Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: The Illinois Department of Corrections has been under a consent decree since 2019, but the state continues to fail to provide adequate medical and dental care to incarcerated people.
🗞️ Plus: A cop faces firing for shooting a 13-year-old in 2022, the late Rev. Jesse Jackson’s South Carolina homecoming and more news you need to know.
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⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER ☁️
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 40.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
Illinois prisons, ordered to improve health care for inmates, have spent 7 years failing
By Kaitlin Washburn
Full-blown crisis: In Illinois prisons, the state’s critically understaffed facilities struggle to deliver proper medical and dental care to the tens of thousands of inmates in their care, according to a court-appointed monitor. That’s despite the Illinois Department of Corrections being under a court-enforceable settlement agreement since 2019 to improve health care.
Key context: People in American prisons have a constitutional right to adequate medical care. Not providing it to them is considered cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment — the basis for the class action lawsuit against IDOC that triggered the consent decree.
One man’s story: Johnnie Flournoy, 74, is incarcerated at Pinckneyville Correctional Center, a medium security prison. He’s been in Illinois prisons since the early 1990s and has struggled to receive consistent medical treatment for his severe glaucoma, resulting in blindness in his left eye and degenerating vision in the right. “They let me go blind,” he told the Sun-Times, “and they still ain’t doing nothing.”
PUBLIC SAFETY ✶
Chicago police officer faces firing for shooting 13-year-old
By Sophie Sherry
Cop faces firing: Chicago Police Officer Noah Ball faces dismissal nearly four years after he shot and paralyzed a 13-year-old boy who was holding a cellphone that was mistaken for a gun. The boy was paralyzed from the waist down, according to his family’s attorney.
Key context: It’s the second time the Civilian Office of Police Accountability has pushed to fire Ball over an on-duty shooting. In the earlier case, Ball was given a one-day suspension after Supt. Larry Snelling fought COPA’s recommendation while the second investigation was well underway.
REV. JESSE JACKSON ✶
Rev. Jackson’s grand homecoming to South Carolina
By Lauren FitzPatrick
Rev. returns: For most of his 84 years, the Rev. Jesse Jackson powered through so many high places — organizing boycotts, freeing hostages and launching two presidential bids — that it begs remembering he wasn’t born a giant. And despite living most of his life in Chicago, that is not where his story began. Jackson died Feb. 17 and lay in honor Monday in the capitol rotunda of South Carolina, the state he thought of as home and to which returned throughout his life.
Son of South Carolina: Before he landed in Chicago in his 20s to establish his own power, starting out with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., activism was something Jackson had to learn from those around him. These folks include mentors and teachers who nurtured and bolstered him and his classmates from Sterling High School, once an institution for Greenville, his hometown.
Our deep dive: Sun-Times and WBEZ reporters flew to South Carolina to attend Jackson’s memorial services, trace his early steps, meet his peers, and learn more about the places that nurtured and inspired the Civil Rights trailblazer.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Quantum campus support: About 20 businesses and residents announced a new group, the Southeast Neighbors For Quantum, to show support for the 128-acre Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, despite pushback from some Chicagoans over the massive project.
- Calls for Epstein files investigation: Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, filed legislation Monday that would create a state commission to investigate potential Illinois connections to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
- DNC could return: Coming off the heels of a massive Democratic National Convention in 2024, Chicago could once again host the event in 2028 and 2032. Also in contention: Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Philadelphia.
- North Center mural defaced: The controversial mural depicts Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed in North Carolina. The piece was part of a campaign backed by Elon Musk, despite Zarutska’s family not giving their permission.
- We’re No. 1: The Chicago area was named the top U.S. metro for corporate relocations and site selection for the 13th year in a row by Site Selection Magazine, World Business Chicago announced.
- South suburban drone deliveries: Starting this summer, Amazon customers in Matteson and Markham could soon see a drone drop off their packages, instead of a delivery driver, the retail giant announced. Amazon plans to build a 20,000-square-foot launchpad in the parking lot of its nearby fulfillment centers.
- Rallying for art museum: Several DePaul professors have written an open letter calling on the university to reconsider its decision to close its art museum. The university confirmed last week it planned to shut the museum permanently June 30.
LET’S HEAR FROM YOU 🗣️
Have you had a medical procedure recently at a Chicago-area hospital? Were you surprised by the bill?
If so, Sun-Times consumer reporter Stephanie Zimmermann wants to hear from you.
Her ongoing investigation, in cooperation with the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation at the University of Chicago, is finding that prices for common procedures and diagnostic tests can vary widely depending on your health insurance plan and which hospital you use.
People with high-deductible plans are the most likely to notice high hospital prices. That’s especially true at the beginning of the calendar year.
Tell Stephanie your story by emailing her at szimmermann@suntimes.com or by filling out this simple form. She may contact you for a future story. Thanks for contributing to our reporting!
