Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Manny Ramos2023-02-01T12:21:05.368-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/manny-ramos/rss2023-02-01T12:21:05.368-06:002023-02-02T13:12:41-06:00Chicago election 2023: Safety, justice, education highlight Kam Buckner’s campaign
<p>The son of an educator and a Cook County law enforcement officer, state Rep. Kam Buckner said he was raised on “the values of safety, justice and education.”</p><p>Not surprisingly, those themes are now the crux of his campaign for mayor.</p><p>“They taught me that the highest calling is serving others, keeping your community safe, enhancing their knowledge while expanding your horizons,” Buckner said of his parents when he announced his run last year. “We need a mayor who can bring people together to get things done for Chicago.”</p><p>The chairman of the Black Caucus in the Illinois House of Representatives said his campaign is focused on instilling trust in city government, improving Chicago Public Schools and reducing violent crime. </p><p>“We have gone through the last two or three years with strikes, COVID and all the other things wrapped in that,” Buckner said. “We have put our young people in a real bad position, and we are not giving them the resources.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner was elected to the General Assembly in 2019." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/72cc5ac/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5164x2898+0+273/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fz75DERNfwNXj54TRq57vaxWdiwY%3D%2F0x0%3A5164x3443%2F5164x3443%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282582x1722%3A2583x1723%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24390867%2FEGBUCKNER_01.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8e1e934/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5164x2898+0+273/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fz75DERNfwNXj54TRq57vaxWdiwY%3D%2F0x0%3A5164x3443%2F5164x3443%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282582x1722%3A2583x1723%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24390867%2FEGBUCKNER_01.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner was elected to the General Assembly in 2019.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Buckner is a South Side native. His 26th Legislative District sits within the city limits and takes in parts of the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Bronzeville, Grand Boulevard, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Loop, South Shore and Woodlawn.</p><p>A football player at Morgan Park High School, he was once one of Chicago’s top defensive end prospects and was recruited to play at the University of Illinois in 2003. After graduation, he became an aide to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and returned to Chicago, where he earned his law degree from DePaul University.</p><p>Elected to the General Assembly in 2019, Buckner was one of the driving forces behind a sweeping criminal justice reform bill that eliminated cash bail. </p><p>The city, he said, faces a real crime problem. Residents don’t feel safe, and “they are nervous to stop for gas or take their dog for a walk,” he said, though he cautioned that addressing crime also requires understanding the “context” of conditions that lead to crime in some communities.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-c30000" name="module-c30000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">2023 mayoral candidate profiles</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h3>Read more mayoral candidate profiles</h3><ul><li id="LEYp9J"><b>Lori Lightfoot</b> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23549360/mayor-election-2023-chicago-lightfoot-crime-pandemic-covid" target="_blank" >seeks 2nd term: ‘We have started to change Chicago around for the better’</a></li><li id="rEgqDW"><b>Ja’Mal Green</b> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547810/jamal-green-chicago-mayor-election-2023-police-academy-public-safety-protests" target="_blank" >says city needs a leader who can offer residents hope</a></li><li id="h2xqsC"><b>Ald. Sophia King</b>, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547855/sophia-king-chicago-mayor-election-2023-4th-ward-crime-obama" target="_blank" >friend of the Obamas, hopes to defuse tension in city</a></li><li id="EB1oPK"><b>Rep. Kam Buckner </b><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547839/chicago-mayor-election-2023-kam-buckner-state-representative-crime-education" target="_blank" >focuses on safety, justice and education</a></li><li id="F5OOjl"><b>Willie Wilson</b> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547878/willie-wilson-chicago-mayor-election-2023-business-property-tax-assistance-gas-food-giveaways" target="_blank" >calls his 2019 endorsement of Lightfoot ‘a helluva mistake’</a></li><li id="53pmqi"><b>Brandon Johnson</b> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547792/chicago-mayor-election-2023-brandon-johnson-teachers-union-ctu-education" target="_blank" >vows to fully fund, and resource, city’s public schools</a></li><li id="WqYde3"><b>Paul Vallas </b><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547702/chicago-mayor-election-2023-paul-vallas-public-schools-education-crime" target="_blank" >says voters should focus more on competency over likability</a></li><li id="Mn9Ac5"><b>Roderick Sawyer </b><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547866/chicago-mayor-election-2023-roderick-sawyer-city-coiuncil-curfew-father-eugene" target="_blank" >hopes to be part of another mayoral dynasty</a></li><li id="00PHck"><b>Jesus “Chuy” Garcia</b> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547676/chicago-mayor-election-2023-jesus-chuy-garcia-congress-2015-runoff-emanuel" target="_blank" >touts strength as coalition builder: ‘Folks know me’</a></li></ul></div>
</div><p>Buckner said his balanced approach to public safety involves “vastly increasing” the city’s gun violence prevention budget, investing in anti-violence organizations, helping push through gun reform and “a robust mental health responder model.”</p><p>He pushed for an elected CPS board while a lawmaker and has said there is a need to “press the reset button” between CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union, which has clashed with Mayor Lori Lightfoot. A close ally of the union, he is the son and brother of CTU members. He said at his campaign rally that he would personally negotiate the next CTU contract and would not send a “proxy” in his place.</p><p>Last year, Buckner criticized Lightfoot for leaving a Board of Education seat empty for nine months, saying at the time that, “It’s hard for me to understand why it would be so hard to fill a role like that with a person who is committed to representing young people.”</p><p>Buckner public transit plan would improve bus services and frequency throughout the city by establishing dedicated bus lanes in areas with more riders. He also said there is a need for an integrated fare system that would allow riders to easily transfer between the CTA, PACE and Metra.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner launched his mayoral campaign at TeaPotBrew Bakery, 1802 S. Wabash Ave., on Thursday, May 12, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7857ad3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4166x2338+0+222/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fk2QOeyEbVE2GAHyla3KASS5H4-s%3D%2F0x0%3A4166x2782%2F4166x2782%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282083x1391%3A2084x1392%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24374299%2FBUCKNER_051322_wide_crowd.