11 Burst results for "Greg Pratt"
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"To the Johnson is going to find a lot more revenue streams? A head tax, a commuter tax if you come in from the city income tax and he wouldn't tell us what the threshold would be. But if you make enough money, then we're going to tax you more in the city and income a city income tax is that what that would be. I mean, it's a fair criticism or question for Johnson, right? Where are you going to get all this money? Yeah. The CTU answer for that for years. You ask them where are you going to get the money on their answer is rich people. And it's not quite that simple, but he proposed a bunch of plans. And last night, on one of the few things he was getting pressed about, the head tax and $20 million that that might raise and they were criticizing him about that will hurt business. And he said, well, it's up for negotiation. Time May 20 million. If that's not it, find me something else. And so I think that's going to be interesting if ran Johnson were elected as to what taxes he goes to and whether or not he can generate support in the city council for that. And does that have a negative impact on businesses that are in the city or might come to the city if they see Chicago is another layer of taxation? I think that that's right. I think it complicates things for places. Now the flip side is, you know, Chicago is not schomburg. And Chicago is Chicago. And so Chicago has all sorts of appeals. So you always wonder how much of the doom and gloom is real. But there is some reality to it. And so, you know, these jobs are not fun or easy balance. I mean, it's a nonstop series of bad choices between bad options. That's why I like what Mary Schmidt said on Facebook this week, the longtime now retired tribune columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner who in the 9th point of her 9 points about mayor Lori Lightfoot's tenure said, get some rest. Thank you for your service. It's an impossible job. And she herself got in her own way. It's a nice summary today with Alice in an AD quig and Greg Pratt reporting from the which ring of hell did you decide that you were in right now, Greg? Whichever one has all the poker all right, Greg, well, I hope you survived the storm, thanks for your coverage today. Thank you. With the local resources of channel 9 and the national resources of cable news network, news nation, this is WGN radio on air and online. It's 31° with clear skies at two 30, good morning, I'm James Sears. The state that might be banning skittles. The Blackhawks visit Colorado
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"Greg Pratt joins us from Chicago Tribune He cover City Hall, but I don't know. Were you covering? Uh, President Biden today? Greg, How are you? I'm going. No, I, uh Fortunately, that's not my circuit. It's not yours, right? You've got enough going on in City City Hall. I heard that the Finance Committee today the City Council Finance Committee. Extremely curious to me. And I was following you and some of your colleagues who were talking about it, because well, actually, for the wrong reasons. The Finance Committee meeting was extremely interesting to me. I counted three Correct me if I'm wrong, three indicted Alderman participating in that meeting, including the chair, I think right. The current chair Alderman Carrie Austin, who is just got the bribery charge. She was participating as well. Uh, she's not the chair of that committee. But yeah, three indicted alderman where they're hanging out, doing as you do, doing as you do. Okay, so Kerry is not the chair of that committee, but she did get charged with federal bribery. You had Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson, indicted in April for, uh, false tax returns filing false tax returns, the feds say Alderman Ed Burke was there He's facing, Of course, the racketeering and bribery charges. Did you hear anything about how the Finance Committee meeting? When did did everything go? Okay there. Do we get our finances sorted out? No, we're still in trouble there. But I think what is what is noteworthy about that to it that carry a still committee chairman. And she is still technically a part of Lori like with leadership came, and when Ed Burke got indicted, he stepped down from the Finance committee and as the chairman and Carrie Austin has has not stepped down from the Committee on Contracting and Oversight. It's an equity. It's in theory. It's an equity committee that Mayor life gave her to placate her because she stripped her of the budget committee. And and, and the mayor, unlike with other politicians, has not called for carry off the step off that committee, and that's a very interesting look for the mayor who ran as a reformer and as the top on corrupt all the men who is not taking a tough, tough stand on and other women who just got indicted for allegedly taking bribes, federal bribery charges you got to step down from your committee chair. I mean or you got to be. I don't know if you're to be asked, or you just do that on your own, But to me, that's got to happen. I'm sorry. Um, but that's that's that's not what's happening. Well, keep in mind that. Hey, did you know the mayor is on a plane? I guess sometimes soon, if not already to go to San Francisco. She's doing this tech thing. I was just talking to Scott cartoon of techno area. Few minutes ago on the show about how she's trying to lure tech businesses this way. Um I didn't hear much about it. I don't know you cover City Hall. Did you get any word about what? What anymore about that? No, They're being cute about it. They're letting people know that she's out there, but But they won't talk about it until tomorrow. I think when the mayor um at some point once the trip is over, the mayor plans to talk to the press about it. You know, you would hope that they That they will come back with something specific and concrete versus coming back and saying We made some good introductions, But I guess we'll see. Mm hmm. Yeah, we will. And I hope I hope she does make some good introductions. And I hope she does lure some more companies to come here and bring jobs with them and all kinds of things like that, Um, it just it's interesting. I just thought that the timing of it was interesting, and maybe they just couldn't change it. But the president's visit was Uh, the same day and then you know, she's taken off to go to San Francisco. Maybe that's just the way things had to be. But it did seem seemed a little strange to me. I don't know about you. Well, the president wasn't here for Chicago. He was here for the swing district and McHenry and so he wasn't going to hang out and the mayor put it yesterday. She's the mayor of Chicago, not personal lake. So I guess she doesn't feel She has to go out there either. We're just there. It's kind of fair, I guess. But I want some face time. I just would. Um, but she did. She got a little bit on the tarmac there. I saw she and Toni Preckwinkle went up and whispered some news here. I heard. I don't know if you heard more. But I