Feature
TCR Weekly Briefs: Biden Extends Student Loan Pause Into 2023
WASHINGTON D.C. | The U.S. Department of Education announced today that it is extending the student loan pause into 2023 due to legal challenges over President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. Biden’s most recent extension of the student loan pause was set to end on December 31. However, as Biden’s one-time student loan forgiveness…
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SAFE-T Act: Illinois Legislators Weigh Changes to Law Says Disproportionately Affects Black and Brown Communities
UPDATE: This original story has been updated to include comments by IL. House Speaker, Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch on the SAFE-T Act legislation, and its affects…
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Featured Series : The Warehouse Archipelago
The Warehouse Archipelago pt.1
As many as four million workers labor in clusters of warehouses scattered across the United States. Many are mislabeled as ‘temps’; all are poorly paid, and on-the-job injuries are high. In the article “The Warehouse Archipelago”, John Lippert and Stephen Franklin investigate the current state of staffing in the warehouse industry. Part One of the Chicago Reporter series published every Monday provides insights into the plight of workers suffering from “wage theft, discrimination, and unhealthy and hazardous conditions.”…
Employment and labor
Report: Amazon workers’ injuries spike during holiday season at Illinois facility
Safety records obtained by the Warehouse Workers for Justice build on recent reporting by Reveal finding that warehouse injury rates climb with automation.
Study: Restaurant industry thrives in cities that have eliminated subminimum wage
As Mayor Lori Lightfoot and City Council members debate changes to how Chicago’s tipped workers are paid, a new report highlights how other cities have fared after eliminating the subminimum wage.
Economic Development
Black and Latinx owners are barely a blip on the cannabis revenue radar
Patrons waiting outside of a south suburban dispensary is becoming a common sight. Black and Latinx owners are barely a blip on the cannabis income radar. Kara Wright followed the rules and could be considered a winner, since the state awarded her and her applicant team the right to maybe get cannabis dispensary licenses in…
After federal assessment, what’s next for the Obama Presidential Center?
Officials are seeking public comment after a review found that the development could harm the historical status of the Jackson Park Historic Landscape District and Midway Plaisance.
Health
Culture Is Key In Treating Mental Health Concerns
Publisher’s Note: Mental health concerns dominate people’s minds, even as the pandemic eases, according to a new survey conducted by the newsroom collaborative, Solving for Chicago. The Chicago Reporter is one of the 23 newsrooms working cooperatively to cover pressing issues facing the public in the Chicago region. This story is based on your responses to the survey…
Health Disparities Exacerbated by the Pandemic Continue to Persist
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Illinois as winter nears and the temperature drops. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports more than 5,000 new cases in Chicago and nearly 30,000 in the state just this week. Experts say the cold weather is making people stay inside where it is easier for the…