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4d05bf7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4166x2338+0+222/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fk2QOeyEbVE2GAHyla3KASS5H4-s%3D%2F0x0%3A4166x2782%2F4166x2782%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282083x1391%3A2084x1392%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24374299%2FBUCKNER_051322_wide_crowd.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner launches his mayoral campaign at TeaPotBrew Bakery in May 2022.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Brian Rich/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>He also would “restore CTA rides as part of police beats” and dramatically upgrade the CTA’s vast network of 32,000 security cameras that he claims are more like expensive window dressing than deterrents to crime. He promised to make the CTA “100% accessible.” </p><p>Buckner’s past personal decisions may be brought up by opponents, such as his 2019 arrest for driving under the influence, which he said he would have a “direct conversation with the people of Chicago” about. </p><p>Overall, Buckner has continued to push the message he delivered at the launch of his campaign. </p><p>“I love this city. I am from this city. I decided to remain in this city and raise my family here,” he said then. “It is very clear that people don’t feel safe. They don’t feel seen, and they don’t feel like there is a plan to address those things.”</p><p><i>Manny Ramos is a former Sun-Times reporter.</i></p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/5/12/23069066/kam-buckner-launch-mayor-campaign-chicago-lori-lightfoot-2023-lopez-wilson-state-rep-crime-schools" target="_blank" >State lawmaker Buckner launches mayoral bid with vow to restore trust, improve schools, reduce crime</a>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/9/14/23351803/kam-buckner-lightfoot-transportation-plan-ghost-buses-trains-cta-chicago-mayor-election-2023" target="_blank" >After experiencing ‘ghost’ buses firsthand, mayoral challenger Kam Buckner unveils transportation plan</a>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2023/2/1/23547839/chicago-mayor-election-2023-kam-buckner-state-representative-crime-educationManny Ramos2022-11-09T17:11:52.316-06:002022-11-10T08:19:02-06:00Police release few details about shooting involving off-duty cop on Northwest Side
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<img class="Image" alt="Authorities work the scene in the 2000 block of North Laramie Avenue, where an off-duty Chicago police officer was involved in a shooting outside a gas station on the Northwest Side, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/841ac71/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5658x3175+0+298/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FoF-eswpvzeFTgR3-x88ETURWmbg%3D%2F0x0%3A5658x3772%2F5658x3772%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282829x1886%3A2830x1887%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24182824%2Fmerlin_109501629.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0dd8e97/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5658x3175+0+298/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FoF-eswpvzeFTgR3-x88ETURWmbg%3D%2F0x0%3A5658x3772%2F5658x3772%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282829x1886%3A2830x1887%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24182824%2Fmerlin_109501629.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Authorities work the scene in the 2000 block of North Laramie Avenue, where an off-duty Chicago police officer was involved in a shooting outside a gas station on the Northwest Side, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>An off-duty Chicago police officer fired at someone who pointed a gun at him at a gas station on the Northwest Side Wednesday, but it was unclear if that person was hit, officials said. </p><p>Police were releasing few details of the shooting, which occurred about 8:20 a.m. in the 2000 block of North Laramie Avenue.</p><p>Law enforcement sources said the officer was at an Amoco gas station at 2013 N. Laramie Ave. when someone pointed a gun at him from a car and he opened fire. The officer’s two kids were inside his car at the time, a source said.</p><p>The other car fled, and a person later showed up at Community First Medical Center with a gunshot wound, sources said.</p><p>A police spokesman said he couldn’t provide information about the gunshot victim, including where the person was shot, because it was connected to the investigation into the gas station shooting.</p><p>At the scene, officers blocked off the street to traffic around the Amoco station. Markers peppered the streets where bullet castings were found as detectives huddled and talked. Officers examined a Toyota 4Runner, putting evidence markers around and inside the silver SUV.</p><p>The officer involved will be placed on routine administrative duties for a period of 30 days. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Chicago police look over a Toyota SUV at the scene of a shooting Wednesday morning that involved an off-duty officer." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/32b2ee4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5101x2863+0+270/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FTHpneGJJwBIDWUW7poYpe8hTnVk%3D%2F0x0%3A5101x3401%2F5101x3401%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282551x1701%3A2552x1702%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24182653%2FCOPSHOOTING_111022_03.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5dafe28/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5101x2863+0+270/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FTHpneGJJwBIDWUW7poYpe8hTnVk%3D%2F0x0%3A5101x3401%2F5101x3401%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282551x1701%3A2552x1702%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24182653%2FCOPSHOOTING_111022_03.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago police look over a Toyota SUV at the scene of a shooting Wednesday morning that involved an off-duty officer.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/9/23449383/chicago-police-officer-shooting-laramie-northwest-sideSophie SherryManny RamosTom Schuba2022-11-09T16:41:55.74-06:002022-11-10T06:49:11-06:00Advocates for people with disabilities ask city to plow sidewalks
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<img class="Image" alt="A person walks on North Greenview Avenue near West Howard Street in Rogers Park on the North Side as several inches of snow fall across Chicago, Wednesday morning, Feb. 2, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d0f207e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4245x2382+0+224/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F4Rq1ZT0wvGonOuJKATvYunr5Lzs%3D%2F0x0%3A4245x2830%2F4245x2830%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282123x1415%3A2124x1416%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23213107%2FWEATHER_020322_09.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ff29c45/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4245x2382+0+224/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F4Rq1ZT0wvGonOuJKATvYunr5Lzs%3D%2F0x0%3A4245x2830%2F4245x2830%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282123x1415%3A2124x1416%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23213107%2FWEATHER_020322_09.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mobility advocates and Ald. Gilbert Villegas are behind an ordinance that would require the city to plow sidewalks of snow to help those with mobility issues.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>Mobility advocacy groups are calling for the city to take on the responsibility of clearing sidewalks of snow.