heard that she did get a few minutes. If not it, O'Hare somewhere to be able to to meet with the president and talk about trying to get some more federal help for crime. Right. That's consistent with what I've heard, and I'm sure it was a good conversation. On the other hand, you know, it's also And it's a good conversation. I don't want to diminish that. The mayor has been talking about this for as long as she's the mayor, and so have Rahm Emanuel and Richard M. Daley. It's one of the things they say when there's a bad weekend as we need gun control, and so I'll be very curious to see what happens out of it. I will, too, because I know reporters were asked were asking her. Will you mention crime? Will you ask for any more federal resources and the feeling I got what she's like? Absolutely. You can be sure that I'm going to be doing that. And I just I wonder where that goes where that leads In terms of solutions, though, from City Hall or counselor, anything like that, In terms of crime? What are you hearing Greg? Any anything? Anything coming your way. There's just the Trump mandate. Sounds like we're losing great. We just had the worst weekend of the year. And people aren't um People just, uh, you know, people don't have confidence in the mayor or in the superintendent right now, whether that's fair or not, I don't know, but certainly the City Council doesn't have confidence right now and and, uh You know, I'm not sure if anyone in politics does. Yeah, I think it's I think it's spread all around. If you ask people, not necessarily just City Council members or leaders. I think a lot of people are wondering why they can't get together a little more when you talk about if the courts it's the prosecutor's office, it's the Darts office. It's the mayor. It's the superintendent. Everybody. Everybody has ever all hands on deck when you have this kind of a serious crisis. On our streets and new new..
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"The highest concentration of women own startups in the world, according to the city and Chicago's tech workforce is 34% black 26% Latin next numbers that you don't necessarily see in a Silicon Valley Plus all throughout. Another number that I know city leaders like to talk about is that it's a lot more affordable here than in New York. Or in San Francisco. Last I checked. Oh, yeah, that's for sure. I think you know, obviously, we'd like to see a lot of improvement on those numbers are still Wolseley short relative to our population. But I think Chicago leads the way that I think we definitely do. Take a practical approach to it. It's not about filling quotas about actually providing opportunity and letting people do what they will at that. So I really do like that. And I would love to see the next unicorn beating and female lead company. Wouldn't that be nice? We get what you saw here. Mackensie Scott, Jeff Bas. Oh, says ex wife gave five million bucks to Kennedy King College. Which is we're talking about community colleges today. I know President Biden just with in Crystal Lake today at a community college that community college serves a largely minority population and right, just I don't know connected or not, but it certainly helped. After she donated the $5 million, they announced a tech kind of attack. I don't know what you call it, incubator or something for minority students to learn the text skills that will make them the leaders of the future. Yeah, I think that's huge. You know, this is kind of a little pigment. But it's worth noting the female founders in this in this city drive more interaction with outside capital than most of the male counterpart official like the traditional 45 year old white guy. Actually is not the person that's attracting the most talent you look at with the bomb project is an example has raised money from Serena Williams. Obviously the white lawsuit amazing champion. But she's also the wife of election campaign and who is the father of Reddit and has a phone call done some chicks? And you're starting to see more attention on our female founders and cocoa mirrors is another one that had pretty quick and sold it to group on and now has another startup that's in the cannabis states. I really think that the more we lean into the female founders here that is actually probably are key to the more commercial, uh, more well known investors, which is what we really need. Yeah, it is. And you need more local investors as well. But I think that they would follow, wouldn't they? They see so much success here. And it's you seems like it would follow its confusing. That's the part that's confusing because, like in a perfect world, you have the big institutional investors who put a bunch of money in and they reduce the risk. A little bit of luck Chicago about your groups that maybe are a little smaller, Uh, investment take a bigger bite, and they're just not quite leading that or putting enough money. And in my opinion, I think you can look at the numbers and seen in Chicago Investors are returning maybe the highest in the country per amount invested in returns in around nine x, but the problem is not Nine x Return on a million or or on even 100 million. It's significantly less than nine x return on a billion, and if you're not taking shots for billion dollar valuations and billion dollar exits. You're ultimately winning the numbers game, but you're losing the the big. The big ticket makes a lot of sense. So we'll see what happens. When the mayor comes back from her visit to the Bay Area. She's trying to make the pitch about how 35 businesses have relocated their headquarters within the city limits during the past year alone, That's a pretty big deal. Some of them are tech companies, not all of them, and she's just kind of saying, Hey, come come to Chicago. Bring your workforce here. Her pitch is not so much about investors. Of course, it's about jobs and Having corporate headquarters or many headquarters here outside of Silicon Valley. Yeah. I mean, that's honestly that That is the bigger problem because, like the investors are finding their way here. I don't need anyone to try to find them. Founders did a good job with that. What I love is the mayor to help bring more companies here that provide more opportunities for investors. And if there's more opportunities to invest, there will be more investors to put money in it. And so Chicago Investors will go as the opportunity goes, I think inside I'd love for Mayor Lightfoot to come back with a couple of new CEO the bag of cash and we'll have a good time. Would that be great? I'm gonna ask you that which goes back. You have a bag of cash. A lot of CEOs. And you are you bringing a ton of jobs? I hope I hope it's yes. Yes and yes. Thank you. Scott. Good talking with you. Thanks for your time. Thanks so much. Scott Cartoon Tech Nori is where you find him. Take Norrie dot com to 46 much more ahead on W G N. We're going to check in with Greg Pratt over the Chicago Tribune. He covers City Hall. But I think he's also covering President Biden's visit to town so he'll he'll jump on with us here.
