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City Cast Chicago

Indigenous People’s Day is next week, and Native American heritage celebrations will continue next month. But starting next school year, 

Illinois students will learn about Native history year-round

 after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law.

Contemporary Native American history about Illinois tribes

Forced Native American removal when students learn about the Holocaust and other genocides

 allowing students to wear Native dress to graduations and establishing procedures to return human remains to Native American nations. 

Chicago has one of the largest urban Native American populations in the U.S., so there are opportunities to educate yourself and your kids now with 

🎧 Plus, the fight to teach Asian American history in Illinois schools

Starting next school year, Illinois students will learn about Native history year-round after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law.

What Illinois Students Will Learn About Indigenous History

Chicago, Explained

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week it would expedite work permits for migrants who have arrived from Venezuela — including those who have settled in Chicago.

How Will Migrants in Chicago Be Affected?

Migrants who are Venezuelan nationals and arrived before July 31 are eligible to 

, which for 18 months protects migrants from deportation to home countries considered unsafe. TPS will also allow migrants to apply for legal work permits.

More than 13,500 migrants have arrived in Chicago since last summer, many of whom are from Venezuela.

 heading into 2024, and it costs the city about $20 million per month to support new arrivals, Block Club’s Manny Ramos told the City Cast Chicago podcast.

“[Expanding TPS] allows folks to be more self-sufficient when it comes to working and providing for themselves. 

 can help alleviate some of those burdens for cities that consider themselves welcoming to migrants, but simply don't have the infrastructure,” he said.

Some advocates say the process will take months before migrants see benefits while others say the government should

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week it would expedite work permits for migrants who have arrived from Venezuela.

Work Permits Coming for Some Migrants in Chicago

Starting today, Illinois judges will no longer be able to require cash bail as a condition of pretrial release. Illinois is the first state in the U.S. to end the practice. Here’s what you need to know.

Under a traditional cash bail system, people accused of crimes can pay to be released ahead of their trial. But those who can’t are left waiting in jail — mostly low-income people and people of color.

Banning Cash Bail in Illinois Has Been a Long Road

After advocates fought for years to end the practice, 

the Illinois General Assembly passed the measure in January 2021 as part of the SAFE-T Act

. A Kankakee County judge initially ruled the ban was unconstitutional, but 

the changes were ultimately upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court this summer

Judges still have discretion to jail people awaiting trial. The Pretrial Fairness Act says those accused of crimes involving violent felonies, gun cases, sexual assaults, or domestic attacks are eligible for detention — as is someone considered a flight risk.

could reduce the jail population and change policing

, but some fear it could also lead to an 

Starting today, Illinois judges will no longer be able to require cash bail as a condition of pretrial release. Illinois is the first state in the U.S. to end the practice.

Cash Bail is Ending in Illinois. Now What?

The 2023-2024 school year is here, and along with new experiences and lessons, new educational laws will also be impacting Chicago students and families in and out of the classroom. Here are some of the new laws and what they mean:

Illinois is the first state to outlaw book bans. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law in June that says public libraries can lose funding if a book is removed from shelves for political or religious reasons. The law will take effect in 2024.

In the past, schools had to inform parents and guardians about bullying “promptly.” But a new law replaces that vague language with a requirement to inform families of students involved in alleged bullying within 24 hours of school administrators learning of incidents. The law also expands on what constitutes bullying.

A new law took effect in July requiring schools to include contact information for the Safe2Help Illinois helpline on student IDs. Students can share personal safety issues on the 24/7 hotline via a free app, through text, phone, or on their website.

Gov. Pritzker is expected to sign a bill requiring all public and private schools to keep emergency medicine to prevent opioid overdoses.

To tackle learning loss during the pandemic, many school districts are participating in high-dosage tutoring. This state-funded program provides students with consistent one-on-one or small-group tutors.

➕ Those are just a few laws you can expect in the next school year. 

Check out the Sun-Times for more details.

Here are some of the new laws that will impact Chicago students and families in the 2023-2024 school year.

Illinois’ New Education Laws

What are Illinois’ New Education Laws?

It’s no secret the CTA hasn’t been the most reliable way to get around the last couple years. That’s why we’re looking at how to use the transit agency’s 

The CTA saw 24.3 million registered rides on buses and trains in May, 

 before but still lower than before COVID. This summer could set new records for post-pandemic ridership, between big concerts like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé as well as NASCAR weekend.

Train delays of 10 minutes or more are similar compared to last summer, peaking in December with more than 250 delays reported. Disturbances, like trespassing and police activity, have been the No. 1 cause of delays this year.

There are fewer big gaps between buses than last summer. Big gaps are defined as double the scheduled time and greater than 15 minutes.

Coder Brandon McFadden’s dashboard tracks how often CTA’s scheduled lines and routes are actually running, 

The group is pushing for improvements to service, transparent hiring, fair working conditions, and an accurate tracker. 

Want to report a late train or bus? Fill out their forms.

It’s no secret the CTA hasn’t been the most reliable way to get around the last couple years.

How to Use the CTA Dashboard

Between dog-sitting in the burbs and learning about 

, we’re sharing how you can bring home a furry friend in Chicago.

 in Little Village is open daily, charges a $65 fee, and requires some paperwork — including a contract that owners will take their pets to a veterinarian within 14 days of adoption.

 in Washington Park and Chicago Ridge require adoption applications and appointments for their pets, which can cost up to $275. But little critters — like gerbils and hamsters — go for less than $8 🤓

 in Lincoln Park requires a comPETibility quiz, an appointment, and that owners be at least 21-years-old. Fees — which range from $50 to almost $400 — include a spay/neuter surgery, microchip, vaccinations, a bag of pet food, a training webinar, and a vet visit.

 in River North asks adopters to complete a questionnaire and consultation. Puppies can go for $300 and kittens for $150, but the shelter also has guinea pigs and rabbits. Fees include many of the same perks as above — plus a 30-day return period if your pet isn’t a good match.

 in Homewood and Matteson is trying to get 94 cats and dogs adopted in 94 days this summer under a special promotion. Not only are all pets fixed, microchipped, and vaccinated, dogs get checked for heartworms and cats get checked for feline leukemia.