<b> </b>Advocates say it would help those with disabilities navigate sidewalks during winter months.</p><p>The issue has now gained support from a Northwest Side alderperson, who is preparing to introduce an ordinance this month that would establish a pilot program.</p><p>“There is a huge mobility issue here where people with disabilities can slip and fall, or motorized wheelchairs can get stuck, or they have to go onto the street with cars driving by,” said Kyle Lucas, co-founder of Better Streets Chicago, a transit advocacy group promoting safe streets. </p><p>“There are also people with limited vision or who use a white cane, and they won’t be able to feel the curb because snow is covering it. The sidewalks can be very dangerous for some when it snows,” Lucas said.</p><p>Lucas said the pilot was estimated to cost $750,000 to pay for staffing, materials, equipment and an impact study. </p><p>Advocates hope to test the program in 15 zones before it’s implemented citywide. Each zone is about 2.5 square miles, consisting of business corridors and residential streets.</p><p>Property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from any public sidewalks near their property. Those who don’t shovel their sidewalks can face <a class="Link" href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/sidewalk_snow_removal.html" target="_blank" >fines from $50 to $500</a>.</p><p>But Lucas said the punitive approach has had little success in ensuring that sidewalks are cleared of snow. </p><p>“There are also a lot of valid reasons why people aren’t shoveling when it snows,” Lucas said, “like a homeowner may be out of town when it snows, or the homeowner is a senior or disabled.”</p><p>Other cities across the country have implemented similar programs, including Wilmette and Forest Park, according to Access Living. </p><p>Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) said Chicago is a “world-class city” and there isn’t a reason why sidewalk snow removal couldn’t be implemented here.</p><p>“Just looking at the data, there are over 330,000 seniors in Chicago, 170,000 people with mobility issues and 70,000 residents with blindness,” Villegas said. “This feels like something we should at least try, given the fact other municipalities are already providing this service.”</p><p>Villegas said he was working with his team and advocacy groups to develop an ordinance that he plans to introduce this month. It will serve as a litmus test for the program for which he is sure to find allies on the City Council.</p><p>“A pilot is very important, as it allows us to identify challenging areas to focus on, and while $750,000 is what is being proposed, we still need to really flesh out the overall cost of things,” Villegas said. “I envision us working with Streets and Sanitation and the Chicago Department of Transportation to determine where the best place would be to do this type of pilot.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/9/23439429/mobility-disability-advocacy-groups-want-city-to-plow-sidewalks-under-new-pilotManny Ramos2022-11-08T20:42:02.171-06:002022-11-08T23:34:54-06:00Preckwinkle, Yarbrough win easily over Republican challengers
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle talks with customers while in line at Manny’s Deli. before polls closed on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Brian Rich/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>Two of the most powerful women in Cook County Democratic politics — Toni Preckwinkle and Karen Yarbrough — easily defeated their GOP challengers, Bob Fioretti and Tony Peraica.</p><p>Preckwinkle led the race for Cook County Board president all night against Fioretti, a former Chicago alderman, and Libertarian Thea Tsatsos, winning by a wide margin — 67% to 30% and 3%, with 96.7% precincts reporting.</p><p>Preckwinkle said she was comfortable declaring victory, saying in her fourth term she will “focus on the distribution of Cook County’s $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funding.”</p><p>Preckwinkle winning her fourth term leading the Cook County Board of Commissioners sets the stage for her holding that office longer than anyone except George W. Dunne, the party stalwart who served nearly 22 years.</p><p>The Hyde Park Democrat faced a repeat foe in Fioretti, who has run six campaigns in seven years for four different offices. He challenged Preckwinkle for her seat four years ago — although this time he did so as a Republican.</p><p>Fioretti had centered his campaign on Preckwinkle’s record on crime and criticized her use of federal COVID-19 relief funds.</p><p>“I feel good, no matter the outcome tonight,” Fioretti said as the results came in. “This is a question of fiscal responsibility and making sure we back our law enforcement and keeping our communities safe.”</p><p>Preckwinkle led the board as the county saw a surge in violence in the wake of the pandemic, an issue felt across the country, but <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/11/1/23430038/preckwinkle-fioretti-cook-county-board-president-democrat-election-crime-pandemic-jail-taxes" target="_blank" >Fioretti said the incumbent’s move to depopulate jails</a> “put the county in danger.”</p><p>Preckwinkle defended her position on crime, saying it’s a “local responsibility” and she hopes crime will begin to trend downward as the pandemic wanes. She also touted the way county officials targeted funding for social safety net programs that she says will better deter crime.</p><p>One such program is <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2022/5/18/23123053/chicago-cook-county-promise-guaranteed-income-pilot-wage-gap-inflation-coronavirus-pandemic" target="_blank" >the Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot</a>, which will provide $500 a month for two years to 3,250 residents whose household income is at or below 250% of the poverty level.</p><p>Democrat Yarbrough beat Republican Peraica and Libertarian Joseph Schreiner in the Cook County clerk race — 70% to 27% and 2%, with 98.1% of precincts reporting. A spokeswoman for Yarbrough said she spent the day visiting polling locations rather than having a campaign party.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="County Clerk Karen Yarbrough at a news conference in June 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b3ed932/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5704x3201+0+320/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F1JL-iQxQ_Tdf1S1v1sCkmI8OZmg%3D%2F0x0%3A5704x3842%2F5704x3842%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282852x1921%3A2853x1922%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24123719%2FKaren_yarbrough.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c5aa9a7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5704x3201+0+320/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F1JL-iQxQ_Tdf1S1v1sCkmI8OZmg%3D%2F0x0%3A5704x3842%2F5704x3842%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282852x1921%3A2853x1922%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24123719%2FKaren_yarbrough.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>County Clerk Karen Yarbrough at a news conference in June 2022.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Brian Rich/Sun-Times file</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Both Fioretti and Peraica shared a campaign party at the Billy Goat Tavern, 1535 W. Madison St., which was relatively empty early in the evening. There was little evidence of a party — no signs or music playing — but seven TVs were tuned into local news coverage of the general elections.</p><p>Just over a dozen supporters showed up shortly before the polls closed with some sporting hats proclaiming “Fire Pritzker” and pro-Trump “MAGA” hats.