[♪♪♪]

>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO

"CHICAGO TONIGHT."

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> AND I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT...

>> THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR CITY

COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REACH A DEAL

ON CHICAGO'S WARD MAP.

A LOOK WHERE THE TWO PROPOSALS

STAND.

>> THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL

COMMITTEE WITHDRAWS FROM THE

COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL

DEBATES.

A LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE

COMMISSION'S BOARD WEIGHS IN.

>> 54 TEXTBOOKS ARE BANNED IN

FLORIDA IN RECORD-BREAKING

CENSORSHIP WHY THE DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION SAYS THE BOOKS WERE

INDOCTRINATING STUDENTS.

>> IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM

AND IT IS AN ESCALATING PROBLEM.

>> ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE CHICAGO

POLICE SUPERINTENDENT DAVID

BROWN ON GHOST GUNS, CONSENT

DECREE DEADLINES AND MORE.

>> WELCOME TO THE MIDDLE OF

EVERYTHING.

>> A NEW AD CAMPAIGN HOPES TO

BOOST TOURISM ACROSS ILLINOIS

THAT AND MORE FROM KRANS.

>> HOW THESE --

CRAIN'S.

>> HOW THESE FOSSILS CAN SHOW

THE EARLY TIMELINE ON EARLY THAT

AND SCIENCE STORIES MAKING

HEADLINESSISM WE ARE COMEDIANS

BUT WE HAVE A RESPECT FOR

MARIACHI.

>> AND MARIACHI MEETS IMPROV.

>> FIRST SOME OF TODAY'S TOP

STORIES NO, NO FEDERAL CRIMINAL

CHARGES AGAINST FORMER CHICAGO

POLICE OFFICER JASON VAN DYKE IT

WILL NOT PURSUE FEDERAL CIVIL

RIGHTS CHARGES FOR THE KILLING

OF LAQUAN McDONALD.

U.S. ATTORNEY JOHN LAUSCH SAYS

THE BAR IS HIGH TO PROVE BEYOND

A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT VAN DYKE

ACTED WITH DELIBERATE INTENT.

HE WAS RELEASED AFTER SERVING

THREE YEARS OF A SEVEN-YEAR

PRISON SENTENCE.

LAUSCH SAYS THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S

OFFICE CONSULTED WITH

MCDONALD'S' FAMILY WHO AGREED

NOT TO BRING THE ADDITIONAL

CHARGES.

>> A FORMER ILLINOIS PUBLIC

OFFICIAL IS FEDERALLY CHARGED

WITH CORRUPTION.

ANTHONY RAGUCCI, WAS CHARGED

WITH WIRE AND TAX FRAUD FOR HIS

ROLE IN AN ALLEGED SCHEME

INVOLVING RED LIGHT CAMERAS.

HE RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

IN KICKBACKS FROM A RED LIGHT

CAMERA FIRM THAT PUT CAMERAS UP

IN THE TOWN OF OAKBROOK TERRACE.

HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR IN 2009.

>> GRADUATE STUDENT EMPLOYEES AT

UIC ARE ON STRIKE AMID STALLED

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

THE SIDES ARE STALEMATED ON WAGE

INCREASES, HEALTHCARE COSTS AND

STUDENT FEES.

UIC ADMINISTRATORS SAY THE

WALKOUT WILL NOT AFFECT CLASS

SCHEDULES OR FINAL EXAMS.

>> UP NEXT A BIG DEADLINE FOR

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT"

IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY...

>> THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR CITY

COUNCIL MEMBERS TO STRIKE A DEAL

ON A NEW WARD MAP.

ALDERPEOPLE HAVE A MONTH TO

REACH A COMPROMISE.

IF NOT, IT GOES TO THE VOTERS

VIA A REFERENDUM.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER

CHERONE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE

ON THE COUNTDOWN AND HEATHER

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND BY WHEN

IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS

REFERENDUM?

>> WELL, STATE LAW SAYS 41

ALDERPEOPLE HAVE TO AGREE ON A

MAP SETTING THE BOUNDARIES OF

CHICAGO'S 50 WARDS BY MAY 19TH,

THAT IS 40 DAYS BEFORE THE JUNE

28TH PRIMARY.

AND THAT WILL AVERT A

REFERENDUM.

BUT IT'S BEEN MORE THAN SIX

MONTHS.

THERE IS NO AGREEMENT IN SIGHT

AND AS YOU SAID THE CLOCK IS

TICKING LOUDLY.

>> MORE THAN SIX MONTHS.

WHERE DO THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW?

>> PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE STARTED

AT THIS.

THE LATINO CAUCUS IS REFUSING TO

SIGN OFF ON A MAP THAT WOULD

HAVE FEWER THAN 15 WARDS WITH

THE MAJORITY OF LATINO VOTERS.

AND THE BLACK CAUCUS IS REFUSING

TO SIGN OFF ON A MAP THAT HAS

FEWER THAN 16 WARDS WITH A

MAJORITY OF BLACK VOTERS AND ONE

WARD WITH A FLUHRALITY OF BLACK

VOTERS AND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE

IN CHICAGO'S SOUTH AND WEST

SIDES.

LEAVING THE TWO GROUPS AT LAGGER

HEADS AND PERHAPS PUNTING THE

QUESTION TO VOTERS FOR THE FIRST

TIME SINCE 1992.

>> WHY, HEATHER, IS THIS YEAR'S

REMAPPING EFFORT SO ESPECIALLY

TENSE?

>> WELL, CHICAGO'S RACIAL

DEMOGRAPHICS AND MAKEUP IS

CHANGING SIGNIFICANTLY.

CHICAGO'S BLACK POPULATION

DROPPED 10% OVER THE LAST

DECADE.

WHILE CHICAGO'S LATINO

POPULATION ROSE 5%.

AT THE SAME TIME, CHICAGO'S

ASIAN-AMERICAN POPULATION HAS

SOARED 31%.

AND THAT MEANS THAT EVERYTHING

IS IS IN FLUX AND EVERYBODY IS

BATTLING FOR THEIR SHARE OF

POWER AT CITY HALL.

>> AND IN THAT BATTLE, HEATHER,

ARE EITHER GROUPS MAKING THEIR

CASES TO THE VOTERS YET?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

SO BOTH THE MAPS SUPPORTED BY

THE LATINO CAUCUS AND THE BLACK

CAUCUS CREATED CAMPAIGN

COMMITTEES THAT ALLOWS THEM TO

START COLLECTING CAMPAIGN

CONTRIBUTIONS.

THAT HAS STARTED AND WE COULD

SEE THE CAMPAIGNS START IN

EARNEST BEFORE THE MAY 19TH

DEADLINE BECAUSE THE MAIL COULD

START HITTING IN JUST A COUPLE

OF WEEKS, ASSUMING THAT THERE IS

NO AGREEMENT IN SIGHT.

>> OK.

THAT MEANS THERE COULD BE ONE

MORE DECISION FOR CHICAGO VOTERS

TO MAKE.

HEATHER CHERONE THANK YOU SO

MUCH.

>> THANKS, BRANDIS.

>> AND YOU CAN READ HEATHER'S

STORY ON WTTW.COM/NEWS.

>> AND NOW TO PARIS FOR A LOOK

AT THE FUTURE OF PRESIDENTIAL

DEBATES.

PARIS?

>> THANKS, BRANDIS.

THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

COULD LOOK LOPSIDED BECAUSE THE

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE

UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO WITHDRAW

FROM THE COMMISSION ON

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES.

THE COMMISSION IS A NONPROFIT

NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION THAT

HAS BEEN SPONSORING AND

PRODUCING GENERAL ELECTION

DEBATES SINCE 1987.

IN A STATEMENT CHAIRWOMAN RONNA

McDANIEL SAYS...

>> AND HERE WITH REACTION AND

MORE IS NEWTON MINOW HE RETIRED

FROM THE BOARD OF THE COMMISSION

AFTER 49 DEBATES HE IS AN

ATTORNEY FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE

F.C.C. UNDER PRESIDENT KENNEDY,

RECIPIENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL

AMERICAN OF FREEDOM.

