Afternoon Briefing: CPD set to deliver a new policy on traffic stops
Good afternoon, Chicago.
Brian Ramson, one of the district councilors for the Chicago Police Department's Harrison District on the West Side, moved to Chicago in 2013. Since then, he said, he's been pulled over by police roughly 50 times — about four of those coming after he was sworn in less than two years ago.
A search of Cook County court records suggests Ramson — a physicist at Fermilab who is Black — has never been issued a ticket, let alone arrested.
And he may not be alone.
Last week, Ramson was the first speaker during the fifth and final listening session to solicit feedback for the department's forthcoming general order related to traffic stops. CPD will submit the first draft of the new general order this week that will likely change the rules governing when police officers are permitted to pull over a motorist.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
State Sen. Emil Jones III ignored 'screaming red flags' in entertaining a red-light camera company executive's ask for help with legislation in exchange for a promised $5,000 campaign contribution and a no-show job for his intern, federal prosecutors argued Monday.
In arguments that capped the nine-day trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Ardam asked jurors how Jones allegedly changed his views on red-light camera legislation over the course of the summer of 2019. Jones had been handling it for years by the time he met red-light camera executive Omar Maani, Ardam said. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Oak Forest teen shot in Mexico continues recovery
Chicago homicides in 2025: 106 people slain. Here's how that compares with previous years.
4 killed in central Illinois plane crash were from Menomonie, Wisconsin
Stocks tumbled this morning as worries about President Donald Trump's trade war and his criticism of the Federal Reserve cause investors to pull further from the United States. Read more here.
More top business stories:
Oswego eyes possible grocery tax
This Midwestern city has long been a federal hub. The pain from DOGE's cuts is everywhere
The biggest day on the NFL's offseason calendar is almost here. The NFL draft begins Thursday.
Here is everything Chicago Bears fans need to know ahead of the 2025 draft, including how to watch, where the Bears are picking, which local prospects to look out for and more. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Construction of new Chicago Sky training facility in Bedford Park delayed into 2026 to accommodate expansion
United States wins the women's ice hockey world championship final 4-3 in OT against Canada
We put together some programming highlights — both on and off the Pier. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Cherry blossom blooms make long-awaited return at Jackson Park
Review: In 'Prayer for the French Republic,' past is prologue for a Jewish family in Paris
Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, released a statement following the death of Pope Francis. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
Pope Francis' cause of death revealed by the Vatican
Photos: The world reacts to the death of Pope Francis
Sports world mourns soccer-loving Pope Francis as games in Italy and Argentina are postponed
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones announces bid to succeed Sylvester Turner in Congress
State Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, on Monday jumped into the race for the congressional seat left open by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, the former Houston mayor. 'The simple fact is no one will fight harder to stop Republicans from taking away our social security, our public schools, our health care, our constitutional rights and more,' Jones said in a statement announcing her campaign. Jones, an attorney and former Houston City Council member from 2008 to 2012, joins a slate of candidates running in the special election, including Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and fellow former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards. 'I am the only candidate in this race who has fought for our families in the Legislature, in the courtroom, on city council and on the school board,' said Jones, who was elected to the Texas House in 2022. 'I helped shut down Houston's corrupt crime lab, helped extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers and their babies and cut taxes for seniors and homeowners.' Turner, who also served in the Texas House before his turn in Congress, died March 5, two months into his first term representing Texas' 18th Congressional District. The district, which contains historically significant neighborhoods for Houston's Black community, had been long represented by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who also died in office last year amid a battle with pancreatic cancer. The special election to fill the seat will take place Nov. 4. Gov. Greg Abbott called the election for November a month after Turner's death, leaving a solidly blue seat open for most of 2025 as Republicans work to push through President Donald Trump's agenda in a closely divided House. In Congress, Jones said she would 'fight to stop Trump cuts to healthcare and Medicaid, Social Security, education and veterans,' and work to expand healthcare coverage and affordability. She also emphasized bringing back the right to an abortion. 'I've been fighting my entire career for women's rights, bodies, and voices, and will never stop working to restore abortion rights to make sure women — not politicians — make their own healthcare decisions,' said Jones, a criminal and family lawyer with her own practice. The district is a Democratic stronghold, meaning the Democratic nominee is almost certain to win the election and could hold onto the seat for years. Menefee was the first to launch his campaign, and has secured high-profile endorsements, including former U.S. Reps. Colin Allred and Beto O'Rourke, who both challenged U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Jackson Lee's daughter, Erica Lee Carter, is serving as his campaign chair after briefly representing the district after her mother's death. Jones said she 'deferred' her decision to run until the legislative session concluded this week so that she could focus on representing her constituents in the Texas House, where she served on the criminal jurisprudence, public health and redistricting committees. She was also the vice chair of the subcommittee on juvenile justice. 