</p><p>Yarbrough’s victory will not only make her the first African American and first woman to serve as Cook County clerk but now the first African American and woman to win re-election.</p><p><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/11/2/23436049/karen-yarbrough-democrat-republican-tony-peraica-cook-county-clerk-elections-libertarian-schreiner" target="_blank" >The Maywood Democrat centered her campaign</a> on her work modernizing the voting process in the elections unit by acquiring new touch screen equipment and introducing a new voter registration and election management system. She also added a cybersecurity division that protects the clerk’s networks, machinery, software and data.</p><p>But Peraica said the incumbent has done little to improve the voting experience.</p><p>“I’m glad the campaign is at an end and voters had a choice, that’s the most important thing,” Peraica said. “Whatever the results are, I’m at peace with it.”</p><p>Democrats were victorious in other county races.</p><p>Incumbent Cook County Sheriff Democrat Tom Dart defeated challengers Republican Lupe Aguirre and Libertarian Brad Sandefur — 73% to 24% and 3%, with 98.1% of precincts reporting.</p><p>Democrat Maria Pappas won another term as Cook County treasurer. With 98.1% of precincts reporting, Pappas beat Republican Peter Kopsaftis and Libertarian Michael Murphy — 74% to 23% and 2%.</p><p>Democrat Fritz Kaegi bested Libertarian challenger Nico Tsatsoulis in the Cook County assessors race 82% to 18%, with 98.1% of precincts reporting.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2022/11/8/23448355/preckwinkle-yarbrough-election-cook-county-clerk-presidentManny RamosMohammad Samra2022-11-07T16:53:10.578-06:002022-11-07T16:53:14-06:00Work on international terminal parking garage to cause O’Hare traffic delays, city warns
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<img class="Image" alt="A rendering of the new parking garage being built at O’Hare Airport’s international terminal." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0bd54d9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4978x2794+61+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FHcOyfE7fUxTTrpFiTzP_vnp9zjg%3D%2F0x0%3A5100x2794%2F5100x2794%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282550x1397%3A2551x1398%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23604151%2FTerminal_5_Garage_2.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4e75ff7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4978x2794+61+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FHcOyfE7fUxTTrpFiTzP_vnp9zjg%3D%2F0x0%3A5100x2794%2F5100x2794%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282550x1397%3A2551x1398%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23604151%2FTerminal_5_Garage_2.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A rendering of the new parking garage being built at O’Hare Airport’s international terminal.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Department of Aviation</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>The Chicago Department of Aviation is warning travelers of traffic congestion and delays near O’Hare Airport as work on a new, six-story parking garage next to the international terminal ramps up on Tuesday.</p><p>City officials are advising travelers and visitors there will be limited parking availability in Lot D, next to the international terminal, also known as Terminal 5. Also, the existing pedestrian bridge connecting Lot D to Terminal 5 will close Tuesday and a temporary walkway will be put in place.</p><p>Travelers are urged allow for extra time for parking in Lot D, or consider other options. Economy Lot F, north of the terminal in the Multi-Modal Facility, is just minutes from Terminal 5 on the <a class="Link" href="https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/transitupdate.aspx" target="_blank" >Airport Transit System</a>, commonly called the people mover.</p><p>Travelers can also use the Kiss ‘n’ Fly at the Multi-Modal Facility to drop off departing passengers, or use the cell phone lot to wait for arriving passengers.</p><p>Or, avoid driving to the airport entirely and opt for public transit, such as the CTA, or use a taxi or a ride-hailing service, such as Lyft or Uber.</p><p>The aviation department also suggests traffic patterns on airport roadways may change to accommodate construction. This includes concrete work and improvements to sidewalks, pedestrian walkways and handrails.</p><p>The upcoming holiday travel period could cause even more congestion and traffic delays as work increases, according to an aviation department news release. It is recommended for travelers to allow extra time to get to the airport.</p><p>CDA didn’t respond to questions about the project, such as why construction work is intensifying just weeks from the busy holiday travel season.</p><p>When complete, the six-story parking garage will have double the capacity of Lot D, which had about 900 parking spots. Terminal 5 is in the midst of a massive expansion.</p><p>Other Terminal 5 parking/traffic improvement include new lane markings, an expanded curbside area and electric vehicle charging stations. </p><p>It’s all part of a $1 billion modernization of the terminal, which also handles some domestic flights. The parking garage is expected to be completed in 2024.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="A rendering of the expanded international terminal at O’Hare Airport." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/76368c4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x1347+0+184/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FhgJjiin7mUfJ-PQ7eehSRhsjMDQ%3D%2F0x0%3A2400x1714%2F2400x1714%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281200x857%3A1201x858%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23604794%2FTMRW.HOK.Chicago.OHare.PastAndPresent.Copyright.tmrw.se_2_smaller.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3dfbbc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2400x1347+0+184/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FhgJjiin7mUfJ-PQ7eehSRhsjMDQ%3D%2F0x0%3A2400x1714%2F2400x1714%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281200x857%3A1201x858%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23604794%2FTMRW.HOK.Chicago.OHare.PastAndPresent.Copyright.tmrw.se_2_smaller.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A rendering of the expanded international terminal at O’Hare Airport. The new gates are in the foreground; the existing terminal is at left in the background. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Department of Aviation</p></div></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/7/23445568/ohare-parking-garage-international-terminal-5-construction-traffic-delays-people-mover-lot-d-fManny Ramos2022-10-28T20:49:40.371-05:002022-10-28T23:02:56-05:00Chicagoans not spooked by soaring Halloween candy prices