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"Philadelphia will take on the Cubs tonight. Cubs trying to snap an 11 game losing streak before cast from the WGN Chicago Weather Center right now, 84 degrees in Chicago. Expecting that the temperatures could drop a little bit as rain maybe coming in 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures should drop in the mid sixties tonight. Tomorrow at 20% chance of early morning rain clouds will decrease throughout the day. Temperatures will climb into the lower seventies colour lakeside. Your money on W G. M the down now surging up to 113 points above water. The NASDAQ is up 15 in the S and P 500 is up. 17.5 points right now around Chicago Land. It's still looking very nice. 71 degrees in Waukegan 86 degrees at O'Hare 90 degrees at midway. 85 degrees on the lakefront. I'm Jordan Burn Field on Chicago's very own. 7 20 w g N Will Tampa Bay wrap up this town? Mhm. So it's 2 35 Santa Duplantis here with you this Wednesday afternoon, the president is he departed. I think he's taken off, and one of the reasons I'm told is because of that severe weather. The thunderstorms likely near Crystal Lake that moved through, so he didn't take questions from reporters or anything like that. But we'll learn more about his visit. What he had to say Whatever questions he did take along the way. Greg Pratt from the Tribune will be joining us. But right now, one of the things that happened today was Mayor Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle. Both greeted President Biden as he landed here at O Hare, and the mayor said she was going to talk to him about violence and she.
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"Lord Schweitzer. Forte is joining us from the Channel nine e Guess you're in the in the closet. It's not the newsroom. I was going to say No, it was It was like a special closet. You guys going back to the weather office, the back area of the weather office. They've set up this little microphone and headset. And so we get to hide out here for a little bit. And I got to check with you. Which is always so fun. How are you? Yeah, I'm good. I'm good. I heard you got you got isn't there? Special report isn't yours. The one we keep hearing about the O'Hare people mover. They got a couple of different things going on. Today. We have Ben's people mover piece that's gonna inherit nine p.m.. And that's on the delay on the upgrade on the people mover how much it's costing what they're doing what the delay is all about. So he'll be working on that. And then we just Put together another story on nurses. That's gonna air. I think it's six o'clock. We've been working on that project. And so what it is, is these independent nurses that were hired to vaccinate, folks, Um During the pandemic. They've been working for the last three months or so, and there's a few of them a big group of them that have not been paid over the course of the last three months. One of them that I spoke with is owed $41,000. If you can believe that, so we reach out to cook County, the Health department see what's going on. They're saying it's a processing error. But the question remains. When are these ladies going to get paid? It's become such an issue that one of them actually resigned over it. So she's like I've had enough. I've waited long enough. I've asked you guys over and over again when I'm gonna get this paycheck and it's not happening, so I am done. Um, so we'll we'll go into that. We'll talk to some of these nurses and what the fix is in all of this. So that's coming in six. Pay our nurses. My gosh, it's like how crazy so that that's Ah, I'm Yeah, we'll be watching for that one. And then the mayor's moved to only do the interviews with the Black and Brown Jonas just talking to Greg Pratt about that. I know the journalism community is really concerned about this media in town. I don't know. You guys covering it. So, yes. So to Mon Bradley, who is our City Hall reporter will be will be covering it. He did end up doing the interview with Mayor Lightfoot and talk to her about it. It just so happens that he is a journalist of color who covers City Hall. She's arguing that there aren't enough of them at City Hall that most of the People who cover uh, City Hall. Chicago City Hall are our white journalist. Why is that? And you know, I heard Greg Greg mentioned that this does happen that she brings up an interesting point. And, you know, if you look at newsrooms throughout the city, I was just looking at some of the numbers. Chicago is what 60% black and Latino. Our newsrooms are probably 20% black 10% Latino of the rest White. So it is. It is an interesting subject and item that she brings up and I we appreciate her for Bring it up. However, the question becomes, Is it the appropriate way to bring it up? Should she be denying journalists the ability to interview her? I would argue, know, Um, but, you know, I guess it's her decision. You know if our effort is to collectively as a city and journalists and community members to unite people and come together This just sort of creates division not just in the newsroom, but I think in the city as a whole, That's just one possible opinion, right? I think that's what's happening. Ultimately, you're right. If you look at the whole metro area, the numbers might be a little different. Doesn't matter. She's calling attention to this idea, right that had been in the city. She'd like to see more representation, and that's a point she could make You think that the way she's going about it? A lot of folks are Concerned about it. What else you got going on Anything else we need to know about. Let's talk about some fun stuff, and I have not. I am the worst with music. But the lows and line up is I know release. Do you have like a band or a group that you're really looking forward to? I feel like when I went when I actually went to a lot of loser, which was years ago, The average age was like 27. Now I think it's like 15 or 16. It's getting younger and younger. Yes, there are some bands still that I recognized but I will tell you If you go through that list, I don't know. Largest by you, but I don't recognize a lot of them. I really don't Miley Cyrus. Is that okay? What I do know that run Foo fighters, Post Malone. I know that. The rest. You're losing me, huh? Yeah, sure that. Oh, okay. That's the lineup. I like the the fun names. I do it Z, You know, it's fun that things are returning, right? That's that's the bottom line. For me. It's just It's interesting to see that we we've got fun summer events in city coming one day at a time. One day at a time. It's happening. So we've got that. Ah, whole lot more coming up on the news at four o'clock. All right, we'll be watching. Thanks, Lord. Thank you. I'll talk to you later. It's bottom of the hour time. Hey, right now, give us a call. If you want to play our game, Lord is kind of tease that there without even knowing I'm not gonna tell you exactly what the game is. I'll just tell you that they're fabulous Prices. I don't want to ruin it. And trust me. I will. If I tell you exactly what it is, I'll tell you after the news. But we do need a few listeners right now. We need a few contestants. 312981 72 100 your chance to win fabulous prizes Player Fun game. It is fun. It's kind of a real and fake sort of thing. Is it real? Or is it fake will give you the full rundown on what it is and all the rules after the news at the bottom of the.
