Jared Rutecki

@jaredrutecki.bsky.social

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Investigative Reporter, WTTW News & Chicago Tonight. Past: Illinois Answers Project, BGA, Columbus Dispatch, ThisWeek News. Covers legal system, health, pensions. Prolific FOIA filer. He/him.

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Thousands of anti-Donald Trump protesters — including many from Chicago — gathered in downtown Milwaukee on Monday to protest the first day of the Republican National Convention. Photos by @izqueerdo.bsky.social

Photos: Protesters Take to the Streets of Milwaukee for Day 1 of thenews.wttw.com Thousands of anti-Donald Trump protesters gathered in downtown Milwaukee on Monday to protest the first day of the Republican National Convention. WTTW News social media producer Michael Izquierdo doc...

In a heartbreaking turn of events, a third piping plover chick — hatched to much excitement just two weeks ago — has died, plover monitors have reported. Only one chick now remains at Montrose.

3rd Plover Chick Dies at Montrose, Many Asking If Lone Survivornews.wttw.com The chicks have seemed healthy, but then become lethargic. Necropsies have been performed to help determine the cause.

RNC Live Blog, Day 1: Delegates, Protesters Descend on Milwaukee

RNC Live Blog, Day 1: Delegates, Protesters Descend on Milwaukee asnews.wttw.com WTTW News reporters are spread out across Milwaukee covering the 2024 Republican National Convention and Illinois’ delegation. Check back throughout the day for continuous updates.

With the Republican National Convention upon us, here’s a look at the Illinoisans who have been spending big so far in this political cycle.

From the Uihleins to Prominent Business Owners, Who Are Illinois’news.wttw.com Illinois might be a solidly blue state when it comes to presidential elections, but the Land of Lincoln still has plenty of big-money donors backing conservative candidates and causes. With the Republ...

Joining Chicago Tonight are Jahmal Cole, founder and CEO of My Block, My Hood, My City; Marquell Washington, Explorers Program intern at My Block, My Hood, My City; & Michael Edwards, president/CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance to discuss Downtown Day

Downtown Day Aims to Expose Chicago’s Youth to Art and Designnews.wttw.com Downtown Day on July 13 aims to expose young people to art and design, using the city as a backdrop.

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Two Reporters Covering Education in the Midwest Followed the Money… to a School in New York www.propublica.org/article/illi...

Two Reporters Covering Education in the Midwest Followed the Money … to a School in New Yorkwww.propublica.org Jennifer Smith Richards and Jodi S. Cohen are based in Chicago and cover the Midwest. But when they looked into where vulnerable Illinois students wound up, they found themselves at an unregulated, fo...

A proposed ordinance aims to preserve affordable housing on Chicago’s Northwest Side and prevent the displacement of longtime existing residents.

Proposed Ordinance Aims to Preserve Affordable Housing, Stemnews.wttw.com The ordinance would expand a pilot program around the area of the 606 Trail that has successfully helped stabilize that neighborhood after it began to experience rapid gentrification.

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NEW: Chicago taxpayers should pay $7.6 million to a man who spent 17 years in prison after he was wrongfully convicted of a 2001 murder, city lawyers recommended.

Pay $7.6M to Man Who Spent 17 Years in Prison After Being Wrongfullynews.wttw.com John Velez was convicted of killing 26-year-old Anthony Hueneca in Little Village. The jury did not hear evidence that Velez was actually in Cicero at the time of the shooting.

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Plover Chick Lost at Montrose, 3 Remain: ‘This Piping Plover Chicknews.wttw.com Chicago’s piping plover monitors are mourning the loss of one of the recently hatched chicks at Montrose Beach. Parents Imani and Searocket are watching over the remaining three.

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NEW: Chicago taxpayers have paid more than $35.7M to defend disgraced ex-CPD Detective Reynaldo Guevara in 39 lawsuits alleging he framed people for crimes they did not commit — and there is no end in sight, according to documents obtained by WTTW News.

