>> Good evening and thanks for joining us on the week in review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

The Chicago Public Schools CEO is hit with a congressional subpoena.

Macklin King is summoned to testify as part of a wave of anti-trans and Anti Dei efforts.

This as the district announces a 730 million dollar budget gap.

Mayor Brandon Johnson reflect on 3 years in office as he continues to face down a combative city council.

Plus Johnson joins Governor JB Pritzker and other local leaders to try and land another Democratic National Convention.

Joining us to discuss those stories and more is our week in review panel.

Jeff Buckholts of WBBM Newsradio.

>> Sherri Shepherd of Axios, Chicago Prunty Garcia Hernandez of Block Club, Chicago and Mitchell arm and Trout of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Thank you all for being He's get right to it.

So, Jeff, as we just mentioned, Macklin King has been summoned to testify in Congress.

What are the details there?

So the chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Republican Tim Walberg from southern Michigan.

>> Said this week that he has invited or tried to invite Doctor King to come and testify about the district's.

What we can gather to be the district's policies dealing with gender identity and expression.

This is part of the Republican Party's in the Trump administration's attempt to sort of do away with policies that are geared toward that sort of issue.

In fact, the troubled school system is under a federal civil rights investigation for those policies as well.

And Representative Walberg has said that he's offered 6 dates to Dr King and has not gotten a response.

So he said, you know, I've never had to issue a subpoena is the committee chair before.

you the American people deserve answers.

So he has some encourage issued a subpoena for her to testify, June 10th, along with school leaders from Virginia and San Francisco to talk about this very topic.

Yeah, of course.

congressional Republicans are going after that black student success plan?

CS has, you know, carry.

Do you think this might be somewhat similar to what we saw with Mayor Brandon Johnson testified last year?

You know, a lot more heat than light yet if that exactly.

I think it's just that.

I think it's a lot of political theater.

I mean, this is as we've all said, this is what the Fed or the Trump administration has been going after.

>> CPS but also schools across Illinois just reported a couple weeks ago.

The DOJ is investigating 3 dozen schools in Illinois for supposedly gender identity and we should be clear that, you know, access to facilities that match gender identity for students that is protected by it by law in Illinois.

So CBS isn't really breaking state law some would say it also is protected by federal law in title 9.

It's just an interpretation issue.

So I don't think anyone's really clamoring to go to congressional to from the Congress.

So I can understand why Dr King and, you know, especially she's got big budget hole to fell.

So I'm sure she has plenty stuff on her plate.

Not going to DC.

Yeah.

Much about those budgetary issues.

More than 730 million dollars.

We just heard from the How do we know it?

What do we know about how they plan to respond to that gap?

Oh, wow.

It sounds like it's bad news for in terms of just removing teachers from certain schools.

>> believe entry schools are trying to limit for teachers per school.

They're trying to keep those cost cuts as far away from students as possible but 7 out of their to million dollars.

I mean, that's it's hard keep anything far away from students that have a cost them.

You know, it's a it's a clip that we've seen coming for a long time here with COVID-19 relief dollars drying up and just federal funding cuts across the board.

So it's yeah, trying times its ups.

you know, we we saw a school board members this week front.

you know.

>> Lobbying state lawmakers saying you should be spending more money on schools, not worrying about economic development for the Bears.

You know, it seems like a fairly logical argument.

But given all the focus that lawmakers have had on keeping the team in Illinois, do you think that might break through in Springfield?

>> And that's a that's an interesting question.

I don't think so.

At this point, you for for CPU to advocate for more money, I think the governor's office has been very clear that that's something that's important.

But there's just not money for the item that's been announced for years now.

I think lawmakers are interested in funding education.

Everybody is but the money needs to exist.

They can't just created out of nowhere.

It's also interesting because that budget hole with a 732 million ish is without counting paying back the pension payments to the city.

And that's counting on a tip surplus that would come to the CPS to CPS.

But if that changes in the city has also the friend budget priorities and gaps, then we could see a bigger, bigger.

Got CBS.

A lot of unanswered questions there maybe not great answers coming from the district.

