>> And everyone, thanks for joining us on the weekend review.

I'm Amanda The CTA is conundrum, regaining riders and passengers don't feel safe.

>> To make sure no one return home.

If they use public transportation.

>> We're stoked by the killing of 4 passengers sleeping on the blue line.

This as the CTA rules out new gun detection technology and as a federal judge sides with passengers seeking to carry guns on trains for self protection.

>> You have rights as result of the Second Amendment.

But there are limitations to that.

>> The nation, meanwhile, reeling from another school shooting this time in Georgia.

>> Of those that are deceased.

2 are who are teachers.

We're at the at the school.

>> Uncontrolled likely to be part of the presidential debate as nominees.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are set to face off next week.

Here is has the support of GOP defectors like Cheney.

In Trump's going in with a win.

He's still a felon convicted of paying hush money, but a judge will hold off sentencing him until after the election.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has also been in court setting parameters for his upcoming corruption trial.

In the city seeks to eliminate food deserts.

it hitting a rotten banana?

>> Now to our week in review panel joining us, our Brandon Pope from Wca you Monica of Axios, Mariah rush from the Chicago Sun-Times and Ray Long from the Chicago Tribune.

I'm going to begin with you.

Bring in now.

4 people shot in cold blood while on the CTA.

You have both into violence as well as commuter advocates alike, calling for increased security measures.

What can be done?

>> That's the big question right now.

We're seeing a real zeroing in on a lot of issues with CT, especially violence concerns for riders.

Wbz did a great investigation where they found that in 2024 more violent incidents than at any point since 2011.

That's alarming for anybody.

But especially those who are most vulnerable.

And that's the homeless.

And so lots of questions about.

Do we need more police?

Maybe not.

But is there a way you can have like and actual like maybe transit ambassadors, someone that can the trains actually monitor situations, help people and get assistance to people who need it.

We've got to find solutions, Monica.

So yeah, it's not just security.

Maybe we'll get back to that a minute.

But really calling attention to the issue of the unhoused.

>> That's right.

And getting to a report by Chip Mitchell on the way over where he said that action.

We've seen a tripling of violent crime in the last decade.

>> On the CTA on a per capita basis, a lot of that that was because of plunging ridership and the plunging ridership doesn't just raise the per capita violence, right?

But it makes it less safe say whether more people on the train you're safe or so they have a lot people are going to attack.

If you perhaps have a big crowd.

Exactly.

And they so they think that this idea of ambassadors, as you were saying, the CT ambassadors could be something that's a police solution.

But it's also like a commander, Chris, like okay.

>> You don't have people writing because they don't feel safe, but I don't feel safe.

So let's talk, right?

Yeah, it's a it's a consequence of those were think there's a lot in is sort of in just discussion among Chicago winds about this.

And then you have some people that push back and say, hey, wait, it is safe.

But now that we've got numbers again, WBEZ.

>> Did this reporting CTA says that it has actually security folks that have been hired walk on the trains and they have something like 30,000 surveillance cameras.

>> And now they are trying this new AI system into tax when someone brandishes a gun.

Now we're at how does that square at all with now?

The city soon doing away with other technology that detects gunshots.

And talking about, of course, ShotSpotter.

Yeah.

And it doesn't really make much sense.

another thing in the WBEZ piece was they actually saw that.

>> Police, the number of police that were that are stationed at stops went down instead of going up and they weren't allocating that resources to the train stations, even though the crime a shot so ambassadors more police, any thoughts re on the notion of additional surveillance cameras?

Is there a danger of getting into a surveillance state or >> when you have a whole lot of cars and you can't have an officer on all of them and some people wouldn't want that anyway, right?

there's always the idea of Big brother that could get people.

>> We're done.

But I think one thing we have to face serious we need people to be safe.

And I think that until we get to the point where people feel safe to go on the train and get on the bus, whatever they want to and not worry about some crazy person coming up or or just feeling unsafe overall.

Then you get to see how far we can push this kind technology.