ELECTIONS ☑️
Voters turn out across Chicago’s 50 wards and suburbs ahead of March 17 primary
By Elleiana Green and Violet Miller
Early voting underway: Early voting locations in all 50 wards, and in 55 places in suburban Cook County, have opened ahead of the March 17 primary election. Additional early voting sites are also open in the collar counties.
At the polls: The Sun-Times went to several polling places Monday to talk with voters about the issues on their minds, including: Affordability, health care and employment, skepticism about mail-in voting, and campaign money sources.
Voter resources:
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏒⚾🏀
- Goner Murphy: The Blackhawks have traded Connor Murphy to the Oilers, ending his nine-year run in Chicago.
- Hall of claimer: Brash White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery says the Hall of Fame is his goal — before he’s faced one pitch in the big leagues.
- Second-year surge: Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has put together a career-best three straight 20-plus performances, and could be catching up to the high-ceiling hype that was on his shoulders at the start of the season.
- Girls basketball: Nazareth’s defense intensified late in the IHSA Class 4A super-sectional, securing the team a win over Waubonsie Valley.
- Boys basketball: These are the five storylines to watch during the IHSA sectionals.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 5D: They loop around The Loop
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Black Film Club Collective provides space for Chicagoans to enjoy cultural stories
By Erica Thompson
At a recent screening of Akinola Davies Jr.’s “My Father’s Shadow,” viewers in attendance at the Gene Siskel Film Center said the film resonated with them because it reflected their lived experiences. From America to Nigeria to Cameroon, their backgrounds represented the diversity of the African diaspora. After the credits rolled, they remained in the theater to share those details, along with their thoughts about the plot, characters, dialogue and cinematography. As part of the Black Film Club Collective, they are used to such rich discussions.
Led by Chinyere Achebe and Troy Martin, the organization hosts regular viewings and other events in theaters as well as coffee shops, barber shops, art galleries and other nontraditional venues. It has also partnered with institutions to develop archival projects, present a local film symposium and curate audiences for major events, such as an early Chicago premiere of “Sinners” that included a panel featuring director Ryan Coogler and blues musician Buddy Guy.
Even as the group’s footprint continues to grow, it remains committed to its goal of building community around Black film.
Before meeting and becoming friends, Achebe and Martin were separately hosting movie meetups at their homes. They officially launched the Chicago Black Film Club Collective in 2021 with a showing of John Singleton’s “Higher Learning” at a friend’s loft. Attracting an average of 40 attendees, each event maintains an intimate and welcoming environment. Achebe and Martin also partner with local vendors to offer food and beverages.
“The film club always feels like a living room, with a recognizable feeling of comfort where people can actually feel open to express themselves and just have a good time,” said Martin, 37, of East Garfield Park. “It’s made up of the cinephile as much as it is the person that casually goes to a film, but the fact that we are so focused on Black storytelling sets us apart.”
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Yesterday, we asked you: What do you think would be an effective way to address violent crime on the CTA?
Here’s some of what you said, edited for length and clarity:
“The Purple line should run express 24/7. Trains should run more frequently. At transfer points, sync train arrivals so riders don’t have long waits on platforms. The length of nonrush hour trains should be shortened, with the exception of major events like baseball games, demonstrations and mega concerts.” — Cynthia Kirk
“In addition to eliminating homeless hangouts at ends of train lines, and offering unhoused and addicted people connections to services, I’d like to see trained civilian ‘CTA ambassadors’ riding trains and buses, offering friendly guidance to other passengers and in cases of danger, [being] empowered to call police who could meet the train or bus at the very next stop.” — Bonni McKeown
“[In the] short term, CTA and [the Chicago Police Department] can install patrol officers. They do not have to stay in one station, but can be assigned to every other train and ride with the passengers. Long term, which I think CTA is already implementing, is to improve the quality of service, which will allow more people to use the system.”— Frank Ko
“Two uniformed police officers on every train, at least on the lines with high crime rates. I don’t care what agency they represent, but they need to have actual arrest powers and serve as a visible deterrent to crime. Stop running the Red and Blue Lines 24 hours a day. Both lines should shut down for at least two hours overnight when every train can be cleared and cleaned.” — Tommy Hoyt
“[Improve] the Chatbot on the CTA’s website that allows you to report issues [so that it] actually resulted in immediate action. If I’m witnessing something that seems like it might escalate to violence, I should be able to … know that as soon as I hit ‘submit’ on my report, within 1-2 stops, there will be law enforcement … coming onto the train car to de-escalate the situation.” — Joe Karamanski
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition!
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
Hat tip: Sun-Times’ Matt Corradino for “Goner Murphy” and “Hall of claimer,” headlines you’ll find in the sports section of today’s Sun-Times print edition.
The Chicago Sun-Times is a nonprofit supported by readers like you. Become a member to make stories like these free and available to everyone. Learn more at suntimes.com/member.
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