST SEE FOOTSTEPS GO, AND I FOUND SHOOTING HERE THAT JUST HELPED KIND OF THE CITY ITSELF WITH SUCH A BIG CHARACTER WHERE THIS INTRUSION HAPPENED HERE AND INSPIRED BY THAT AND ALSO THE ACTORS AND LOCAL CREW WERE JUST INCREDIBLE TO HELP TELL THE STORY, AND I'M EXCITED TO BRING THIS BACK TO THE FILM FESTIVAL.

>> CHICAGO'S ALWAYS A GREAT BACKDROP AND I KNOW THAT THE CREW MEMBERS HERE ARE VERY PROUD WORKING ON THESE PROJECTS.

SO WE MENTIONED THE FILM FESTIVAL, IT'S GONNA AIR TOMORROW AT THE MUSIC BOX THEATER.

AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT PROJECTS FOR YOU AFTER THIS?

>> YEAH.

I HAVE -- AFTER THIS, I HAVE A MOVIE COMING OUT FROM NETFLIX CALLED LOVE HARD NOVEMBER 5th, A ROMANTIC COMEDY CHRISTMAS MOVIE.

SO THOSE ARE ALWAYS FUN, AND THIS ONE STARS JIMMY OYANG AND I GET TO PLAY A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHARACTER AS WELL AND KIND OF GET IN THERE AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME LAUGHS.

AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY FUN.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS FILM.

OUR THANKS TO HARRY SHUM JUNIOR.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> AWESOME, THANKS, PARIS.

>>> AND UP NEXT, OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THE POLICE UNION'S FIGHT OVER CHICAGO'S VACCINE MANDATE AND MUCH MORE.

BUT FIRST WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

>> THE CHICAGO POLICE UNION SAYS TO EXPECT STAFFING SHORTAGES STARTED THIS WEEKEND AS A RESULT OF THEIR FIGHT OVER THE CITY'S VACCINE MANDATE.

ALL THAT AND MUCH MORE IN OUR SPOTLIGHTS POLITICS TEAM, HEATHER SHARON, AMANDA AND PARIS SHUCK.

WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.

LET'S START WITH THE POLICE UNION PRESIDENT WHO TOLD HIM MEMBERS TO BUCK THE MAYOR'S VACCINE MANDATE RESULTING IN A MANDATORY SUSPENSION.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> IF WE SUSPECT NUMBERS ARE TRUE AND WE GET THE LARGE NUMBER OF OUR MEMBERS TO STAND FIRM ON THEIR BELIEFS THAT THIS IS AN OVERREACH AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SUPPLY THE INFORMATION IN THE PORTAL OR SUMMIT TO TESTING -- SUBMIT TO TESTING THEN IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF CHICAGO WILL HAVE A POLICE FORCE AND 50% OR LESS FOR THIS WEEKEND COMING UP.

THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE FOB.

THAT IS 100% BECAUSE OF THE MAYOR'S UNWILLINGNESS TO BUDGE FROM HER HARD LINE.

SO WHATEVER HAPPENS BECAUSE THAT HAVE MANPOWER ISSUE THAT FALLS ON THE MAYOR'S DOORSTEP.

>> HEATHER, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A HANDLE JUST YET ON HOW MANY OFFICERS HAVE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED THEIR VACCINE CARDS TO THE PORTAL WHERE THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT?

>> WE DON'T KNOW.

AND THAT IS THE QUESTION, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY HAVE SAID THAT THEY AREN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE VACCINATED, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND REALIZE CHICAGO IS NOT THE FIRST CITY TO IMPOSE A VACCINE MANDATE ON ITS EMPLOYEES, AND IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SPECIFICALLY IN NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA, THERE HAVE BEEN NOWHERE NEAR THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES BUCKING THE MAN DATE THAT THE FOB PRESIDENT SEEMS TO THINK THAT WE'RE IN STORE FOR HERE IN CHICAGO.

THE CITY AS A WHOLE IS RELATIVELY VACCINATED AND YOU WOULD ASSUME THAT THE POLICE ARE PART THAT HAVE COMMUNITY, SO IT'S REPRESENTED IN THAT DATA.

BUT WE WILL HAVE TO SEE.