AND NEWTON MINOW IT IS A

PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU.

FIRST, REMIND US WHAT THE

COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL

DEBATES DOES AND ITS ROLE IN

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES?

>> PARIS, IT IS GOOD TO BE HERE

WITH YOU.

THE COMMISSION HAS SPONSORED AND

ORGANIZED DEBATES AS YOU POINTED

OUT FOR MANY YEARS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED FROM THE

BEGINNING IN 49 TELEVISED

PRESIDENTIAL AND

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES.

THE COMMISSION CONSISTS MOSTLY

OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COME FROM SOME

EXPOSURE TO POLITICS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN

REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC

SENATORS, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,

GOVERNORS, PEOPLE FROM

EDUCATION, WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT

OF NOTRE DAME AS A MEMBER.

PEOPLE FROM BUSINESS.

AND WE PERFORM AS A NONPARTISAN

SPONSOR.

WE WORK WITH UNIVERSITIES WHERE

THE DEBATES OCCUR.

AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE HAD A SUCCESSFUL

RECORD OVERALL THESE YEARS.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED THE

BIPARTISAN MAKEUP OF THE

COMMISSION.

YOUR REACTION TO THE STATEMENT

FROM THE RNC BOTH WITHDRAWING

AND CALLING THE COMMISSION

BIASED.

DID YOU DETECT BIAS THERE?

>> WELL, IT IS SO DISAPPOINTING

TO GET THIS WORD FROM THE

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE

BECAUSE OUR OWN CO-CHAIR MAN IS

A FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

THERE ARE MANY REPUBLICANS

PROBABLY MORE REPUBLICANS THAN

DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS ON

THE COMMISSION.

AND WE'VE BEEN AT IT FOR DECADES

AND DECADES AND THIS IS THE

FIRST TIME, THE FIRST TIME ANY

CANDIDATE OF ANY PARTY OR ANY

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE HAS HAD

ANY PROBLEM.

>> AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE OF

THE MODERATORS FROM 2020 CHRIS

WALLACE.

ONE OF THE DEMANDS WAS THEY

WANTED TO MAKE THE COMMISSION

NEVER CHOSE A MODERATOR THAT

WORKED FOR ONE OF THE CANDIDATES

IN RESPONSE TO C SPAN'S STEVE

SCULLY WHO WORKED FOR BIDEN.

>> HE WORKED FOR HIM AS A

STUDENT INTERN FOR SIX WEEKS.

PUT THERE BY HIS OWN UNIVERSITY

AND NEVER EVEN MET BIDEN.

>> RIGHT.

SO THAT WAS WHAT THE RNC WAS

RESPONDING TO.

IN GENERAL THE NOTION THAT

MODERATORS THAT NEVER HAD ANY

ASSOCIATION, I GUESS WITH THE

CANDIDATES IS THAT SOMETHING THE

COMMISSION IS OPEN TO?

IS THAT A FAIR ASK?

>> OF COURSE, THAT'S FAIR.

BUT WHAT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL

COMMITTEE WANTS IS TO PICK THE

MODERATORS.

>> HAVE THEY EXPRESSED THAT

OPENLY THAT THEY SENT YOU A LIST

OF MODERATORS?

>> NOT OPENLY, BUT THEY HAVE

INDICATED THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY

WANT TO DO.

AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE

SOMETHING FAIR TO THE AMERICAN

PUBLIC.

>> CERTAINLY.

WE WOULDN'T WANT CANDIDATES

PICKING THE MODERATORS.

>> ONE OTHER THING, PARIS, THE

REPUBLICANS DO NOT WANT

JOURNALISTS DO NOT WANT

JOURNALISTS TO BE MODERATORS.

I THINK SOMEHOW AFRAID OF

JOURNALISTS.

>> IS THIS ALL ABOUT THE FORMER

PRESIDENT?

IS HE THE ONE DO YOU BELIEVE

CALLING THE SHOTS AND ASKING THE

PARTY TO ISSUE THIS KIND OF

DIRECTIVE?

>> WELL, I CAN ONLY TELL YOU

AFTER 49 DEBATES, IT WAS ONLY

HIS DISSATISFACTION THAT HAS

CAUSED THIS WHOLE THING.

>> DO YOU ANTICIPATE WHOEVER

ENDS UP BEING THE NOMINEE OF THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY IN 2024 MIGHT

THEY CHOOSE INDIVIDUALLY TO

PARTICIPATE DESPITE WHAT THE

PARTY IS SAYING?

>> WELL, THAT GOES RIGHT TO THE

HEART OF THE POINT I WANT TO

MAKE.

THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL

DEBATES DOES NOT UNDERLINE NOT,

DEAL WITH PARTIES.

THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL

DEBATES DEALS WITH CANDIDATES.

DIRECTLY WITH CANDIDATES.

AND I DON'T THINK THE REPUBLICAN

CANDIDATE WHOEVER THAT MIGHT BE

MAN OR WOMAN IN 2024, IS GOING

TO BE WANT TO BE REPRESENTED AT

THE DEBATE BY SOME KIND OF AN

EMPTY CHAIR.

THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE WILL

WANT TO PARTICIPATE.

>> AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING

DESPITE THE DIRECTIVE, THE

COMMISSION IS GOING TO CONTINUE

TO STAGE DEBATES, CORRECT, EVEN

IF IT IS JUST ONE MAJOR PARTY

CANDIDATE THAT TAKES PART?

>> NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

AND THERE COULD BE MORE THAN

TWO.

YOU KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD

TWO CANDIDATES, ROSS PERREAULT

AND JOHN ANDERSON WHO WERE THE

THIRD PARTICIPANT THIRD

CANDIDATE IN THE DEBATE.

AND THAT COULD VERY WELL HAPPEN

AGAIN.

TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE

DEBATE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH

YOUR POLITICAL PARTY.

IT HAS TO DO WITH YOU HAVE TO BE

CONSTITUTIONALLY QUALIFIED WHICH

MEANS YOU HAVE TO BE A NATIVE

BORN CITIZEN AT LEAST 35 YEARS

OLD.

YOU MUST BE ON ENOUGH BALLOTS SO

YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN.

AND THIRD, YOU MUST HAVE AT

LEAST 15% SUPPORT IN THE LEADING

NATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION POLLS.

SO THERE'S NOTHING TO DO WITH

PARTY.

IT IS AN INDIVIDUAL

QUALIFICATION TO BE IN THE

DEBATE.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE COST TO

THE PUBLIC IS FOR HAVING AT

LEAST ONE MAJOR PARTY DECIDE TO

WITHDRAW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU

CONSIDER THAT THE DEBATES ARE

CARRIED BY EVERY MAJOR NETWORK

ONE OF THE FEW MASS VIEWING

EVENTS WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY?

>> ONE OF THE FEW NONPARTISAN

EVENTS THAT LASTED AND

CONTRIBUTED TO VOTER EDUCATION

FOR DECADES.

AND THE BROADCASTERS AND CABLE

PEOPLE PROVIDE THIS WITHOUT

CHARGE.

THERE'S NO COMMERCIALS.

THEY ARE EDUCATIONAL

INSTITUTIONS AT UNIVERSITIES.

MORE THAN 200 MILLION PEOPLE I

THINK THE AUDIENCE FOR THE

PRESIDENTIAL AND

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

COMPARES ONLY TO THE SUPER BOWL.

IT IS A VERY ESSENTIAL PART OF

THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

AND THE CANDIDATES SHOULD ALL

PARTICIPATE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE

AMERICAN PEOPLE THE INFORMATION

THAT THEY NEED THE REAL PURPOSE

OF THE DEBATES IS TO ONE AND

ONLY TIME THEY CAN SEE THE

CANDIDATES AT THE SAME TIME,

RESPONDING TO EACH OTHER AND

GIVING THE VOTER THE CHANCE TO

EVALUATE THEM.

>> AND YOU WERE PART OF THAT

VERY FAMOUS FIRST TELEVISED

DEBATE NIXON KENNEDY.