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"W G. And hope your afternoons going well so far. I hope we helped a lot of people today. Connecting you with your money, with Maria Pappas finding Money that's owed to you. And then we had Henry helped on from the secretary of state's office also answering your questions, so that maybe just maybe you don't have to wait in long lines of the D. M V. So that's cool. You may have heard there's a big controversy brewing after the mayor announced That she's reaching her midway or two year into her four year term, And in all the reporters are asking her for interviews. She said that she would grant them on Lee, one of one's on Lee to black and Brown journalists. That's what she said. Ah, lot of folks in the media industry was saying, Well, Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you shutting everybody else out there A lot of concerns that she's doing this great friends of the Tribune. We talked to you all the time. And I know you are a journalist of color Your Hispanic journalists on Gyu said No, you're you turned it down. Is that right? Greg? You said you're not gonna do it. Yeah, You know, I had actual interview a while back a Zay doo on milestones and they agreed no conditions. Then I learned that they were excluding people based off of This criteria and they Um They're excluded. You know that excludes the longest serving City Hall Reporters Bill Camera and France Billman at the Sun Times that excludes A lot of reporters who were very good and knowledgeable on the beat. And and I just don't think you and I we We just thought of the newspaper that we shouldn't allow. Um, need government to tell media who covers what Huh? So you were offered it. You turned it down. I mean, you said that they're excluding long term long time reporters, people who cover the beat really well and I can appreciate that. I know that you've heard the Concern. Some are angry that they there's been an exclusion of black and brown journalists over the years in those types of top positions. I don't know. How do you respond to that? Because folks are saying Well, why is although they make such a big deal, brothers? Why? Why would you be turning down an interview? The need for diversity is real. No question about it. I'm proud of the fact that the Tribune has a Latino and me at City Hall every day. Now, the paper has a lot of work to do, but In other arenas. But, um, whether or not the real inequities is a serious issue. But the answer is not to do fewer interviews with people on the beat or takes clued people who are the people responsible for telling Lori Lightfoot's story for their publications. The reasonable thing would seem to Doom or interviews and toe be more inclusive all around. I think I think it's sort of a It's sort of a stunt to say. In this instance we're doing just interviews with journalists of color. Everyone else can have a back seat. It's just it's just without, you know, I mean, this is the first I'm hearing that they have issues. With the diversity in the newsroom in the newsrooms, and that's a legitimate issue that needs to be a disgusting addressing that I have a union president have advocated around But it's also the politician says. I only want you know, I only want, um I'm counting the publications who they contend the interview me and whatever criteria that is, is a problem. Mayor responded because she's well aware of the uproar she caused by this, I ran to break up the status quo that was failing. So many. This isn't just in City Hall. It's a shame in 2021, the City hall press corps is overwhelmingly white in a city where more than half the city identifies his black, Latino or native American, and I, she's just in Asian as well, she says. Um, She's making the point that she sort of making a point here that that that's what she chose to do at this moment in time, and a lot of folks are saying Hey, Well, what's What's with all the the concerns? I did hear? Mary Anne Hernando John Williams. She does a very good job covering politics. She's a friend. And I think she does an excellent job it asking tough questions. You know, she said, she suggested, Why wouldn't you just give black and brown journalists? The first crack at it and make that you know Known is sort of making a statement that way. Maybe that would be better. I don't know. I certainly don't think this is the mayor's way of trying to get softball questions. I think she'll be asked a number. I mean, minority community has a lot of questions for the mayor, and I don't think that that's what she was doing. She's trying to make a point. The reporters in general, as you've been hearing are are saying Whoa, but this is this is just the wrong way to go about this. Yeah. You know, I share the concerns about about equity and media. But I also just don't think it z right. It wasn't a way that we were comfortable with making a point. By excluding people on the beat, and I think I think we're Marianne says is reasonable. I think I think you could have discussions, but Um, you know, we just want comfortable with being told with without being told who they consent and who we cannot send. Well, so will the Tribune. Send anybody? It doesn't sound like you will know. I mean, I wasn't the issue. You know, I wasn't affected by we weren't affected by the policy because I am a journalist of color. But what you know, it's a very slippery slope. What if they come up with a different criteria? And they say, Well, we don't want Greg Pratt because you know Greg friends, Uh, where's glasses? And we want people with, um, 2020 vision. You know, there's there's a million equity is a real issue..