Chicago Taxpayers Have Paid $35.7M to Defend Disgraced Detectivenews.wttw.com In all, it has already cost Chicago taxpayers more than $98 million to defend former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara, investigate his conduct and resolve lawsuits that allege he violated doz...

In all, it has already cost Chicago taxpayers more than $98M to defend former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara, investigate his conduct & resolve lawsuits that allege he violated dozens of Chicagoans’ civil rights (via @heathercherone.bsky.social)

Chicago Public Schools says its new district budget will keep funding cuts out of the classroom by relying on grant money, departmental cuts and central office reductions to fill a shortfall that has ballooned to more than $500 million.

CPS Hopes to Keep Funding Cuts Out of the Classroom as it Fills $500Mnews.wttw.com “This budget very clearly puts teaching and learning front and center where it belongs,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said in a statement Wednesday.

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BREAKING: Convicted former Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward) had his annual city taxpayer-funded pension of more than $96,000 yanked immediately after being sentenced June 24 on federal corruption charges, according to records obtained by WTTW News.

Board Yanked Convicted Ex-Ald. Ed Burke’s $96K Annual City Pensionnews.wttw.com The board of the Municipal Employees’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago voted at its June meeting to suspend the former alderperson’s pension once he was sentenced on 13 counts of racketeering, attemp...

Boil order: Affected areas include parts of Beverly, Morgan Park and Auburn Gresham, specifically: buildings and homes located east of Sacramento Avenue, north of 119th Street, west of I-57, south of 87th Street, and southwest of Beverly Avenue.

South Side Neighborhoods Under Water Boil Order After Roselandnews.wttw.com Residents of several Chicago South Side neighborhoods are under a boil order following a service disruption at the Roseland Pumping Station Tuesday night.

Just 108 of the 670 Illinois nursing homes that provided CMS data meet all three staffing requirements as of June, according to a WTTW News analysis

A New Federal Rule Sets Tighter Nursing Home Staffing Standards. Justnews.wttw.com Timely care is essential for many nursing home residents. New federal staffing standards from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are aimed at improving access to care, but some advocates s...

Public transit leaders warned that without more state funding, the Chicago area could see bus and train service slashed by 30-40% in 2026. The leaders also pushed back on a proposal from lawmakers to tie more money to a merger of CTA, Metra and Pace.

Chicago-Area Public Transit Leaders Call for Funding Boost, Push Backnews.wttw.com Tuesday marked the first of at least six planned hearings about overhauling Chicago-area public transit agencies, proposed as part of legislation filed in May. That plan also calls for $1.5 billion in...

Convicted former Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward) had his annual city taxpayer-funded pension of more than $96,000 yanked immediately after being sentenced June 24 on federal corruption charges, according to records obtained by WTTW News. (w/ @heathercherone.bsky.social)

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BREAKING: CPD’s probe into 8 police officers with documented ties to far-right extremist groups like the Proud Boys & Oath Keepers was “materially deficient,” according to Chicago's watchdog. But CPD refused her request to reopen the probe.

CPD Rejects Watchdog’s Demand to Reopen ‘Deficient’ Probe Into 8news.wttw.com Investigators with CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs did not interview anyone other than the eight officers accused of belonging to the Oath Keepers, according to a 30-page report.

Invasive carp in Illinois: Molly Flanagan, chief operating officer and vice president for programs at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, appears on "Chicago Tonight" to discuss the Brandon Road Lock and Dam

Illinois Finally Signs Agreement to Build $1B Invasive Carp Barrier,news.wttw.com After months of negotiations, Illinois has finally signed onto a project partnership agreement with the state of Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with construction of what’s la...

A push to expand the power of the Chicago City Council to operate independently from the mayor and city attorneys failed to win the backing of a key city panel, preventing the yearslong effort from advancing.