HOW HAVE THE DEBATES CHANGED

SINCE THEN?

>> WELL, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK

AT THE TAPES OF THE

KENNEDY-NIXON DEBATE YOU WILL

SEE THEY WERE SIMILAR BUT YET,

EACH OPENED WITH AN OPENING

STATEMENT AND CLOSED WITH A

CLOSING STATEMENT.

THERE WAS A PANEL OF QUESTIONERS

BY THE FUNNIEST COINCIDENCES MY

COLLEGE ROOMMATE AT NORTHWEST

UNIVERSITY WAS ONE OF THE

PANELISTS.

THE 1960 DEBATE WAS THE FIRST

TIME THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAD A

ACHANCE TO COMPARE TWO

CANDIDATES SIDE-BY-SIDE, NIX CON

AND KENNEDY AND WERE VERY

IMPORTANT.

IN THE FUTURE DEBATES, PRESIDENT

REAGAN, THE TWO PRESIDENT

BUSHES, VERY OFTEN ARE REGARDED

AS HAVING WON THEIR ELECTIONS

THROUGH THE DEBATES.

THAT IS WHY IT IS SUCH --

DON'T GET ME STARTED --

SURPRISING THING FOR THE

REPUBLICANS WHO BENEFITED SO

ENORMOUSLY FROM THE DEBATES TO

WANT TO WITHDRAW FROM THEM.

>> CERTAINLY DEBATES HAVE ALWAYS

PROVEN TO BE FLUNGAL ON THE

ELECTION.

INFLUENTIAL.

>> NEWTON MINOW THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US.

>> ONE MORE SECOND.

I WANT TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE

FOR MAYOR OF CHICAGO.

>> WHO IS THAT?

>> JOHN RODGERS.

OUR PROBLEM IS TO GET HIM TO BE

WILLING TO RUN.

>> MAYBE HE IS LISTENING.

NEWTON MINOW THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND NOW TO BRANDIS AND BOOK

BANNING EFFORTS IN FLORIDA.

>> THE WAR ON BOOKS IS

ESCALATING AND THE LATEST

TARGET, MATH TEXTBOOKS FLORIDA'S

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ANNOUNCED IT WAS BANNING 54 MATH

BOOKS ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY

TEACH CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

IN THE PAST YEAR MORE THAN 1500

BOOKS HAVE BEEN BANNED IN

SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

ACCORDING TO PEN AMERICA.

A NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO

PROTECTING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

IN THE UNITED STATES.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LATEST

BAN IS TRACIE HALL, EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE KNOW IN THE PAST FEW YEARS,

WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK ON

BANNING SPECIFIC KINDS OF BOOKS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE CAUSE

OF ALL THIS?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT ANYTIME WE

HAVE SEEN THE SUPPRESSION OF

IDEAS AND BOOKS WHETHER IT'S NOW

OR IN THE McCARTHY ERA 70

YEARS AGO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN

REALLY ABOUT SOCIAL CHANGE AND

TRYING TO SUPPRESS SOCIAL CHANGE

IN THE McCARTHY ERA WE SAW

BOOKS CONSIDERED TO BE

ANTI-AMERICAN OFTEN WERE BOOKS

THAT PROMOTED INTEGRATION AND

PUSHED BACK AGAINST

DESEGREGATION.

AND THOSE BOOKS WERE LABELED AS

DANGEROUS.

TODAY WE SEE THAT BOOKS THAT

UPLIFT THE LIVES OF BLACK INC.

DIGINOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND

INDIVIDUALS WHO IDENTIFY AS

LGBTQ ARE ALSO BEING REPRESSED.

I THINK WE CAN SEE A PATTERN

HERE.

>> SO THE AMERICAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION YOU ALL HAVE CALLED

THIS A QUOTE THREAT TO THE

FREEDOM TO READ.

HOW DOES THIS BAN AFFECT LOCAL

COMMUNITIES?

>> WELL, IT REALLY AFFECTS LOCAL

COMMUNITIES IN TWO WAYS: ONE,

BECAUSE IT DRIVES A WEDGE WITHIN

OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO IT SAYS THAT CERTAIN IDEAS

ARE NOT TO BE TALKED ABOUT OR

NOT TO BE DISCUSSED AND IT ALSO

CHALLENGES OUR ABILITY TO

PROVIDE THE KINDS OF INFORMATION

SERVICES AND READING THAT PEOPLE

NEED.

SO IT IS A DOUBLE CHALLENGE.

AND LESS UNCHECKED CAN CAN DO

MORE DAMAGE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT

MANY OF THE BOOKS SUCH ACETONE

ANYMORERIES SON'S THE BLUEST EYE

ARE CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF THE

AMERICAN CANNON AND WHEN THOSE

BOOKS ARE REMOVED FROM LIBRARIES

SCHOOL OR PUBLIC, IT HINDERS THE

ABILITY OF STUDENTS TO PREPARE

FOR TESTS LIKE THE SAT OR THE

ACT WHEN THE BLUEST EYE IS ONE

OF THE BOOKS THAT IS FREQUENTLY

MENTIONED.

AND BECOMES PART OF MANY OF THE

TEST QUESTIONS WE SEE THERE.

>> THE ALA YOU CONDUCTED A VOTER

POLL IN ADDITION TO THAT WHAT

HAS THE ALA BEEN DOING IN

RESPONSE TO THE EFFORTS ACROSS

THE COUNTRY?

>> WE DID.

WE CONDUCTED A POLL BECAUSE WE

WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WE AS

LIBRARIANS BELIEVE THAT

PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO READ IS

AT THE CORE OF LIBRARIANSHIP.

BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE

THAT WE WERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT

REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY,

70% OF AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY

BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT TO READ

IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF FREEDOM

OF SPEECH.

AND WANT TO PROTECT IT.

WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THAT

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO

BOOKS THAT ARE LABELED CRITICAL

RACE THEORY ET CETERA, BOOKS

THAT SPEAK ABOUT ANTIRACISM,

THAT WE FOR THAT MORE THAN 90%

OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY

BELIEVE THAT THOSE BOOKS SHOULD

BE ON THE SHELVES OF LIBRARIES

EVERYWHERE.

>> NOW, ACCORDING TO EDUCATION

WEEK.ORG SINCE JANUARY OF 202142

STATES INTRODUCED BILLS OR

TAKEN --

THE TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE

THEORY AN ACADEMIC THEORY FROM

WHAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW CAN THE

BANS BE UPHELD?

>> WELL, THE BANS CAN BE UPHELD

WHEN THEY ARE LEFT UNSTOPPED AND

UNCHECKED.

THE BANS CAN BE UPHELD WHEN

PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT CENSORSHIP

IS RIGHT AND THAT SOMEHOW THEY

ARE PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN

AND OTHERS.

BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THAT IS

NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE IN WHEN WE

THINK ABOUT A DEMOCRACY.

WE KNOW THAT MOST PARENTS REALLY

WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR

CHILDREN'S READING.

AND THEY WANT TO DECIDE WHAT

THEIR CHILDREN ARE READING.

THEY DON'T WANT TO SURRENDER

THAT RIGHT TO ANYONE ELSE.

SO I THINK THAT THE BANS I THINK

TO THINK OF THEM AS AN

ABERRATION.

THEY ARENCE TENSEFYING AND WE

CAN SEE PARALLELS WHAT WAS

HAPPENING IN THE McCARTHY ERA

I DO BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT

INDICATIVE WHAT WE THINK AS A

PEOPLE.

ONE WAY WE CAN FIGHT AGAINST

THEM IS TO AND I'M INVITING

EVERYONE TO VISIT UNITE AGAINST

BOOK BANS.ORG THAT IS WHERE WE

ARE ASKING CAREGIVERS, MOMS AND

DADS AND TEACHERS AND WRITERS

AND AUTHORS AND ARTISTS AND

PHYSICAL LEADERS TO COME

TOGETHER AND PROTECT THE RIGHT

TO READ.

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT FREE

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO

READ FREELY.

>> FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DE

SANTIS ARGUES PARENTS SHOULD BE

THE ONES ABLE TO HAVE THE

DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEXUALITY WITH

THEIR CHILDREN VERSUS BOOKS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT

ARGUMENT?

>> I ACTUALLY SAY THAT I THINK

THAT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT

PARENTS DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY

WITH THEIR OWN FAMILIES WITH

THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO TALK ABOUT

WHAT READING MIGHT BE IMPORTANT

FOR THAT YOUNG PERSON FOR THE

FAMILY ET CETERA.

AND WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE

BOOKS THAT ARE BEING CENSORED

TALK ABOUT IDENTIFIATION, TALK

ABOUT IDENTITY, TALK ABOUT

GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION,

RACE, DATING, TALK ABOUT SOME OF

THE THINGS THAT TEENAGERS AND

YOUNG PEOPLE AND PRETEENS BEGIN

TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY REALLY

WANT TO IDENTIFY FOR THEMSELVES

WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR ME?

WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR ME?

AND ARE THERE OTHER PEOPLE WHO

FELT THE WAY I FEEL?

THE HAPPINESS, THE ELATION, THE

CONFUSION ET CETERA.

AND WHEN WE TAKE AWAY THE BOOKS

WE TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT FOR THE

PARENT TO INTRODUCE A BOOK THAT

MIGHT HELP THEIR YOUNG PERSON

THEN WE REALLY SILENCE THAT

PARENT.

SO WE BELIEVE ALSO THAT PARENTS

HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE READING

WITH AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND

NOT FOR ANYONE ELSE.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE SECONDS LEFT

YOU ARE THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO

HOLD THIS TITLE OF EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO

LEAD THIS EFFORT?

>> WELL, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

AND TIMELY FOR ME.

BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN THE

REPRESSION OF THE RIGHT TO READ

MANY TIMES IN OUR LIFETIME.

WE HAVE SEEN IT WHEN IT COMES TO

WORKERS, SEEN IT WHEN IT COMES

TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ENSLAVED

AND SEEN IT EVEN IN THE

SEGREGATION AREA --

ERA, THE REMEMBER AOF

SEGREGATION WHEN WE HAD

SEGREGATED LIBRARIES.

FOR ME PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO

READ IS SOMETHING THAT CUTS

ACROSS ALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

AND DEFINITELY FOR ME IT DRIVES

ME TO THIS WORK AND I SEE MYSELF

HOPEFULLY BEING A VANGUARD OF A

MOVEMENT TO COUNTER CENSORSHIP.

>> TRACIE HALL EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY

ASSOCIATION THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> UP NEXT, HOW A GROUP OF

COMEDIANS ARE MIXING IMPROV WITH

MARIACHI.

STAY WITH US.

>> CHICAGO IS WELL-KNOWN AS THE

BIRTHPLACE OF IMPROVISATIONAL

COMEDY BUT SINCE IT GOT STARTED

IT'S BEEN A WHITE DOMINATED

SPACE.

A GROUP OF LOCAL COMEDIANS

PLAYED A DIFFERENT TUNE THROUGH

A TWIST ON MEXICAN MARIACHI

MUSIC THEY ARE BRINGING A TASTE

OF LATINO CULTURE TO AUDIENCES.

ERICA GUNDERSON INTRODUCES TO

LOS IMPROVIACHIS.

>> EMILY.

>> ARE YOU FROM HERE OR

VISITING?

>> WE'RE VISITING.

>> FROM WHERE?

>> WISCONSIN.

>> NO!

>> THE MEMBERS OF LOS

IMPROVIACHIS WILL BE THE FIRST

TO TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT

TRADITIONAL MARIACHIS.

>> WE ARE COMEDIANS BUT WE HAVE

A RESPECT FOR MARIACHI IT IS A

SERIOUS ART FORM.

[♪♪♪]

♪EMILY IS SO BEAUTIFUL SHE IS

WORTH IT MORE THAN A PESO.

>> IT'S PAYING HOMAGE TO MEXICAN

CULTURE.

[♪♪♪]

THEY WILL ADMIT THEY ARE NOT

PARTICULARLY GOOD MUSICIANS.

>> PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY EXPECTING

THESE GUYS ARE THE ATTIRE THEY

ARE GOING TO SOUND GREAT AND I

GET ON MY HORN AND A B FLAT ALL

THE WAY.

[LAUGHTER]

[♪♪♪]

>> BUT FOR THEIR BRANDS OF

IMPROV COMEDY IT'S PART OF THE

PLAN.

>> IMPROVISING THE MUSIC

PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY THAT

LOWER LEVEL BARRIER TO ENTRY

WHERE YOU CAN JUST GO FOR IT AND

HAVE A GOOD TIME.

>> NELSON VELAZQUEZ STARTED LOS

IMPROVIACHIS 10 YEARS AGO WITH

MEGAN POWELL.

AND STEVEN SANBRIA JOINED IN

2015.

>> IT WAS MORE OUT OF SALSATION

THEATRE COMEDY THE LONGER

RUNNING LATINO THEATRE COMPANY

IN CHICAGO AND I WANTED TO PUT

TOGETHER A SHOW THAT CELEBRATED

MEXICAN CULTURE AND LATINO

CULTURE BUT HAD A TON OF FUN

WITH T WE GOT OUR VICKS VAPO RUB

JOKES.

SPRITE, PEPSI.

>> OUR SEXUAL APPETITE, THE

LATIN LOVER STUFF LIKE THAT.

WE MAY DO A VERSE OF EL REY AND

THE SPANISH VERSE AND THE SECOND

VERSE IS COMPLETELY IN ENGLISH

AND IMPROVISED ON THE SPOT BASED

ON WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN.

>> WE'RE AMBASSADORS WE ARE THE

INTRO TO THE INTRO CLASS THAT

YOU WOULD TAKE AT A COMMUNITY

COLLEGE ON LATINO CULTURE.

>> THEIR ACT ADDS VARIETY INTO

WHAT IS A WHITE DOMINATED SPACE.

>> ALSO THERE IS NOT A LOT OF

SPANISH COMEDY THAT YOU WILL

SEE.

IF YOU GO TO DIFFERENT STAGES

ACROSS THE CITY, I'M SURE YOU

ARE NOT GOING TO SEE A LOT OF

OUR FACES.

AND NOT SAYING THAT I AM GOING

TO BE THE NEXT STEPHEN COLBERT

OR WHATEVER [INAUDIBLE]

OR DON FRANCISCO.

RIGHT.

SO YOU KNOW, WE JUST THAT'S WHAT

WE BRING.

WE BRING A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING

OF THE CULTURE AND HOW THAT IS

AND HOW IT PLAYS A PART IN

COMEDY BUT EVERYDAY LIFE.

>> LIKE ANY OTHER COMEDY SHOW

THEY SAY THEIR MISSION IS TO

MAKE THEM LAUGH EVEN WHEN THE

RESULTS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

>> THERE IS A BIT OF READING THE

ROOM.

ESPECIALLY IN THE SITUATIONS

LIKE ARE YOU TWO TOGETHER?

IF NELSON ASKS HE NOTICES BODY

LANGUAGE OR HOW THEY ARE SEATED.

>> WE'VE DONE IT FOR 10 YEARS.

WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE ON LOVE

CONNECTION.

>> WE PROBABLY RUIN A FEW

MARRIAGES THAT IS COLLATERAL

DAMAGE WHEN ARE YOU DOING

COMEDY.

>> WHAT CAN YOU DO?

♪WE ARE THE MARIACHI.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IS

ERICA GUNDERSON.

>> LOS IMPROVIACHIS ARE JOINING

THE UPCOMING FIESTA IN AURORA.

YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR

INFORMATION.

AND NOW BRANDIS BACK TO YOU.

>> COIL TO COME ON "CHICAGO

TONIGHT" PAT DOWELL COMES OUT

AGAINST ONE OF THE THREE CHICAGO

CASINO FINALISTS THAT AND MORE

FROM CRAIN'S.

