[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

BRANDIS FRIEDMAN HAS THE EVENING OFF.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... >> THE NEWS AROUND THE COUNTRY ON COVID-19 IS NOT GOOD.

>> THE LATEST UPDATINGS ON RISING COVID NUMBERS, A POSSIBLE VACCINE BOOSTER SHOT, AND A NEW MASK GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC.

>> THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT AND THIS IS A DEMOCRACY DEFENDING MOMENT.

>> OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THE POLITICAL FALLOUT OF THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE ON ILLINOIS CONGRESSMEN.

>> WE'RE ALSO ADVANCING EQUALITY IN HOW WE ISSUE MARRIAGE LICENSES.

>> TWO NEW STATE LAWS EASE THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.

>> SIMONE BILES DROPS OUT OF THE OLYMPICS, WE DISCUSS THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL SOME ATHLETES PAY.

>> YOUR HOME MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT WE SHARE THE DETAILS.

>> I'M ANGEL IDOWU AND TONIGHT WE WILL HAVE A LOOK AT 26 OF THE ORIGINAL WORKS BY ARTIST FRIDA KAHLO.

>> AND ARTIST CHRIS WARE IS OUR TOUR GUIDE FOR AN EXHIBITION THAT MAKES THE CASE THAT THE COMIC STRIP WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CHICAGO.

FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> THE U.S. SENATE MOVES TOWARD A DEAL ON THE $1 TRILLION BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL.

THE SENATE VOTED TO ADVANCE THE LEGISLATION AFTER MITCH McCONNELL SAID HE WOULD BE A YES VOTE ON ALLOWING DEBATE TO PROCEED.

McCONNELL HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AN OBSTACLE TO THE LEGISLATION.

IT'S SET TO SPEND ON HIGHWAYS, ROAD, BRIDGES, AND MASS TRANSIT AND BROADBAND INTERNET CONNECTIONS AND LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT IN PLACES LIKE CHICAGO.

MORE ON THAT LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

>> THE CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES ITS $9.3 BILLION BUDGET FOR CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS INCLUDES $672 MILLION FOR FACILITY INVESTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND A BILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR STUDENT SUPPORTS THIS MEANS INSURING A SAFE RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND ADDRESSING THE DISIMPORTANCE PORTIONALITY IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

>> ILLINOIS SET TO BEGIN AWARDING 185 COVETED PERMITS TO OFFER RECREATIONAL CANNABIS AFTER A YEAR OF DELAYS AND FRUSTRATION.

TOMORROW'S THE FIRST OF THE THREE LOTTERIES WITH 55 LICENSES BEING CHOSEN.

ILLINOIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AWARDED ITS FIRST SOCIAL EQUITY DISPENSARY LICENSES A YEAR AGO BUT LAWSUITS AND CRITICISMS OF A FLAWED APPLICATION SCORING PROCESS PUT IT ON HOLD.

THE NEXT TWO LOTTERIES ARE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH.

>> CONSIDER WEARING A MASK INDOORS EVEN IF YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED THAT IS THE NEWEST RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.

WHICH NOW SAYS ALL INDIVIDUALS SHOULD MASK UP INDOORS IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL OR HIGH TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19.

THIS COMES AS CASES SPIKE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN CHICAGO WHERE LOLLAPALOOZA IS SET TO BEGIN TOMORROW.

AND JOINING US FOR AN UPDATE ON ALL THINGS COVID IS Dr. ROBERT MURPHY DIRECTOR FOR THE INSTITUTE OF GLOBAL HEALTH AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S FEINBERG SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

Dr. MURPHY, WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE DID NOT THINK WE WOULD BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BUT HERE WE ARE.

COVID CASES SPIKING IN CHICAGO THE CITY'S AVERAGING 185 DAILY CASES THAT IS A 62% INCREASE FROM JUST A WEEK AGO.

WHAT IS DRIVING THIS SURGE?

>> WHAT'S DRIVING THE SURGE ARE THE UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO VOLUNTARILY USE MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WHEN THEY WERE OUT IN MIXED GROUPS IN THE PUBLIC.

AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.

THEY JUST ACTED LIKE ALL THE VACCINATED PEOPLE AND WHAT THAT'S DONE IS IT'S RESTARTED THE PANDEMIC ANOTHER BIG WAVE OF INFECTIONS.

AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.

THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM OBVIOUSLY FAILED.

>> DOES THAT MEAN AS WE HEAR PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY TALK ABOUT MASK MANDATES OR VACATION OR TESTING MANDATES FOR -- VACCINATION AND TESTING MANDATES FOR FEDERAL WORKERS?

>> IT'S ALL HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.

THE VOLUNTARY SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK.

SO WE HAVE TO -- WE TRIED IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW THERE'S GOING TO BE MANDATES.

MIXED GROUPS WILL HAVE TO WEAR MASKS INDOORS.

MAYBE SOMETIMES OUTDOORS.

IT REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW BAD IT IS.

BUT THIS IS -- IT'S JUST TRAGEDY.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN INDIA WITH THE DELTA VARIANT.

DELTA IS SO MUCH MORE CONTAGIOUS COMPARED TO THE OTHER VARIANTS THAT HIT THE UNITED STATES.

AND JUST EXPOSURE TO SOMEBODY LESS THAN ONE MINUTE PUTS YOU AT RISK.

THAT IS JUST A BIG GAME CHANGER.

>> AND THE DATA SAYS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE COMING DOWN WITH INFECTIONS DRIVEN BY THE DELTA VARIANT ARE UNVACCINATED ALTHOUGH WE DO HEAR REPORTS OF BREAKTHROUGH CASES.

HOW SUSCEPTIBLE ARE VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS TO THIS DELTA VARIANT?

AND THEN HOW SUSCEPTIBLE ARE THEY TO SPREAD THE DISEASE?

>> WELL, THOSE ARE GOOD QUESTIONS.

ORIGINALLY, IN THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, THEY WERE SUPER MILD INFECTIONS WITH LITTLE VIRUS AND YOU HEARD EXPERTS AROUND THE COUNTRY SAY THAT YOU KNOW, THE VACCINATED BREAKTHROUGH CASES ARE NOT CAUSING REALLY ANY PART OF THIS PANDEMIC.

THAT THINKING HAS CHANGED NOW.

BECAUSE THE THING IS SO HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND THE AMOUNT OF VIRUS IN THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES TURNS OUT TO BE HIGHER THAN WE ORIGINALLY HAD WITH THE OTHER VARIANTS OF CONCERN.

SO THIS IS JUST TRAGEDY.

NOW, THE GOOD THING IS FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE WE HAVE TO KEEP THIS IN MIND TO REALLY PUSH THESE VACCINES NOW, IS THEY ARE NOT GETTING THAT SICK.

THEY ARE NOT ENDING UP IN THE HOSPITAL.

THEY ARE NOT ENDING UP IN THE ICU AND THEY ARE NOT DYING FROM COVID.

WHEREAS THE UNVACCINATED ONES ARE BEHAVING JUST LIKE COVID WAS BEFORE.

10 TO 15% IN THE HOSPITAL, 1-2% ARE DYING.

THAT'S WHAT THE METRIC IS NOW.