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<img class="Image" alt="Bags of candy on shelves at a Jewel-Osco in Logan Square on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/79479eb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F7wbB7VOOuPmmeJr9NiFKbM_WPs8%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24150459%2Fmerlin_109227364.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9995383/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F7wbB7VOOuPmmeJr9NiFKbM_WPs8%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24150459%2Fmerlin_109227364.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bags of candy on shelves at a Jewel-Osco in Logan Square on Friday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>Halloween candy will be haunting shoppers this weekend, as prices have soared from a year ago.</p><p>But some local consumers say it hasn’t scared them away from celebrating the holiday.</p><p>“In fact, I think we are going to be buying more candy this year,” said Anna Silva, standing in the aisle of a Target on the Northwest Side. “With everything that was going on with the pandemic and the kids not really celebrating it at school for a couple years, we just want them to have a fun day to make up for time lost.”</p><p>Silva was examining the price tags on the bags of candy her third- and fifth-graders brought to her, hoping they met with her approval.</p><p>“Inflation is kind of menacing but we have made cuts elsewhere,” Silva admitted. “Like, we bought no decorations this year and we usually do. But since prices are going up, we’d rather put the money toward the candy or doing something special for the kids.”</p><p>Inflation has meant Halloween candy’s biggest one-year price increase since 1999, <a class="Link" href="https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/trickortreaters-less-loot-as-halloween-candy-prices-sales.html" target="_blank" >according to a report from S&P Global Market Intelligence</a> — 14% higher than last year.</p><p>According to the report, Silva’s candy commitment isn’t universal; overall, the amount of sweets being bought is trending lower since last October.</p><p>Still, families are expected to spend $3.2 billion on candy this Halloween, and though it’s just 1% more than last year, it’s still a record level of spending, in dollars — about $25 per household, according to the report.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Oak Park resident Cathy Starr, 36, shops in the Halloween aisle inside Target at 6525 W. Diversey Ave.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Manny Ramos/Chicago Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Cathy Starr of Oak Park said she is also buying the same amount of candy she traditionally does, given the encouraging forecast: dry, with nighttime temperatures in the 50s. During nice weather, she usually purchases 600 to 800 pieces of candy.</p><p>“I am probably buying about the same [amount of candy] but we have spent less money this year on decorations and costumes,” Starr, 36, said after placing the seventh bag of candy in her cart. “We kind of took our whole Halloween budget and reallocated it so we can still buy the same amount of candy.”</p><p>Starr said she couldn’t justify paying so much more for a Halloween costume, so she and her husband have made their own. They did, however, reluctantly pay for a Venom costume for their 6-year-old son. </p><p>In Avondale, Eddie and Ximena were looking over price tags in the candy aisle of a Jewel. The pair, who asked not to share their last name, fumbled over what was actually on sale.</p><p>“This is what we find ourselves doing more often now, just kind of going from grocery store to grocery store, trying to find the best deals,” Ximena said. “We come see the prices and if it’s more than like four bucks we just don’t get it.”</p><p>But the two were hosting a Halloween party this weekend and, well, candy is kind of needed, Eddie added.</p><p>“I think this inflation sucks,” Eddie said. “We are looking at prices a little closer than we used to, but, I mean, at the end of the day, we still got to eat … we can’t start just growing our own food.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="A well-shopped candy aisle at a Target store in Logan Square on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5bf78e5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FYFjvJToei5CM7rHr0TmkpXO1QYU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24150544%2FCANDY_102922_2_picked_over_shelves.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/828009d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FYFjvJToei5CM7rHr0TmkpXO1QYU%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24150544%2FCANDY_102922_2_picked_over_shelves.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A well-shopped candy aisle at a Target store in Logan Square on Friday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2022/10/28/23429406/halloween-candy-prices-increase-chicagoManny Ramos2022-10-27T20:08:42.739-05:002022-10-28T07:07:41-05:00CTA chief says ghost bus fixes are coming, won’t commit to meeting with City Council
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter told the Sun-Times Editorial Board that conductors would not be returned to CTA trains. And he said that new schedule updates would help resolve the problem of ghost buses.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. shot down the idea of bringing conductors back to trains, saying it wouldn’t serve a purpose other than being “additional eyes and ears” watching for crime. </p><p>“Conductors were removed from CTA for a reason a long time ago, and I don’t have a function that requires a conductor,” Carter said. “What I have done, which I think is just as effective as conductors, is I brought in unarmed security guards who unlike conductors have the ability to move through the trains during the course of its operation and can also be a deterrent” for crime.</p><p></p><p>“I think it’s helpful to keep in mind how many of my employees get assaulted every year as a result of criminal activity on CTA,” Carter said. “We do not encourage, nor do we want our employees to basically become law enforcement.”</p><p>The last time CTA used conductors was 25 years ago when it switched to one-person train operations that the agency said was more efficient and cost-effective. </p><p>Carter said CTA’s use of unarmed security guards allows the agency to be nimble and move people around to address hotspots. Union contracts would make that flexibility untenable.</p><p>CTA has put $71 million toward an unarmed security force, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/8/24/23320509/cta-k9-dog-contract-security-public-transit" target="_blank" >$30 million to add additional canine units</a> and another $30 million toward CTA’s Voluntary Special Employment program — which pays off-duty police officers to patrol trains and buses. These are all separate from the police department’s transit units.</p><p>Carter said he recognized that law enforcement can’t deal with everything — such as people with mental health issues and people dealing with homelessness on transit.</p><p>“That’s not a law enforcement problem, that’s a social service problem,” Carter said. </p><p>The Active Transportation Alliance, a group working to make transit safe, has called for “transit ambassadors” made up of CTA staffers with backgrounds in social work.</p><p>“We are heartened by President Carter’s intention to introduce social service workers. The need for such skilled interventions is urgent and critical,” said Amy Rynell, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. “CTA cannot solve the issue of safety on its own, but tactics such as a rapid roll out of improvements to deliver reliable and consistent service as well as immediate introduction of social workers, will go a long way to increase both ridership and safety for all.”</p><p>Carter’s comments came in an hourlong interview with the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. He acknowledged the agency’s shortcomings while defending decisions made to address some of those issues. </p><p>Carter echoed what CTA officials have said about ghost buses and the issue being tied to the lack of operators. Schedule <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/21/23417114/cta-chicago-transit-authority-train-service-schedule-changed-trackers-ghost-trains-union" target="_blank" >updates released this week</a> will help with some of the issues, he said.