>> The right.

Is this something that I don't know when your either circle friends are folks that you talk to in your reporting to hear from them that they're scared to hop on a train or a bus.

Yeah, it really is.

Like Brennan said it's kind of like a catch.

22 situation where we want everyone to feel more safe.

But we don't want to put ourselves out there to be the ones to actually be out there and have some potentially happen to us.

>> So it's either, you know, take an Uber which sometimes still there's issues.

There's crime issues there or you risk it on the red line and who knows what's gonna happen on their and say I take the red line several times a week I take took a few times today.

>> And I didn't think about it as I was.

I was getting the train.

But, you know, we ran a story this week talking to homeless advocates and they just said, you know, please don't conflate people sleeping on the train with crime.

You know, they're they're just as vulnerable to those with guns as is the rest of us.

And, you know, we asked well what to do if you encounter someone and they please make eye contact with them.

Let them know you heard their request.

Don't treat them like nobody.

>> That is some salient advice because it is something that you often encounter.

I think I also ride the train system frequently.

Now all of this, of course, comes in puts CTA President Dorval Carter.

It's going to say under the microscope again, but I'm not sure the microscope is ever lifted Brandon, when we hear from him >> we heard that he touted the security systems, have the cameras.

But this was I was talking rain earlier.

One of the first time we've actually heard from him.

He doesn't really do interviews C had been evading any sort of accountability with a litany of issues happening with CTA.

We saw this block live report coming out from any Ramos where Dorval Carter taking a lot of extravagant trips.

Lot of town trips while the CTS problems are mounting, he's not really doing visits to different CCA staff to see these issues on the ground.

That's raising concerns as writers are not happy right Less than 2 to have mean.

I think it was 9 visits to CTA station.

This.

Meanwhile, ways of 28 troops led 28% of the time he was out of town of those 345 day.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So how long can Mayor Brandon Johnson stand I just don't know why get this connection that keeps him in.

>> And office you got to put that hammer down at some point.

But >> we need to see solutions.

So you need to see solutions.

at times other than when the DNC comes in town and you finally see a clean seat on your bus.

and others need to be out there looking look for the interests of consumers.

And just don't feel like that happen.

I should say that took the green line on the first day.

The DNC.

>> And of those 25 minutes till the next train.

So I tweeted a really nice job.

But you know, the first the DNC.

25 minutes till next rain when this is, by the way, in case folks don't know.

That is super close proximity to the United Center.

When you want So for them, I going to cover the protests and during the protest that got in on an unknown number of my phone.

Hello.

Hi.

This is the CTA we saw you tweeted about a complaint about.

>> The line was that unlike what right.

so they are sensitive and our wind I asked Mayor Jones and directly like how do you measure success in your leaders?

>> And if you measure it the way you say, how does Duval Carter actually stand to that?

And his response is that doable?

Carter's meeting, the metrics, Duval Card responsibly plan what metrics prevent once the exact for comparing pre-pandemic ridership numbers to what's happening now.

Those have gone up frequency has gone up.

Things haven't been soft completely.

But the Carter camps responses, things are getting better.

The issue is there was so much delay in trying to make them better and there's still issues like 28 minute delays on CTA rider myself.

I've had numerous ghost trains and buses where you can't really rely on it anymore.

And for a city like Chicago, number 3 market in the country.

>> It's not right.

You go to DC You don't have that problem New York.

You don't have that problem.

Chicago.

We shouldn't have to have that problem ending issues for workers trying to get to their chef.

Yeah.

It's really cold in the winter.

That's what I'm not looking forward to wait for a ghost train, but Meanwhile, we do have ruling from a federal judge in Rockford that it is unconstitutional.

>> To prohibit Illinois residents who have concealed carry licenses to carry their guns on public transportation.

Right?

What's the impact of that?

>> I mean, I think that difficult because if you think yourself like we don't want guns on train in general, we don't want, you know, as the law and we don't want shootings and we don't want the terrible things that happened this past week.

