Gregory Pratt

Tomorrow’s front page @chicagotribune.com

It’s election season, when folks who have no clout outside their own community bust out with long endorsement lists for every competitive race in 100 miles because they like to share photos of themselves smiling and feeling important (then there’s the post election snub season)

Cook County prosecutors dismiss 21 cases against ICE protesters, including suburban moms arrested in sit-in Cook County prosecutors dismissed 21 cases that were filed against protesters at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview.

NEWS: Cook County prosecutors dismiss 21 cases against ICE protesters, including suburban moms arrested in sit-in. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/04/c...

COVERT or UNDERCOVER but not COVER

Chicago’s Law Department refused to give records to the inspector general but turned them over instead to a cover FOIA from the IG. Mayor Johnson’s City Hall caught playing games with IG Deborah Witzburg — or a breakdown in competence on this matter.
igchicago.org/publications...

🔔 TODAY: Government officials are citing journalism as "doxxing" to threaten press freedom.

Join our webinar with @telliotter.bsky.social, @royalpratt.bsky.social, @sovernnation.bsky.social, and @charlie4change.bsky.social to learn more.

🕑 2 pm ET

RSVP: freedom.press/journalism-isnt-doxxing

Trial over Abbott Laboratories’ formula for premature babies set to begin in Cook County this week The latest chapter in an ongoing legal battle between Abbott Laboratories and parents of babies born prematurely is set to play out in a Chicago courtroom this week.

The latest chapter in an ongoing legal battle between Abbott Laboratories and parents of babies born prematurely is set to play out in a Chicago courtroom this week.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declines to address Marimar Martinez, tells Senate panel she’s ‘not familiar’ with her shooting With Marimar Martinez standing directly behind her, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Tuesday that she was not &…

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on Tuesday that she was not “familiar with the details” of her agents shooting American citizen Marimar Martinez in Chicago. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/d...

lol

Column: ‘Sirens in the Loop’ book give us City News Bureau in all its raucous glory “Sirens in the Loop: A History of the City News Bureau of Chicago,” is not at all a textbook, but rather an intimate look at a time long gone.

“Sirens in the Loop” book gives us City News Bureau in all its raucous glory. A great story by must-read Rick Kogan www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/s...

Trump Administration abandons efforts to impose orders on law firms The Trump administration on Monday abandoned its attempts to impose potentially crippling executive orders against law firms that refused to capitulate to the president, walking away from its appea…

Four big law firms - Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Chicago’s Jenner & Block and Susman Godfrey — fought Trump orders aimed at dominating their legal practices. Nine big firms struck deals. The four firms won.
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/02/t...

Chicago sees exodus of immigration judges during Trump’s second term Of the 21 judges who worked at the city’s immigration court in January 2025, nine judges have resigned, taken buyouts or been terminated, a Tribune review found.

Chicago sees exodus of immigration judges during Trump’s second term. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/02/c...

“So when we release the autopsy result, specifically the one where the shot to the head was to the side and it exited her right side, let the people make their own decision where Jonathan Ross was when he pulled the trigger,” Romanucci said.

Renee Good’s lawyer is fighting ICE. He learned civil rights law litigating against Chicago police. “Litigating against the city of Chicago is probably one of the greatest schools of learning you could go to,” Antonio Romanucci said.

Renee Good’s lawyer is fighting ICE. He learned civil rights law litigating against Chicago police. Here is our profile of Antonio Romanucci, an Italian-American success story who rose from workers comp cases to one of the country’s most prominent lawyers
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/01/a...

We need to figure out something better for Millennium Park than janky tents and mall cops clogging up the entrance and exits.

Ex-Illinois inmate’s lawsuit over forced labor induction tests Gov. JB Pritzker on reproductive rights Illinois has positioned itself as a national safeguard for reproductive rights. But a new case raises questions about how those principles are applied behind state prison walls.

Ex-Illinois inmate’s lawsuit over forced labor induction tests Gov. JB Pritzker on reproductive rights. A very interesting story from @jeremygorner.bsky.social @angieleventis.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/28/i...

I like to distract myself from the terrifying political news by reading the ridiculous political news.

Far-right influencer Nick Fuentes provides apology letter to Berwyn woman he allegedly pepper-sprayed Far-right influencer Nick Fuentes wrote an apology letter to Marla Rose, who he was accused of pepper-spraying in 2024 as she attempted to ring the doorbell of his west suburban home.