, according to Chicago law. Why? A license tag can help owners reunite with their lost dogs. Plus, it’s required at many dog boarding and daycare centers.

You can register your dog for a one- or three-year emblem, which can cost more if your dog isn’t fixed. And if you don't do it? 

It can cost you at least $30 and up to $200

 helps rehome abandoned and stray birds, reptiles, and fish, founder Jessica Katz told us last year.

Between dog-sitting in the burbs and learning about Southwest Side dog parks, we’re sharing how you can bring home a furry friend in Chicago.

How to Adopt a Pet in Chicago

Thirty years after Beanie Babies were introduced to the world, a new film is out depicting the rise and fall of the plush toy empire and its eccentric Chicagoland creator.

Before the LaGrange native was known as a reclusive billionaire, 

he was a toy salesman who got fired for selling his own products on the side

. After seeing plush toy cats abroad, Warner returned to Chicagoland to launch Beanie Babies, Chicago magazine reported.

The toys were stuffed with plastic pellets, which gave them more mobility than other toys on the market. 

But they were so popular in the ‘90s because Warner would amp up demand by routinely retiring animals, putting out limited stock, and being selective where the toys were sold. Collectors on eBay went 

. A $5 toy could be valued for a couple thousand dollars.

, according to Morning Brew. In Oak Brook, where Warner lived, seeing 100 parents outside a toy store wasn’t unusual.

But all good things must come to an end …

As demand waned, Warner announced in 1999 all toys would be retired but reversed course and brought them back. Interest wasn't the same though.

Warner has since been convicted for tax evasion

, faced abuse allegations from a former partner, and has been caught up in legal disputes with luxury hotels he owns.

Based on Zac Bissonnette’s book of the same name

, some critics are taking issue with the fictional liberties filmmakers took. Others are unimpressed with yet another movie about a commercial product without much thoughtful critique.

+ Speaking of films with Chicago connections, 

we explored the local sneakerhead scene after “Air” was released

Inside Chicago’s Role in Beanie Babie Mania

Millions of users have flocked to sign up for Threads, Meta’s new text-based app, as an alternative to Twitter. But one Chicago attorney concerned with digital privacy is skeptical — and thinks you should be, too.

Instagram is currently facing a biometric privacy lawsuit in Illinois two years after 

 in the state over the tech giant’s use of facial recognition technology.

That’s In Addition To Worries Over Meta’s Algorithm

Facebook's internal whistleblowers revealed the company is aware its products are addictive, Eli Wade-Scott, a partner at Edelson PC, said. Plus, a pending lawsuit on behalf of Rohingya refugees alleges the algorithm fanned the flames of a genocide in Myanmar.

Read the fine print and check what data is being extracted in the disclosures in the app stores, Wade-Scott said. Compared to Twitter, Threads collects more information, from health and fitness to finance to vague categories titled “sensitive” and “other.”

But Illinois Has Strong Biometric Privacy Laws

After a bankrupt company acquired a giant database of fingerprints, the Illinois Legislature recognized in 2008 how government and private entities can track you with these technological advances, Wade-Scott said.

+ Illinois residents who have used Instagram in the last eight years could be eligible for a cash payout. 

Chicago companies and brands are jumping to use Threads

One Chicago attorney concerned with digital privacy is skeptical — and thinks you should be, too. 

Is Meta Violating Illinoisans’ Privacy … Again?

Evanston residents are asking Northwestern University to pause its $800 million project to renovate Ryan Field in the 

wake of hazing allegations within its athletic programs.

Northwestern's leadership has no credibility, and its priorities are badly distorted,

” said David DeCarlo, an Evanston resident and co-founder of the nonprofit Most Livable City Association.

university unveiled the renovation plans last September

 to replace the current field with a reduced-capacity stadium that could host concerts and other non-football events. But 

the project has faced backlash from residents

 who have questioned NU’s lack of transparency, whether the tax-exempt university would fairly contribute to the Evanston community, and how rowdy fans and concertgoers could impact noise levels, parking, and traffic.

Evanston’s Land Use Commission will be holding a public hearing on Aug. 9 while it continues to review the stadium proposal. If approved, the proposal will go to the City Council for a vote, which is expected to take place in September.

The project has faced backlash from residents since it was announced in September.

Why Ryan Field is Dividing Evanston Residents

Why Ryan Field is Dividing Evanstonians

With final payments from the city’s guaranteed income pilot expected to go out this month, we’re diving into how the cash assistance has affected residents.

It’s a regular cash payment — with no strings attached — to eligible groups of people

, City Bureau reported. The cash can help families in need of immediate assistance.

What are some Chicagoland programs helping low-income residents?

The Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot will have provided $500 a month to about 5,000 residents over the last year.

The Cook County Promise Guaranteed Income Pilot is giving 3,250 households $500 a month over two years, ending December 2024.

The city and county pilots are funded by COVID relief money while some private philanthropic organizations enact their own programs.

a researcher found participants were more likely to identify as young and as Black compared to all eligible Chicagoans

The programs help with everyday expenses, but it won't solve everything, experts and participants said. And they want the programs to last longer.

Cook County is committed to a permanent program, a spokesperson said. Mayor Brandon Johnson also said he was committed to expanding the city’s pilot program.

Chicago sociologist Eve Ewing is out with a new podcast about guaranteed income Thursday