>> STILL A RISK THAT VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS SHOULD THEY COME DOWN WITH COVID COULD SPREAD IT AND LOLLAPALOOZA KICKS OFF TOMORROW IT'S GOING TO GO ON.

WHAT BUMP DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN CHICAGO WITH COVID CASES AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT?

>> THOSE PEOPLE AT LOLLAPALOOZA ARE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A SPREADER EVENT.

THEY ARE REQUIRING THAT PEOPLE THAT ATTEND LOLLAPALOOZA HAVE PROVE OF VACCINE.

HOWEVER I DON'T KNOW HOW THOROUGHLY THEY ARE CHECKING AND THIS WAS DONE IN EUROPE RECENTLY AT A BIG CONCERT THERE.

AND OVER A THOUSAND CASES WERE REPORTED AFTER A BIG EVENT.

SIMILAR TO LOLLAPALOOZA.

SO THE QUESTION NOW IS: HOW MANY CASES ARE GOING TO COME OUT BASED ON THIS ONE EVENT?

IT'S NOT LIKE IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IT'S HOW MANY.

>> SO WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT-AND-SEE WHAT HAPPENS BUT YOU ARE CONVINCED THERE WILL BE A BUMP.

AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, PFIZER HAS BEEN SOUNDING -- BEATING THE DRUM ON RECOMMENDING A THIRD VACCINE BOOSTER SHOT.

THE CDC HASN'T GONE THAT ROUTE YET.

DO YOU THINK THE DATA -- DOES THE DATA SHOW THAT A THIRD SHOT MIGHT BE NECESSARY?

>> WELL, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT IN PLACES THAT WHERE THE VACCINE UPTAKE IS REALLY GOOD LIKE IN ISRAEL AND IN SOME PARTS OF FRANCE, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING REALLY SICK WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED ARE PEOPLE REALLY AT HIGH-RISK.

THEY ARE ELDERLY, THEY HAVE UNDERLYING IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CONDITIONS.

AND THEY'VE DONE SMALL STUDIES IN THOSE AREAS AND ALSO HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND AT LEAST THE ANTIBODY LEVELS ARE IMPROVING IN -- IF THE PEOPLE GET A BOOSTER A THIRD SHOT.

NOW, AT SOME PARTICULAR POINT AND THIS HAS BEEN SAID FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT YOU KNOW, A THIRD POOFTER SHOT FOR EVERYBODY -- BOOSTER SHOT FOR EVERYBODY IS LIKELY TO COME DOWN THE LINE.

THAT DAY HAS NOT COME YET.

WE'RE NOT SEEING -- ONCE WE START SEEING PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL AGAIN WHO HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED THEN THE BOOSTER IS GOING OUT.

IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH NIGHTMARE.

161 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED IN THE UNITED STATES.

TELL 161 MILLION PEOPLE YOU NEED ANOTHER SHOT.

>> IN ADDITION TO CONVINCING THE OTHER 161 PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.

>> THE OTHER 160 MILLION WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO TAKE ONE OR TWO SHOTS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE ALL THE ONES VACCINATED.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOGISTIC CHALLENGE.

>> I AM AT NOTE, THAT IS HALF THE COUNTRY FULLY VACCINATED.

WHAT RATE OF VACCINATION DOES THE COUNTRY NEED TO BE AT TO PREVENT OUTBREAKS LIKE WE'RE SEEING?

>> YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERD IMMUNITY.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

HERD IMMUNITY IS DIFFICULT TO CALCULATE.

YOU INCLUDE ALL THE PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED.

YOU ALSO GET TO INCLUDE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD COVID.

REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS?

IF YOU HAD COVID YOU DID NOT GET IT AGAIN?

THAT TURNS OUT THAT IMMUNITY WANES OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT THEY HAVE SOME IMMUNITY.

YOU TAKE THOSE IMMUNE PEOPLE AND THE VACCINATED PEOPLE.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET TO 70.

BUT WITH THE DELTA VARIANT, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN 70%.

PROBABLY 80, 85%.

>> ALL RIGHT Dr. MURPHY THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ALBEIT UNDER UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE COUNTRY.

>> THANK YOU >> YES, IT'S UNFORTUNATE.

>> AN OLYMPIC SUPERSTAR WITHDRAWS FROM THE GAMES IN TOKYO.

SIMONE BILES STEPPED WAY YESTERDAY FOLLOWING A ROTATION ON THE VAULT.

BILES CITED HER MENTAL HEALTH AS REASON FOR HER WITHDRAWAL AND U.S.A.

GYMNASTICS SAYS COLLEEN SHEEHAN WILL BE EVALUATED.

SHE IS ONE OF A GROWING NUMBER OF ATHLETES TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE MENTAL STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE ATHLETICS.

AND JOINING US ARE LYNDA RANSDELL, THE NEW DEAN OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND STUDIED ATHLETES FOR YEARS.

>> AND SPORTS THERAPIST NATALIE GRAVES WHOSE PRACTICE SPECIALIZES IN MENTAL HEALTH OF ATHLETES FROM THE OLYMPIC AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS TO COLLEGE AND YOUTH LEVELS AND WE WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> NATALIE GRAVES, YOUR REACTION TO BILES' PERFORMANCE AND HER SUBJECT QENT WITHDRAWAL?

>> MY FIRST IMPRESSION WITH THE PERFORMANCE, ACTUALLY STARTED AT THE TRIALS WHEN I NOTICED SHE WAS NOT PERFORMING AS SHE NORMALLY DOES.

AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE FOR HER STANDARDS SHE DID NOT HAVE A GREAT PERFORMANCE THAT IS WHEN SHE BECAME ON MY RADAR.

AND FAST FORWARD TO THE GAMES, I THINK IT JUST WAS A COMBINATION OF WHAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON WITH HER.

BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY, THE PRESSURE AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT SHE PUTS ON HERSELF.

AND THE WEIGHT OF THE COUNTRY.

>> AND LYNDA RANSDELL ONE ARTICLE DESCRIBED WHAT SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH IS THE TWISTIES IT IS A MENTAL BROCK THEY ARE NOT SURE WHERE THEY ARE AND THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE WHICH PUTS THEM AT PHYSICAL RISK OF INJURY.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT MENTAL BLOCKS THAT ATHLETES AT THIS LEVEL FACE AND HOW THEY GET THROUGH THEM?

>> I THINK THAT IF YOU THINK ABOUT ATHLETES AND HELPING THEM ACHIEVE HIGH PERFORMANCE, THE FIRST THING TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF STRESS.

IT'S CALLED D STRESS.

IF THEY HAVE TOO LITTLE STRESS THEY ARE NOT AS MOTIVATED AND THAT MIGHT BE PRECIPITATED BY A LACK OF A CROWD OR HOW THEIR PERSONALITY RESPONDS.

IF THEY HAVE TOO MUCH STRESS IT'S TYPICALLY BECAUSE THEY PUT PRESSURE ON THEMSELVES TO BE EXCEPTIONAL AT ALL TIMES.

THERE IS THE SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT OF IT.

THE FACT THEY ARE ON THE NEWS 24/7 AND THIS THING CALLED FEAR OF FAILURE AND ATHLETES ARE NOT USED TO IT AND THEY DO NOT DEAL WITH IT WELL AT ANY LEVEL.