>> AND OUTRAGE OVER THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT'S FOOT PURSUIT

POLICY.

DAVID BROWN ON THE TIMELINE FOR

NEW POLICY AND MORE.

AND MANY BIRDS ARE NESTING AND

LAYING THEIR EGGS EARLIER THAN

EVER BEFORE.

COULD CLIMATE CHANGE BE TO

BLAME?

FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP

STORIES...

>> NO FEDERAL CRIMINAL CHARGES

AGAINST FORMER CHICAGO POLICE

OFFICER JASON VAN DYKE.

THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

ANNOUNCES IT WILL NOT PURSUE

FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS CHARGES FOR

THE KILLING OF LAQUAN

McDONALD.

U.S. ATTORNEY JOHN LAUSCH SAYS

THE BAR IS VERY HIGH TO PROVE

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT THAT

VAN DYKE ACTED WITH SPECIFIC AND

DELIBERATE INTENT.

VAN DYKE WAS RELEASED IN

FEBRUARY AFTER SERVING THREE

YEARS OF A SEVEN-YEAR SENTENCE.

THE LAUSCH SAYS THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CONSULTED WITH

MCDONALD'S FAMILY WHO AGREED

WITH THE DECISION NOT TO BRING

CHARGES.

>> IF YOU ARE TRAVELING, YOU MAY

NOT NEED TO HAVE YOUR MASK HANDY

AFTER ALL.

A FEDERAL JUDGE IN FLORIDA TODAY

VOIDED THE NATIONAL MASK MANDATE

FOR AIRPLANES AND PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION.

AS A RESULT A BIDEN

ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL SAYS THE

ORDER IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT

WHILE THE RULE SOMETHING BEING

REVIEWED.

THE TRUMP APPOINTED U.S.

DISTRICT JUDGE ISSUED A 59-PAGE

RULING SAYING U.S. HEALTH

OFFICIALS OVERSTEPPED THEIR

AUTHORITY IN ISSUING THE MANDATE

AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE

CONTROL AND PREVENTION FAILED TO

JUSTIFY ITS DECISION.

THE MANDATE WAS SET TO EXPIRE

TODAY.

BUT THE C.D.C. RECENTLY EXTENDED

IT THROUGH MAY THIRD WHILE

STUDYING THE IMPACTS OF THE

OMICRON SIB VARIANT.

SUBVARIANT.

>> THE GROWING MENTAL HEALTH

CHALLENGE FOR TEENAGERS WAS THE

TOPIC OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN

NAPERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

AND U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK

MURTHY.

>> WHEN I WAS YOUNGER WHEN I WAS

IN GRADE SCHOOL, I STRUGGLED A

LOT WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH.

DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO TALK TO

ABOUT IT.

WELL, I DID, MY PARENTS CARED

DEEPLY ABOUT ME AND MY SISTER

BUT I WAS TOO ASHAMED TO TALK TO

THEM MUCH LESS TALK TO MY

TEACHERS OR COUNSELORS IN

SCHOOL.

>> THE SURGEON GENERAL ADMITTED

HIS OWN MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES

AS A TEENAGER WHILE JOINING

STUDENTS FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL.

DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN UNDEAR

WOOD JOINED IN LISTENING AS

STUDENTS SHARED THEIR

EXPERIENCES WITH CHALLENGES AND

THE ADVOCACY WORK THEY HAVE DONE

TO IMPROVE RESOURCES IN THEIR

SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

C.D.C. SAYS THE SUICIDE IS THE

SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH

FOR PEOPLE 10-24 A RATE THAT

INCREASED FROM 2007 TO 2017.

>> A HISTORY IRK ENGLEWOOD

CHURCH CONTINUED TO BURN AFTER

FIRE BROKE OUT AFTER GOOD

FRIDAY'S SERVICE LAST WEEK.

THE BUILDING HAS BEEN THE HOME

TO THE ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH.

CHICAGO FIRE CREWS RETURNED TO

THE CRUTCH BECAUSE MORE FLAMES

WERE BURNING.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS LAST

WEEK IT WAS BELIEVED TO BE

ACCIDENTAL CAUSED BY WORK BEING

DONE ON THE ROOF USING A TORCH.

THE CHURCH SAYS IT WAS THE FIRST

IN THE COUNTRY TO USE THE

HOUSING ACT WHEN THE NONPROFIT

RECEIVED A LOAN TO DEVELOP

HOUSING FOR LOW TO MODERATE

INCOME SENIORS AND FAMILIES.

IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY YOU HAVE

JUST A FEW MORE HOURS BEFORE THE

MIDNIGHT DEADLINE TO HAVE YOUR

FEDERAL TAX RETURN POSTMARKED.

THOUGH TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR

FILING YOUR TAX RETURN, THE

I.R.S. SAYS YOUR REFUND MIGHT BE

DELAYED DUE TO A BACKLOG.

THE AGENCY IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE

TO FILE ELECTRONICALLY SINCE

IT'S TAKING UP TO SIX MONTHS TO

PROCESS A PAPER RETURN.

AND FOLKS NEED TO FACTOR IN THE

CHILD TAX CREDIT AND RULES ABOUT

REPORTING INCOME FROM

CRYPTOCURRENCY.

TO PARIS FOR TOP BUSINESS

HEADLINES.

>> AN ALDERPERSON COMES OUT

AGAINST ONE OF THE THREE CASINO

FINALISTS.

DEVELOPERS PLAN NEW APARTMENTS

FOR THE MAG MILE.

>> LET'S ENJOY ILLINOIS.

>> AND A SERIES OF ADS HOPES TO

SHOWCASE ILLINOIS AS QUOTE THE

MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING.

AND HERE TO GO BEHIND THE

HEADLINES IS CRAIN'S BUSINESS

EDITOR ANN DWYER IN THE MIDDLE

OF ALL THE BUSINESS NEWS ALL THE

TIME.

LET'S START WITH THAT CASINO

NEWS.

WHICH ALDERPERSON IS OPPOSING

WHICH PROPOSAL AND WHY?

>> PAT DOWELL WHO IS THE

ALDERPERSON OVERSEEING THE AREA

AROUND McCORMICK PLACE HAS

EXPRESSED PUBLICLY HER

OPPOSITION TO THE HARD ROCK

PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN TIED WITH

THE ONE CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT NEAR

SOLDIER FIELD.

SHE CITED CONCERNS THAT A LOT OF

CONSTITUENTS HAVE CITED AROUND

CONGESTION, NEIGHBORHOOD

DISRUPTION, PUBLIC SAFETY ET

CETERA.

BUT SHE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT

THE FINANCING OF THE PROJECT

WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING.

AND PARIS, IT IS NOT ENTIRELY

CLEAR WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE

LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF THIS

PARTICULAR BID.

NORMALLY WHEN AN ALDERPERSON

COMES OUT AGAINST A DEVELOPMENT

THAT MEANS THE KISS OF DEATH.

BUT NOT SO HERE.

THE CITY DOES HAVE A LOT OF

STAKE WITH THE THREE BIDS.

WHAT IS MORE LIKELY THIS WILL

PUT PRESSURE ON LIGHTFOOT TO

SEEK CONCESSIONS OR MAYBE RISK

PUBLIC SCORN BY GOING AHEAD AND

BLESSING THE IDEA ANYWAY.

>> AND THE WAY IT IS ALL THREE

ALDERPEOPLE REPRESENTING EACH OF

THE SITES ARE ALL AGAINST EACH

PROPOSAL.

ALDERMANIC PREROGATIVE IS NOT

GOING TO PLAY A ROLE IF ONE OF

THEM PASSES CITY COUNCIL DOWN

THE ROAD.

LET'S MOVE ON A LOCAL DEVELOPER

IS PLANNING A 21 STOREY

APARTMENT TOWER A BLOCK EAST OF

THE MAGNIFICENT MILE.

WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS

PROJECT?

>> THE MAIN THING IT'S BEING

PROPOSED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE

WE HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH

MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE

PAST FIVE YEARS.

THE FIRST RENTAL PROJECT FOR

THAT LONG.

