Amanda Vinicky
@AmandaVinicky
@WTTW #ChicagoTonight correspondent, previously @nprillinois. ☕ and #mustard obsessed. Proud @HeadlineClub member and #FOIAFest backer
A special - and final - time hosting @wttw’s weekly recap, before a new career adventure. It’s been an honor, truly. Tune in at 7 pm, with guests @rap30, @BpopeTV, @ndblumberg and @byaliceyin , produced by Paul Caine with @CrystinImmel and @jaysmithwttw in charge. ❤️
Friday news dump! Pritzker has signed several bills from lame duck session, including transferring Shabbona Lake State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi. But a rare veto: A bill requiring warehouse workers to know their quotas. It presents legal issues, Pritzker says #twill
1/2 Amid the sad Sun-Times buyouts, there’s a piece of good news: Lee Bey will become the full-time architecture critic for the newspaper.Lee announced this news on his Facebook page. This will be the first time in 4 years that a Chicago paper has had a full-time architecture…
After saying Wed that CTU deal could be made “tonight,” Mayor Brandon Johnson demures when @monicaeng asks if today is the day: “Who's asking that? No one's even talking about that. Let me just say, as a former public school teacher, I know exactly what our teachers need.”
Sen. Dick Durbin on when he will make a decision on whether to run for re-election in 2026: “Soon.” #twill
Of pedestrian crossings at intersections with signals maintained by the city, just 85 out of the 2,713 have been upgraded so they're accessible for people who are blind.
NEW: A federal judge wants Chicago to make about 71% of its signalized intersections accessible for people who are blind or have low vision within ten years, an order that follows a class action lawsuit that found the city has violated the ADA @wttw news.wttw.com/2025/03/14/jud…
Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to end health insurance for noncitizen immigrants under 65 would save the state $330M next year. But it also would leave 30K people without coverage. @LAURA_N_ROD and I look at what that would mean. chicagotribune.com/2025/03/16/imm…
The rising Democratic rift over how to handle @realDonaldTrump, what dismantling the Dept. of Education means for Illinois classrooms and an earlier Chicago curfew. On @wttw Week in Review now! With @mitchtrout @wvon’s Rufus Williams, @NaderDIssa and @melodymercadotv
Durbin explanation thread
There is very little about this CR that I like—but there is even less I like about shutting down the government. With Donald Trump & Elon Musk taking a chainsaw to the federal government’s workforce and illegally freezing federal funding, the last thing we need to do is plunge…
everyone, extend a hearty congrats to queen @ad_quig and our @IllinoisAnswers colleagues @AlexNitkin @journo_cam for getting an investigative reporting honorable mention w the SABEW! this city is very lucky to have data whizzes like them sniffing around: sabew.org/2025/03/2024-b…
A look at CTA overtime from @ndblumberg, one way to see if service is tied to more staff or more hours of work. And v impt look at CTA FOIA: "The CTA has never within memory responded to a FOIA request from WTTW News within the legally required timeline" news.wttw.com/2024/03/12/cta…
I am moderating a timely panel on using FOIA in education coverage at this year's @headlineclub FOIAFest. I've got a rock star lineup: Chalkbeat's @reemadamin, @jsmithrichards at ProPublica & the Chicago Tribune's @royalpratt (pictured, coincidentally). driehausfoundation.org/news/2025/the-…
This photo underscores the importance of eyewitness journalism and AP’s legacy of documenting the presidency. I look forward to the day I can once again cover President Trump alongside my colleagues. Now more than ever, independent, nonpartisan photojournalism is essential.
Congratulations to @evanvucci of the @ap, winner of the Political Photo of the Year from the @whnpa
Pressing convos. Practical workshops. Top investigative reporters. Don't miss FOIA Fest 2025. Check out the full program and get your ticket today: headlineclub.org/2025/02/21/foi…
How Mayor Johnson performed under grilling from the Congressional oversight committee, the impact of tariffs on Illinois industry, how Walgreen’s sale is bad for Chicago and state flag poll results. At 7 @wttw with @MariahWoelfel, @cshepherd, @madisonsavedra and @johnpletz
BREAKING: Walgreens to be acquired by private equity firm for $10 billion trib.al/4mx5YhU
Why two jets nearly collided at Midway Airport, what the federal budget resolution could mean for Medicaid, and Chicago’s new park district superintendent. On @wttw at 7 tonight, with thanks to @rquinnmyers, @shrutidatesingh, @srfreish and @_ViMiller and producer Paul Caine.
This is Pritzker’s third national TV interview this week (that I’m aware of off the top of my head). #twill
TOMORROW: Illinois Gov. @JBPritzker has made headlines with his response to some of the Trump administration's policies and he joins #TheView co-hosts to discuss.