>> All right, Jeff, you sat down with Mayor Brandon Johnson as he marks his 3rd anniversary in office.

What you hear from the I a little bit of conversation about the We also heard a lot about his plan to visit the Vatican and meet Chicago's very own Pope Leo, the 14th coming up here at the end of the month.

The ease he says I'm going to bring in the message of a message of gratitude for his moral clarity.

>> He's apparently also going to bring a cubs cap and and possibly a jersey as well like Zach, Well.

Yeah, because of the prelate born Robert on the South side of Chicago is by birthright, a White Sox when I asked when we've talked a little bit about his plans to run for reelection, he says he has not made a decision in that'll there will be time to do that.

I did point out.

Well, you know, you meeting with the pope would actually make a pretty decent campaign well, you know, what would make a really good at is Cubs and Sox fans getting together and that's, you know, peace in our time.

I suppose I don't know if I'd be putting a lot on a visit, but we talked a little bit about that.

We talked about the Bears.

He continues to say that the best place for that team is on the lakefront with the plan that he and Kevin Warren, the CEO of the Bears rolled out 2 years ago to remake the entire museum campus around a publicly owned domed stadium for the football team.

and I asked him if he thought that message was getting through to lawmakers.

And he said, I will tell you that there been people in the House and Senate who have thank me for raising those issues because they had raised them in caucus meetings and didn't get any answers.

Now we heard today from the Crain's Chicago business from Justin Lawrence, friend of the show that the mayor is pitching this idea that the city would take more control of the Illinois Sports Finance Authority, which is the entity that controls rate field as a way to keep the bears in the city.

And this proposal apparently was floated without any consultation with the governor's office.

A lot of folks in Springfield don't know what this is.

And, of course the Legislature is done may 31st.

So the its prospects seem not great.

Yeah, that's that's a big lift.

With the clock Go from probably this.

Yeah, yeah.

I would imagine so.

>> You know, one of the big themes that, you know, help to find some of Mayor Johnson's last 3 years is, of course, the immigration blitz operation Midway Blitz.

>> Friends say there was a lot of anticipation this week about the possibility of a special prosecutor getting appointed to look into immigration agents actions.

What ended up happening?

Well above the court ruling was expected Monday, but it got delayed.

It is now expected on may.

21st.

>> This was because the the fund 100 more evidence they Illinois Public Accountability Commission released a report at the end of April.

That really does close all of the federal government's actions here in Chicago.

And they wanted to include that as part of the evidence, the faction, the factual evidence of the federal government's actions in Chicago and alleged violations the So that was The state attorneys office responded to that and now they gave an opportunity to islands to again respond, which was expect that today by 05:00PM with all of that information, the judge is expected to make that decision.

And the ruling on may 21st groups keep pushing for a special prosecutor to be appointed as they say, the office of state's attorney is has a conflict of interest because she has had plenty of time to investigate alleged violations.

And 9 months later, she has not.

But it's also it's also a matter of seeing what what really would happen.

The Illinois State Police launch an investigation into the shooting somebody dead is Gonzalez one of the immigrants who was killed by federal agents at a traffic stop in Franklin Park.

So it's unclear whether that could also have any influence and on decision.

And indeed, the states attorney Eileen O'Neill Berk has said consistently.

>> Will prosecute anything that a law enforcement agency to us to investigate.

I'm not sure from her standpoint whether the Illinois Accountability Commission qualifies as a law enforcement agency because it doesn't have subpoena power, didn't have subpoena power.

should say the state police getting involved with the death of Mr.

Villegas Gonzalez changes that complexion of that.

Yeah.

step forward for progressives who say yes, that the state's attorney hasn't done enough you know, to prosecute this.

>> But we should be clear also if indeed it does get a special prosecutor than what did the feds do with doesn't have enough teeth, you know, for federal, you know, federal agencies to take take You know, we don't know yet.

Yeah.

>> All right.

Switching gears, Kerry, local lawmakers rolling out the red carpet for the DNC site selection committee does it seem likely they would pick Chicago for a second convention in a row?

You know, I was very skeptical, but you most counties got of, you know, I think there's precedent now that we know that this has happened before in Chicago that there have been back-to-back, you know, 2024, that was big win for the Democrats.