Then.

I mean, you would think a woman, we don't want guns in all there on the train, but people think to themselves if I want to protect myself against someone else might be breaking the law, then maybe I need to have mine there, too.

But it's are working their magic.

The thinking from the plaintiffs in this case believe.

>> It doesn't mean that guns can be carried lawfully right now.

If they ruling limited to those 4 individuals who say they want guns for self-protection.

But Ray, before we move on, just anything that we can see in terms a lasting impact of this, the governor in attorney general expecting to appeal.

All right.

Does the Supreme Court well after and it does factor in because if it goes up to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court's been >> been making that if you will, pro gun type decisions here.

And now we've got another case down in southern Illinois, Amanda, that they're talking having arguments over the Constitution.

It now of the state's ban on these assault weapons, too.

So that's coming up in the next few days.

And you just have to ask yourself, didn't we stop this?

Where does it stop?

We?

We stopped.

Machine guns from being carried.

Why can't we just draw a line here?

At some point on the Illinois law that you're speaking of bans so-called assault style weapons, including the AR 15 that allegedly was used by a 14 year-old to kill.

>> For individuals at a school in Georgia.

Monica, is this shooting going to be the one that changes anything particularly, of course, is.

It's coming in the midst of campaign season.

Are we gonna?

>> Hear about gun issues?

Will we always think this is going to be the one that changes things?

And unfortunately, that's not what happens.

In fact.

>> Vice president, presidential candidate, JD Vance today this is our new reality.

And this is the reality we have former Chicago Tribune columnist Rex Help the road in the USA TODAY.

Really, this is not a reality.

I want to accept.

And so it's it's and you know, you're going to see the same.

You know, President Biden TV.

So we must do something.

And then you probably can see the same pushback from probably Republicans on the same old, same old.

Anybody think that this is going change?

Thanks.

Well, I don't know if it will change things, but I do think that it's a >> a topic to come up in the Trump Harris debate.

>> I think I will also with things changing when we had Sandy Hook.

What once once people didn't want to take action little kids are getting gunned down.

From there.

We're never really going to see any tension and the ball has a move forward.

And so you're right, should come about the debate and Trump, especially who represents the NRA and other interest group should have to answer directly for what do you want to do to make our community safer?

Other than just say thoughts and prayers when these things happen.

A reality.

>> You've using a push back on the state level in this liberal state level.

How are we going to get progress on a national level?

What else are you expecting out of the debate?

Ryan?

>> I'm excited to see what this microphone situations going to be because I know Biden's campaign to the big push to have been enacted for the which can go very well for him.

But >> the I guess, if must.

But for comma for hair, she might not work in her favor.

If the I think the hope is that Trump will go off tangents and everyone will hear kind of like what we saw, B J and kind of put its foot in his mouth.

But if the microphone has to be cut off, then people may not be with the here.

It is interesting.

Tibbetts.

>> We know he's definitely going to hit Kamala Harris on the economy and she's going to have to hit back.

You know, their campaign, the walls and Harris campaign has been all about joy so far.

But the reality is there's a 7 of the country.

They don't feel joy at all go to the grocery store.

See the current $86 often joined that either.

So I expect to hear from Kamala Harris.

What are you going to do on the economic front cause while we do see issues like gun rights, abortion, those are important issues for a lot of people in galvanize people.

It's the economy, those kitchen table issues that are really going to be, I think driving people, especially to the polls.

And let's be honest here.

There's been people unhappy with the Biden administration on their policies, blaming them for inflation, rising costs, rightly or wrongly.

So you're gonna have to answer for them.

think she's going personal and some point to where she I think she's going she's going to play maybe the weird card that the Democrats have been placed the But yeah, yeah, but yeah.

And she has used some pretty good lines like.

>> I know his tight and that's really something I think that resonates without having to say too much What does it mean for former President Trump that now his hush money trial is going to have sentencing delayed until after the election.

Is this in his favor, Monica?