Chicago Tonight
Here's The Deal With The United Center Vaccination Site In Chicago
"Let's start with governor pritzker. This is what he had to say today about. The vaccine roll out in illinois has neighboring michigan announces. That it will open. Vaccinations everybody starting. In april as we have promised here in illinois and as we have been promised by the federal government that we would reach one hundred thousand doses per day by the middle of march. We've arrived mike flannery. The president says everybody's going to be eligible by may first governor pritzker says we're game here in illinois. Do you believe it i do. I think they the after a rough start. I talk peres. Says a guy who went around to the walmart and cvs is and the to supercenter over one hundred eighth woodland asking. Have you got any leftover back. Seen vaccines for the poor. Things have really gotten a lot better. I've got both my doses of the pfizer vaccine. I think this thing is finally on track. And i see mike flannery down there in beverly get your green tie in the irish flag. You're getting ready for a certain holiday in a few weeks. Megan hickey there's been a lot of confusion at the united center about who exactly has been eligible. The city has changed. Its eligibility standards because so many folks from outside of chicago or signing up as of now who is eligible to get the vaccine at the united center right now. They're still in the one. A one b Young people within the city limits and really the rules changed in the middle of the game because obviously when people started signing up it was a much broader eligibility than that and that was honestly source of a lot of confusion over the weekend and even into monday and tuesday because you know the the eligibility requirements changed in a lot of the people who maybe were outside of chicago who had signed up. Were confused they do. What does my appointment still count. If i go there you know my still going to be able to get my second dose. Are they going to say good luck. Find it somewhere else so there were just a lot. We were getting a lot of confusion about that and you know that on top of some scheduling issues. People getting error messages when they were trying to sign up. You know saying oh no actually. Your appointments been rescheduled and then another email saying disregard that that email was was not It's not accurate so meghan or those. Yeah i'm still ongoing. Or if they have the iron those out we're hearing less you know less confusion about it. I'm i'm not certain that it's been entirely ironed out. I know we asked how many people got error messages. How many people were involved in that which we never actually got a hard number on that but just being out there. I was at the united center. Monday on tuesday monday. Even before you know nations had started a lot of people were complaining about that. But i will say once. They made their way through the vaccination processing came out on the other end. They were so grateful and hopeful and almost had forgotten that they were so Set before they had gone into. Get their shot in greg pratt part of this roll out. The city says now they will be reaching out to the hardest hit zip codes to urge people to come to the united center to get their vaccination. Is that helping at all. drive up the equity numbers. Yeah i think so. I think the making it eligible for neighborhoods like south shore little villages. Ellison is is clearly going to drive that up there are people from those neighborhoods who are signing up for it I think that that's been very helpful. That was major problem in the beginning. It's less of a problem but it's probably one of those things that without more. Without ongoing targeting an ongoing efforts aimed at reaching those communities can very easily all off. Which would be bad. So it's so it's so they're they're working consciously work on an and that's probably a good thing
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"I can see Like until there's a car in there, but barely because he liked you can make out a little bit of the wheel in a little bit of the door handle, and that's it. It looks like one big snow pile and a lot of work ahead of You for that. I think this he said, this is your son's car on pills in Pilsen. Just officer Macro, totally totally buried. Greg Pratt of the Chicago Tribune is joining us now, Greg. I saw this and I thought, what a revealing interview the mayor Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who you covered and you cover City Hall. Do that very well for the Chicago Tribune gave This revealing interview to the New York Times where she, uh she made some pretty interesting news there. So how are you today you get Are you were working from home? She asked first. Yeah, you know, not not a lot of other choice with, uh Um Apocalypse going up. So are you normally in the office much? I don't really know how many folks of the tribunal going in and out of the office? No. Well, you know, technically, we don't have an office anymore because our corporate, um When Lord has alleged are our corporate owner is allegedly a deaf each of the landlord and so, uh, you know, they said, we've essentially vacated Prudential and so we don't really have a newsroom. We sort of had some space at, uh At the Freedom Center, supposedly, but I've been working remotely, Which means, you know, finding a lot of clever ways to meet people while also not getting Cove in. So it's a very glamorous life, but I bet Maybe we'll get a chance to talk a little more about that other issue talked about. I know you've been tweeting about new ownership and hoping that the Tribune and get some help there. But I do want to ask you about this interview that Mayor Lightfoot gave to the New York Times very in depth. It totally made news. At least to me. You cover her more closely. Maybe some of this with more With the things that you've heard her say before, but She basically made it. She said that she thinks that the Chicago teachers union would like to take over not only the Chicago public schools but taking over running the city. Government that made a bit of news today. That's a really It is news because she said it so directly. It is a little It's clearly what she thinks You can see it and how she addresses he to you. You can see it in how she is always hyper defensive and very aggressive about the union. It felt she thinks that Jesse and Stacy I have plans for for taking over the government and its not necessarily 100% new, you know, last year 2019 After the strike, she told me that she expect them to come after her..