Is a big win for Governor Pritzker.

You know the DNC, the state, the city didn't have any debt from that.

>> You know, it's interesting, too, because, you know, are we going to see Governor Pritzker running for president that year?

Would it quite?

That would be quite the moment, right, that he is hosting the DNC when he is running for president or will it be for Mayor Rahm Emanuel?

This is all being figured You I think that is more likely than I than I thought.

I'm always a little skeptical to use your word we I think we all saw this in reporting a little bit that there would be this surge of economic develop economic, you know, restaurants, everything around there.

And we didn't quite see that pan out as much promise.

That's the case with a lot of events.

We saw that with NASCAR as well.

So we'll see.

you know, obviously, you know, I think the governor wants it, but, you know, we're not in a swing state is the other part of that where the the cities where competing against are swing states.

But what did come debt free to, you know, for taxpayers lose?

And that's that's something at for a course.

All right.

Mitch jumping back to the Bears for a minute.

You know, one of the selling points of this mega projects bill that the state Senate past has been some property tax relief measures.

>> But there's an analysis out there that found that they may not actually go very far.

Yeah, it sounded great, you know, is helping out a big money team that's worth 9 billion dollars.

Want to try and help out average homeowners at the same Unfortunately, the bill that passed the House really doesn't do all that much might save.

>> The average homeowner a buck or depending on the number of giant projects that moved through Illinois.

So, yeah, I mean, it's got a lot of lawmakers in Springfield trying to pare down the legislation that they've now got about 2 weeks to make something happen here, trying to keep the Bears from moving to Indiana.

Whether or not you believe they're entirely serious about Leave that up to you.

But yeah, I mean this whole time for 5 years now, we've kind of been talking about the optics of handing state help to a gun, but a billion-dollar franchise.

Do they need that help?

You know, we've already given a lot of help to help them renovate Soldier Field.

We're still paying for that in half a billion dollars that are still owed that.

But at the same time, other there are a lot of jobs and, you know, business tax dollars on the table.

Those cross the state line.

Jb Pritzker doesn't want to wear that No Chicago Democrat does so.

They're still momentum for that to happen in the next couple weeks.

Absolutely.

All right.

Carrie sticking with Springfield for You've been covering a bill aimed at keeping abortion care records private.

What are the details there?

So this would segregate your medical records that >> Records that identify if you've had abortion care here and also gender affirming care.

These are both rights that are protected in Illinois.

Not so much the case in neighboring states like Indiana, for example.

>> So this would be it would the onus of the patient that whether they share this, if they come to Illinois, which meant a quarter of all out of state abortions in 2025.

Happened in Illinois.

We have history of strong reproductive rights here.

This is a huge issue for the governor.

So if you come to Illinois for that care and return back to your state where it's criminalized, you don't have to share with the health care provider that you received an abortion that met that information is set on your medical record, but it's segregated out the push back a little would be.

Well, what if there are health concerns?

Well, doctors that lawmakers consulted said that any complications from an abortion are similar present as complications to miscarriages well and can be treated the same checked with experts on that.

They said that's true.

That's so, you know, a patient wouldn't have to reveal that information.

They could still get the treatment they need.

This is stunt in committee.

This is not probably, you know, going to pass in the next 2 weeks, but I would say that there is strong support in a state like Illinois for something like this.

Absolutely.

It's really Mr.

Planted its flag is a place that the absolute forget we should say the gender affirming care very is very important because, you know, we've seen in other states say in custody battles, one parent will use it against another parent to get custody if they disagree with gender affirming care.

Now, alright frontier, you know, during Midway blitz, lots of efforts both to >> prevent immigrants from being detained, deported, also ensuring that they still had an income.

Tell us about the cycling group that's working along those lines.

report.

Yes, a cycling for solidarity.

It's a mutual aid.

Collective of cyclist.

I'm from all over Chicago and they are bringing back their street buyouts to lay organize these group tours where they bike to a different neighborhood in Chicago, predominantly immigrant neighborhoods.

>> Some in the Northwest's item on the southwest side and they go and identify street vendors.

There.