</p><p>CTA’s top boss also danced around committing to meeting with the City Council for a public hearing, saying the officials he sends should be sufficient. He dismissed the idea that he wasn’t being transparent by not attending any City Council public hearing by saying he gives updates monthly at Chicago Transit Board meetings.</p><p>He also said <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/10/14/23405174/planning-commissioner-lightfoot-transit-tif-red-line-south-extension-chicago" target="_blank" >using it as a reason to block</a> much-needed <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/8/2/23289047/cta-red-line-extension-transit-tif-property-taxes-proposal-chicago-city-council" target="_blank" >TIF funding to extend the Red Line</a> to the Far South Side was misguided.</p><p>“I have a way to do that [fund the Red Line Extension], it is a way that I used interestingly enough for a similar project on the North Side of the city for which I got all City Council approval,” Carter said. “I’m not doing anything differently now than I was then, but the only difference is that the footprint of the project is on the South Side and not the North Side.”</p><p>Carter reiterated that he’s made himself available to every alderperson and is doing everything to keep the agency transparent. He said that to get the TIF approved he is willing to improve communications with alderpersons even more. Whether that means sitting in front of them in a public hearing or behind the scenes, he said, remains to be seen.</p><p>“I don’t make it a practice to blow off City Council, I don’t make it a practice to blow off aldermen,” Carter said. “If I did, I wouldn’t have been in this position for as long as I have.”</p><p>Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2022/10/25/23423008/cta-chicago-transit-authority-council-transportation-committee-testimony-carter-testimony-vazquez" target="_blank" >recently introduced an ordinance that would force Carter</a> and his executive team to appear before the City Council’s Transportation Committee quarterly. He admitted that Carter has made himself available to alderpersons on an individual basis, but as an official with the CTA he needs to be seen publicly.</p><p>“This isn’t about us individually, this is about the public,” Vasquez said. “The number one things we are hearing from our constituents is that CTA is unreliable and unsafe, and while we don’t expect to solve them overnight, it is at bare minimum Carter makes an appearance and answer some questions.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/27/23427373/cta-chief-says-ghost-bus-fixes-are-coming-wont-commit-to-meeting-with-city-councilManny Ramos2022-10-26T19:05:18.448-05:002022-10-26T19:05:21-05:00Rep. Krishnamoorthi releases memo showing Canadian Pacific Railway dispatchers cause Metra delays
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<img class="Image" alt="U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill. at Union Station news conference on Oct. 26, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ca28f01/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3778x2120+0+94/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FtXSCvF-M93rSfpbQnNR07ST3M5U%3D%2F0x358%3A3778x3024%2F3778x2666%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24143577%2FIMG_9023.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f9ae296/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3778x2120+0+94/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FtXSCvF-M93rSfpbQnNR07ST3M5U%3D%2F0x358%3A3778x3024%2F3778x2666%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24143577%2FIMG_9023.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill. holds a news conference Wednesday at Union Station to warn of potential problems that would be created with the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern rail lines.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Manny Ramos/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>A memo released on Wednesday highlights significant freight interference on Metra’s Milwaukee District-West Line and is being used to caution federal regulators against approving a merger between two large freight railroad companies that will bring an influx of freight trains to the Chicago region.</p><p>The seven-page memo released by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., outlines how Canadian Pacific Railway has violated an agreement to give Metra trains priority over freight trains during busy hours which caused delays between 2017 and 2021.</p><p><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/4/23387788/durbin-krishnamoorthi-federal-board-delay-merger-canadian-pacific-railway-kansas-city-southern" target="_blank" >Krishnamoorthi has cautioned regulators about approving the merger between Canadian Pacific</a> and Kansas City Southern for some time and has called for an independent environmental impact study of how the merger would impact the Chicago region.</p><p>Metra’s MD-W line, which runs from Elgin to Union Station, would be most affected by the merger and will see an increase from three freight trains per day to 11 per day, according to Metra and Canadian Pacific.</p><p>The three daily freight trains already cause regular delays, and an increase in the number of trains without any investments in separate grade crossings would only hurt Metra’s service, Krishnamoorthi said.</p><p>Metra owns the MD-W line, but Canadian Pacific has dispatching rights, meaning it decides which trains receive preferential treatment in the flow of traffic. An agreement between Metra and Canadian Pacific grants passenger trains priority during peak hours, but the freight company has repeatedly violated that agreement by favoring its trains, Metra says.</p><p>The memo, which relies on Metra data, found that freight interference has been the leading cause of service delays on MD-W lines for the last decade. Specifically, there were 122 delays on average each year — with 27% of those happening during peak times — between 2017 and 2021.</p><p>Those delays were more than 12 minutes during peak times and more than 13 minutes at non-peak times.</p><p>In addition, the annual “frequency” of MD-W delays caused by freight interference nearly tripled between 2017 and 2021, with more of these delays occurring during peak periods. There were 54 delays, with 10 during peak hours, in 2017, and those delays grew to 154 total delays, with 58 during peak hours, by 2021.</p><p>During that same time, the total annual duration of MD-W delays caused by freight interference nearly tripled from 688 minutes in 2017 to 1,991 minutes in 2021. Those delays were nearly six times longer during peak times, from 127 minutes in 2017 to 745 minutes in 2021.</p><p>“These delays will only worsen with this merger as proposed,” Krishnamoorthi said Wednesday at a news conference in Union Station. “Those three freight trains per day is causing this much havoc in terms of delays to commuters. Imagine what will happen when it goes from three freight trains per day to, as Canadian Pacific has already told us, 11 freight trains.” </p><p></p><p>Krishnamoorthi has called on regulators to allow an independent environmental impact study on how the merger would affect the Chicago region.</p><p>“Metra is very concerned about commuter safety on our Milwaukee West Line because [Canadian Pacific] controls and dispatches freight and passenger train movements,” said Kevin McCann, Metra’s chief operating officer. “Too frequently [Canadian Pacific] sends its freight trains down Metra tracks when and where passenger trains are scheduled to pick up and drop off commuters.”</p><p>This, McCann said, creates unsafe conditions for commuters as idle freight trains block passengers from accessing platforms. In one case, a person crawled under an idle freight train so he could get to the Metra station.