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"He covers City Hall joining us Now, Greg is this is busy a day or is it coming down a little bit? I know these have been pretty pretty hectic in your world. You know it's up and down, but even the down is pretty up. Usually You know something else I saw here. Alderman Brand new Riley changed his Twitter background to pot Paradise Alderman. He seems to be pretty upset. It's one of the things that's coming out of City Hall right now. There. Mayor is not really keen. Or maybe she's already shut down the idea of having one of these marijuana dispensaries in the downtown district, which would be his ward, and he's not happy about it. Yeah. You know, it's not necessarily knew because the mayor has been opposed to it from the beginning. She said. She didn't wanna make it, uh, you know last year and even 2019. She said that She didn't wanna make it into take away the family friendliness of it. You know, as though she doesn't want people's selling weed right outside the bean, which is probably something that everybody would agree on. But she is she's taking it pretty hard line from the beginning against weed downtown, and the position now is that with storefronts vacants emptying out and all the vacants after the civil unrest in the pandemic. There is some pot businesses want to come down. They should. And the mayor dismissed it way out of hand yesterday and she said that, you know, she doesn't want it to be a pop paradise, which I think some people, um And you can see the Alderman. Two are rolling their eyes at because they would say nobody's trying to make downtown upon paradise, Although it is a good throws. It is a great phrase, and he's gonna use it. I'm sure I don't know if he's totally lost. This bet. Would you say it's done done? Not gonna happen. Or you think that there might be some discussions Still, would we ever see it? A downtown dispensary in the near future. I think what all the men Riley has on his side is that it doesn't make business ends. Put a dispensary business down there somewhere. And so there's going to be economic and financial pressures of the city. He is a fairly prominent and influential all the man he's not. You know, Um, he's not just one of 50. Here's a prominent alderman with a prominent ward, who, um, who is respected by his colleagues that said, it is hard to get something done. If the mayor doesn't want to get it done in this town, and even Even with all the chaos that has happened on their middle life that is still true, so to be determined We're not turning Michigan Avenue into the pot paradise, she said. His response, though, and he's already kind of taken a social media about it saying that, you know, look, there are no quality of life for crime related issues that directly Surround these dispensaries that they're currently operating. So it'll be the same. Downtown is his argument. He's also making the economic argument last night checked, We're broke. Couldn't we use a downtown sort of one? Maybe it's not a Michigan Avenue on the central business district or something like that. Maybe it's kind of off on one of the side streets around there something but Wouldn't it make sense economically, to do that kind of thing. They have been hugely profitable, right? Yeah, he made he made the point that you know. Next time they say we're broke and we need to raise property taxes. This is exhibit a form. Yeah, right. That's that is the other argument. You also have this ward by ward breakdown of Chicago Carjackings, Alderman. I guess they released it to the alderman. Police did Did you see anything that you looked through that data? I know it's 2018 2019 and 2020. They go ward by ward and describe how many There have been in each year. Anything you've got from that, Greg. Well, it's pretty astonishing just how widespread it is. It's literally all over the city. Um You know, from part of why it's gotten more attention is that a lot of Um, it Z hitting areas that don't get a lot of crime. And so that's scary. But there's also some pretty horrifying data for even areas that Have a lot of crying, so I live in Little village and I'm right next to the North Lawndale, which is much of it is the 24 Ford and they have a astonishing amount of Carjackings. And it's especially astonishing because it Zapata it's award with With relatively little population. So 40 Carjackings in that ward go a lot further than you know, 40 Carjackings in. You know the 42nd Ward downtown, which has so many people in it, so it But it is it is a citywide problem, and it is something that every single alderman black, white and Hispanic really cared about. It is really concerned about because they're hearing about it. For sure. And I heard that some of that very passionate city council like us, a committee meeting on Carjacking, trying to bring folks together the victims who spoke who had been victims of Carjacking themselves