Well, I think the pros and cons, a lot of people were saying that a sentencing could galvanize his people.

You every time he was getting these guilty verdicts, his numbers went up.

>> And it can also take a little wind out of the sails to say the justice system is stacked against our guy and he is a martyr.

Well, it's not going sentence beforehand.

And this was the the Biden justice to department but decided alright, they can combine does not control that judge.

But you know, this judge who was seen as so biased against Donald Trump has decided, you know what, we don't want to mess with the election.

We're not going to sentence forecast.

So much going on in this campaign.

There's also been get a prosecution going forward with Russian propaganda getting in fall There's people.

Chicago high school dropout.

I was at influencer who unwittingly said took money from the Russians to.

>> To promote anti-biden propaganda and then and then just what about now you have?

We've had some Republicans.

There's a Republicans for Harris group, but now Cheney fall according to his daughter, Liz Cheney, former Republican congresswoman also says they're not just going to anti Trump, but there will be voting for Harris.

What is that?

You have the Dems call themselves a big tent pretty big as pretty big, I think what this says is that this reflects the state of the Republican Party nationally right now.

>> Because the reality is there are conservatives in this country independent to feel like they don't have a home anymore.

They don't align with Trump the Make America Great again movement.

The extremism there.

See you.

And so the hope is that you're seeing this kind push into making the Democratic ticket more center left.

Is it going to work ultimately?

I think that's a big question going forward.

And also, do you alienate the progressive base you've built and younger voters by embracing.

>> as this is an ever tightening race.

But I want to bring it back to local politics because the Tribune has been investigating how and why corruption is.

So the part of the psyche of Illinois politics rate.

What did you find you?

Do you do write that there are convictions prove that Illinois is more corrupt, but why?

>> Well, I think I think it's a long time, I think it goes back to even simple things from day to day where people want tell their kids, hey, you know, if you get stopped by a cop or app your driver's license and a $20 bill that happened a lot more than you would think, but it doesn't happen probably as much as it used to.

But still there's that added 2.

And this ended to just continues.

And people think, well, I you know, I can do a little bit more and get cut and then a little bit more.

And then sooner or later, the Fed's come in and they've been listening.

>> And added to that is buttressed by actual policies in statute.

Yes, yes.

loose loose and loose laws.

Weak enforcement.

even the idea that we have more governments than any other state.

So there's more opportunity for people maybe build themselves into a higher level along and and provide more opportunities for.

And we've rules and moment years ago at the Tribune, I was investigating a high of executive and CPS food.

>> She was caught taking bribes from someone who is bidding for the contract.

And when the IG invest investigated said why did you do it?

She everyone else was.

And I think that pretty much sums up also read impact of that is like.

People everyday people get cynical.

They already have mistrust of government and that mistress grows with every single headline we see about these abuses of power have cloud.

You think you got to have somebody to do something new.

So the bird trial, which we all covered and then >> you see Bird come up there and you shaking down burger King.

You know, I mean for good king of all places, right tire that now you're going to soon be covering the trial for.

>> Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who has already been in court trying to argue unfair press coverage.

>> Is going to hinder his chances with a fair jury.

Does it seem that he's trying to play it both ways that he is both wanted to be known as the Velvet Hammer Iron Fist and at the same time, oh, no, that isn't me in coverage, right?

And also you and I both know that story that >> was unflattering him to him at some point.

>> Would come out.

He would just act like the press is no big deal or anything suddenly a big deal.

this is got to be point of of concern for the court.

And so he's taken shots at a variety of stories and I go back and read them.

And I think, you know, this is not unusual.

Is this corruption series tied at all to preview perhaps of that truck?

>> what I've been pushing to do this series for like 8 years, you know, you literally wrote book on speaker had a new approach.

I want to make sure that we have time in about 5 minutes.

We've got left because you are because you are likewise have an investigation going and this looked at the track record of a grocery store operator just opened up a new at store in West Garfield Park.