I THINK PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENED IS THE LEVEL OF STRESS AND THE COMPETITION AND MAYBE SHE WASN'T FEELING LIKE SHE NORMALLY DOES AT THAT LEVEL OF COMPETITION.

SO I THINK IT HAPPENS TO ATHLETES UNFORTUNATELY ON OCCASION.

>> AND AS WE'VE SAID BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF GYMNASTICS THAT COULD PUT HER AT GREAT PHYSICAL RISK.

NATALIE GRAVES GIVEN ALL THESE FACTORS IS IT TYPICAL FOR A TEAM LIKE U.S.A.

GYMNASTICS TO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO HELP ATHLETES?

>> ONE WOULD HOPE SO.

IT'S REALLY IMPERATIVE THAT WE BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE WHOLE ATHLETE NOT JUST THE PERFORMANCE SIDE OF THE ATHLETE NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL SIDE BUT THE EMOTIONAL AND THE MENTAL SIDE.

AND WE'RE BECOMING MORE AND MORE AWARE OF THE NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS TO BE IN THE MIDST OF THESE ATHLETES IN THE TRENCHES TO HELP THEM ALONG THE WAY.

WHAT I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE WITH PROGRAMS AND UNIVERSITIES IS WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS.

WE WANT TO BE PREVENTATIVE.

WE WANT TO HAVE THESE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ALREADY IN PLACE, ALREADY ON STAFF TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THE ATHLETE.

BECAUSE ONCE SOMETHING HAPPENS OFTENTIMES IT'S HARD TO REVERSE COURSE.

AND WE'RE SEEING THAT STRUGGLE WITH SIMONE BILES RIGHT NOW.

>> AND LET'S NOT FORGET, AMONG ALL THE FACTORS, U.S.A.

GYMNASTICS, WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS HAS BEEN IN THE MIDST OF A SCANDAL A FIRESTORM WITH THE FORMER TEAM PHYSICIAN AND SIMONE BILES SAYS SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY HIM.

HOW BIG A FACTOR DOES THAT PLAY INTO THE MENTAL STATE AT LEAST OF THE WOMEN ATHLETES RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, IT'S A BIG FACTOR BEING A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ABUSE.

OBVIOUSLY SHE HAS OVERCOME A LOT ON THE FLOOR.

SHE'S EXCELLED EXCEPTIONALLY.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN SHE IS NOT IMPACTED BY IT.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND ALSO JUST AS ANY ONE OF US WE CAN HAVE MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES.

ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR WILL SUFFER FROM A MINUTE R MENTAL ILLNESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY.

WE HAVE TO STOP TREATING THIS LIKE THIS IS SOME TABU, A STRANGE THING THAT OCCURS IT'S VERY, VERY COMMON.

AND WHEN YOU ARE A HIGH PROFILE ATHLETE THE PRESSURE IS THAT MUCH MORE AND THE EXPECTATIONS ARE SO MUCH HIGHER AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN SOMETHING COMES IN THAT MAY DISRUPT YOUR TRAINING OR YOUR DAILY FUNCTIONING IT MAKES THAT MUCH HARDER TO GET BACK ON TRACK WHEN THE WORLD IS WATCHING.

AND REMEMBER SHE IS ONLY 24 YEARS OLD.

>> ALSO YOUNG, LYNDA RANSDELL IS THE TENNIS SUPERSTAR NAOMI OSAKA WHO PULLED OUT OF WIMBLEDON CITING MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

SOME PEOPLE CRITICIZE IT AND WANT TO PILE ON AND OTHERS FEEL IT IS A POSITIVE THING.

WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE TO HAVE THE HIGH PRO ATHLETES TALKING ABOUT THIS?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IN SOCIETY IS PEOPLE THINK OF THESE ELITE ATHLETES AS MACHINES AND THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS.

AND THEY NEED TO BE TREATED AS MUCH AND HUMAN BEINGS DO EXPERIENCE FAILURE.

THEY HAVE TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET WHEN THINGS DON'T GO THE WAY THEY WANT THEM TO GO.

AND I THINK THAT THE ADMISSION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT THESE ATHLETES HAVE BECAUSE THEY TRAIN SO HARD, SO MANY HOURS A DAY.

THEY ARE ISOLATED IN MANY CASES AND PARTICULARLY WITH COVID, YOU KNOW IT IS A DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I DON'T THINK MANY OF US CAN UNDERSTAND.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED THE FACTORS EARLIER, SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT THEIR BEST SELFS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND TRY TO SCORE POINTS BY TROLLING ARE ATHLETES UNDER MORE PRESSURE NOW GIVEN THE STATE OF SOCIETY THAN THEY WERE 10, 20 YEARS AGO?

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON NOW THAT DIDN'T GO ON PRESOCIAL MEDIA, PREFACEBOOK, PRETWITTER.

AND SO WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT PEOPLE WILL DO AND SAY THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THEY MIGHT NOT DO OR SAY TO A PERSON'S FACE AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.

>> INTERESTING DISCUSSION THANKS TO LYNDA RANSDELL AND NATALIE GRAVES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> YOU BET.

MORE CHICAGO FAMILIES WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO HAVE THE LEAD SERVICE LINES IN THEIR HOME REPLACED THIS AFTER THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED BY MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT NEARLY A YEAR AGO HAS BEEN OFF TO A SLOW START.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER CHERONE JOINS US WITH MORE DETAILS.

REMIND US THE MAYOR'S PLAN BACK IN SEPTEMBER AND WHY IT HAS BEEN SLOW TO GET OFF THE GROUND?

>> WELL, HER PLAN HAD TWO PARTS; ONE WOULD TAKE FEDERAL MONEY ABOUT $15 MILLION WORTH AND START REPLACING LEAD SERVICE LINES FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME CHICAGOANS.

NOW EVEN THOUGH SHE ANNOUNCED THAT PLAN BACK IN SEPTEMBER, APPLICATIONS DID NOT START -- WEREN'T OPENED UNTIL MARCH AND ONLY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM.

SO THIS WEEK, SHE ANNOUNCED THAT INSTEAD OF BEING A LOWER MODERATE INCOME CHICAGOANS WHO HAD HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD IN THEIR HOME'S WATER, ANYBODY COULD DO IT AS LONG AS YOU HAD KIDS AND MET THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS HOPING THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD APPLY.

>> WHAT ARE THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS THE BALL PARK?

>> IT'S ABOUT $75,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.

SO ABOUT 80% OF THE AREA'S MEDIAN INCOME.

AND IT'S TO HELP THOSE LIVING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THESE LEAD SERVICE LINES CAN HAVE THE WORST IMPACT ON CHICAGO'S POOREST CHILDREN.

>> HOW DOES THE CITY PLAN ON PAYING FOR IT BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE?

>> THE CITY ESTIMATES IT WILL COST $8.5 BILLION TO REMOVE THE 400,000 LEAD LINES THERE MAY BE MONEY COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS PART OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT STARTED MOVING THROUGH THE UNITED STATES SENATE TODAY, WEDNESDAY.

>> SO THAT BILL DOES HAVE FUNDING FOR WATER SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT AND HEATHER WE ARE GOING TO SEE YOU LATER IN THE PROGRAM FOR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TO TALK ABOUT JUST THAT AND OTHER THINGS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH AS ALWAYS.

