>> Good evening and thanks for joining us on the week in review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Mourners from around the country come to Chicago to pay final respects to the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

The most consequential leader countries had in the latter part of the 20th century.

>> And the beginning of the 21st century, he raised a generation of us to deal with activism and he never gave up.

>> Thousands of visitors descend on rainbow push headquarters as Jackson lies in repose ahead of a week of Memorial celebrations.

>> The Golden age of America is upon us.

>> 6 Illinois Democrats skipped the longest ever state of the Union.

>> The residents of the city of Chicago overwhelmingly believe.

There.

Sure, Maine in the city.

>> Sorry, Chicagoans, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signs into law, a measure aimed at building a stadium in northwest Indiana as Springfield's bill aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois faces headwinds.

Meantime, a Cook County contractor accuses Treasurer Maria Pappas of verbal abuse.

And Chicago's borrowing costs rise as the city faces a credit downgrade.

>> And now to our week in review panel.

Joining us are Quinn Myers, a block club.

Chicago freelance journalist Kim Delaware, quake of the Chicago Tribune and Christian Farr of NBC 5.

Thank you all for being here So Christian Farr, Reverend Jackson later post from 10:00AM to 10:00PM yesterday as well as today.

I don't think anybody expected this to be a small affair, but it really has been a remarkable turnout down.

remarkable.

I mean, hundreds of people coming through and people actually flying in from Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Texas.

>> To pay their respects to a man who they believe sort of guided them down the path of activism.

So we heard a lot of stories yesterday about how he was touched by the work that he did not only here in Chicago, but across the nation across the globe.

I had the opportunity to interview him several times.

And I mean, unfortunately, towards the end, he could barely get any words out.

But he was still on the front lines doing work.

It was great to hear all of that.

Yeah, it was interesting how many people came in who >> had a personal story with, hey, you know he really touched so many individual lives.

Yeah.

I mean, there are so many big names who came through as well.

The Reverend Al Sharpton standing there.

You see that all of his children were there as well.

I mean, this is a man who, you know, was a civil rights icon, followed the teachings of Dr Martin Luther King and just continue that all the way up to the end when he had that rare brain disease, which we thought was Parkinson's.

And I remember the last time that I got to interview him, he couldn't get those words out.

But you knew that he wanted to say something.

he's going to be honored for a very long period of time.

You that the House of Hope celebration next week.

I've lived all the personal stories, especially from older black Chicagoans who really grew up with Jesse Jackson and his montr.

I am somebody and we've been hearing a lot of the stories of, >> you know, and visiting high schools in the 70's and these really impactful stories.

And so that's been really kind of a silver lining, maybe of this whole week.

Yeah.

We got to hear from someone yesterday who remembered Jesse Jackson and Harold Washington visiting her high school which is called.

>> was talking some other fellow Chicago One of them said, Am I the only person who doesn't have a photo with that there is something you know, so many people, whether you were working in journalism ear to somebody who did community work center can gauge Chicago ones.

You know, they had some interaction.

Are you saw him at a breakfast at a protest and he has this iconic status.

But at the same time, he really was kind of your neighbor using could count on seeing him.

I mean, I think even last summer he was coming out too events at University of Chicago for students that were hosting protests.

There and it was It was difficult for him to speak.

You know, his aides had to help him.

They had a microphone and he was still doing that.

You know, that monitor that everybody has now come to really find so powerful.

Yeah, and 80.

It was interesting.

You know, given Jackson's sort of legendary status.

So some folks at the funeral that weren't always quite so friendly with him.

We saw, you know, former Mayor Emanuel today, members of the Daley family yesterday, but he really everybody Yeah, I think.

>> Regardless of where they landed, I think anyone that fought with him understood what he was trying to do ultimately good for the city and everyone's respect despite the battles long way, it's been really interesting to here legacy wise.

Of course, his family is continuing on that tradition, but also like he was the reason not only symbolically, but logistically that Barack Obama became are present brain change the rules of the DNC.

I think there's going to be so many books, of course, certainly written about all the different ways that he touched so many people in distinct black newscasters have to I'm not from here, but >> we celebrate him because he fought to get a black women on their.

You want to get women on the air to really have to give him credit for what he did.

Yeah, it did in this whole, you know, last week.

Plus has just been kind of one arena after another.

That almost so many accomplishments that you can be forgiven for forgetting something because what a life.

Alright, one event.

Several local Democrats didn't attend.

Ad was the State of the Union.

Others brought some guests aimed at highlighting their opposition to the president's agenda.

So little bit of a split approach there and how the Dems hand Ultra, right?

Yeah, I was surprised not It was noteworthy how many people skipped stadium, the suction cup.

>> institution that even if you hate was up there, you're expected to go anyway.

But a lot of Democrats, we had Senator Duckworth, as my quickly, Sean Casten Genachowski Erik Sorenson, all skip and everyone Illinois delegation got to guess if they said kind of highlighted the shortcomings of the Trump administration, there was some arm arm 18 as their shot by federal agents several others in that.

>> Protesting the president's immigration.

Everything from immigration to health care cost of living.