</p><p>“Adding additional freight trains will only make this more challenging,” McCann said.</p><p>A spokesman for Canadian Pacific said the memo somewhat exaggerates the impact of freight interference on passenger trains on the MD-W line. </p><p>More than 17,000 trains use the MD-W line each year, according to its pre-pandemic schedule, meaning that 122 delays a year is the equivalent of about 0.7% of all trains.</p><p>“With the focus properly on whether [Canadian Pacific’s] anticipated additional freight trains west of Bensenville will impact Metra, the evidence makes abundantly clear that there is no basis for concern,” said Patrick Waldron, spokesman for Canadian Pacific. “Extensive operating slots are available on the high-capacity double track west of Bensenville to accommodate the growth of CP’s freight operations alongside future growth in Metra’s operations, without degrading either.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/26/23425269/memo-shows-canadian-pacific-railway-causes-metra-delaysManny Ramos2022-10-25T17:06:43.808-05:002022-10-26T10:58:36-05:00$380 million flyover project expected to ease rail congestion
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<img class="Image" alt="A bevy of local, federal and railroad officials gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking of the. Forest Hill Flyover rail project." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4df9098/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FmBUS9L8hcZrZBOwaHaP2khruKbg%3D%2F0x0%3A6000x4000%2F6000x4000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%283000x2000%3A3001x2001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140023%2Fmerlin_109166476.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3dae8b1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FmBUS9L8hcZrZBOwaHaP2khruKbg%3D%2F0x0%3A6000x4000%2F6000x4000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%283000x2000%3A3001x2001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140023%2Fmerlin_109166476.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A bevy of local, federal and railroad officials gathered for a ceremonial groundbreaking of the. Forest Hill Flyover rail project. They were (from left): Ian Jefferies, CEO and president of the Association of American Railroads; Jim Derwinski, Metra CEO and Executive Director; Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot; Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker; Nathan Goldman of CSX; Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill.; U.S. Sen Dick Durbin, D-Ill.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>A $380 million railroad project on the South Side is expected to eliminate one of the most congested rail chokepoints in the Chicago area.</p><p>“Make no mistake, Chicago is a transportation and economic epicenter for all of North America,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at the CSX Forest Hill Yard, 7545 S. Western Ave., where the ceremonial groundbreaking for the project was held Tuesday. “It is a critical part of who we are and has been from our very beginning and it continues to be important today.”</p><p>More than a dozen local and federal leaders gathered at the rail yard in Chicago’s Ashburn neighborhood to celebrate what’s officially known as the Forest Hill Flyover.</p><p>Construction on the new rail bridge at 75th Street is expected to start this month. When complete, officials said, freight traffic will move more smoothly as the flyover reduces areas where tracks used by the Belt Railway Company, CSX and Norfolk Southern cross each other.</p><p>Currently, Lightfoot said, 30 Metra trains cross paths with 90 freight trains every day in that area.</p><p>“This presents challenges for everyone — pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists alike — and poses threats to the climate given the collective emissions of trains and vehicles idling waiting at crossings,” Lightfoot said. “The 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project will begin alleviating these challenges.”</p><p>The flyover will also help connect Metra’s Southwest Service with the existing Rock Island District tracks — increasing capacity while also improving reliability. Conflicts between 30 Southwest Service Metra trains and 35 freight trains operating on the Western Avenue corridor would be removed.</p><p>Metra trains cross freight tracks at multiple locations, including the Forest Hill Junction, and during peak commuter periods only Metra trains are allowed to run in these areas. This can cause both freight trains and Metra trains to sit idle for lengthy delays.</p><p>The project also includes eliminating a street-level rail crossing on 71st Street and improving safety and convenience for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.</p><p>These projects are the first two parts of four major projects being developed as part of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project. It’s the largest project to date from the Chicago Region Environment and Transportation Efficiency Program.</p><p>That program, also known as CREATE, is a public-private partnership that works to improve how passengers and goods travel by rail. It is supported by transportation departments at the federal, state, county and city level. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (right) and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Forest Hill Flyover on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/848f7c6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3644x2045+0+192/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F2ISjXSxQz0U5FvUytRUCmks1aJU%3D%2F0x0%3A3644x2429%2F3644x2429%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281822x1215%3A1823x1216%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140029%2Fmerlin_109166336.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fb99b53/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3644x2045+0+192/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F2ISjXSxQz0U5FvUytRUCmks1aJU%3D%2F0x0%3A3644x2429%2F3644x2429%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281822x1215%3A1823x1216%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140029%2Fmerlin_109166336.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (right) and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday for the Forest Hill Flyover, a project intended to reduce congestion in both passenger and freight rail traffic in Chicago. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Among those attending Tuesday was U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Gracia, D-Ill., who serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The projects will “advance our supply chain and improve safety and convenience for commuters in the 75th Street corridor,” he said.</p><p>“Chicagoans are well aware of the importance of freight rail not just to our city’s economy but to the whole country,” Garcia said.</p><p></p><p>“The reality is that I see transportation policy in Chicago as a matter of racial and economic justice and for too long we haven’t acknowledged it as the social justice matter that it is.”</p><p></p><p>Garcia said Chicago has the busiest freight rail hub in the country, with nearly 500 freight trains and 750 passenger trains moving through the city every day. He said the project will eliminate 8,500 annual hours of passenger delays.</p><p>Nathan Goldman, CSX’s chief legal officer, said they are proud to be leading the first phase of the project but recognized the support from the other Class 1 freight railroad companies that have come together for CREATE program projects.