AND MOST OF THAT SORT OF ACTION

NOWADAYS AS YOU KNOW IS

HAPPENING IN THE WEST LOOP.

AND THAT AREA.

THAT IS MAINLY BECAUSE MOST OF

THE BEST SITES IN STREETERVILLE

HAS BEEN DEVELOPED.

THIS IS IT AMBITIOUS.

248 APARTMENTS.

41,000 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE

SPACE.

ANOTHER 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF

STREET-LEVEL RETAIL.

AND 100 PARKING SPACE.

BUT IT IS ANOTHER SIGN THAT THE

DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL MARKET

APARTMENTS AT LEAST IS STILL RED

HOT.

>> COMING AT A TIME WHERE THE

MAG MILE IS STRUGGLING WITH

RETAIL.

ILLINOIS NATIVE JANE LYNCH IS IN

A NEW PROJECT THAT IS NOT A FILM

OR TV SHOW BUT A TOURISM AD

CAMPAIGN FOR ILLINOIS.

WHAT DOES THIS HOPE TO

ACCOMPLISH?

>> MAINLY THE STATE WANTS TO

ENCOURAGE MIDWESTERNERS

PARTICULARLY IN THE ADJOINING

STATES TO ILLINOIS, TO ADD

CHICAGO AND ILLINOIS TO THEIR

TRAVEL PLANS NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE

FEELING SAFE TO GET OUT ON THE

ROAD AGAIN.

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT

JANE LYNCH HAS SHOWN UP FOR THE

STATE OF ILLINOIS.

THE STATE TAPPED HER TO BE PART

OF A VACCINATION AD CAMPAIGN IN

THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

IN A WAY SHE IS BECOMING AN

UNOFFICIAL SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE

STATE.

>> I DID WATCH THIS AD IT WAS

FUNNY JANE LYNCH IS TALENTED.

ANN THANK YOU SO MUCH AS ALWAYS.

>> THANK YOU, PARIS.

>> UP NEXT, DISCUSSING GHOST

GUNS AND CONSENT DECREE

COMPLIANCE WITH CHICAGO'S TOP

COP IN A CONVERSATION THAT AIRED

ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK

VOICES".

FIRST, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE

WEATHER...

>> THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS

ANNOUNCED A NEW STRATEGY

DESIGNED TO CURB GUN VIOLENCE.

LAST WEEK THE PRESIDENT UNVEILED

PLANS FOR A FEDERAL CRACKDOWN ON

GHOST GUNS, FIREARMS MADE FROM

KITS PRIVATELY ASSEMBLED AND

HAVE NO SERIAL NUMBER.

CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT

DAVID BROWN ATTENDED THE WHITE

HOUSE EVENT.

CHICAGO POLICE SAY THEY

RECOVERED 458 GHOST GUNS IN

2021.

A 70% INCREASE FROM 2020.

JOINING US WITH MORE IS

SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN.

WELCOME BACK AND THANK YOU FOR

JOINING US AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AS WE MENTIONED THE GRATION

ESSENTIALLY EXPANDED WHAT

QUALIFIES AS A FIREARM UNDER THE

GUN CONTROL ACT TO INCLUDE GHOST

GUNS AND AT HOME GUN KITS ALSO

ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS WE KNOW THEY

HAVE PASSED A MEASURE MAKING

GHOST GUNS ILLEGAL.

HOW MUCH OF A PROBLEM WOULD YOU

SAY GHOST GUNS ARE IN CHICAGO?

>> SO JUST LOOK AT THE LAST

THREE YEARS.

2019 TO TODAY.

THERE'S BEEN OVER A 200%

INCREASE IN GHOST GUNS THAT

CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS HAVE

SEIZED FROM THE STREETS OF

CHICAGO.

IT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM AND

IT'S AN ESCALATING PROBLEM.

TWO-FOLD.

AND WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE

GUNS AT CRIME SCENES USED TO

METE OUT VIOLENCE.

>> DO YOU THINK THE NEW EFFORTS

STATE AND LOCAL WILL HELP TO

REDUCE SOME OF THE GUN VIOLENCE

IN CHICAGO?

>> I DO.

ITH THINK THE PRESIDENT HIT THE

RIGHT NOTE AND THE STATE

LEGISLATURE IS HITTING THE RIGHT

NOTE TO FIND WAYS TO REGULATE

GHOST GUNS.

BECAUSE THEY ARE GUNS.

THEY CAN HARM PEOPLE.

AND YOU CAN ORDER THEM ON-LINE

WITH ANONYMITY.

AND YOU CAN USE THESE GUNS AND

THERE'S NO WAY CURRENTLY BEFORE

THESE MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO

TRACK IT THROUGH SERIAL NUMBERS.

IT IS AN ANONYMOUS WAY OF HIDING

THE USE OF A GUN WHO OWNS THE

GUN, WHO IS ATTRIBUTED TO BUYING

THE GUN, SELLING THE GUN.

THIS IS SIGNIFICANT TO REQUIRE

REGULATIONS AS IT RELATES TO

SERIAL NUMBERS ON THESE GUNS ON

THE KITS THAT COME THROUGH THE

MAIL.

>> ALSO THIS WEEK THE

INDEPENDENT MONITOR'S OFFICE

SAYS THAT THE CHICAGO POLICE

DEPARTMENT YOU ARE MOVING CLOSER

TO COMPLIANCE WITH REGARD TO

YOUR FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE.

THAT IS THE COURT ORDER THAT WAS

ISSUED IN THE WAKE OF THE LAQUAN

McDONALD KILLING REQUIRING THE

POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE

CERTAIN REFORM TRAINING POLICIES

AND PRACTICES.

THE LATEST REVIEW FOUND THE

DEPARTMENT IS AT ABOUT 70%

COMPLIANT COMPARED TO THE LAST

REPORT AT 50% COMPLIANCE.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE

LATEST STATUS UPDATE?

>> I THINK THE REAL STORY IS WE

BEGAN OUR FIRST REPORTING PERIOD

WITH AN 11% COMPLIANCE.

SO JUST IN 2019 OUR COMPLIANCE

LEVEL WAS 11%.

AND THE REPORT THAT WAS JUST

ISSUED SHOWS WE ARE 72%

COMPLIANCE.

THAT IS ONE IN MY OPINION SMALL

ACT OF WHAT OUR GOAL IS AS IT

RELATES TO THE CONSENT DECREE.

WE WANT TO OBVIOUSLY ACHIEVE

WELL BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS OF

THE CONSENT DECREE.

WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE

CULTURE TRANSFORM THIS

DEPARTMENT WHERE EVERY CHICAGOAN

CAN BE PROUD OF EVERY OFFICER IN

THE DEPARTMENT.

>> WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR

DEPARTMENT COULD AFFORD TO

IMPROVE?

>> THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT

AREAS.

NUMBER ONE BUILDING TRUST AND

ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND OUR DATA IS REALLY BEHIND

CURRENT TIMES AS IT RELATES TO

TECHNOLOGY.

WE NEED TO FAST FORWARD INTO THE

21ST CENTURY WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY

AS IT RELATES TO CAPTURING OUR

OFFICERS ARE DOING AND YEARRY

AND PROVE OFFICERS ARE FOLLOWING

THE POLICIES AND TRAINING

REQUIRED.

>> THE REPORTED HIGHLIGHTED

COMMUNITY POLICING AND

ENGAGEMENT AREAS IN NEED OF

IMPROVEMENT ONE PART STATES

QUOTE...

THE REPORT ADDRESSED THE

DEPARTMENT'S GOAL TO HAVE

1.KNIFE MILLION POLICE INITIATED

POSITIVE COMMUNITY ACTIONS

THROUGH 2022 AND THE TEAM

EXPRESSED CONCERN FOCUSED ON

QUANTITY OVER QUALITY.

IS THAT A GOAL THAT YOU NEED TO

RECONSIDER?

OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT

TO MAINTAIN?

>> WELL, QUITE FRANKLY, THE

CRITICISM IS WELL TAKEN.