Nick Fuentes provides apology letter to Berwyn woman he allegedly pepper-sprayed. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/27/n...

WWE Returns To United Center After 32-Year Hiatus Saturday’s Elimination Chamber event marks World Wrestling Entertainment’s first major show in Chicago since 1994, one the city’s tourism arm hopes is the start of a “long-term relationship.”

WWE Returns To United Center After 32-Year Hiatus. An interesting read from Mr. @smontemayor.bsky.social
blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/26/w...

Something I think about a lot is @royalpratt.bsky.social saying how covering Operation Midway Blitz was covering a neighborhood story and an international story at the same time. This team, and frankly all our Chicago journalists, did such an incredible job informing our neighbors and the world.

The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune Win 2026 Toner Prizes for Excellence in Political Reporting The Washington Post won the 2026 Toner Prize for national political reporting. The Chicago Tribune won for local political reporting. Ceremony set for March 23 in Washington, D.C.

Proud to be sharing this award with my fantastic colleagues @royalpratt.bsky.social @andrew-carter.bsky.social @lauranrodriguez.bsky.social @ckubzansky.bsky.social
Thanks @newhousesu.bsky.social
and to the entire Tribune newsroom for its immigration coverage
newhouse.syracuse.edu/news/the-was...

Reporters call me for help with their FOIA fights because they like to hear me get mad and use a lot of swear words. And I’m always happy to deliver.

Chicago credit downgraded, which will mean higher borrowing costs Two ratings agencies have downgraded the city of Chicago and kept their negative outlooks intact, citing the city’s back-to-back budget shortfalls since 2023.

Chicago credit downgraded, which will mean higher borrowing costs. Nobody does this important reporting better than our star @adquig.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/26/c...

A little-known program allows CTA and Metra to suspend riders. Most of them are Black. The racial disparity has raised some eyebrows, including those of State Rep. Kam Buckner, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation that allowed the transit systems to start suspending riders.

A little-known program aimed at keeping people accused of violence off public transportation has proved difficult to enforce and is disproportionately used to suspend Black riders from the CTA and Metra, a Tribune analysis shows. From @taliasoglin.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/26/c...

🔔 Government officials are citing journalism as "doxxing" to threaten press freedom.

Join our webinar with @telliotter.bsky.social, @royalpratt.bsky.social, @sovernnation.bsky.social, and @charlie4change.bsky.social to learn more.

🗓️ March 4, 2 pm ET

RSVP: freedom.press/journalism-isnt-doxxing

Illinois Democrats are trying desperately to tie their opponents to ICE, including in one key state House race Illinois Democrats had been largely unified against President Donald Trump’s Chicago-area immigration enforcement crackdown. Now, the issue is being used as a political wedge in this spring’s Democ…

This is basically straight up lying to the voters by Jaime Andrade’s campaign, which is smearing his opponent by false accusing them of supporting ICE. Good campaign truth squadding by @olivia0.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/25/i...

We’re One Triibe United, help us get recognized! The TRiiBE has grown so much since its founding in 2017, thanks to the Black and abolitionist press that paved the way for us. We are a trusted news source on both the local and national levels. This ...

I support @thetriibe.com journalists who are unionizing and want to be voluntarily recognized by their employer. For perspective, the legacy newspaper @chicagotribune.com voluntarily recognized us when we organized @ctguild.bsky.social
actionnetwork.org/letters/were...

Chicago on the hook for paying back millions in late fees collected for parking, city sticker violations: judge The city of Chicago could be on the hook to pay drivers back millions of dollars following a class-action lawsuit alleging expensive late fees were tacked onto tickets for infractions like parking …

Chicago could be on the hook to pay drivers back millions of dollars following a class-action lawsuit that alleged it violated state law by tacking expensive late fees onto tickets for infractions like parking without a city sticker. By @taliasoglin.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/24/c...

WGN is a critical Chicago institution. It makes me sick to see them lay off so many talented journalists. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/23/w...

Immigrant Father Of 3 Reunites With Family After Being Unlawfully Arrested During Midway Blitz José Luis Téllez Fernández was detained — away from his children, his job, his dog — for weeks, even after immigration authorities told a federal judge they would release him. Hundreds of people unlaw...

Immigrant Father Of 3 Reunites With Family After Being Unlawfully Arrested During Midway Blitz. A very good story from @franciagarciah.bsky.social @blockclubchi.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/24/i...