'I promised my constituents I would fight for them every day through the end of the legislative session — and I did exactly that,' she said. During the session, Jones worked closely with both Republicans and Democrats, including on legislation to ensure that certain criminal defendants are not held behind bars pretrial for periods longer than the maximum sentence for the alleged offense. Jones, a four-time national track and field champion, one-time contestant on CBS' Survivor and LGBTQ advocate who often speaks about her upbringing in poverty and familial tragedy, previously served on the Houston ISD Board of Trustees. One of her Republican colleagues, whom she worked with on the criminal jurisprudence committee, quickly gave a word of praise upon her announcement. 'This woman,' Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville, posted on social media, 'is truly a forced to be reckoned with.' Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy arrested in Texas for alleged assault of family member
Former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy was arrested in Texas on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a family member, according to online jail records. The six-year pro, who spent the majority of his career with the Carolina Panthers, was taken into custody by the Richardson Police Department at around 2 p.m. local time. He was arrested on one charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member, according to jail records. He is currently in police custody. Hardy, 36, was drafted out of Ole Miss in the 6th round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the Panthers, but he was placed on the commissioner's exempt list in 2014 while a domestic violence case against him played out. FOX 4 reported that in 2014, Hardy's ex-girlfriend alleged that the NFL player assaulted her during a fit of rage. He was initially convicted of assault, but those charges were later dismissed after the victim in the case failed to appear for a second trial. Despite recording 34 sacks and 203 tackles with the Panthers, the decision not to re-sign Hardy was made. He was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent in 2015, but he only played in 12 games that season after being issued a four-game suspension for violating the NFL Personal Conduct Policy as it related to his case in North Carolina. He was not re-signed the following year. Following his football career, Hardy made his debut in MMA in 2018. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
While Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker scored wins during legislative session, cellphone ban, other initiatives fell short
CHICAGO — Entering a legislative session amid questions about whether he'd run for a third term, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker outlined an ambitious agenda that ended with mixed results. In a State of the State and budget address in February that will be remembered mainly for Pritzker invoking Nazi Germany to describe the new presidential administration, there was also a litany of policy initiatives — some of which passed and will now have a tangible impact on Illinoisans and others that went nowhere in the spring legislative session that just wrapped up. 'You don't get everything done in one year. I think the Senate president can back me up on that, and lots of people in the General Assembly,' Pritzker said Sunday at his end-of-session news conference in Springfield, flanked by Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park. 'Sometimes they spend two years, four years, six years trying to get something big done. I think we've been hyper-successful about getting things done in a shorter period of time than expected.' But Pritzker's mixed scorecard also revealed tensions between his agenda and those in the Legislative Black Caucus. More than once, Black caucus members balked at Pritzker's plans as they didn't see their wants and needs fully addressed during a legislative session that focused heavily on fiscal issues and a tight budget. Indeed, while the governor's backing puts political capital behind any policy proposal, that didn't mean it was guaranteed to pass through the sometimes splintered Democratic supermajorities in the state House and Senate. Here are some examples of where the governor accomplished what he set out to do — and a few places where he came up short. What Pritzker said: 'This session, I'll move forward with legislation requiring all school districts in Illinois to adopt a cellphone policy that bans the use of phones during classroom instruction. More focus on learning will bring even greater success for kids across our state.' Status: Did not pass. A coalition of Illinois House lawmakers blocked the measure when it came to the House late in the session over concerns about unequal disciplinary impacts, according to bill sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg. Concerns about enforcement disproportionately affecting Black and brown students became more pronounced as lawmakers reviewed the phone restriction alongside another bill limiting police from ticketing students for minor misbehavior, according to Mussman. Legislators were hesitant to pass a statewide school mandate while also debating a measure meant to scale back school discipline practices, she said. Rep. Curtis Tarver, a Chicago Democrat and a member of the Black caucus, told the Tribune in February he worried about the 'unintended consequences' of a phone ban, including inequitable enforcement. The legislation against ticketing and fines passed both chambers and now heads to Pritzker's desk for his signature. A Chicago Tribune and ProPublica investigation found school districts used local law enforcement to fine students, and Black students were twice as likely to be ticketed at school as their white peers, a pattern lawmakers aimed to end. Pritzker's cellphone policy will have to wait for another session when there's more time to work out the enforcement aspect, Mussman said. The measure would have required school districts to adopt guidelines prohibiting students from using wireless devices, such as cellphones and smartwatches, during instructional time, while providing secure and accessible storage for the devices, before the 2026-2027 school year. The legislation also included a few exceptions, such as