>> THANKS, PARIS.

>> AND YOU CAN READ HEATHER'S STORY ON WTTW.COM/NEWS.

>> AND UP NEXT, CHICAGO'S COLORFUL ROLE IN THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMIC STRIP.

STAY WITH US.

>> MORE TO GET TO INCLUDING A LOOK WHY ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN ADAM KINZINGER IS BEING RIDICULED BY MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY.

WE FEATURED A SHOW AT THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART THAT PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON COMICS FROM 1960s CARTOONS UP TO PRESENT DAY GRAPHIC NOVELS.

WELL, THAT SHOW HAS A SISTER EXHIBITION WHICH OPENED SOON AFTER AT THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER IT LOOKS AT AN EARLIER HISTORY OF COMICS MAKING THE CASE THAT CHICAGO TRULY BROUGHT COMICS TO LIFE.

MARC VITALI HAS THE STORY.

[♪♪♪] >> AT THE CULTURAL CENTER, THE CURATORS WALK THROUGH THE CARTOONISH CREATION.

THEY ARE ACCLAIMED ARTIST CHRIS WARE AND THE CITY OF CHICAGO'S HISTORIAN TIM SAMUELSON.

>> THIS IS AN INTEREST THAT WE BOTH SHARED.

BUT CHRIS WAS ABLE TO PUT IT INTO A FORM AS AN EXHIBIT THAT I COULD HAVE NEVER PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND EVEN WHERE THERE'S COMIC PAGES THAT I KNOW REALLY WELL AND I'VE READ SINCE I WAS A KID WHEN I SEE THEM ON THE WALL IT'S LIKE, WOW.

>> COMIC STRIP IS A VISUAL RAT MAZE SO I TRIED TO CREATE A THREE DIMENSION ALAN LOG AND USE EVERY SPOT THAT I COULD.

IN COMICS YOU ARE LIKELY TO SEE A DIALOGUE BALLOON AND I WANTED TO USE THE WALL NOT EVERYTHING BE A DRY RING OF IMAGERY.

COMICS ARE AN ACTIVE THING I WANTED IT TO BE AS FUN AND EXCITING.

>> WE LAST MET CHRIS WARE IN JANUARY 2020 AT HIS HOME STUDIO.

>> I GREW UP READING STUPID SUPER HERO COMICS AND I THOUGHT I WOULD GROW UP TO BE A SUPER HERO.

WHEN I BECAME A PROFESSIONAL CARTOONIST WHAT APPEALED TO ME MORE THAN COMIC BOOKS THEY SEEMED TO BE LIMITED AND VERY MUCH BASED ON A MOVIE CAMERA.

I REALIZED THAT THE EARLIEST COMICS THAT WERE DRAWN BEFORE THE MOVIES IS WHERE THE ACTION WAS AND WHERE THE MEDIUM CAME TO LIFE AND YOU COULD FEEL THE SOUL AND THE WARMTH OF THE ARTIST BEHIND THE PEN.

>> THE SHOW COVERS FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY THROUGH THE 1950s AND IT'S FULL OF REVELATIONS.

>> I WAS SURPRISED MORE THAN ANYTHING TO DISCOVER AT THE TRIBUNE WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL STRANGE NEWSPAPER.

>> THE "CHICAGO TRIBUNE" WAS NOT THE FIRST NEWSPAPER TO HAVE A SUNDAY COMICS PAGE.

HOWEVER, IT TOOK THE COMICS PAGE AND MADE IT A WORK OF ART.

>> THE EXHIBITION ABUNDANTLY CREDITS THE CREATORS INCLUDING FRANK KING WHOSE CHARACTERS IN THE GASOLINE ALLEY STRIP AGED DAY BY DAY AND YEAR BY YEAR.

THE AUTHOR OF ONE SHORT-LIVED STRIP FROM 1905 REMAINS ANONYMOUS.

LUCY AND SOPHIE SAY GOOD-BYE FEATURED TWO WOMEN WHOSE DEPARTURES WAS ALWAYS INTERRUPTED.

>> IT WAS NOT SIGNED INDICATES THEY WERE PUSHING THE ENVELOPE DID NOT RUN FOR LONG BUT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AND POWERFUL STRIP.

THE SAME SEX COMIC STRIP IN THE HISTORY OF THE MEDIUM.

>> SOME OF THE MATERIAL IS ON LOAN MUCH COMES FROM THE CURATOR'S COLLECTIONS.

>> SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE PART OF MY OWN CHILDHOOD OBSESSION.

IT'S INTERESTING SEEING BITS OF YOUR OWN OBSESSION TO SEE IT ON THE GALLERY WALL AND OTHER PEOPLE LOOKING AT IT.

>> COMICS ARE LOOKED DOWN UPON AS A THROW AWAY MEDIUM WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST POWERS.

IT IS A MEDIUM THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT AND UNDERSTAND IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FEELING LIKE YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ART OR PAINTING IF YOU LOOK AT A COMIC STRIP AND YOU DON'T GET IT YOU ASSUME THE CARTOONIST IS AN IDIOT.

IT IS POWERFUL MEDIUM, BEAUTIFUL IMMEDIATE YAUM, EMOTIONAL MEDIUM AND UNPRETENTIOUS PERSONABLE MEDIUM AND I HOPE TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THIS SHOW IS HAVE A SENSE WHAT THE RICH TEXTURES OF LIFE AND HOW IT COULD BE COMMUNICATED IN SOMETHING THAT IS ESSENTIALLY TRASH.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IS MARC VITALI.

>> TOTALLY REMEMBER THE SUNDAY COMIC SECTIONS IN THE "CHICAGO TRIBUNE".

CHICAGO WHERE COMICS CAME TO LIFE IS FREE AND EXTENDED AT THE CULTURAL CENTER THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> AND STILL TO COME ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT"...

NEWLY SIGNED LAWS AIMED AT EASING THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE LK LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IN ILLINOIS.

>> THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT AND A DEMOCRACY DEFENDING MOMENT.

>> OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THE POLITICAL FALLOUT OF THE JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE ESPECIALLY ON ILLINOIS CONGRESSMEN.

UNFOLD STORIES ABOUT FRIDA KAHLO IN A NEW EXHIBIT FEATURING MORE THAN 20 OF HERPESES.

FIRST -- PER PIECES.

>> THE STATE REACHES A BLEAK BENCHMARK ONE DAY BEFORE LOLLAPALOOZA BEGINS.

THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS MORE THAN 2,000 CASES OF COVID-19 IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.

THAT IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAILY CASES REPORTED HERE SINCE EARLY MAY.

STATE ALSO REPORTS SIX DEATHS.

THAT BRINGS THE NUMBER OF COVID CASES IN THE STATE TO 1.4 MILLION SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND A TOTAL OF 23,420 DEATHS.

THE STATE'S SEVEN DAY POST AT THIS TIME RATE IS 4% UP FROM 1.9% THE WEEK BEFORE.

AND THE ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE JESSE WHITE ANNOUNCES MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL PLOYS AND CUSTOMERS ENTERING DRIVER SERVICES FACILITIES AND SECRETARY OFFICES AND THE CAPITOL BUILDING THAT MANDATE.