and others. I mean, just sort of a passionate cry for help here. And I wonder if when you look at what the city has proposed right now, if you think it makes a difference, are they adding some more cops created to these Carjacking units and some other things they're doing. That's a great question, you know, obviously more. More help is always good, whether or not but you know if you put in a bunch of health and you don't have a strategy, or you don't have a clear strategy that's also um not helpful. So you know, I would guess that the police Department would say We have a pretty good strategy. I think that, um the results will They're out whether that's true, but obviously, um, you know, the other end of that is saying we're gonna put 40 more cops. You know, that's not even one per ward and so It's not. Ah, that is a relatively low amount. But you know what else are they gonna say? Right? They're not going to say Well, we're working on it. They need to, uh We need the get the situation under control. First of all, because it is It is actually a real problem. And then they have the political problem of wanting the look like they're trying to get it under control, which is A very important issue for them. Yeah, No, no doubt about that, And I mean, look, it's it is It's an important issue for all of us that I applaud them for trying to do something. Whether this is a solution that will start. We'll start seeing a difference. I don't know are we had like 200 Carjackings for the month. That's the last estimate. I heard. Yes, It's absolutely crazy out there and people are people are concerned people from all put. The other thing is people also from all political ideologies and from all Walks of life. I had a friend who I don't think it's somebody who you know lives. An exaggerated fear of Chicago was telling me that you know there. He just got a new car for their household and they're concerned about you know, what is that going to attract the carjacker? And then they have Ah, young kid, And so, um So it is a real big concern out there and it's really you know, it's also The other thing about, you know, just adding some more. Some cops, for that is is we still have a violence problem dead that was out of control last year. I don't know quite what? How the numbers add up, but it's so something to keep Avenger. So CPD has his hands full. Yeah, no doubt about that. Greg Pratt. Thank you. Thanks for the time this afternoon. Always like hearing from you. Thank you. Gregory Print. He covers City Hall for the Chicago Tribune. It's the bottom of the hour time now. So let's get to the news from the North Western Medicine newsroom. 23 degrees at 1 30. Good afternoon. I'm Ryan Burrow A syriza of car fires across Chicago's Northwest side. First look at W. G and traffic Mary Vandeveld and Traffic is sponsored by.
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"I mean, they will make you get over their feet because you get the idea she's explaining away how it might sound to most people. The whole idea of these these these shorts had You guys even heard that the short was it squeezes that. What I'm gonna ask you a question that I asked my 13 year old daughter when she says a bunch of things that I don't understand she'll know it. I won't already but I'll try. Go ahead. Is this a tic tac? Every time she starts saying something I'm like. Is this a tic tac? I don't understand what you're saying. They reference the TIC Tac's. I've seen this too. And And it's like a secret language because we don't know yet. They look like they just know what they're talking about. So well to it amazes me is like not even funny Faces just, you know, serious and going on it. Is it Zillah areas? Hey, just couple of your text here. About what? What should they do? Since they can't high five. They can't fist bump in high school sports. They got a lot of you. Rules and restrictions, But they're about to play in some regions. I should say 309 double thumbs up. How about that? Seven await high and it's your buddy Nick. Larenz air high fives. How about the air high fives that could work and then 773 jazz hands? I like that one. Do the jazz hands. Way to celebrate. Do you think you can think of your problem with going parents choosing parents to actually attend and the attendance thing isn't that you think that's gonna be an issue? I could see that being a problem. Although I'm sure there's some coaches who would like to see some parents having to sit in the in the car. Yeah, and some umpires as well. They'll be carefully selecting who sits at the game. I know it's interesting so much to come, but again hearing from students who are happy to be playing sports and figuring out a way to do that safely. We're gonna talk to Greg Pratt from the Chicago Tribune. Lots of interesting things coming out of City Hall. He covers that beat. He does that. Well, we're going to speak with him. Have a little visit with.
