1. When Chicago Cops Shoot
An unarmed 17-year-old was killed in South Shore in 2013. A federal lawsuit unveils what happened next. The Reader examines the death of Cedrick Chatman.
2. Special Funds Inviting Bailout Target for Illinois
How does a broke state pay for what it has to do? By pulling money from accounts meant for everything from salmon fishing to physician licensing. The Springfield Journal-Register explains.
3. Beyond Basketball, a Tough Road for Sports
Few Chicago schools have the facilities to support their sports teams, and the problem is worse for low-income schools. Catalyst Chicago runs the numbers.
4. Reversing Its Promise, CPS May Allow Charters to Move Into Closed School Buildings
Chicago Public Schools is having trouble selling or repurposing schools that it shut down—so it’s now willing to let operators move in with community support. The Sun-Times follows the story.
5. Are Scientologists Targeting Illinois Mental Health Laws?
A state legislator wants the state to change the way it medicates wards of the state and defines mental illnesses. So do Scientologists. Chicago magazine looks at a new bill in the legislature.
6. Expert Panel Criticizes Medical Care at Illinois Prisons
A new report contends that treatment delays and other mistakes “may have shortened the lives of some convicts.” The Associated Press has the details.
7. Why the Ray McDonald Case Is Terrible for the NFL
The Bears signed the former 49er after two arrests and cut him after he was just arrested a third time. The damage goes beyond one team. espnW takes the league to account.
8. Inmate Who Is “Eating the Jail” Costs Cook County $1 Million in Health Care
Arrested for stealing money from a pizzeria safe, the 17-year-old has been hospitalized over 20 times in just over a year. The Tribune describes the strange story of Lamont Cathey.
9. The Best Urban Farming in Chicago
The city offers opportunities to grow fresh food—or just eat it. Chicagoist brings in a harvest.
10. The Unsung Hero of Urban Planning Who Made It Easy to Get Around Chicago
Edward Brennan turned the city’s mess of street numbers into the grid. WBEZ pays him his due.