ALTHOUGH, SEVERAL ALDERMEN ARE WARNING TONIGHT THAT THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN EVEN THOUGH THE MAYOR STEPPED BACK FROM THE MANDATE ON FRIDAY AND SAID THAT YOU CAN STAY EMPLOYED AND AVOID DISCIPLINE IF YOU TEST FOR COVID TWICE A WEEK ON YOUR OWN TIME AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE.

>> JUST BRIEFLY, THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS TODAY.

HE WAS PART OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE FBI, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE POLICE UNION.

HE WAS NOT READY TO TOUCH IT.

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT STAFFING PARTICULARLY VIOLENCE HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND AND HE WAS NOT READY TO TOUCH THAT AND HAD NO ANSWERS.

>> I IMAGINE THEY'RE KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THAT NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE OR ARE SUBMITTING -- SHOWING THEIR PROOF OF VACCINE THROUGH THAT PORTAL, BUT HEATHER, FOP STILL SAYS THIS IS AN YOER REACH.

WILL THIS END UP IN COURT?

>> PROBABLY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE ABILITY -- THE LEGAL AUTHORITY OF PEOPLE TO ORDER VACCINE MANDATES IN PLACES LIKE THIS WHERE IT'S A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE WHERE IT'S AIRBORNE IS PRETTY ROCK SOLID.

WE'VE SEEN COLLEGES HAVE THEIR VACCINE MANDATES UPHELD AND SEEN VACCINE MANDATES UPHELD IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK BY FEDERAL COURTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN SUE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE, AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS, DID MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, YOU KNOW, MISCALCULATE BY SORT OF OFFERING THE TESTING OPTION WHEN IT SEEMS TO HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN PART OF WHAT THE FOP IS TALKING ABOUT.

ALTHOUGH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THE PRESIDENT SAID, HEY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, JUST TAKE A TEST AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE VACCINE.

I'M NOT CLEAR WHY THAT'S NO LONGER AN OPTION THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

BUT THE FOP AND THE MAYOR WHO HAVE BEEN AT ODDS SINCE DAY ONE, SINCE SHE'S BEEN IN OFFICE.

SO THAT -- THIS IS MORE OF A DIFFERENT CHAPTER PERHAPS.

>> SO MEANWHILE, YOU KNOW, THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN RELEASED THIS VIDEO STATEMENT THAT WE SAW A LITTLE WHILE AGO ON THE SAME DAY THAT HIS PREDECESSORS OR A COUPLE HAVE DIED FROM THE VACCINATION.

>> WELL, LET'S FIRST OFFER OUR CONDOLENCES AND THE FAMILY OF DEAN ANGELO, COMES FROM A FAMILY OF COPS, HIS SON WAS A COP, HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE FOP FROM 2014 TO 2017 A CRITICAL TIME WHEN THE JASON VAN DYKE CASE BUBBED UP AND THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY TASK FORCE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR.

BASICALLY THERE WAS REFORM OF ALL OVERSIGHT AND DESPITE THEM BEING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THAT, THEY LIKED EACH OTHER, THEY GREW FOND OF EACH OTHER, DEAN ANGELO WAS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO FOUGHT FOR HIS IDEALS BUT COULD DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREESABLE.

SO OUR -- DISAGREEABLE.

SO OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIM.

COVID-19 IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IS YES, IT DOES COMPLICATE THE OPTICS AND MAKES IT TEAM LIKE THE FOP PRESIDENT IS USING A LITTLE POLITICAL TUNISM HERE TO CREATE A FIGHT TO CREATE CONTROVERSY, MAYBE TO BOOST HIMSELF.

BUT AS HEATHER SAID, IT DOESN'T -- ACROSS THE COUNTRY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE IMPOSED THESE MANDATES AND SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND DO IT.

>> SO AMANDA, THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO DEALING WITH LAWSUITS OVER VACCINE MANDATES FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, HE'S CALLING THESE SUITS, QUOTE, EXTRAORDINARILY IRRESPONSIBLE, WHO IS SUING AND WHAT IS THEIR GOAL HERE?

>> WELL, I'LL REPEAT A PHRASE THAT HEATHER USED EARLIER AND THAT'S THAT ANYBODY CAN FILE A LAWSUIT.

THERE ARE A BUNCH OF LAWSUITS AND FRANKLY THERE HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, BE IT FROM RESTAURANTS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO ABIDE BY STATE ORDERS RESTRICTING THE NUMBER OF PATRONS THEY COULD ALLOW IN, NOW WE'RE FACING PUSHBACK AGAINST VACCINE MANDATES.

