Meredith Newman
meredithnewman.bsky.social
Meredith Newman
@meredithnewman.bsky.social
investigative reporter for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social. being nosy. mnewman@bettergov.org
Reposted by Meredith Newman
Reposted by Meredith Newman
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 ...
illinoisanswers.org
November 11, 2025 at 4:55 PM
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...
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 ...
illinoisanswers.org
November 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Meredith Newman
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...
September 4, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by Meredith Newman
The officer who authorities say accidentally shot + killed his partner had accrued more than a dozen misconduct allegations against him during his 3.5 years as a PO. Five were during his probation period, when CPD could have summarily fired him. Unclear how he ended up on a tac team.

#chicago
Chicago Cop Who Inadvertently Shot and Killed Partner Has Lengthy Disciplinary Record over Short Career
Officer Carlos A. Baker has had more than a dozen complaints against him, records show. He has faced three suspensions and two reprimands.
illinoisanswers.org
June 27, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Meredith Newman
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...
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.
www.wbez.org
May 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
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...
'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...
illinoisanswers.org
May 27, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Meredith Newman
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
Detours and Dead Ends on the Path to Opportunity
makingitinchicago.illinoisanswers.org
May 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Reposted by Meredith Newman
📣 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
April 23, 2025 at 6:18 PM