Heather Cherone
@heathercherone.bsky.social
Senior Chicago politics reporter for @wttw.bsky.social News
Pinned
“We’re going to push back. I’m going to use every single tool that’s available to me, to protect our people in our city, to ensure that we receive our fair share in the federal government, particularly when these families desperately need relief as quickly as possible.” @wttw.bsky.social
Johnson Vows to ‘Push Back’ After Trump Administration Denies Disaster Relief Request
Chicagoans “suffered tremendously” during those storms and should be able to rely on the federal government for help, Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday.
news.wttw.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM
“We’re going to push back. I’m going to use every single tool that’s available to me, to protect our people in our city, to ensure that we receive our fair share in the federal government, particularly when these families desperately need relief as quickly as possible.” @wttw.bsky.social
Reposted by Heather Cherone
NEW via me and @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social: Cardinal Blase Cupich, who runs the Archdiocese of Chicago, says that DHS has stopped priests under his purview and demanded proof of citizenship “because of their color.” religionnews.com/2026/02/10/c...
Cardinal Cupich says feds stopped priests, demanded citizenship proof
(RNS) — ‘I’ve had some priests who are of a different color being targeted and arrested — stopped — because of their color and asking them to prove that they’re citizens. That’s not America,’ the Chic...
religionnews.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:53 PM
NEW via me and @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social: Cardinal Blase Cupich, who runs the Archdiocese of Chicago, says that DHS has stopped priests under his purview and demanded proof of citizenship “because of their color.” religionnews.com/2026/02/10/c...
🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
I said from the beginning: if Donald Trump came for my people, he’d have to come through me.
One year in, I’m not backing down. I’m starting a Substack to talk about what we can do—right now—to stand up and be loud for America.
open.substack.com/pub/jbpritzk...
One year in, I’m not backing down. I’m starting a Substack to talk about what we can do—right now—to stand up and be loud for America.
open.substack.com/pub/jbpritzk...
February 10, 2026 at 6:44 PM
🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
More than 3 years after Dominga Flores Gomez, who had 5 kids & 8 grandkids, was killed, the pursuit is still under investigation by CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs, according to a department spokesperson.
A federal court order requires those complaints to be resolved in 6 months. @wttw.bsky.social
A federal court order requires those complaints to be resolved in 6 months. @wttw.bsky.social
City Lawyers Recommend Paying $8.3M to Family of Woman Struck, Killed by Driver Being Chased by Police
Since January 2025, Chicago taxpayers spent at least $103.1 million to resolve 14 lawsuits brought by people who were injured or on behalf of those killed during police pursuits, according to an analy...
news.wttw.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:18 PM
More than 3 years after Dominga Flores Gomez, who had 5 kids & 8 grandkids, was killed, the pursuit is still under investigation by CPD’s Bureau of Internal Affairs, according to a department spokesperson.
A federal court order requires those complaints to be resolved in 6 months. @wttw.bsky.social
A federal court order requires those complaints to be resolved in 6 months. @wttw.bsky.social
While critics of Mayor Brandon Johnson suggested to reporters that the mayor had defied the will of the City Council by failing to make the full advanced pension payment, officials said the cash-strapped city simply can't afford to make the payment until mid-year. @wttw.bsky.social
Effort by Mayoral Critics to Put Financial Officials on the Hot Seat Over Advanced Pension Payment Fizzles
Chicago is required to pay $2.85 billion this year into its pension funds in order to comply with a state law designed to ensure the pension funds can pay benefits to employees as they retire.
news.wttw.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM
While critics of Mayor Brandon Johnson suggested to reporters that the mayor had defied the will of the City Council by failing to make the full advanced pension payment, officials said the cash-strapped city simply can't afford to make the payment until mid-year. @wttw.bsky.social
Taxpayers should pay $29.1M to 4 men who spent a combined 71 years in prison after they were framed by a disgraced ex-CPD detective for separate murders between 1991 & 1997, city lawyers recommended.
The city spent $5.2M to fight those lawsuits.
Here are their stories, for @wttw.bsky.social:
The city spent $5.2M to fight those lawsuits.
Here are their stories, for @wttw.bsky.social:
City Lawyers Recommend Paying $16.6M Man Who Spent 13 Years in Prison After Being Framed by Disgraced Ex-Detective
Chicago taxpayers paid an additional $2 million to defend the other Chicago police officers named in Johnson's lawsuit, which was filed in 2020, according to records obtained by WTTW News through a Fr...
news.wttw.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Taxpayers should pay $29.1M to 4 men who spent a combined 71 years in prison after they were framed by a disgraced ex-CPD detective for separate murders between 1991 & 1997, city lawyers recommended.
The city spent $5.2M to fight those lawsuits.
Here are their stories, for @wttw.bsky.social:
The city spent $5.2M to fight those lawsuits.
Here are their stories, for @wttw.bsky.social:
Reposted by Heather Cherone
“$5.2 million from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for increasing H.I.V. prevention therapy among Black women”
The Trump administration plans to rescind $600 million in public health funds from four states led by Democrats because it finds the grants “inconsistent with agency priorities,” according to documents reviewed by the NYT
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/h...
Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/h...
Trump Administration to Cut $600 Million in Health Funding From Four States
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:12 AM
“$5.2 million from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for increasing H.I.V. prevention therapy among Black women”
FULL STORY: Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke blasted the executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to create a framework to prosecute federal agents for criminal misconduct as “wholly inappropriate.”
@wttw.bsky.social
@wttw.bsky.social
Cook County State’s Attorney Blasts Mayor’s ICE Executive Order As ‘Wholly Inappropriate’
Mayor Brandon Johnson's executive order “jeopardizes our ability to effectively prosecute and secure convictions when federal law enforcement agents have committed a crime,” Cook County State's Attorn...
news.wttw.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:14 PM
FULL STORY: Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke blasted the executive order signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson to create a framework to prosecute federal agents for criminal misconduct as “wholly inappropriate.”