SO YOU'VE GOT FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE SAYING THAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IS ILLEGAL, THAT THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT FORCE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES BASED UNDER THE HEALTHCARE MANTLE TO RECEIVE A VACCINE ALSO SIMILAR ORDER IN PLACE FOR EDUCATORS FOR TEACHERS, AND SO THERE'S PUSHBACK ALL OVER THE STATE.

YOU ALSO HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE FIGHTING OVER MASK MANDATES.

SO PICK A LAWSUIT, THERE'S SOMETHING THE ADMINISTRATION IS BEING BROUGHT TO COURT FOR.

A COUPLE OF POIFNTS, NUMBER ONE, THE ADMINISTRATION FAIRLY SOLID GROUND IN MANY WAYS OR AT LEAST HAS BEEN ABLE TO FEND OFF MANY OF THESE LAWSUITS THUS FAR DUE TO THE NATURE THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION.

THAT SAID, PERHAPS REACHING THE OUTER LIMITS OF THAT, WE'VE DONE STORIES ON THIS, WRITE A CONSCIOUS LAW THAT MIGHT BE USED IN SOME OF THESE CASES THAT PERHAPS ILLINOIS IS LOOKING TO AMEND.

A LOT HAS BEEN DONE TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY, THE LEGISLATURE TAKING A BACKSEAT AND LETTING THE ADMINISTRATION HANDLE IT.

THAT COULD PERHAPS CHANGE THE DIE NAP NICK SOME OF THESE NEWER FRESHER CASES, AND THIRD, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE ISSUE OF NEGOTIATING WITH UNIONS, SOMETHING THAT THE PRITZKER ADMINISTRATION IS STILL IN THE MIDST OF AS HE TRIES TO HANDLE A VACCINE MANDATE FOR CERTAIN STATE EMPLOYEES.

>> OKAY.

SO MOVING OVER, YOU KNOW, MORE TO THE CITY, INSPECTOR GENERAL JOE FERGESON LEAVING AT THE END OF THE WEEK AFTER 12 YEARS OF THE CITY'S WATCHDOG.

NOT GOING QUIETLY, THOUGH, HEATHER.

FERGESON REPORTS SOME PEOPLE WHO GET COMMITTEE FUNDS ARE INSTEAD USING THAT MONEY IN THEIR WARDS.

TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AND IS THAT ILLEGAL?

>> WELL, HE SAYS IT MIGHT BE.

ALTHOUGH, THE RESPONSE FROM THE ALDER PEOPLE WHO ARE AND WERE COMMITTEE CHAIRS, SAYS, NO, ALL OF THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON PERSONNEL SO THAT MAKES IT TOTALLY OKAY.

BUT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS POINTING OUT THAT IF YOU'RE A COMMITTEE CHANGE HAVE YOU ABOUT $200,000 EXTRA AND MAYBE YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT MEETS ONCE A MONTH, TWICE A MONTH AND ALL OF THE REST OF THE TIMES THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVE TIME ON THEIR HANDS TO DO CONSTITUENT SERVICES.

AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT CHICAGO?

CHICAGO LIKES TO RE-ELECT ALDERMEN WHO PERFORM CONSTITUENT SERVICE, THAT MEANS GET YOU A GARBAGE CART, FILL THE POTHOLES, AND HIS AUDIT RELEASED TODAY SAYS THAT'S NOT ESPECIALLY FAIR BECAUSE IT MEANS CERTAIN WARDS GET DIFFERENT SERVICES BASED ON THE POLITICAL CLOUT OF THOSE ALDERMEN.

SO HE'S SOUNDING THE ALARM AS HE MOVES OUT.

AND I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT HE WAS BEGIN THE AUTHORITY TO AUDIT THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND TO SCRUTINIZE THE ALDERMEN'S CONDUCT BACK IN 2019, AND THIS HAS BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, SO HE IS LEAVING WITH QUITE A BANG AND PUTTING THE ALDERMEN ON NOTICE THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE WAY THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE IN CHICAGO, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE FAIR AND IT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST WAY TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY.