They all right together, they shop from the vendors and whatever's a buyout from them and then distribute out for free to people who are in need.

They use this to support vendors who had to stay at home during operation that we've lived because they were afraid of being targeted or they did.

some cases, they went to their homes and they bought all of their merchandise.

They are to keep them home so they didn't have to leave.

they're bringing this back just because, you know, many of them did not work for weeks.

Many of them were affected in some way or another.

Many of them had a family Taken.

So they're still recovering from low sales for months or weeks at a time is what organizers said.

They're bringing back in the series.

It kicks off at the end of this month.

It will be one Saturday a month through October.

They're going to sit neighborhoods like a little pills and back of the art.

You know, all of immigrant and clouds of the love that idea.

I love that Rates are right, Jeff?

The battle over a tipped minimum wage in City Council.

You thought it was over time quite what was this week's time learning that no battles are ever really over new version of this one is a proposal that would instead of a permanent freeze on the one fair wage law that phases out the tip credit for restaurant and bar workers would be a finite free as of 2 years and maybe 4 years.

If it's a smaller restaurant that's involved.

>> This is a proposal from Walter Reade Burnett.

The aldermen representing the West side, including the Fulton Market District, which is, you know, is full of hot restaurants restaurants who are according to then concerned about the higher cost of everything.

This would this has.

I wouldn't say it has the support of labor groups and restaurant groups, but they each said in the hearings this week, but they wouldn't oppose this particular proposal.

so passed committee and is now headed for the full council will be considered next week.

I asked the mayor this week if he thought he would be more inclined to support this proposal.

And he said he's still looking at it but said, you know, I thought the 5 year ramp was find to begin with.

We haven't seen a drop-off in business.

He citing city data.

The restaurant association has a different picture, but he says he's looking at it and he says a worker city council these fights are never over until for correct.

>> Alright, lots of questions on folks minds about haunted virus right now.

Given that outbreak on a cruise ship, Illinois officials tracking a possible case in Winnebago County, but sounds like they're urging the public to remain calm right now.

Yeah, there's no imminent threat of any sort of pandemic like we saw several years ago with COVID.

The good news, I guess is that, yeah, it's very hard for this virus to transmit from person to another person's.

>> Really close and extended contact yeah, even though the heart of ours that was reported in Chicago are in the Chicago is a totally unrelated strain to the one that's on this cruise ship that is reported off of Spain.

Apparently I've learned a lot about how but became immunologist last just like there are many different types of coronaviruses are many different types viruses you don't need to worry about lining up to virus vaccinations or anything.

Anything else any time soon.

All right.

Thanks is my hometown.

Winnebago came back for my family there.

So I do not love the doctor.

Armen Trout route stop and think stacked.

All right.

curious about a minute left, but I want to get to this.

You know, anybody looking to buy a home right now knows the market is very tight.

And some of these listings are never even made public.

>> That's what a new lawsuit hinges on.

Tell us about that.

Zillow, which we probably if you've ever been searching for a place or if you watch or follow Zillow gone wild hood shows funky houses of we you know that their listings everywhere Zillow does is push back against this idea of private listing private listing networks.

>> These are what a brokerage will you know, just the transaction is essentially out of the public eye.

Hey, I've got this house coming up.

Hey, this is how much we think you can get for it.

Zillow says that is not transparent.

You are not giving the homebuyer the full story of what's out there.

They said red, which is the MLS multiple listing Service.

It's a lot of that serves Chicago and the Chicago area but has now gone nationwide.

They certain zil claims they threatened to cut from all the listings that are never read.

If they didn't take these private listings says Zillow has sort of bet they're listing standards a little so that they're not cut off because that would essentially push them out of the game.

If you go to Zillow and you only see a few houses versus going somewhere else and you see a bunch, it's you know, it's about transparency.

Basically what's available to the home buyer?

Well, as for great reporters, you're all transparent.

We appreciate that.

But we are out of time.

So our thanks to.

>> Jeff, a cold, scary shepherd.

Frontier Garcia Hernandez and Mitchell arm and Trout.

We're back with a little something special right after this.