THIS REINSTITUTED POLICY WILL BEGIN AUGUST 2.

A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO INVESTIGATE THE COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HANDLING OF A DECADE'S OLD MURDER CASE.

A COOK COUNTY JUDGE APPOINTED LAWRENCE OLIVER TO SERVE AS SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IN THE CASE OF JACKIE WILSON.

WILLSON WRONGFULLY SPENT DECADES BEHIND BARS FOR A DOUBLE MURDER HE WAS HAND EXONERATED.

HE WAS BEATEN AND SHOCKED BY JOHN BURGE AND OTHERS THEY DEMANDED A CONFESSION FOR THE 1982 MURDERS OF TWO CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS.

THE U.S. SENATE MOVES A STEP CLOSER TOWARD A DEAL ON THE $1 TRILLION BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSAL.

A VOTE TO OPEN DEBATE CLEARED THE SENATE BY A 67-32 VOTE JUST THIS EVENING.

THE AYE VOTES INCLUDED REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSIDERED A HURDLE TO THE LEGISLATION.

ILLINOIS SENATOR DURBIN CALLED THE VOTE A FIRST STEP TOWARD HISTORIC AND LONG OVERDUE INVESTMENT IN AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE ARE ON THIS WITH OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

>> ILLINOIS SET TO BEGIN AWARDING 185 COVETED PERMITS TO OPERATE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS DISPENSARY A YEAR AFTER -- AFTER A YEAR OF DELAYS AND FRUSTRATION.

TOMORROW IS THE FIRST OF THREE LOTTERIES WITH 55 LICENSES BEING CHOSEN AMONG HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS.

ILLINOIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AWARDED ITS FIRST LICENSES A YEAR AGO BUT INSTEAD LAWSUITS AND CRITICISMS OF A FLAWED APPLICATION SCORING PROCESS PUT IT ON HOLD.

>> THE NEXT TWO LOTTERIES ARE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH.

>> LGBTQ GROUPS ARE PRAISING THE SIGNING OF A PACKAGE OF NEW LAWS AIMED AT HELPING TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING RESIDENTS TO EASE THE PROCESS OF CHANGING ONE'S NAME ON DOCUMENTS.

AND IT ALLOWS REMOVAL OF GENDER LANGUAGE ON MARRIAGER IS KITS AND ALLOWS FOR A PERSON TO GET A NEW MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE TO REFLECT A LEGAL NAME CHANGE AND JOINING US ARE SENATE SENATOR SARA FEIGENHOLTZ WHOSE DISTRICT INCLUDES THE NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

AND CHANNYN PARKER DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH HOWARD BROWN HEALTH.

WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

SENATOR SARA FEIGENHOLTZ, WALK US THROUGH THE TWO LAWS IF YOU WOULD.

>> OK.

HAPPY TO DO THAT.

TWO BILLS FIRST OF ALL PARIS, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ILLINOIS WHO USUALLY BRINGS THE BACK OF THE TRAIN IS THE SECOND STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE DONE SENATE BILL 139 AND HOUSE BILL 2590.

SENATE BILL 139 IS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR GENDER MARKERS ON YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE RETROACTIVELY.

AND -- ACTUALLY TO CHANGE IT FROM HUSBAND AND WIFE TO NONBINARY OR WHATEVER A PERSON CHOOSES.

THE SECOND BILL IT LETS YOU RETROACTIVELY CHANGE YOUR GENDER ON YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE.

>> AND CHANNYN PARKER HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE THESE CHANGES IN ILLINOIS LAW TO THE TRANS COMMUNITY AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE?

>> GOODNESS.

HOW AREN'T THEY?

AS THE SENATOR WAS SAYING, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THESE BILLS THAT WERE PASSED, REALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY REMOVE MORE BURDENS, RIGHT, THEY REMOVE INJUSTICES AND BARRIERS THAT TRANS FOLKS IN PARTICULAR FACE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE LGBTQ FAMILY, RIGHT, OF ALL OF THE IDENTITIES IT'S THE T IN THAT ACRONYM IT'S TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO SHOULDER THAT BURDEN.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE HIGHEST RATES OF FAMILY REJECTION, SUICIDE, MURDER, IN OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, AGAIN, IT'S TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WHO REALLY DO SUFFER.

SO IN THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE SENATOR WAS JUST SAYING THESE BILLS PASSING INTO LAWS ACTUALLY DO HELP TO ALLEVIATE MORE OF THOSE BURDENS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING, JUST IN 2021 ALONE, 31 TRANS PEOPLE AND NONCONFORMING FOLKS WERE FATALLY SHOT OR KILLED BY OTHER VIOLENT MEANS.

AND THE THING IS THIS IS THAT WE SAY AT LEAST BECAUSE, AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE STORIES GO UNREPORTED OR THEY GO MISS REPORTED AND TO ADD TO THAT, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FOLKS WERE BLACK AND LATINX TRANSGENDER WOMEN.

>> SARA FEIGENHOLTZ YOU HEAR THAT, ON A SPECIFIC LEVEL WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR TRANS FOLKS TO DEAL THE CERTIFICATES IN ILLINOIS IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE CALLED Mr. OR MRS. AND HAVE PROPER TITLES ON THERE?

>> YOU KNOW, PARIS, PEOPLE COME TO THEIR LEGISLATORS WITH REAL-LIFE EVERYDAY CHALLENGES.

AND OUR OFFICE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD HAD REALLY HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES.

ONE SPOUSE BEING DENIED HOSPITAL VISITATION.

ANOTHER DENIED THEIR EMPLOYER'S HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE BECAUSE ALL OF THEIR RECORDS WERE NOT ALIGNED AS FAR AS GENDER.

AND DEPENDING ON WHERE IN THIS STATE THEY LIVE AND THESE HOSPITALIZATIONS OR VISITATIONS ARE NECESSARY, THIS PUTS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN DANGER.

AS CHANNYN PARKER TALKED ABOUT, THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IS DISPROPORTIONATELY VICTIMIZED.

AND AS A LEGISLATOR I FEEL THAT EVERY BARRIER WE CAN ELEGAL NATO OWE ELIMINATE REDUCES THAT STIGMA AND DISRESPECT AND GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THE ISSUE FORWARD FOR OUR TRANSGENDER SIBLINGS.

>> IT'S NOT JUST MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES BUT THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IS TRYING TO GET CHANGES FOR ALL MANNER OF DOCUMENTS LIKE DRIVER'S LICENSES.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME THING AND WHAT DOCUMENTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE UPDATED?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MODERNIZATION ACTS MAKING SURE THAT SYSTEMS TALK TO EACH OTHER AND MAKING SURE THAT TRANS FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE EVERYDAY DOCUMENTS THAT ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO FEDERAL BUILDINGS THAT ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO A JOB, RIGHT?

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ID'S.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BERT CERTIFICATES, TALKING ABOUT THE EVERYDAY THINGS THAT OUR NON-TRANSGENDER COUNTERPARTS DO NOT THINK ABOUT.

BECAUSE THOSE ARE BASIC RIGHTS.

THOSE ARE BASIC THINGS THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO.