</p><p>“CSX is excited to be a part of this public-private team effort which will eliminate the existing CSX grade crossing at 71st Street, not only enhancing safety but also helping improve fluidity in one of the most heavily trafficked rail corridors,” Goldman said in a statement.</p><p>Gov. J.B. Pritzker said one thing stood out in his mind about this project: the influx of jobs on the South Side.</p><p>“Think about what this is going to do for the economy of the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, this area itself,” Pritzker said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle were among those attending the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Forest Hill Flyover." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f397002/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4674x2623+0+246/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FuMiAS56BXWPtRouoI-KPZX0Ciu0%3D%2F0x0%3A4674x3116%2F4674x3116%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282337x1558%3A2338x1559%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140034%2Fmerlin_109166334.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/42d17ca/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4674x2623+0+246/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FuMiAS56BXWPtRouoI-KPZX0Ciu0%3D%2F0x0%3A4674x3116%2F4674x3116%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282337x1558%3A2338x1559%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24140034%2Fmerlin_109166334.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle were among those attending the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Forest Hill Flyover, a massive rail project intended to reduce many rail traffic jams in what is now one of the Chicago area’s largest rail chokepoints. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/25/23423358/forest-hill-flyover-groundbreaking-rail-tracks-congestion-metra-csx-norfolk-southern-ashburnManny Ramos2022-10-21T19:30:27.883-05:002022-10-21T20:41:59-05:00CTA updating rail schedules; says goal is improving trackers, service
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<img class="Image" alt="A CTA train approaches the Adams and Wabash station in the Loop last summer." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/115ec71/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FWxdlKViGq24RDgKCoyYOi42q3vQ%3D%2F0x0%3A6000x4000%2F6000x4000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%283000x2000%3A3001x2001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23939099%2FTRANSIT_07XX22_14.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9305c0b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x3367+0+316/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FWxdlKViGq24RDgKCoyYOi42q3vQ%3D%2F0x0%3A6000x4000%2F6000x4000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%283000x2000%3A3001x2001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23939099%2FTRANSIT_07XX22_14.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The CTA says a new rail schedule that takes effect Sunday will help stop inconsistencies with its tracker system.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>The CTA is adjusting its rail schedules to better fit with its current workforce, in hopes of addressing concerns over inconsistent service.</p><p>The new weekday and weekend schedules, which take effect Sunday, reflect “our efforts to provide consistent and more reliable service,” CTA president Dorval Carter Jr was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the transit agency.</p><p>“To be clear, this is just a start: We recognize there is more work to do. But we are moving in the right direction and will continue to make additional adjustments to further improve service reliability and consistency,” the statement continued.</p><p>This is the second time in as many months the CTA has adjusted its rail schedule, but the agency said this update is permanent — <a class="Link" href="https://www.transitchicago.com/-recent-rail-service-schedule-optimization-providing-more-consistent-and-reliable-service/?CategoryId=2&pg=2" target="_blank" >unlike the one announced last month</a>.</p><p>CTA has been inundated with complaints from riders, elected officials and mayoral candidates over unreliable service. Some commuters have been left waiting on trains and buses for extended periods.</p><p>The situation has gotten so dire, one coalition of riders began to independently monitor trains on the Blue Line, checking actual arrivals against the CTA’s posted schedule. Buses and trains that show up on CTA trackers — but never actually arrive when the tracker indicates they should — <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/16/23393276/cta-chicago-transit-authority-ghost-buses-trains-service-problems" target="_blank" >have been dubbed “ghosts.”</a></p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="A CTA Blue Line train in Oak Park." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/756788a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDXllOOz4KHpq4lfZpfAnhAOJUWE%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24130941%2FCTA_10XX22_2_Blue_Line_Oak_Park.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/708a151/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FDXllOOz4KHpq4lfZpfAnhAOJUWE%3D%2F0x0%3A3000x2000%2F3000x2000%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281500x1000%3A1501x1001%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24130941%2FCTA_10XX22_2_Blue_Line_Oak_Park.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A CTA Blue Line train in Oak Park, headed to the Loop and then on to O’Hare International Airport. One group of frustrated commuters started monitoring the Blue Line and comparing actual arrival times with the CTA’s posted schedule.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>CTA’s online tracker relies on both the printed schedule information and real-time GPS data. With the adjusted schedules, the CTA said it expects fewer “ghost” trains.</p><p>The transit agency has argued the root of the problem is that it simply doesn’t have enough workers to operate the trains. The CTA said it is trying to overcome the “Great Resignation” — a term for the phenomenon that has hit many employers during the pandemic, as people reassess their jobs and their work-life balance.</p><p>Addressing the workforce problem is the only real long-term solution, according to the CTA.</p><p>Similar schedule changes were made in <a class="Link" href="https://www.transitchicago.com/-recent-rail-service-schedule-optimization-providing-more-consistent-and-reliable-service/" target="_blank" >September on select routes</a>, but those were temporary. Permanent schedule changes are negotiated between the CTA and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 — the union representing rail operators — twice a year. Once a new schedule is negotiated, the “pick” process begins, as operators choose the routes, days and hours they all work.</p><p>This new schedule doesn’t reduce total hours of service on any line, and overnight service will continue on the two lines where it is offered (Blue and Red).</p><p>Some rush periods and midday services will see longer wait times, according to the CTA, but the goal is “providing more consistent rail service throughout the day.”</p><p>The Yellow Line, running from Howard Street to Skokie, is the only line that won’t see weekday schedule changes.</p><p>CTA will look at improving CTA bus services with similar schedule adjustments some time this winter, after negotiations and a “pick” process with union representing bus drivers.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/10/21/23417114/cta-chicago-transit-authority-train-service-schedule-changed-trackers-ghost-trains-unionManny Ramos