Author Archives: Ken

About Ken

Ken's the host of Chicago Newsroom. A former news director, reporter and radio program host, he's also a past Vice President of the Chicago Headline Club.

CN Jan 11 2018 Stacy Davis Gates

Posted on January 11, 2018 by Ken

Stacy Davis Gates is the Political Director for the Chicago Teachers Union. She’s been a student, teacher, a principal and a parent at many Chicago Public Schools, but at some point in her life she decided it was time … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged CTU, Harper High School, Janice Jackson, New Englewood High School, New South Loop High School, NTA, Robeson High School, Stacy Davis Gates, student-based budgeting | Leave a comment

CN Jan. 4 2018

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Ken

Two accomplished, knowledgeable journalists join us today for a January 4 status-check. What are the stories that we’ll all be following for a big chunk of 2018? We start with Chris Kennedy’s recent assertion that Mayor Emanuel has a “Strategic … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged "gentricide", Bruce Rauner, Chris Kennedy, Chuy Garcia, consent decree, FOIA, Hal Dardick, HB40, JB Pritzker, Jeanne Ives, Joe Berrios, Lisa Madigan, Luis Gutierrez, Madeleine Doubek, Mike Madigan, Rahm Emanuel, Toni Preckwinkle | Leave a comment

CN December 21 2017

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Ken

Richard Boykin is the Pop-Tax Slayer. The three-year incumbent County Commissioner from the first District (Maywood, Broadview, Bellwood, Oak Park and parts of Chicago’s west side) made a name for himself when he took a major lead in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged Chicago violence, cook county board, Cook County Health and Hospitals, Cook County Jail, Danny Davis, Eddie Johnson, Richard Boykin, Stroger Hospital, sweetened beverage tax, Tim Evans, Tom Dart, Toni Preckwinkle | Leave a comment

CN December 14 2017 Kurth/Ewing

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Ken

When a Republican gets beaten in Alabama by a pro-choice Democrat, when Garry McCarthy may launch a mayoral run, when the #MeToo movement is proclaimed an “era” by the New York Times, and when thousands of women are lining up … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Emily's List, Kitty Kurth, MeToo movement, Netflix, politics, Roy Moore, Sylvia Ewing | Leave a comment

CN December 14 2017 Juan Perez, Jr.

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Ken

The Trib’s Jennifer Smith Richards and Juan Perez, Jr have written a powerful two-part series on the plight of 17 neighborhood high schools that have all but emptied out over the past few years. Their report, titled Chicago’s Shrinking Schools, can … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged CPS, Dr. Janice Jackson, Fenger High School, Forrest Claypool, Gage Park High School, Hunger Games, Kelvyn Park High School, Rahm Emanuel, Robeson High School | Leave a comment

CN December 7 2017

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Ken

Mayor Daley, excited by the prospects his 2016 Chicago Olympics only nine years away, wanted to make sure there were no city workers on strike during the festivities. So in 2007 he forged ten-year contracts with what amounted to 90% … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged Chicago Sun-Times, compensatory time, Eddie Johnson, Inspector General, Joe Ferguson, Motor Truck Drivers, overtime pay, Police Accountability Task Force, Rahm Emanuel, Teamsters | Leave a comment

CN November 16 2017

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Ken

Mayor Harold Washington died in office thirty years ago this Thanksgiving. It was November 25, 1987, and for those of us who knew him in some way we’ll always associate the day before Thanksgiving with his sudden death while … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged And. Patrick O'Connor, Cheryl Corley, Harold Washington, Jacky Grimshaw, Jess "Chuy' Garcia, Judge Charles Norgle, WBEZ | Leave a comment

CN Nov 9 2017 Bettina Chang and Darryl Holliday

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Ken

Rest in peace, DNAInfo Chicago. Chicago without the late, great DNAinfo just doesn’t seem the same. They enterprised unexpected neighborhood stories that nobody else in this town was covering. They reported on fun happenings like bar and restaurant openings. And let’s not … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged Bettina Chang, City Bureau, community reporting, Darryl Holliday, DNAInfo Chicago, Joe Ricketts | Leave a comment

CN Nov 9 2017 Jeremy Gorner

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Ken

The City of Chicago and the University of Chicago recently released their Gun Trace report, an exhaustive study of about 21,000 guns the Chicago Police confiscated from our streets in hotel past three years. They were able to trace about … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged Chicago Tribune, Gun Trace Report, Jeremy Gorner, street violence, Suburban Sporting Goods | Leave a comment

CN November 2 2017

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Ken

Jessica Droeger and Jeff Radue join us this week. They’re both organizers with Indivisible Chicago, a group that was formed as part of the national mobilization against the Trump presidency. We discuss a wide range of issues, but our main … Continue reading →

Posted in Chicago Newsroom past shows | Tagged CrossCheck, Indivisible Chicago, Jeff Radue, Jessica Droeger, Sinclair/Tribune merger, voter registration | Leave a comment