SO, AGAIN, AS THE SENATOR SAID WHAT WAS SO GREAT, TALKING ABOUT REMOVING BARRIERS FOR TRANS FOLKS IN ORDER TO LIVE FULLER, RICHER MORE ROBUST LIVES.

THAT IS WHAT ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE VIOLENCE TARGETING THE TRANS COMMUNITY, THIS COMES AS THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF LEGISLATION IN THE PAST YEAR IN OTHER STATES ROLLING BACK RIGHTS FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.

DEALING WITH ATHLETICS AND OTHER THINGS.

I MEAN IT FEELS LIKE THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TARGETED.

HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOUR COMMUNITY?

>> IT'S BEEN HARD I WILL SAYING ABOUT AN ILLINOISIAN WE ARE FORTUNATE TO LIVE ON THIS MAGICAL ISLAND NOT PERFECT BUT MY GOODNESS, WHEN THINK ABOUT SOME OF OUR MORE SOUTHERN STATES, THINK ABOUT SOME OF OUR STATES WHO ARE RUN BY OTHER PARTIES EVEN, WE SEE A LOT OF CHALLENGES.

WE SEE THE DAILY RELEASING OF RIGHTS FROM HOSPITAL ACCESS TO SPORTS, TO BATHROOM BILLS, SO MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY DEMORALLIZING TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, AGAIN, WITH CHAMPIONS LIKE THE SENATOR AND OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE SUCH STRONG SUPPORTERS OF THOSE BILLS WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> SENATOR, BEFORE WE LEAVE, I WANT TO GET TO ANOTHER BILL THE GOVERNOR SIGNED WHICH DOES AWAY WITH LONG HELD STATUTE THAT CRIMINALIZED THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV.

FIRST OF ALL TELL US WHAT THAT STATUTE WAS AND WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET RID OF IT?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THAT HISTORICALLY THERE WAS A LOT OF STIGMA AROUND HIV AND AIDS.

NOW WE'RE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE UNDERSTANDING, WELCOMING AND WE HAVE I BELIEVE IT WAS SENATOR PETERS WHO SAID PREP NOT PRISON.

WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A VERY INTERESTING LITTLE SOUNDBYTE.

AND IT'S TRUE.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THE STATE.

ILLINOIS IS A BEACON AS SHANNON SAID AND OTHER STATES ARE DIALING IT BACKWARDS BUT NOT ILLINOIS.

WE ARE DIAL TO GO FORWARD ON EQUITY, ON JUSTICE AND BELIEVE ME I LIKE THIS.

I WAS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR MANY YEARS WHEN IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET A BILL LIKE THIS TWO BILLS PASSED AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

I'M NOT SURE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE REPEAL OF THE HIV CRIMINALIZATION BILL.

BUT WE ARE IN A NEW PLACE AND WE'VE GOT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON SOME OF THESE BILLS.

SO THINGS SEEM TO BE COMING DOWN COOLER HEADS ARE PREVAILING AND WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR EVERYONE IN ILLINOIS INCLUDING OUR TRANS SIBLINGS.

>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVETH THERE THANK YOU TO STATE SENATOR SARA FEIGENHOLTZ AND CHANNYN PARKER THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> AND UP NEXT OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON ILLINOIS REPUBLICANS REACTION TO THE JANUARY 6TH HEARING AND MUCH MORE.

SO PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>> THE JANUARY 6 SELECT COMMITTEE HEARING DIVIDES TWO ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN AND A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE SEEMS TO BE CLOSER.

THAT AND MUCH MORE IN OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

AND JOINING US ARE FAMILIAR FACES, HEATHER CHERONE AND AMANDA VINICKY.

LET'S START OFF WITH THAT HEARING YESTERDAY.

WE HEARD A LOT OF EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY INCLUDING REMARKS AND QUESTIONS FROM ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN ADAM KINZINGER.

LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT DAY.

YOU GUYS WON.

YOU GUYS HELD.

YOU KNOW DEMOCRACIES ARE NOT DEFINED BY OUR BAD DAYS.

WE'RE DEFINED BY HOW WE COME BACK FROM BAD DAYS.

>> WE TALKED TO KINZINGER ON THE 6TH THAT NIGHT.

AND HE WAS CLEARLY SHAKEN AND CLEARLY EMOTIONAL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.

SO HE FOUND HIMSELF ON THIS COMMITTEE AMANDA VINICKY HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI APPOINTED HIM ON SUNDAY.

REMIND US HOW HE GOT ON THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE HE WASN'T ON IT AT FIRST.

>> WELL, YEAH, THIS IS WHY HE GOT THE MONIKER FROM REPUBLICAN LEADER McCARTHY HE IS A PELOSI MEMBER NOW BECAUSE HE WAS APPOINTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SPEAKER VERSUS BY THE G.O.P.

LEADER.

AND THAT IS UNHEARD OF.

ALSO UNHEARD OF PELOSI REFUSING TO SIT MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY PARTY ON A SELECT COMMITTEE.

MUCH OF THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED AND THE CONTINUATION OF SO MUCH UNPRECEDENTED UNDER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S TERM AND THIS IS A CARRY OVER OF THAT AND A CARRY OVER OF AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY A DEEP SOUL SEARCHING FOR SOME MEMBERS INCLUDING KINZINGER.

THAT IS HOW HE GOT ON THE COMMITTEE AFTER ANOTHER ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN RODNEY DAVIS WHO HAD BEEN CHOSEN BY THE REPUBLICAN LEADER TO BE A MEMBER INSTEAD DIDN'T TAKE HIS SEAT BECAUSE PELOSI REJECTED SOME OTHERS.

THIS IS I THINK SHOWS THIS IS PERSON OF COURSE IT IS.

IT IS NONETHELESS ALSO A VERY SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL ISSUE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD WATCH VIDEOS OF WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6 AND NOT SEE THAT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND MORE AND MORE VIDEOS COME OUT AND SOME OF THE FEDERAL CASES.

AS TESTIMONY WAS HAPPENING INSIDE THE CAPITOL, MEMBERS OF THE G.O.P.

WERE OUTSIDE BLAMING HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI AND DEMOCRATS FOR SECURITY ISSUES.

LOOK WHAT RODNEY DAVIS WHO AS AMANDA WAS WAS SELECTED BY McCARTHY AND PULLED SAD ABOUT BLOCKING FIXES TO CAPITOL SECURITY.

>> THEY CAN'T GET THE SECURITY POSTURE WHERE THEY THINK IT IS UP TO PAR BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO TO POLITICAL APPOINTEES.

WE TRIED TO FIX THIS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE STOPPED US EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY.

>> HEATHER WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

THIS ARGUMENT ABOUT SECURITY AT THE CAPITOL AND BEING STONEWALLED?

>> WELL, THEY ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT FROM WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6 TO A QUESTION ABOUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY AT THE CAPITOL.

AND THEY ARE TRYING TO LAY THAT ON HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI.

HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT REALLY ADDRESS THE FACT THAT IT WAS A MOB OF PRO TRUMP PROTESTORS THAT STORMED THE CAPITOL.

AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE CAPITOL WAS PROTECTED AND WHETHER THE CAPITOL POLICE HAD THE PROPER GEAR AND BACK UP.

