Good afternoon! In case you missed it, WBEZ has a Bluesky account — give us a observe should you’re on the social platform. Right here’s what else you might want to know at present.
1. Donald Trump’s pardons for Jan. 6 rioters assist no less than 50 defendants from Illinois
Greater than 50 Donald Trump supporters from Illinois have been pardoned or could have their instances dropped after the brand new president signed about 1,500 pardons associated to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol, my colleagues Tom Schuba, Dan Mihalopoulos and Jon Seidel report.
A Chicago Solar-Occasions evaluate of federal court docket data discovered 43 of the 53 defendants from Illinois had been convicted and sentenced in instances stemming from the Capitol rebel by the point Trump took workplace Monday and carried out his marketing campaign promise to assist individuals he described as “hostages” of politicized federal law-enforcement.
A lawyer for one of many defendants — former Chicago Police Officer Karol J. Chwiesiuk — welcomed Trump’s determination as “the suitable factor to do.”
“It was a witch hunt,” the lawyer, Nishay Sanan of Chicago, stated of the Jan. 6 instances. “This was the Democrats’ try to go after Trump and his supporters. Why didn’t anybody go after the individuals who burned down Portland and Minneapolis? As a result of they’re all Democrats.” [Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ]
The pardons have been one in all a number of government actions Trump took yesterday, starting from marketing campaign priorities akin to border safety to tradition conflict points like DEI insurance policies. [NPR]
2. Mayor Brandon Johnson says he’ll defend Chicago’s immigrant residents
Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan stated the administration reconsidered starting deportations of some immigrants in Chicago after the plan was leaked, however metropolis officers and advocates are persevering with to arrange.
“We’re going to struggle and get up for working individuals. That’s what Chicago is understood for,” Johnson informed NPR. “We’re going to proceed to try this no matter who’s within the White Home.”
Native legal guidelines don’t enable regulation enforcement to ask about an individual’s immigration standing, detain them as a result of they lack standing and largely stop officers from cooperating with federal brokers.
An exception can be if ICE brokers are searching for individuals with federal legal warrants. Johnson stated these with legal convictions will probably be topic to the regulation. [NPR]
A sting operation discovered that actual property professionals typically declined to hire Chicago-area properties to investigators posing as low-income households, Mohammad Samra stories for the Chicago Solar-Occasions.
The Housing Rights Initiative filed a slew of complaints yesterday with the Illinois Division of Human Rights, claiming actual property brokers, brokerage companies and landlords discriminated in opposition to potential renters who sought to make use of vouchers supplied by means of the federal rental help program often known as Part 8.
A bunch of investigators went undercover final 12 months as potential tenants, contacting lots of of brokers and landlords by textual content message to find out whether or not they have been complying with the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in opposition to individuals with housing vouchers.
The group discovered that voucher holders have been explicitly discriminated in opposition to about 36% of the time, based on a press release issued by the Housing Rights Initiative. A variety of actual property heavyweights have been among the many companies that allegedly broke the regulation. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. The Chicago Bears are set to rent Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as head coach
Johnson is broadly considered one of many smartest offensive minds in soccer and has turned down a number of NFL groups over the past three hiring cycles whereas ready for a great scenario to develop into a head coach, Jason Lieser writes for the Chicago Solar-Occasions.
Whereas it’s no assure of success, it’s uncommon for the Bears to make such an aggressive and universally applauded transfer. The crew interviewed 17 coaches earlier than coming to an settlement with Johnson.
As coordinator in Detroit, he took over a Lions offense that was twenty fifth in scoring in 2021 and vaulted it to fifth in his first season. The Lions completed fifth once more in 2023 and led the NFL in scoring this previous season with 33.2 factors per sport as they went 15-2 and captured the highest seed within the NFC. The Bears have been twenty eighth in scoring at 18.2 factors per sport and haven’t completed greater than 18th since 2018. [Chicago Sun-Times]
5. ‘Mission a Black Planet’ is a history-making survey of Pan-African artwork
The large Artwork Institute of Chicago exhibition, co-presented with museums in Barcelona and Brussels, will head to Europe after March 30, my colleagues Cianna Greaves and Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis report for WBEZ.
Included are 350 artistic endeavors, with work, sculpture, video and audio, in addition to historic objects and ephemera spanning a century. As you journey room to room, the seldom-heard voice of Marcus Garvey and soothing contemplations of Audre Lorde wash over you.
Co-curator Antawan Byrd, affiliate curator of pictures and media on the museum and an artwork historical past professor at Northwestern College, informed WBEZ this exhibition is probably going the primary of its form.
“The museum has a really robust monitor file of mounting exhibitions that characteristic Black artists,” Byrd stated. “For instance, there was a implausible present that I helped manage on the Medu Artwork Ensemble, which is an anti-apartheid South African artist collective, just a few years in the past. However on this scale, to my information, it’s fairly unprecedented.” [WBEZ]
Right here’s what else is occurring
- A uncommon frigid storm introduced heavy snow, sleet and ice to Texas and the northern Gulf Coast. [AP]
- Israel’s prime common resigned, taking duty for safety failures tied to Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault. [AP]
- A information web site targeted on Elon Musk is ready to launch. [NPR]
- Earth’s magnetic north pole has shifted once more. [CNN]
Oh, and yet one more factor …
The 606’s Bloomingdale Path extension is delayed till late 2027, Block Membership Chicago stories.
Plans for the elevated bike and strolling path embrace connecting it with Elston Avenue, Lincoln Yards and the Chicago River. Development was initially anticipated to start this 12 months however was pushed again to late 2026.
“There was ongoing coordination with federal, state, metropolis companies, and county companions to safe obligatory approvals and funding for a venture of this scale and complexity. Development is anticipated to be funded by a mixture of federal, state, and native sources, that are nonetheless being recognized,” transportation division spokesperson Erica Schroeder informed Block Membership. [Block Club Chicago]
Inform me one thing good …
Girl Gaga has been teasing a new album, which has me nostalgic for when her first one got here out in 2008. So I’m questioning, which artists or songs carry you pleasure everytime you hear them?
Be at liberty to electronic mail me, and your response could also be included within the e-newsletter this week.