WGN Radio
"greg pratt" Discussed on WGN Radio
"Anna D here. I hope you're doing well this Thursday afternoon. I will not reference what has not been going well this Thursday afternoon because I think it may be bad karma, So I will just reference this. There's something happening in the city right now. Um, I wish we've discussed on the show Could could restaurants be reopening soon? It seems like the mayor is definitely on board. With that plan. She talked to reporters today, Mayor Lightfoot and said. Hey, we need to open these bars and restaurants as quickly as possible, I believe were her exact words. So help me out. Greg Pratt, City Hall reporter for the Chicago Tribune covers that very well. For the trip. Lots of news today. This is this is among them. I guess my my biggest question here is that according to my understanding state health guidelines right now, the bars and restaurants don't qualify for reopening. Is that right? That's right. The city of Chicago still hasn't got in under the threshold, which I think is 8% positivity for three days. And, um, and the city. Just not at that threshold, and the mayor is out there and you know if I was reflecting on this, the man has always been very much. Let's let's get these restaurants we opened, you know, but even back in May, she was on Pritzker's case, wanting him to reopen sooner than he was comfortable with, and it's been a constant source of friction between them. I even remember sort of dueling news conferences, maybe a couple days apart. You might remember this to where the mayor said We're looking at the data and I leave doctor are what he was there to look we're looking then we do not Steve. Cases are super spreaders are traced back to the restaurant situation. That was the point she made. We absolutely not see that and if we did, I would close them. Two days later, Governor says something that that that's not what their data showing, and it seemed Then, shortly thereafter, they got on the same page. It appeared at least publicly and the restaurants were shut. That's right there there. They've had dispute about that, and actually, I have a reporter. You know, I've been going back and forth with the city about data involving restaurants and things like that, because they keep saying the city keeps saying all we don't see that as the source of spread, and I said, Well, give me the rock. Give me the actual data. And they're like, um, you know they have in the hot and they don't give me any data. But their argument is that you know, people, people say, Oh, yeah, of course they were at restaurants before they got sick. But that doesn't mean that that's how they got sick. It's um their rationale is is and you know they might. They may not even be wrong, necessarily, but they don't necessarily but they haven't necessarily put out the facts that Substantiate that. But the other tricky thing for the mayor is, you know, restaurants are one thing, but you know, on the one hand, she's out here, saying Uh, stay at home unless it's absolutely necessary. But she wants to reopen bars as well for endured drinking and, you know, I'm not sure how you reconcile those two messages of stay home unless it's necessary or unless you really, really feel thirsty. Well, I heard from the restaurant coalition this newly formed group earlier this week on the show, And I think it's the economic argument right that if you go to 20%, and they cited some sort of data about showing the 20% capacity was still a safe way to reopen. They believe with all of the precautions in place and that they feel the restaurant community is able and T handle these sorts of health kind of situations better than a lot of other small businesses. So their argument was give us 20% but do it now so that we can survive and keep these jobs around. I mean, isn't that what the mayor sort of saying here that it's more about keeping jobs and figuring out the best possible way to do this safely? I think that's a fair way to take her comments. Sure, and I do know she's concerned about the economics for bars and restaurants on she should be and you know, we all should be. It's a horrible situation that they're in. It's just, uh the other side of that. Is that the mirror Certainly in public wasn't very specific about what she wants the governor to do exactly, and the mirror certainly has given some conflicting messages about what's safe. What's not safe? Why is it safe, wise and not safe, and I think some people are also Really confused by that. Yeah, it's a delicate balancing act for sure. I do know that and we do hear from the folks who are Just trying to, you know, keep their heads above water and try to keep their their businesses afloat. And I always felt like there were a lot of egregious offenders who kind of ruined it for others over the weekend. I know there was a crackdown on some businesses. There are more people having parties and they're pointing to these parties and people's homes. These sort of illegal parties when warehouses and Businesses that are supposed to be shut down that you know really become a problem when you're trying to control the spread. Yeah, it is. It is a It's a complicated situation. I do personally feel for the restaurant I miss going out to eat. I'm sure you probably do as well. You know, I think you and I I often It just is a citizen of the United States. I wonder. I feel bad and I feel embarrassed sometimes about what a bad situation as a country we've put our business owners in Just by not being able to help more. And just by how precariously structured. Our whole civil society is Yeah, You know it is. It's big stuff. It's deep stuff. And it's real because we're reminded of it. The real people who are suffering during all this. Everywhere you go, you go. Have you been arrested when you do take out and they're just so happy to see a customer at some of those places that Don't have an active, carry out business that maybe just it's just more of an experiential type restaurant or something like that. They're getting killed right so that But let's move off that just for a second, cause I saw your tweet that said that Principal's office says he still has not heard from the mayor. On this matter and looks forward to her call. So the mayor went out there and we're supposed to believe that she went out in front of microphone and didn't call him yet or didn't arrange a meeting or that in the works. What do you know? Greg? Well, I I think it's mildly funny, although it's it's not really funny with mildly funny because that's a complaint that the bear always makes about all the man and business groups when they When they say something in public, you know, and then the governor turning that around, and I think the governor is probably being the governor's office is pride being a little disingenuous? I don't know when the last time the mayor's office has Flag this for them, But this is something that they care about. But I know that this is something that they care about. And I have to imagine that they brought it up recently. On some level that said, You know, I also don't think they're lying. You know, I'm sure she had not called me out about that directory and And and I'll be very interested. You know, in October when he closed down the restaurants in the bars, Um they had a conversation and I'd be curious that they've ever if they talked since them. She? She's been pretty clear about where she stands. You know, the governor's office certainly wasn't surprised by that they were probably more surprised by the timing. Late October, right? That's when that's when we shut down, endured dining. It's been shut down ever since, right? Yep, it was about the 28th. Longer than I thought. When you said October Has it been that long? And yes, yes, it has. It has been that long, something else that's coming through City Hall today is the message from the mayor about how Chicago's not receiving enough vaccines and that they're trying to get folks vaccinated. But the mayor seemed pretty hot when she said today it could take a year and a half. To get people vaccinated. If this is the rate, we're getting them concerned about the time line. What do you know about that? Great. What's the holdup? Well, I think I think as much as I know, but, you know, nobody wants to be responsible, but actually make her sail. We got money vaccine, and the feds say, Well, we're distributing it around. And the local say We're not getting it enough. I think I think the mayor's right the way rays Ah, alarm and concern and say, You know, we need more vaccine..