HOWEVER, THAT IS REALLY NOT WHAT IS AT ISSUE WITH THIS COMMITTEE AND IS AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT FROM THE FACT THESE PEOPLE STORMED THE CAPITOL, CHANTING TO HANG FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AND TRYING TO LOOK FOR PELOSI.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THAT ARGUMENT WILL GAIN TRACTION.

>> SORRY, PARIS BRIEFLY HERE ALSO IN THE SAME REMARKS, CONGRESSMAN DAVIS SAID IT'S UNFORTUNATE I CANNOT BE THERE ASKING QUESTIONS WHICH IS ANOTHER POINT THAT DOES NOT PARTICULARLY RING TRUE AGAIN REPEATING OF COURSE HE COULD HAVE BEEN.

HE WAS APPOINTED AND CHOSE NOT TO TAKE AT THAT TIME STEP.

AND THAT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE HIS NAME IS ONE THAT IS MENTIONED AS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR AGAINST DEMOCRAT NOMINEE J.B. PRITZKER.

AND FURTHER YOU HAVE KINZINGER FUTURE UP FOR GRABS HE IS FACING A PRO TRUMP REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE DEPENDING HOW THE DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN HE MADE A POINT DURING THE HEARING THAT EMOTION TO SAY I AM A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN.

>> ALSO SAY THAT SOME OF THE POLITICAL ARGUMENTS ARE DISINGENUOUS THE HOUSE TOOK UP A VOTE TO HAVE A BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE.

LIKE THE 9/11 COMMISSION INVESTIGATE THIS AND IT WAS DEFEATED LARGELY BECAUSE IT WAS OPPOSED BY ALL BUT ABOUT 35 REPUBLICANS.

LET'S HEAR SOME OF THE TESTIMONY FROM THE POLICE OFFICERS YESTERDAY.

>> MYSELF LOSING OXYGEN AND RECALL THINKING TO MYSELF THIS IS HOW I'M GOING TO DIE.

>> NO ONE HAD EVER, EVER CALLED ME A...

WHILE WEARING THE UNIFORM OF A CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER.

>> THE INDIFFERENCE SHOWN TO MY COLLEAGUES IS DISGRACEFUL!

>> A LOT OF ANGER AND YOU SEE MOCKING IN CONSERVATIVE MEDIA CIRCLES.

SOME OF THE TELEVISION PERSONALITIES SAYING THAT THE PERFORMANCES ARE WORTHY OF AN ACADEMY AWARD.

HEATHER, WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF TESTIFYING BEFORE CONGRESS?

DO YOU THINK HOW DOES THIS PLAY, I GUESS, AMONG MAINSTREAM AMERICA?

>> WELL, IT'S REALLY STARTLING TO SEE THESE POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED AND TRAUMATIZED DURING THE RIOT ON JANUARY 6 BE HELD UP FOR RIDICULE FOR HAVING AN EMOTIONAL REACTION TO THOSE INCIDENTS.

AND WE HEARD FROM THE OFFICER WHO SHARED A VOICE MAIL HE GOT FILLED WITH SLURS AND OTHER ATTACKS AND IT HAS TO MAKE PEOPLE THINK TWICE BEFORE THEY TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS TO KNOW THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE SIGNING UP FOR.

ALL THREE OF THOSE OFFICERS SAID THEY WERE AWARE THEY WOULD BE MOCKED AND RIDICULED BUT THEY DID SO BECAUSE THEY FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THEY CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THEIR OATHS AS POLICE OFFICERS AND TO THE CONSTITUTION.

>> LET'S MOVE ON -- >> YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE A CONGRESSIONAL PANEL THOSE GIVING TESTIMONY [INAUDIBLE] >> LET'S MOVE ON TO NEWS THAT IS STILL DEVELOPING IN WASHINGTON D.C. A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE.

LET'S HEAR WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID ABOUT THIS.

>> LOOKS LIKE A REACHED A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE FANCY WORD FOR BRIDGES, ROADS.

>> AND BIPARTISAN WE MEAN SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL SAYS JUST A FEW HOURS AGO IN FACT HE VOTED THE WAY HE TWEETED HE WAS GOING TO VOTE HE IS A YES VOTE IN MOVING FORWARD ON THIS LEGISLATION.

HEATHER HOW DID THAT COME TO BE?

>> WELL, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE IS LITERALLY CRUMBLING AND THERE ARE BILLIONS TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THIS BILL EARMARKED FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES AND OTHER NECESSARY THINGS.

ILLINOIS ESPECIALLY STANDS TO GET A LOT OF MONEY TO REPLACE LEAD SERVICE LINES THAT YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT BEFORE.

CHICAGO IS HAS MORE LEAD SERVICE LINES THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE NATION YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT MAYOR LIGHTFOOT AND GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THIS BILL'S PASSAGE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE CITY OR THE STATE COULD AFFORD TO FOOT THE BILL TO REPLACE THESE LEAD SERVICE LINES WHICH ARE REALLY IMPERILLING THE SAFETY OF THE CITY AND THE STATE'S DRINKING WATER.

>> THIS IS A TENUOUS COALITION BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE SENATORS AND CONGRESS PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IT'S TOO MUCH SPENDING AND OTHERS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FINAL PACKAGE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE ONCE IT GETS THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE MEAT GRINDER?

>> WELL, IF, WHEN, AND CERTAINLY THE VOTE WAS A MAJOR STEP GIVEN THE LACK OF BIPARTISANSHIP THAT HAS BEEN A HALLMARK OF WASHINGTON FOR SO LONG.

IT'S SIGNIFICANT.

IT IS HOWEVER BUT ONE STEP.

AND ALSO BUT ONE CHAMBER FROM WHAT I GATHER IT IS DEAL BUT IT IS NOT A DEAL THAT IS WRITTEN ON PAPER YET SO YOU COULD SEE FURTHER FIGHTS ARISE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE HOUSE AGREE AND DYNAMICS ARE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT.

NOT A DONE DEAL YET.

>> AND LOCAL NEWS, HEATHER, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AROUND A PROPOSED CHICAGO GANG DATABASE OR A DATABASE THAT HAS BEEN OUT THERE ALTHOUGH THE POLICE DISPUTE WHETHER IT IS A GANG DATABASE THERE WAS DEBATE ABOUT THAT IN COUNCIL.

>> SO, MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY'S INSPECTOR GENERAL JOSEPH FERGUSON SAID THIS DATABASE WAS FULL OF FLAWED RECORDS, THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETED BLACK AND LATINO CHICAGOANS AND CALLED ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO IMMEDIATELY CRAFT A NEW DATABASE THAT PROTECTED PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AND WAS USEFUL FOR THE POLICE.

TWO YEARS LATER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES THEY ARE STILL USING THAT FLAWED DATA AND SAY THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO USE IT TO STOP RETALIATORY GANG VIOLENCE.

HOWEVER, THE NEW DATABASE WON'T BE ON-LINE UNTIL SEPTEMBER AT THE EARLIEST.

BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW PEOPLE WILL BE LISTED IN THE DATABASE AND HOW THEY WILL GET OUT OF THE DAYS TA BASE AND HOW MUCH IT WILL COST THE CITY.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS REMAINING ABOUT THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.