>> Tonight's presentation of Week in review is made possible in part by an and rich com BNSF railway.

And Francine and Doctor Anthony Brown.

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

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> The month of May brings with it.

Many joys may flowers a chance to celebrate Mother's Memorial days.

Unofficial kickoff to summer.

But for diehard football fanatics, the big highlight of the month is the NFL's annual schedule release last night the Bears dropped their schedule reveal video featuring wide receiver Romo doomsday showing off some artistic flair Wt Tw news was there for an exclusive behind the scenes.

Look at the making of the video.

>> Inside Bears HQ at Halas Hall in Lake Forest.

A studio crew is setting up for the shoot.

They've got everything.

A certain beloved painter needs.

A pallet of vibrant colors, a series of canvases that may have been just slightly jump started an easel brushes and of course, coral.

I'm so glad you could join me that.

>> I've got a couple of my little friends here.

Cup a little baby squirrels.

>> And that's right.

Today, Roma dunes.

They will be trading his usual football gear and high intensity played for the more laid-back, doesn't serene attitude of Public TV's legendary painting teacher Bob Ross because it's a fantastic day here and I hope it is where we're at.

Arriving for the shoot.

Rome quickly changed from casual gym clothes into the Bob Ross look and headed into the studio.

But just because today's shoot had a fun theme, didn't mean Rome was any less detail oriented than he is on the field to the as you want to see how far goes up And of course, if you're going for the Bob Ross, look, you have got to get the hair right?

Alright, slate.

Welcome back, And today we're doing a little scene of the 2026 schedule that I hope you enjoy.

Great like that to best.

So far we'll do one more.

>> This even though Rome's more accustomed to running routes than reading a teleprompter.

He delivered his lines like a pro.

Should I be worried about my job?

>> The brave as the shoe progress.

The crew swapped out increasingly completed canvases.

That room painted with the help of some editing magic.

But of course, he got a chance to show off his skills on the Bob Ross be all end.

All government he put him up for clouds doing take after taking a fast paced shoot from help keep spirits high, even under hot studio lights.

Fans are so bright that the eye but getting to enjoy some Bob technique helped relieve any tension.

Let's go ahead and clean up our breath before the next step.

just have a little fun if you go.

And since it was the Bears they added in some equipment.

Bob wasn't known to use.

Isn't that satisfy after the shoot?

We asked Rome how it felt getting into character.

It was good.

I think most of the work goes into the fro, you know, the frozen kind of the.

>> The Bob Ross icon.

But, you know, it's his charm and, you know, the rolled up sleeves and all that.

And it's, you know, happy-go-lucky so that, too.

So I just try to embody that a little bit happy.

Little trees, happy little clouds.

Now that's on the fan for Fans of the Bears are excited about the upcoming season after a playoff run last year, we asked around what he was looking to do this season.

Coach Ben Johnson.

Second, obviously, you know, go further into playoffs.

Coco won a Super Bowl.

Is that the main goal?

We definitely have some chemistry that we've, you know, pick back up on relationships, obviously at building.

So those of all continue to grow no wonder this offense and under his leadership, I think we're all kind of, you know, on the right past like to wish you all have painting and they're down With the Bob Ross shoot behind him.

We also asked around if he had any ideas for next year's schedule reveal video.

>> I got no clue.

I got no clue.

I think of done my of my service, though, when it comes to team's schedule You know, hopefully I just have maybe a little.

>> A minor Whoever ends up with the starring role.

We've got some ideas for the Sesame Street, anyone.

The Bear season opener, September 13th against Carolina.

The home opener is the following week facing the Vikings.

If you want to see our full interview with Rome it's on our website at Wt Tw dot com slash news.

>> And that's our show for this Friday night.

Be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter, the Daily Chicago and at W T Tw Dot Com Slash newsletter.

Now for all of us here at the week in review, I'm Nick Blumberg.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy, stay safe and stay informed.

Have a great weekend.

>> All right.

To any of you ever paint along with member like 10 what pressure?

he did a great He did.

He it was game really pa's Oh, Taking one of those you know, maybe this can be a pledge give away.

We keep this partnership going.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law a Chicago personal injury and wrongful