Yearslong Push to Make Chicago City Council More Independent From thenews.wttw.com The debate represented the latest skirmish in the so-far unsuccessful push to rewrite the rules for the City Council, which served as a rubber stamp for decades rather than a legislative body charged ...

After another shortened race weekend that was by turns thrilling and soggy, NASCAR is packing up its Chicago street course and heading out of town. So when do Chicagoans get their roads back?

NASCAR Is Packing up Its Street Course, So When Do Chicagoans Getnews.wttw.com After another shortened race weekend that was by turns thrilling and soggy, NASCAR is packing up its Chicago street course and heading out of town.

The mural was created by two Chicago artists — Rahmaan “Statik” Barnes and Shawn Michael Warren — with help from high school students. It helps conceal a ComEd battery storage facility that is part of the Bronzeville Community Microgrid.

Bronzeville Renaissance Mural Depicts Community’s Innovative Past andnews.wttw.com The mural was created by two Chicago artists — Rahmaan “Statik” Barnes and Shawn Michael Warren — with help from high school students. It helps conceal a ComEd battery storage facility that is part of...

Illinois program designed to house migrants proves costly and ineffective

A migrant family felt ‘blessed’ to be picked for a state rental program. They were given units that seemed unlivable — with a difficult choice.www.chicagotribune.com Over an 18-month span through June, the state would pay more than $50 million to cover the rent of more than 6,000 families and, in the end, ask dozens of landlords to pay back more than $620,000 a…

In 15 towns, of which all but two are home to a majority of Black residents, the increase to property tax bills was 30%. But some local leaders are pledging not to raise municipal taxes in order to ease the impact on community members.

South Suburban Mayors Try to Push Back on Property Tax Bill Spikes innews.wttw.com In 15 towns, of which all but two are home to a majority of Black residents, the increase to property tax bills was 30%. But some local leaders are pledging not to raise municipal taxes in order to ea...

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NEW: Three Chicagoans who accused the Chicago Police Department of targeting Black and Latino drivers with a massive campaign of traffic stops have been stopped repeatedly since they filed the lawsuit 12 months ago, court records show.

Chicagoans Who Sued CPD for Targeting Black, Latino Drivers Have Beennews.wttw.com The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois accuses the Chicago Police Department of making more than 1.5 million traffic stops between 2016 and 2023 based on dubious evidence ...

Illinois Finally Signs Agreement to Build $1B Invasive Carp Barrier, Now That the State Isn’t on the Hook for Entire Lifelong Maintenance Tab

Chicago’s pension debt soared by approximately $1.8 billion in 2023, adding to a total of $37.2 billion debt Chicago owes to its four employee pension funds. (via @heathercherone.bsky.social)

Chicago’s Pension Debt Continues to Rise, Increasing $1.8B in 2023 tonews.wttw.com In all, Chicago owes $37.2 billion to its four employee pension funds representing police officers, firefighters, municipal employees and laborers, according to the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial...

COPA Publishes Body Cam Video of Chicago Police Shooting That Left 1 Dead, 1 Injured After Altercation in South Austin

COPA Publishes Body Cam Video of Chicago Police Shooting That Left 1news.wttw.com The Civilian Office of Police Accountability on Tuesday released videos showing the fatal May 27 shooting of Tracey Watson, who was killed in the middle of the 300 block of South Cicero Avenue during ...

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a series of challenges to Illinois’ assault weapons ban — for now — but a pair of justices indicated a willingness to take up the case in the future.

U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Take Up Challenge to Illinois’ Assaultnews.wttw.com The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a series of challenges to Illinois’ assault weapons ban — for now — but a pair of justices indicated a willingness to take up the case in the future.

The Supreme Court decision is expected to have a sweeping impact on policies for the unhoused, but local advocates are hoping the effect will be muted in Chicago and Illinois.

Chicago, Illinois Advocates Hope Impact of Supreme Court’snews.wttw.com The decision is expected to have a sweeping impact on policies for the unhoused, but local advocates are hoping the effect will be muted in Chicago and Illinois.