>> AND HEATHER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, WE REPORTED THIS EARLIER IN THE SHOW, THIS IS LOOKING AT COMMITTEES UP UNTIL 2019 SO IT DOESN'T IMPLICATE COMMITTEE CHAIRS WHO HAVE TAKEN THEIR CHAIR PERSONSHIP SINCE 2019, SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE THE TARGET OF THIS REPORT, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2015.

INSPECTOR FERGESON ALSO FOUND THAT SOME CITIES DON'T EVEN KEEP TRACK OF THEIR EMPLOYEES' ATTENDANCE AND THAT IT'S ALL DONE EXCEPT FOR ONE COMMITTEE ON PAPER RECORDS, AND THAT SEEMS PRETTY 20th CENTURY, ACCORDING TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GONNA GET PAID BY THE CITY, THE CITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW CITY HALL WORKS ALL THE TIME ANYWAY.

>> AND PARIS, BACK TO YOU.

FERGESON SOUNDED THE ALARM ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TIMES.

WHAT'S THE ISSUE THERE.

>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S AUDITED SEVERAL TIMES, AND HE'S SOUNDED THE ALARM ON SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT MEASURING ITS AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME FOR AMBULANCES OR FIRETRUCKS THAT -- TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

THE NATIONAL RECOMMENDATION IS 5 MINUTES.

5 MINUTES FROM WHEN YOU PLAY THE CALL TO WHEN THE AMBULANCE OR FIRE TRUCK ARRIVES, AND THE THING IS THERE'S JUST NO DATA THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS TO ANALYZE THAT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BASICALLY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S BROUGHT UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND IT'S USEFUL TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE AVERAGE TIME IS SO THAT THEY COULD IMPROVE THEIR SERVICE IF THEY NEED TO.

>> AMANDA, ILLINOIS HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY THAT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS OVER THREE WORKING CONGRESSIONAL MAPS ARE A SHAM.

DO THEY HAVE A POINT OR DO THEY HAVE SOUR GRADES, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE SUPER POINT?

>> YEAH, ILLINOIS SENATE REPUBLICANS -- I THINK THE ANSWER IS BOTH.

THERE IS A SOUR GRAPE FRUSTRATION HERE AND IN LARGE PART BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE HUGE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PARTY AND ALSO IT'S NOT JUST A PARTISAN ARGUMENT.

YOU HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS TESTIFIED, PARTAKEN IN THESE HEARINGS, BE IT THE QUOTE/UNQUOTE GOOD GOVERNMENT GROUPS AND THOSE THAT CALL FOR GREATEST TRANSPARENCY AS WELL AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS, YOU LOOK AT GROUPS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, MALDOFF, AN AD HOC ORGANIZATION OF VARIOUS BLACK LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND THAT IS THE -- WE TALKED WITH THE LEADER OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION YESTERDAY, THE ILLINOIS AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOR EQUITABLE REDISTRICTING AND THEY SAY THESE ARE A SHAM TOO.

I MEAN, TAKE AN ORGANIZATION, AND IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT WHILE THEY ARE HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS, THAT THAT'S JUST SORT OF A COVER.

WHAT IS THE ACTUAL WORK, WHAT IS HAPPENING IS BEING DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND DESPITE REPEATED QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS AND WITNESSES, ASKING WILL WE AT LEAST GET TO SEE THE MAP BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THEM, MAKE THEM LAW, THAT IS IN FACT NOT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING AND CONTRARY TO THE PROMISES THAT GOVERNOR PRITZKER MADE WHEN HE WAS AT THE ENCAMPMENT.

>> HEATHER, JOE BIDEN JILL BIDEN WAS IN CHICAGO FOR A TWO-DAY SWING.

SHE APPEARED YESTERDAY WITH CONGRESSMAN GARCIA.

IS THIS AN ATTEMPT TO REACH OUT TO THE MEMBER OF THE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS WHO OBJECTS TO THE PRESIDENT'S SORT OF SHRINKING PRIORITIES?

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE CHEWY GARCIA IS BACK WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND IT'S REALLY TO SO-CALLED MODERATES WHO HAVE PUT UP A BLOCK TO BOTH THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND TO SO-CALLED BUILD-BACK BETTER $3.5 TRILLION RECONCILIATION BILL.

SO THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT THERE WAS A POLITICAL CALCULATION IN SPENDING THE FIRST LADY TO CHICAGO AND TO APPEAR WITH CHEWY GARCIA.