permitting students to use phones in emergencies. In the end, negotiations around the measure came down to a 'dance' between ensuring local school boards had control over their own policies while also protecting students from 'inequitably applied' policies, Mussman said. Moreover, representatives were unsure how to implement guidance on 'how a phone might be returned if it was confiscated, or what to do if anything was lost or broken,' she added. Also not quite making the mark: Pritzker's push to expand so-called evidence-based funding for K-12 schools by $350 million. The final plan would boost funding by $307 million, cutting $43 million that usually would go to a grant program designed to help school districts with high property tax rates and low real estate values. What Pritzker said: 'I'm proposing that we allow community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees for in-demand career paths — like nursing, advanced manufacturing, early childhood education, and beyond.' And: 'I propose we pass the Public University Direct Admission Program Act introduced by Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford last year. It would allow students to know before they apply whether they qualify for admission to any or all of our state's public universities.' Status: One for two. The Pritzker-led initiative to let community colleges offer four-year degrees didn't make it to the finish line even after the sponsor, Democratic Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl of Northbrook, filed a significant amendment following months of negotiations. The bill was intended to create more paths for students to get affordable, accessible bachelor's degrees in areas that need more workers. However, it initially faced opposition from existing four-year schools that warned it could duplicate degree offerings. Toward the end of the session, Tarver told a Senate committee that the Black caucus had 'significant issues with the bill,' including how it would affect four-year institutions serving a high proportion of Black and minority students, such as Chicago State University. A proposal on direct university admissions, however, passed, meaning high school students and eligible community college students starting in the 2027-2028 school year will automatically be offered admission to public universities if they meet specific GPA standards. What Pritzker said: 'We're going to stop insurance companies from blocking access to mental health. We can do that by banning prior authorization for all behavioral health care. And for rural Illinois families and those who live far away from certain medical care, we'll require insurance reimbursement for reasonable travel costs associated with medical appointments' for some distances. Status: Passed. Building on sweeping health care legislation last year, the General Assembly this session voted on a bill to expand a ban on prior authorization for outpatient behavioral health care, meaning patients will no longer need permission from insurance companies before receiving mental health treatment in many more cases. The same legislation also puts insurers on the hook for travel costs in some instances where closer options aren't adequate. What Pritzker said: 'I'm introducing the Prescription Drug Affordability Act to rein in the unfair practices of PBMs.' Status: Passed. Critics often blame large so-called pharmacy benefit managers, such as CVS Caremark and UnitedHealth Group-owned Optum Rx, for inflating prescription drug costs while pushing independent pharmacies out of business, and Pritzker was largely successful this session in barring these practices, as a bill carrying language to restrict PBM costs passed the legislature with broad bipartisan support. The bill now heading to Pritzker's desk would prohibit PBMs from charging insurance companies more for drugs than they are paid by pharmacies and pocketing the difference; prohibit them from giving better reimbursement rates to pharmacies that the same company owns; and require them to pass along rebates negotiated with drugmakers to health plans and patients. Pritzker indicated Saturday that he would sign the measure, which would also require PBMs to submit annual reports on pricing and other practices to the Illinois Department of Insurance. The measure would charge PBMs an annual $15-per-patient fee, with the first $25 million collected going to a grant fund to support local pharmacies. Supporters of PBMs during the session argued Pritzker's plan was flawed, as they see PBMs as saving patients and employers money partly by negotiating with drugmakers. What Pritzker proposed: As part of the package of policies he announced in February, Pritzker said he'd push several other initiatives, including funding to remediate dilapidated state sites and an easier path for voters to reduce or eliminate local township governments. Status: State site funding passed; township idea stalled. Pritzker received his requested $500 million in state capital funds for two key programs on state sites, including $300 million to remake five or more largely abandoned properties, which would help develop properties 'sitting idle' in areas that are 'ripe' for economic growth, according to his budget proposals. The state's previous investments in site readiness have generated over $1.5 billion in private investment and the now-passed initiatives could attract more than $4.7 billion in investment, the governor's office said in February. Yet an effort to consolidate smaller townships across the state did not gain much traction as neither bill in the House nor the Senate made it out of committee. Pritzker's office said in February that many of the more than 1,400 townships operating across the state — which levy over $750 million in property taxes — provide services that are duplicative or could be managed more efficiently by municipalities or counties. Townships often provide maintenance and services for rural areas, such as road maintenance and transportation for seniors. Still, several Illinois townships have been tangled with corruption, such as the recent federal investigation of Dolton Mayor and Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard over improper spending of taxpayer dollars. The idea of consolidating townships has faltered for a century, partly due to opposition from politicians seeking to preserve their power, as well as concerns that downstate rural areas could lose their civic identity. ____