WE ARE STARTING FROM A VERY,

VERY LOW LEVEL OF TRUST IN THE

COMMUNITY.

THE REASON WHY WE ARE IN A

CONSENT DECREE.

THAT IS A FAIR ASSESSMENT WE

NEED TO DO MORE.

THE CONSENT DECREE IF WE NEEDED

TO BE IN ONE, IT WOULDN'T BE

SOMETHING THAT WE COULD UNDO

OVERNIGHT.

BUILDING TRUST IS GOING TO TAKE

A JOURNEY.

AND WE ARE JUST BEGINNING THAT

JOURNEY.

AND WE HAVE SET GOALS, POLICE

OFFICERS ARE GOAL ORIENTED.

IF YOU DON'T GIVE OFFICERS A

GOAL THEY SEEM TO FLAIL AWAY AT

TRYING TO HIT WHATEVER TASK WE

ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

WE WILL NEVER STOP ENGAGING THE

COMMUNITY TO BUILD TRUST.

AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR

THE PURPOSE IN PLACE OF THE

GOOD.

WE HAVE A GOOD START GETTING OUR

OFFICERS OUT OF THE CARS AND OUT

FROM BEHIND THEIR DESK, INTO THE

COMMUNITY AND REQUIRING THEM TO

CREATE A POSITIVE INTERACTION

WITH THE PUBLIC.

THAT'S A GOOD GOAL.

NOW, CAN WE IMPROVE HOW WE DO

ALL OF THAT?

YES.

AND ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO PROVE

THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE ACTUALLY

BUILDING TRUST.

SO AUDITING, SURVEYS, HOW WE

PROVE IT IS GOING TO BE THE

TELLTALE.

>> AND SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT

DOES A POSITIVE COMMUNITY

INTERACTION ENTAIL?

>> IT ENTAILS MULTIPLE THINGS

BUT PRIMARILY PROVIDING A

SERVICE.

THINK ABOUT THE DRIVER THAT IS

HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH

THEIR CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE

ROAD.

WE WANT OUR OFFICER TO STOP AND

ASSIST.

THINK ABOUT THE ASSISTANCE MAYBE

YOUNG PEOPLE NEED OR TOURISTS

MIGHT NEED.

THE MENTORING REQUIRED TO INSURE

OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THE BEST

PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE

OFFICER WHERE THAT INTERACTION

LEAVES THE PUBLIC WITH A

POSITIVE VIEW OF THE POLICE

RATHER THAN OUR ONLY BEING

ENFORCEMENT OR INVESTIGATIONS.

WE WANT TO CREATE A LOT OF

INTERACTIONS WHERE THE TAKEAWAY

IS I'M PROUD OF OUR POLICE

DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN CAME IN

AS THEY OCCUPYING FORCE.

WE DON'T WANT OUR REQUIREMENT TO

ENFORCE THE LAW BE THE ONLY

NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT POLICE

OFFICERS DO.

WE SHOULD BE ENGAGING YOUNG

PEOPLE AND ASSISTING PROVIDING A

SERVICE EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY.

>> ALSO SUPERINTENDENT THIS

WEEK, WTTW NEWS REPORTED THAT

ALMOST 5.5% OF OFFICERS IN YOUR

DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT BEEN

VACCINATED OR EXEMPT FROM THE

CITY'S VACCINE MANDATE THAT THAT

PUTS THE OFFICERS AT RISK OF

DISCIPLINE AND YOUR OFFICE

RECEIVED DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF

EXEMPTIONS OF ANY OTHER CITY

DEPARTMENT, THE MAYOR GRANTING

15 THOUSAND OFFICERS.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE MORE

EXEMPTIONS COULD BE GRANTED OR

COULD MORE OFFICERS BE FACING

DISCIPLINE IF THEY FAIL TO MEET

THE REQUIREMENT?

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SAY

THIS.

IF YOU RECALL WHEN THIS STARTED

A FEW MONTHS BACK THERE WAS THE

SKIES FALLING.

THAT 3,000 COPS WOULD WALK OFF

THE JOB BECAUSE OF THIS VACCINE

MANDATE.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WE ARE LIKELY DEALING WITH A FEW

HUNDRED OFFICERS WHO OBVIOUSLY

HAVE HAVING WHATEVER

APPREHENSIONS AND TAKEN THE

MANDATE BUT WE HAVE A

SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PENDING

EXEMPTIONS.

OFFICERS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR A

MEDICAL OR RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION

AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED WORD

WHETHER IT'S BEEN APPROVED.

AS SOON AS WE VET THROUGH THAT

INFORMATION IT WILL TAKE

SOMETIME BEYOND THE DATE.

BUT OFFICERS THAT DON'T GET

VACCINATED I WANT TO BE CLEAR

ABOUT THIS, WILL GO INTO A NO

PAY STATUS.

AND WE OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY

COGNIZANT OF ALL THE

VACCINATIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH

THAT IT IS A PERSONAL AND FAMILY

DECISION.

BUT COVID HAS BEEN THE NUMBER

ONE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR LAW

ENFORCEMENT THESE LAST TWO

YEARS.

THE NUMBER ONE.

AND THE CHICAGO POLICE

DEPARTMENT LOST FOUR OFFICERS TO

COVID SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

I BELIEVE IN OFFICERS' SAFETY

AND I BELIEVE THE MANDATE WILL

MAKE OFFICERS SAFER.

THERE MAY BE OFFICERS THAT

DECIDE LIKE OTHER PROFESSIONS

THAT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE

VACCINE AND THERE IS A SMALL,

SMALL SUBSET OF OFFICERS THAT

FEEL THAT WAY.

>> AND SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE WE

LET YOU GO ONE OTHER IMPORTANT

ISSUE THAT I WANT TO SQUEEZE IN.

COME UNDER FIRE SINCE THE

KILLING OF ADAM TOLEDO IS THE

DEPARTMENT'S FOOT PURSUIT

POLICY.

A NEW POLICY IS EXPECTED TO BE

IN PLACE THIS YEAR.

THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR

SOMETIME.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN

GETTING THIS POLICY RIGHT?

WHAT IS THE HOLD-UP?

>> WE WANTED TO ENGAGE AND HAVE

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE POLICY.

WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL ROUNDS

OF PUBLIC COMMENT.

THAT'S BEEN THE DELAY.

AND THAT DELAY HAS BEEN

WORTHWHILE.

PUBLIC HAS ENGAGED US IN THE

MONITORING TEAM WITH THE CONSENT

DECREE TO OFFER THEIR ADVICE BUT

WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THE

COMMUNITY, EVERYDAY PEOPLE WITH

THE CHANGES WE ARE MAKING IN

ORDER TO HAVE THE TRANSPARENCY

AND TRUST BUILDING MEAN

SOMETHING.

SO WE COULD HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS

AGO JUST PUT OUT AN EDIC THIS IS

THE NEW POLICY AND THE PUBLIC

WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED.

I THINK IT'S BEEN TIMELY TO

ENGAGE THE PUBLIC TO GO THROUGH

SEVERAL ROUNDS OF PUBLIC COMMENT

ON THE POLICY.

BY THE END OF THE YEAR, MAYBE

SOONER, THAN THE LAST QUARTER WE

SHOULD HAVE THE PERMANENT POLICY

IN PLACE.

BUT WE HAVE HAD AN INTERIM

POLICY IN PLACE DURING THIS TIME

OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.

WE SHOULD HAVE A PERMANENT

POLICY IN PLACE HOPEFULLY BEFORE

THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

>> AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO

LEAVE IT.

SUPERINTENDENT DAVID BROWN THANK

YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRANDIS.

>> BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO

TONIGHT" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO AREA BIRDS ARE

NESTING AND LAYING EGGS EARLIER

THAN BEFORE.

A METEOR BURNS UP OVER PAPA NEW

BEGIN ANY.

A FOSSIL THAT COULD REWRITE THE

EVOLUTION OF LIFE ON EARTH AND A

DISTURBING FINDING ABOUT MICRO

PLASTICS.

JOINING US IS UNIVERSITY OF

CHICAGO PALEONTOLOGIST NEIL

SHUBIN.