>> That, of course, comes with some financial assistance from the city.

The goal being to?

>> And food deserts.

But but but yes, but 2 years ago, 2 summers ago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot put pretty much all of their.

>> All their bets in on this which they own and operate 60 of a lot stores with Chicago and they said 38 nationally.

So they have experience, you would think.

But they're pretty young company.

They were first found in 2021. and they kind of took forever to.

even start opening stores and the city gave them are granted them 13.5 million dollars to reopen and run a baby 6 stores.

But the first 1, 2 years later just got opened and was Garfield.

Park residents are really excited because someone told me they're like, we're restarting we need food like they don't care what the quality is.

Honestly.

And they prefer a quality clean grow.

Sure, but but is open in a going to be sticking thing for a long time or you found some concerns that may be a a.

>> Don't home high hopes for its longevity.

Yes, so Lauren Fitzpatrick and I and my colleagues, we found that the companies at least 2 million dollars debt.

>> And the 3 years that they've been a company, 1 million dollars in active lawsuits from vendors which say they have stopped paying them for some vendors say that they've never been paid at all.

They've got city violations, property tax bills, utility bills.

>> Pretty much any kind of bill that you can think of.

They've kind of been not is going out for the Sorry, Michael, several storage, they've quit more than several that closed 16 stores and they actually so they handed back control over to the wholesaler, save a lot for the rest of their store.

So they per the Chicago stores now.

So is the city protected 13.5 million dollars.

They have to get back the money if they don't follow if they go bankrupt or if they don't fall follow through by April of this coming April, then they have to get back the money.

>> And will be on the hook for No doubt you'll be following Monica, you cover food a lot.

So any closures on that?

They also to be sure to ask you about A different food situation.

And this is for those skipping the grocery store wanting to get it from some of Chicago's most famous restaurants.

If the Taste of Chicago Taste of Chicago is back for second year in a row in September because hey, thanks, NASCAR.

You push into September, but the weather so much nicer.

You're not eating Turkey leg while their sweat pouring down your family 40 vendors 16, food trucks.

but guess what?

Those tickets are gone so tickets which kind of a pain in the because local ago 5 left in a moment.

Hunger anymore.

>> You pay by credit card or cash.

But that means Taylor forgot my coat.

Whoops.

It doesn't work to.

The lines are crazy long.

They're also really long lines to get in because of security City said they've streamlined that entrance process.

But the tickets are back that nobody can account for folks being slow in tipping zachman at night getting along.

So you're planning to go.

I went to check it out you know, it's great and I'm so glad the weather tonight.

Here's my tip.

Bring a tray or like the top of the box.

And then tell your friend, hey, go get a spot with a blanket.

I'm going to get some food and then bring it over there.

So, you know, like sitting on some 30 could be I like liquor and liquor do, grand and help to Gummer Irish and Ray Long.

We will be back to wrap things up.

So stick around.

>> Tonight's presentation of Chicago Tonight Week in review is made possible in part by and and rich car.

Bnsf railway, Francine and Doctor Anthony Brown.

And the moment, however, progressive philanthropic fund in honor of them and how supporting quality journalism.

Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> It is our show for this Friday night.

Don't forget, you can get Chicago tonight in the week in review streamed on Facebook, YouTube and our website now for the Week in review.

Amanda thanks for watching.

Stay healthy in safety and great night.

So some folks wing that the the taste printers row.

Also first bears game in the big debut to decide in this camera.

Caleb Williams generational are.

What are you thinking here?

>> I think generation Super Bowl, he's behind his way to Haiti right now.

let's pump the brakes.

89 wins.

I will say even I need know we're going to the Packers this sent a tough one.

chance.

There's always a shop and do what about this first game?

>> It's going to be a tough one.

The Titans.

That's everyone's assuming we're going to I think it's going to be a close one.

The Titans actually might off the upset.

will see what happens Well, he's not going to >> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a cliff.

And with are Chicago personal injury, wrongful death?

That