@wttw.bsky.social
@wttw.bsky.social
Reposted by Heather Cherone
On July 4, 2026, America will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. On February 16, 2026, WTTW’s award-winning FIRSTHAND documentaries will introduce five people working to strengthen our democracy. wttw.com/firsthand #FirsthandWTTW
February 9, 2026 at 3:01 PM
On July 4, 2026, America will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. On February 16, 2026, WTTW’s award-winning FIRSTHAND documentaries will introduce five people working to strengthen our democracy. wttw.com/firsthand #FirsthandWTTW
Reposted by Heather Cherone
Talked about my @blockclubchi.bsky.social story on the recent student walk-out with WBBM’s Rob Hart, Bloomberg News’ Shruti Singh and the Chicago Tribune‘s Talia Soglin on @wttw.bsky.social’s “Chicago Tonight.” www.youtube.com/live/7vDwJzU...
February 7, 2026 at 4:53 PM
Talked about my @blockclubchi.bsky.social story on the recent student walk-out with WBBM’s Rob Hart, Bloomberg News’ Shruti Singh and the Chicago Tribune‘s Talia Soglin on @wttw.bsky.social’s “Chicago Tonight.” www.youtube.com/live/7vDwJzU...
Wild to see what the owner of Chicagoist is up to now
In my wildest dreams I could never have imagined a more gratuitous sign that AI is a bubble than “chance the rapper, sponsored by coreweave.” It’s beautiful. It’ll be in a movie someday
February 7, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Wild to see what the owner of Chicagoist is up to now
“When it comes to the Chicago Police Department, there’s always going to be this trust factor. So the question is, would anybody in here believe that it’s a fair investigation if the Bureau of Internal Affairs is doing that work? I would think not.” @wttw.bsky.social
Top Cop: COPA Should Probe Chicago Police Conduct During Immigration Raids Because No One Would ‘Trust’ Internal Affairs
“When it comes to the Chicago Police Department, there’s always going to be this trust factor,” Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said.
news.wttw.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:03 PM
“When it comes to the Chicago Police Department, there’s always going to be this trust factor. So the question is, would anybody in here believe that it’s a fair investigation if the Bureau of Internal Affairs is doing that work? I would think not.” @wttw.bsky.social
NEW: Chicago's top cop said he backed an effort to give the agency charged with probing police misconduct the authority to investigate whether officers have violated city law by helping ICE agents because no one would “trust” internal affairs probes. @wttw.bsky.social
Top Cop: COPA Should Probe Chicago Police Conduct During Immigration Raids Because No One Would ‘Trust’ Internal Affairs
“When it comes to the Chicago Police Department, there’s always going to be this trust factor,” Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said.
news.wttw.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:07 PM
NEW: Chicago's top cop said he backed an effort to give the agency charged with probing police misconduct the authority to investigate whether officers have violated city law by helping ICE agents because no one would “trust” internal affairs probes. @wttw.bsky.social
This is the way
I'd rather be last than be wrong
February 6, 2026 at 3:53 AM
This is the way
Chicago's top cop must also explain why the number of times officers pointed their guns at individuals increased 44% between 2022 and 2024, according to CPD data. @wttw.bsky.social
NEW: Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling must explain why the number of times CPD officers used force against individuals has significantly increased since 2022, and detail what he is doing to reverse that trend, according to a measure approved by Chicago’s police oversight board. @wttw.bsky.social
Police Oversight Board to Top Cop: Explain Why CPD Officers Are Using Force More Often
The number of times officers pointed their guns at individuals increased 44% between 2022 and 2024, according to one of the goals unanimously set for Snelling to achieve in 2026.
news.wttw.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Chicago's top cop must also explain why the number of times officers pointed their guns at individuals increased 44% between 2022 and 2024, according to CPD data. @wttw.bsky.social
That's U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, a Democrat, who represents Illinois' 1st Congressional District, which includes much of the South Side of Chicago
wow -- with Trump standing behind him, a man (not sure who he is) offers this prayer: "We pray that he would be mindful of the poor and that he would be invested in the alleviation of suffering happening in the families preparing to bury their loved ones in Minneapolis."
February 5, 2026 at 3:32 PM
That's U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson, a Democrat, who represents Illinois' 1st Congressional District, which includes much of the South Side of Chicago
NEW: Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling must explain why the number of times CPD officers used force against individuals has significantly increased since 2022, and detail what he is doing to reverse that trend, according to a measure approved by Chicago’s police oversight board. @wttw.bsky.social
Police Oversight Board to Top Cop: Explain Why CPD Officers Are Using Force More Often
The number of times officers pointed their guns at individuals increased 44% between 2022 and 2024, according to one of the goals unanimously set for Snelling to achieve in 2026.
news.wttw.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:24 PM
NEW: Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling must explain why the number of times CPD officers used force against individuals has significantly increased since 2022, and detail what he is doing to reverse that trend, according to a measure approved by Chicago’s police oversight board. @wttw.bsky.social
Reposted by Heather Cherone
Anjanette Young, a social worker who was handcuffed while naked during a botched raid in February 2019, says she is frustrated with a new CPD policy that does not ban officers from serving no-knock warrants or pointing guns at children during raids.
https://to.wttw.com/46jdIWE
https://to.wttw.com/46jdIWE
February 4, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Anjanette Young, a social worker who was handcuffed while naked during a botched raid in February 2019, says she is frustrated with a new CPD policy that does not ban officers from serving no-knock warrants or pointing guns at children during raids.
https://to.wttw.com/46jdIWE
https://to.wttw.com/46jdIWE