LET'S START WITH THE STUDY ABOUT

BIRDS.

IT FOUND THAT SOME BIRDS ARE

LAYING THEIR EGGS ABOUT A MONTH

EARLIER NOW THAN THEY WERE A

CENTURY AGO.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS HERE?

>> YEAH, IT'S REMARKABLE.

SCIENTISTS AT THE FIELD MUSEUM

USING EGG COLLECTIONS MADE IN

1880-1920 RECORDED THE DATE WHEN

THEY COLLECTED THE EGGS THEY

COMPARED THE PAST RECORDS AND

FOUND THAT 72 SPECIES THEY CAN

MEASURE.

THEY CAN GET PAST DATA AND

CURRENT DATA AND A THIRD OF THEM

ARE PLAYING THEIR EGGS THREE

WEEKS TO A MONTH EARLY.

THAT IS DRAMATIC.

THE IMPLICATIONS ARE HUGE

BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE BIOLOGY

OF THE CREATURES.

BY HATCHING EARLIER THERE'S

DIFFERENT FOOD SOURCES AND

COMPETITORS MAYBE PREDATORS.

SO IT DOES AFFECT THEIR BIOLOGY

IN A PRO FOUND MANNER.

>> WHAT ARE THEY ATTRIBUTING THE

CAUSE TO?

>> GLOBAL WARMING.

IT WILL CHANGE WHEN FLOWERS BUD

IT CHANGES WHEN AND WHERE

INSECTSES WILL BE HATCHING.

THOSE CHANGES TO FOOD STRUCTURES

WILL CHANGE WHEN THE BIRDS LAY

THEIR EGGS.

>> IT IS ABOUT A THIRD OF THE

BIRD SPECIES.

DOES THAT MEAN MORE SPECIES THEN

THEY KNOW OF ARE ACTUALLY

NESTING EARLIER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT CERTAINLY COULD AND IT MAY

NOT JUST BE BIRD IT IS COULD BE

REPTILES AS WELL.

AND THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE

THE FUNDAMENTAL BIOLOGY THAT IS

SHIFTING BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL

WARMING.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT METEOR.

2014, A METEOR ABOUT THE SIZE OF

A DISHWASHER BURNED UP OVER PAPA

NEW GUINEA WHY DO RESEARCHERS

BELIEVE THIS WAS UNIQUE?

>> WHEN SCIENTISTS LOOKED AT THE

DATABASE USING STATE LIGHT

IMAGERY, IT WAS GOING SO FAST,

THAT WHAT IT SUGGESTED TO THEM

THAT THE METEOR AROSE NOT FROM A

BODY CIRCULATING THE SUN BUT

FROM SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM

OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

>> AN INTERSTELLAR METEOR AND

THE FOLKS THAT CAME UP WITH THIS

AND THE EVIDENCE HAD A LOT OF

TROUBLE GETTING THEIR NOTES

HEARD ON THIS.

>> YEAH, BECAUSE THEY WERE USING

DATA RELATED TO MILITARY

SATELLITES AND THE MILITARY

SATELLITES IT'S CLASSIFIED

INFORMATION.

THE MILITARY SATELLITES ARE

LOOKING AT MISSILE MAP NUCLEAR

TEST SITES AND LAUNCHES FROM

OTHER COUNTRIES THAT WAS

CLASSIFIED DATA THEY USED.

SO THE DATA CANNOT BE PUBLISHED

AND SCIENTISTS NEED THE DATA

PUBLISHED.

>> AND AGAIN, IT'S UNIQUE

BECAUSE IT'S THOUGHT TO BE AN

INTERSTELLAR METEOR.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF

THAT A ROCK COMING FROM OUTSIDE

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM?

>> HUGE.

OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM FROM

ANOTHER STAR SYSTEM THAT IS A

VISITOR FROM SO FAR AWAY WE

DON'T SEE THOSE.

IT'S GIVING US A SENSE OF WHAT

IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR

SYSTEM.

>> SPEAKING OF BIG QUESTION,

SCIENTISTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY

OF COLLEGE OF LONDON BELIEVE

THAT LIFE ON EARTH BEGAN EARLIER

THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

HOW ARE THEY DETERMINING THAT?

>> WELL, THEY WERE WORKING ON

ROCKS IN QUEBEC FORMED IN THE

OCEAN 4.25 BILLION YEARS OLD 300

MILLION YEARS AFTER THE

FORMATION OF EARTH.

THEY FOUND STRUCTURES SPHERES,

FILAMENTS LIKE STEMS WITH

BRANCHES THAT SEEMED TO BE MADE

BY CREATURES MICRO KROBS.

THE KEMPSY IT SHOWED IRON AND

SULFUR OTHER THINGS THAT

MICROBES DO.

THERE'S LINES OF EVIDENCE

SUGGESTING THAT THEY ARE

MICROBES ON EARTH 4.25 BILLION

YEARS AGO.

LITERALLY SOON RIGHT AFTER OUR

PLANET FORMED.

>> IN THE INFANT STAGES OF THE

PLANET.

THERE WERE SCIENTISTS THAT WERE

SKEPTICAL OF THIS CLAIM.

HOW STRONG IS THE EVIDENCE?

>> IT'S EASY TO BE SKEPTICAL

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ASK THE

QUESTION CAN THE STRUCTURES BE

FORMED IN THE ROCKS OR BECAUSE

OF LIFE.

THEY USED MULTIPLE LINES OF

EVIDENCE H THEY USED THE

CHEMISTRY OF THE ROCKS TO

SUGGEST METABOLISM AND USED THE

STRUCTURE OF THE FOSSILS AND

COMPARED THEM TO MICROBES THAT

ARE ALIVE TODAY AND THE MULTIPLE

LINES OF EVIDENCE POINT TO THAT

THESE WERE ONCE LIVING

CREATURES.

>> A MORE DISTURBING STUDY

SCIENTISTS FOUND MICRO PLASTIC

POLLUTION DEEP IN THE LUNGS OF

LIVING PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME

AND THERE WAS A SUBSET OF FOLKS

WHERE MICRO PLASTICS WERE

DETECTED.

>> DURING SURGERIES THEY

COLLECTED TISSUE TO REMOVE PART

OF A LUNG AND THEY SAMPLE THAT

TISSUE FOR MICRO PLASTICS AND

FOUND A SURPRISING FRACTIONATE

0% OF THE PATIENTS HAD SMALL

PARTICLES OF MICRO PLASTICS DEEP

INSIDE THE LUNGS IN THE DEEPEST

PARTS OF THE LUNGS AND THAT WAS

SURPRISING.

>> OMINOUS THERE.

WHAT DO RESEARCHERS ATTRIBUTE

THAT TO ESPECIALLY GETTING SO

DEEP INTO THE LUNGS?

>> THESE WERE PLASTICS AND WATER

BOTTLES AND PIPING AND

PACKAGING.

THESE ARE THINGS WE BREATHE.

THESE WERE PARTICLES THAT WE

BREATHE AND WE'RE PROBABLY ALL

BREATHING.

ONE OTHER ROOT THROUGH THE

DIGESTIVE TRACK, DRINKING WATER

AND EATING FOOD.

>> AND WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM

HEALTH IMPLICATIONS IF SO MUCH

OF THE POPULATION HAS MICRO

PLASTICS DISCOVERABLE DEEP IN

THEIR LUNGS.

>> WE ARE FINDING IS IN BLOOD

AND OTHER TISSUE.

THAT IS THE CONCERNING THING.

WE REALLY DON'T KNOW.

ONE THING WE DO KNOW IN

LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS LIKE IN A

DISH PLASTICS ARE NOT GOOD FOR

HUMAN CELLS THEY CAN DAMAGE THE

CELLS.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW IT LINKS TO

DISEASES.

THERE'S CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

THAT MUCH MORE RESEARCH NEEDS TO

BE DONE.

>> IMPORTANT STUDIES HERE.

OUR THANKS AS ALWAYS TO NEIL

SHUBIN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS

UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

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>> I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

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STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A

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