WHICH WE KNOW HAS HAD A IMPACT ON THE LATINO COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT USED TO BE ACCESSIBLE BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS AND THERE WERE SUGGESTIONS PEOPLE WERE DEPORTED BECAUSE OF THEIR INCLUSION IN IT.

>> AND QUESTIONS OVER THE YEARS ON THE PROCESS FOR AWARDING PERMITS TO OPEN UP A MARIJUANA DISPENSARY.

HAS THE STATE FIGURED THESE KINKS OUT?

>> THAT IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE WILL SEE.

NOTHING HAS GONE AS PLANNED IN THIS PROCESS.

AND SO WE MIGHT LEARN SOON ENOUGH BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A SERIES OF THREE LOTTERIES AND AN INCREASED NUMBER OF LICENSES IT WAS GOING TO BE 75 IS NOW 185.

AND THREE SEPARATE GROUPS ESSENTIALLY A LOT MORE OF THESE APPLICANTS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ONE OF THE LICENSES TO SELL MARIJUANA IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND THAT IS HUGE.

THEY ARE SELLING GREEN AND POCKETING A DIFFERENT GREEN AS IN CASH IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE IS THE THOUGHT.

WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST LOTTERY TOMORROW.

AND I THINK THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF MISGIVINGS AS TO WHETHER IT WILL MEET THE INTENT OF BRINGING MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM COMMUNITIES OR WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS PARTICULARLY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR WANTING TO GET INTO THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY WHETHER THAT IS A GOAL THAT WILL BE MET.

OR WHETHER THE APPLICANTS STILL HAVE A LOT OF [INAUDIBLE] >> I KNOW A LOT OF APPLICANTS BELIEVE IT'S HIGH TIME THEY ARE AWARDED SOME OF THESE.

I'M SORRY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO END ON THAT NOTE.

THANKS TO HEATHER AND AMANDA.

>> AND UP NEXT A TOUR OF A NEW EXHIBIT FEATURING 20 OF FRIDA KAHLO'S ORIGINAL PIECES BUT FIRST A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

>> FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE LATE 70s, A PORTION OF ARTIST FRIDA KAHLO'S ORIGINAL WORKS ARE IN THE CHICAGO AREA AS PART OF A NEW EXHIBITION.

ARTS CORRESPONDENT, ANGEL IDOWU TAKES US FOR A VISIT AND GIVES US A LOOK HOW FRIDA KAHLO'S LIFE EXPERIENCE INFLUENCED HER WORK.

[♪♪♪] >> WHILE SHE IS KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MEXICAN PAINTERS OF OUR TIME, A NEW EXHIBIT HONORING THE LATE ARTIST HOPES TO TELL STORIES NOT COMMONLY SHARED OF FRIDA KAHLO.

>> THE IDEA BEHIND THIS WAS TO GIVE PEOPLE CONTEXT TO HER LIFE, WHO SHE WAS, HER INFLUENCE AND NOT ONLY ABOUT HER BUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THAT PERIOD.

>> THE FIRST PORTION OF THE EXHIBIT TELLS JUST THAT.

A BREAKDOWN OF WHO FRIDA KAHLO WAS BEFORE SHE BECAME AN ARTIST THAT WOULD LEAD UP TO THE MOMENT THAT WOULD DEFINE HER WORK.

A SEVERE BUS ACCIDENT WOULD REQUIRE HER TO HAVE 30 SURGERIES AND WEAR CORSETS FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

BUT IN RECOVERY, SHE FOUND INGENUITY WITHIN HER DEVELOPING CRAFT.

>> THIS IS A RECREATION OF THE BED THAT SHE PAINTED SELF PORTRAITS IN WITH THE HELP OF A MIRROR.

>> THINK ABOUT THIS YOUNG 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL THAT IS CONFINED VIBRANT AND DEPRESSED.

THEY CREATED AN EASEL THAT SHE COULD USE WHILE LYING IN BED AND PUT A MIRROR UNDER THE CANOPY SO SHE COULD SEE HERSELF SHE WANTED PAINTING SELF PORTRAITS AND SAID I OFTEN PAINT SELF PORTRAITS BECAUSE I AM SO OFTEN ALONE AND I AM THE SUBJECT I KNOW BEST.

>> ONCE VISITORS HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW THE WOMAN BEHIND THE ARTIST THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THAT KNOWLEDGE TO INTERPRET 26 OF FRIDA KAHLO'S ORIGINAL WORKS BORROWED FROM THE COLLECTION.

>> EVERYONE CAN RECOGNIZE THE EYEBROWS THE CLOTHES AND THOSE ARE SUPERFICIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF WHO SHE WAS.

I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE ACTUAL WORKS IN PERSON IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET AS CLOSE TO HEARING FRIDA KAHLO TELL HER STORY.

SHE SPEAKS DIRECTLY AND HONESTLY ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN HER LIFE THAT HAS AN HONESTY THAT IS COUPLED WITH THE INTENSITY OF THE IMAGES.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE THEY ARE SUPER CHARGED.

>> THE FIGURES IN HER WORK ARE SO RECOGNIZABLE MANY ARGUE THAT FRIDA KAHLO'S STYLE WAS BASED IN SURREALISM AN IDEA SHE REJECTED.

BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE STORIES WITHIN HER STORIES THAT JUSTIN WITTE DESCRIBES HER STYLE AS SYMBOLIC REALISM SEEN IN HER BROKEN COLUMN SELF PORTRAIT.

>> YOU HAVE FRIDA KAHLO EXPOSED THE CENTER OF HER CHEST OPENED UP AND REPLACED A COLUMN THAT HAS BEEN SHATTERED AND CRACKED AND IS BARELY HOLDING ON AND THAT IS HELD TOGETHER BY THE MEDICAL CORSET.

ON TOP OF THAT CRUMBLING YOU HAVE FRIDA KAHLO'S HEAD STARING OUT AND SHE HAS TEARS THAT EXPRESSES THE PAIN HER LOOK IS IN NO WAY RESIGNED TO THE PAIN.

AND IT'S UNAPOLOGETIC.

SHE DID NOT RUN AWAY FROM THESE REALITIES IN HER LIFE.

SHE DID NOT TRY TO DIMINISH HERSELF BECAUSE OF THEM.

AND SHE WAS AN INCREDIBLY STRONG POWERFUL WOMAN AND ARTIST WHO WOKE THROUGH HER WORK EVEN WHEN THAT TRUTH IS PAINFUL.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M ANGEL IDOWU.

>> AND CAN YOU CHECK OUT THE EXHIBIT FRIDA KAHLO TIMELESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 6 AT THE CLEEF CARNEY MUSEUM OF ART IN GLEN ELLEN.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW.

STAY CONNECTED BY SIGN UP FOR YOUR DAILY BRIEFING.

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AND PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT LIVE AT 7:00 P.M. MUSIC MUST OR SUPER SPREADER EVENT?

LOLLAPALOOZA IS SET TO BEGIN DESPITE RISING COVID CASES WE TAKE YOU INSIDE ONE OF CHICAGO'S BIGGEST FESTIVALS AND GEOFFREY BAER ON THE STATUS OF AN ENDANGERED CZECH RESTAURANT IN CICERO.

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M PARIS SCHUTZ THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

[♪♪♪]