The Chicago Reporter

03/07/2025

The new bill drawing attention to financial abuse

An Ill. bill passed in May aims to support survivors of domestic violence by preventing the collection of coerced debt

⚠️Content warning: This story contains references to domestic violence and physical abuse.⚠️

When a survivor of domestic violence escapes an abusive situation, their journey is only beginning. Physical and emotional impacts of trauma can stay with survivors for years as they recover, but another form of abuse can make it harder for survivors to leave in the first place: financial abuse.

An Ill. bill passed in May aims to support survivors of domestic violence by preventing the collection of coerced debt Content warning: This story contains references to domestic violence and physical abuse. When a survivor of domestic violence escapes an abusive situation, their journey is only beg...

02/07/2025

When Seniors Face Expensive Home Repairs, the Solutions Can be a Lifeline…Or Leave Their Families an Inheritance of Debt

[This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project.]

This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. CHICAGO — LaShon Minter Williams is waiting for a letter that could arrive any day now — one that may force her to leave the home her family has owned for generations. She can’t afford to pay off the mortgage on the West Si....

02/07/2025

Wasted Waters: How Southern Illinois is Coping with Decades of Sewage Flooding… and Why it Still Isn’t Solved.

Five dozen communities in Southern Illinois account for a third of the reported sanitary sewer overflows in the state in the last decade. But with low revenues, population declines, and bureaucratic delays, solutions are hard to come by. Meanwhile, residents face property damage flooded yards and basements and governments that still haven’t fixed the problem.

[This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project.]

Five dozen communities in Southern Illinois account for a third of the reported sanitary sewer overflows in the state in the last decade. But with low revenues, population declines, and bureaucratic delays, solutions are hard to come by. Meanwhile, residents face property damage flooded yards and ba...

02/07/2025

Happy July!! Wishing you a month filled with things that “spark” joy, happiness, and peace!! 🥰💥🎇

19/06/2025

Juneteenth Celebrations!!

From Bronzeville to The Burbs: Juneteenth Chicagoland’s Intersection of Celebration and Calls for Justice The mid-June sunshine reveals Bronzeville streets filled with drumbeats and laughter while barbecue aromas spread through the air. This appears like any typical Chicago summer neighborhood g*t...

19/06/2025

Team TCR wishes everyone a Happy Juneteenth!!

Juneteenth or “Freedom Day,” commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States, on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas. On this day, enslaved people in Texas finally learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, resilience, and the end of slavery, and it's now a federal holiday.

Historical Background:
While the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, it wasn't until June 19, 1865, that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that all enslaved people in the state were free.

With the persistence of Opal Lee, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, following the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and calls for racial justice.

15/06/2025

Team TCR would like to wish all Fathers and Father figures, a very Happy Father’s Day! 💙

13/06/2025

TCR’s guide to small claims court

New “Justice for Debtor” bill to enable more Illinoisans to participate in small claims court by eliminating appearance fees for defendants, and more. Every year, around 8,000 cases are filed before the Illinois Court of Claims, according to data from the Illinois Secretary of State. Small claim...

13/06/2025

Property Taxes in Cook County: A TCR Guide

As property taxes continue to rise, Illinois officials consider bills that could offer some relief to homeowners In Cook County, the last complete tax cycle marked the 30th straight year property taxes have increased, according to the latest annual tax analysis by the Cook County Treasurer. Image:....

13/06/2025

Hot off the press!!
TCR’s guide to Juneteenth in Chicago

From Bronzeville to The Burbs: Juneteenth Chicagoland’s Intersection of Celebration and Calls for Justice The mid-June sunshine reveals Bronzeville streets filled with drumbeats and laughter while barbecue aromas spread through the air. This appears like any typical Chicago summer neighborhood g*t...

13/06/2025

Today is National Wear Blue Day!! As we close out National Men’s Health Week (June 9-15), during Men's Health Month, we encourage you to wear blue and show your support. Join us as we continue to raise awareness about men's health, including issues like prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and su***de prevention. 💙

07/06/2025

The TCR team sends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Renee Ferguson. This icon in journalism will be sorely missed.

Renee Ferguson, the first African American woman to work as an investig*tive reporter in Chicago television and a long-time journalist for NBC 5, has died. Click here for more: http://nbcchi.com/xBYTh21