Meredith Newman

‘You’re One of Us’: After Off-Duty Cop Crashed Car Then Holed Up at Home in Armed Standoff with Police, He Got a Big Hug and Initially Faced No Charges Officer Ryan Harter eventually was charged with misdemeanors — nearly three weeks later.

An off-duty suburban cop crashed his car with his kids inside, fled home and held police at bay for four hours while armed, police records show. The standoff ended with a hug — and no charges that day.
https://bit.ly/4c0pGYQ

Family of Chicago cop killed in botched chase sues Chicago Police Department and partner who shot her Officer Krystal Rivera's family says in the wrongful death suit that Officer Carlos Baker was struggling to accept her decision to end their romantic relationship when he shot her in her back in Chath...

The mother of Chicago police Officer Krystal Rivera filed a wrongful death lawsuit Wednesday in which she says her daughter’s partner Carlos Baker was struggling to accept her decision to end their romantic relationship when he fatally shot her during a foot chase on June 5.

tinyurl.com/5krk79br

Today:
- @meredithnewman.bsky.social with @illinoisanswers.bsky.social, on why defendants declared unfit for trial in criminal cases sometimes spend months waiting for a state hospital bed.
-Plus, 50 years of Illinois Times in Springfield.

It's all at 11:
will.illinois.edu/am/willplayer

Investigation looks at issues with ‘inpatient restoration’ in Illinois jails YouTube video by Illinois Public Media

"Almost every sheriff in Illinois, if I had to guess ... they will say jails are not mental health hospitals, we can't care for them in the way that they need to be."

@meredithnewman.bsky.social shares her @illinoisanswers.bsky.social reporting on @21st.show.

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Too mentally ill for trial, she spent months in an Illinois jail as the state looked for a hospital bed. She died waiting. Many defendants declared unfit for trial have often waited three months or longer to be transferred to a hospital – regularly exceeding the state’s deadline, an Illinois Answers Project investigation ...

“These are due process violations,” Nevdal said in court. “This is an equal protection issue.” A must-read today from @meredithnewman.bsky.social @illinoisanswers.bsky.social illinoisanswers.org/2025/11/11/t...

Too mentally ill for trial, she spent months in an Illinois jail as the state looked for a hospital bed. She died waiting. Many defendants declared unfit for trial have often waited three months or longer to be transferred to a hospital – regularly exceeding the state’s deadline, an Illinois Answers Project investigation ...

Important story from @meredithnewman.bsky.social on a symptom of the state's eroding public health infrastructure: mentally ill defendants spiraling in jail for months while they wait for psychiatric beds — sometimes with fatal consequences
illinoisanswers.org/2025/11/11/t...

Too mentally ill for trial, she spent months in an Illinois jail as the state looked for a hospital bed. She died waiting. Many defendants declared unfit for trial have often waited three months or longer to be transferred to a hospital – regularly exceeding the state’s deadline, an Illinois Answers Project investigation ...

Illinois defendants who have been found unfit for trial – and are in need of inpatient fitness restoration – are waiting nearly twice as long for a state hospital bed as they did five years ago.

My latest for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social

illinoisanswers.org/2025/11/11/t...

Join us for Investigate the State, a virtual conference bringing together news leaders across the Midwest to discuss, share strategies and forge partnerships to bolster Investigative journalism in every community. Learn more and register here: illinoisanswers.org/event/invest...

Why are so many Illinois families locked out of childcare programs? Illinois puts limits on a national childcare subsidy program (CCAP) that is far stricter than federal recommendations.

Peep my girl @meredithnewman.bsky.social breaking down the strict eligibility requirements locking over 100,000 families out of the state's largest subsidy on @wbez.org 's Reset.

Then read our investigation at makingitinchicago.illinoisanswers.org

www.wbez.org/reset-with-s...

'We're at the Mercy of Child Care:' Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois' Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands While the state infuses millions of dollars a year into child care programs, the strict eligibility requirements and limitations for its largest child care subsidy exclude tens of thousands of familie...

As part of @IllinoisAnswers' series "Making it in Chicago," @_MJHopkins and I investigated the cost of child care in Cook County.

We found the state's largest child care subsidy doesn’t provide enough relief for many families and providers.

illinoisanswers.org/2025/05/27/w...

Detours and Dead Ends on the Path to Opportunity

Upward mobility is increasingly out of reach for many Chicagoans as the cost of living skyrockets. We investigated the barriers that stand in the way of getting ahead in Chicago and explored some of the efforts to mitigate them.

Read the series here: makingitinchicago.illinoisanswers.org

📣 Meet the 2025 Livingston Awards Finalists for Local Reporting! 📣

These outstanding young journalists are shining a light on critical local issues—and shaping the future of news.

👏 Congratulations to all these finalists!

Read their work: loom.ly/LAVASEQ

#livingstonawards #uofm