ALSO CHEWY GARCIA REPRESENTS PRIMARILY A LATINO DISTRICT IN CHICAGO WHERE THE LATINO POPULATION IS GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY SO THIS WAS SEVERAL BIRDS, ONE STONE, AND SHE TOURED COMMUNITY COLLEGES HERE IN CHICAGO WHERE SHE IS THE FIRST FIRST LADY TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND SHE IS A COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROFESSOR, SO THIS WAS VERY MUCH IN HER WHEEL HOUSE AS WELL AS PERHAPS A BENEFIT FOR CONGRESSIONAL ALLIES WHO HAVE BEEN STALLWORTH IN HELPING THE PRESIDENT EVEN THOUGH HE'S THE PRESIDENT AND SORT OF UNDER FIRE, IT SEEPS LIKE ALL SIDES ALL DAY.

>> SO FROM THE WILL HOUSE TO THE COURTHOUSE, THE CEO IS PERCEIVED GUILTY TO FUNDING DOROTHY BROWN'S PROGRAM.

PARIS BROWN HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED, PEEL AROUND HER HAVE GONE TO PRISON FOR THEIR DEALINGS, BUT SHE HAS NOT.

BRING US UP TO SPEED.

>> WELL, AND THE FORMER SECRETARY OF CLERK FAMOUS FOR THE JEANS DAY WHERE EMPLOYEES HAD TO DONATE TO HER CAMPAIGN FUND AND WEAR JEANS.

FOR THE HONOR OF WEARING JEANS TO WORK.

BUT SO MANY FOLKS AROUND HER HAVE BEEN INDICTED OR COOPERATING AND SHE HAS THE MONIKER, THE UNTHINKABLE DOROTHY BROWN BECAUSE SHE IS NOT THAT WE KNOW OF.

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT SHE'S A SUBJECT OF A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AND IN THIS CASE IT WAS THE CEO OF A COMPANY CALLED PEN CREDIT ACCUSED OF BRIBERY HERE, HOPING THAT IN RETURN FOR THESE GIFTS AND THE FUNDRAISER THAT HE WOULD GET DEBT COLLECTION WORK FROM DOROTHY BROWN'S OFFICE.

SO THE INTERESTING THING IS THE DEFERRED PROSECUTION, HE'S -- THE CHARGES WILL GO AWAY AFTER TWO YEARS, AND IT'S CONTINGENT ON HIM COOPERATING IN AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

WHAT IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION ABOUT?

IS THAT ABOUT DOROTHY BROWN?

WE DON'T KNOW.

SO THAT'S THE INTERESTING PART OF THAT, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SO MANY FOLKS IN THE -- I GUESS IN THE PERIPHERY OF DOROTHY BROWN'S CAREER, THERE ARE IN FEDERAL TROUBLE.

>> AND WE'VE GOT JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT, BUT HEATHER ALDERMAN PATRICK DALEY THOMPSON GETS A TEMPORARY TRIAL REPRIEVE WITH THE PROSECUTOR ASKING FOR DELAYS.

REMIND US BRIEFLY WHO HE IS DIDN'T WHAT HE'S CHARGED WITH.

>> WELL, HE IS THE 11th ALDERMAN WHO LAPSE TO BE THE SON AND NEPHEW OF LONG SERVING CHICAGO MAYORS.

HE IS CHARGED WITH FILING FALSE TAX RETURNS AND LYING ABOUT IT.

HE HAS BEEN SET TO GO ON TRIAL ON MONDAY.

HE SAYS HE'S DETERMINED TO CLEAR HIS NAME AND THAT IT'S BEEN ONLY A FEW MONTHS SINCE HE'S BEEN INDICTED BUT HE WILL HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR THAT TO BE TRIED BECAUSE THE PROSECUTOR SUFFERED A FAMILY MEDICAL EMERGENCY SO IT COULD BE NOVEMBER OR EVEN IN 2022 BEFORE THAT TRIAL TAKE PLACE BECAUSE TRIALS HAVE TO FOLLOW COVID RULES, WHICH MAKES SCHEDULING VERY DIFFICULT.

>> YEP, EVERYTHING TAKES A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

I'M SURE YOU'LL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT ONE AS WELL.

THAT'S SPOTLIGHT, THANK YOU.

>>> CHICAGO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN RETURNING TO THE STAGE AND NOW THE JOFFERY BALLET IS READY FOR ITS 2021 DEBUT.

WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIRST IN-PERSON PRODUCTION SINCE THE PANDEMIC SET TO TAKE THE STAGE AT ITS NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME, THE LYRIC OPERA HOUSE.

>> Reporter: THE JOFFERY BALLET RETURNS AT HOME, A CELEBRATION.

AS IT WELCOMES BACK COMPANY DANCERS AND INSTRUCTORS, IT'S ALSO WELCOMING NEW CHOREOGRAPHERS INCLUDING CHANEL DESOFA.

AS ONE OF JF OFFERY'S 2020 CHOREOGRAPHERS, THE NEW YORK BASED ARTIST IS BACK WITH THE DANCE SWEET LOW SWEET CHARIOT, ACCOMPANIED BY CHEATING.

>> I SAID, OH, WHAT IF I MAKE A PIECE BASED AROUND -- NOT SO ON THE NOSE BUT BASED AROUND THE IDEA OF SWEET AND LO, THIS CHARIOT COMES DOWN, INTERACTS WITH YOU AND SWEEPS YOU BACK UP INTO THE GREAT BEYOND.

>> Reporter: DESILVA REIMAGINED THAT CHARIOT AS ANGELS INSTEAD.

>> THE IDEA OF THE WINGS BROUGHT ABOUT THIS IDEA OF ANGELS AND WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN, WHERE DO THE ANGELS COME FROM, DO THEY EXIST HERE ON EARTH WITH US ALL THE TIME, ARE THEY HEAVENLY CREATURES THAT COME DOWN AND INTERACT WITH HUMANS.

I TRY TO HIGHLY THE MAJESTY OF ANGELS AND THE COMPLECTSITIES OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN DESILVA DESCRIBES THE ANGELS AS MESSENGERS.

IN THIS CASE DANCER FERNANDO DUERTE.

>> THERE'S ANGELS THAT COME ACROSS AND I DON'T SEE THEM AND I FEEL THEM GUIDING, PUSHING ME AND NUDGING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SHE ASKED US THE FIRST DAY WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ANGEL OR WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE A GUARDIAN ANGEL AND I TOLD HER IT'S LIKE YOU ARE MY GUARDIAN ANGEL BECAUSE YOU CAME AND BROUGHT THIS BEAST, WHICH IS A GIFT, YOU SELECTED ME TO DANCE AND TELL YOUR STORY AND THROUGH YOUR MOVEMENTS, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

>> Reporter: BUT DESILVA DOESN'T EXPECT EVERYONE TO RECEIVE HER WORK IN THE SAME WAY.

>> FOR ME, WHEN I MAY BEING WORK, I DON'T SO MUCH WANT TO TELL MY AUDIENCE EXACTLY HOW TO FEEL OR WHAT THE STORY IS.

I CONSIDER MYSELF JUST SOMEONE WHO'S ASKING QUESTIONS VIA MY ART.

SO WHEN YOU WATCH SWEET AND LO, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHICH I LOVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE MY JOB AS A CHOREOGRAPHER IS TO JUST USE MY ART TO INVESTIGATE.

>> Reporter: AS FOR HOME, A CELEBRATION AS A WHOLE, JOFFERY'S ARTISTIC DIRECT ASHLEY WHEATER TELLS ME THERE IS ONE MOMENT HE IS LOOKING MOST FORWARD TO ABOUT THE DANCER'S RETURN TO THE STAGE.

>> FOR EVERY PIECE TO FEEL A POWER OF THE ORCHESTRA AND A POWB OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE ALL TOGETHER SHARING IN THE SPIRIT OF DANCE IS -- IS PRETTY -- FROM THE ART.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO'S TONIGHT, I'M ANGEL LETE OH.

>> HOME OF CELEBRATION OPENS TONIGHT AND RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 24th.

THERE ARE MORE DETAILS ON OUR WEB SITE.

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

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

>> JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT 7:00.

WILL E SCOOTEDDERS BE RETURN SOMETHING IN CITY COUNCIL IS SET TO VOTE ON THAT AND MORE.

>>> PLUS, THE CHICAGO CHILDREN'S CHOIR ON THEIR WAY TO COLLABORATION AND 65 YEARS OF RAISING THEIR VOICES.

>>> NOW, FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> AND I'M PARIS SHUCK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

STAY SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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