They were trying make sure that, you know, there were some commentators who like Democrats to skip the whole thing anyway.

And we saw the most notable quote of the evening was President Trump calling Democrats crazy?

>> was not shy about sharing his feelings on dams.

You know, can we didn't hear necessarily that much in the way of a legislative agenda as you often do in the State of the Union.

But, you know, is that necessarily surprising given the president's sort of, you know, headstrong approach that he's really trying to consolidate a lot of power within the executive, not necessarily.

And you also think of there has been a lot of pressure on the Trump administration, particularly over the immigration enforcement that's been going on here in Minneapolis.

Other cities around the country.

>> And just, you know, generally what we're seeing, we have conflicts with a round.

We have all sorts of things that are giving people a lot of worry about the future.

Is he living up to these promises that he set forth when he ran for reelection?

And so there's a little bit of damage control.

You know, this is the time for him to more say I'm doing a good job.

You should still trust me.

And I'm not surprised that we didn't hear a very clear idea of what the legislative agenda is going to be going forward.

What I do think is interesting and I would love to know what you all think is based on who some of the Democrats brought.

Does that reveal, you know what?

They're going to focus on?

You know, as we head towards the midterms, that's about affordability.

It's about immigration.

You know, it's about a lot of these issues that Democrats have some, you know, some leverage on.

Yeah.

we think are we getting a preview tension here?

I mean, definitely especially from your Garcia, are Martinez who was shot 5 times charged with assaulting federal agents.

>> That case, of course, fell apart pretty quickly.

And then she pushed in court for a lot of evidence to be they published was showing that, you know, she did not assaults federal agents, right?

So I think that is a quick, easy way for the Democrats to revive the immigration enforcement that we've been seeing here in Minneapolis.

I definitely going to see more hype of high profile, you know, people coming up like But it seems like the president's really focused on voting no in taking control, nationalize possible executive order.

You know what's going to happen next and hitting the campaign trail.

So that's I think some of the concerns of Americans, but salute they will, you know, Quinn, one thing that the convention briefly, that's on a lot of folks minds this huge military buildup in the Middle You know, president had some tough words for Iran, but didn't really spend a lot of time on a are you surprised that?

>> almost like he glossed over it.

I wasn't surprised.

But I did, you know, was kind of waiting to see if maybe strikes would start during or after the speech.

Trump look like the theater of something like that and you can almost imagine him literally ordering strikes from a state of the union wouldn't be totally surprising to me.

But there seems to be a lot of conflicting messaging coming out of the Trump administration Iran.

Do we have to they have capability too, make a missile to strike the U.S.

in a week?

Is it in a year?

We're hearing a lot of different strategies and intelligence here.

And clearly they are getting ready to possibly strike.

So I think it's maybe not that important in Trump's stump speech.

That was part of the State of the Union.

But it's certainly a huge factor in again.

They can to be happening any moment.

We just don't know.

We sure do.

That seems like a running theme of this last year.

Christian, some other international news.

You spoke with a Chicagoans who are caught up in violence in Mexico after the death of a major cartel leader.

What did you hear from them?

Yell man showing and these are people who are in Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara.

>> Which is 20 miles away.

But there was still reaction to that from the cartels.

We spoke to one of our former Telemundo journalists.

That's more of No Independent Journal seems just down there bringing his wife for medical treatment and trying to get back to the airport and they saw carjackings.

They saw bombings and it was even a concern they were gonna be able to fly back to Las Vegas where they live.

And then you have people we spoke to a woman who vacation there for pretty much an entire month.

And now her flight got delayed on the data.

We spoke to her and she's supposed to go back on March 3rd, I have no idea.

But she saw buses being blown out.

She said the targets really weren't the tourists.

It's more so the military who executed this operation, which is now sort of caused cartel retaliation.

And then, you know, there's fighting for leadership positions that are going on.

So, you know, their people questioning whether should go to Mexico right now getting friends you know, we're going take Asian there in a few weeks going to Cancun, not not next door to where this is all happening, but, you know, there's a concern is Mexico say you might seen a story about the couple that was get married and they are not getting their.

think today are tomorrow and Chicago.

They plan to hold the wedding here in 4 days.

So kudos to that I'm sure that was extremely stressful.

And a former state rep who was carjacked.

Yeah, I mean, and then chased, you know, he was with his husband and he was chased.

>> With a man with a gun and then they had to hide in orphanage.

I mean, these are really scary situations.

Yeah, it's >> quite unstable right now.

And certainly a lot of folks questioning what the right move is.

All right.

Something else that's continuously unstable this week on the Bears stadium.

So 80 Indiana's governor signing into law a measure to create a state stadium authority.

>> A lot of people seem to be treating this like it's a done deal.

I don't their to the this is not done.

We obviously saw like dueling announcements.

>> With Indiana's announcement and then Governor Pritzker's softened on this a bit.

He said we might be able to make infrastructure work.

We could do a payment in lieu of taxes to potentially get Arlington Heights.

At the same time, you have a dueling Chicago delegation who says we don't want them going anywhere where Park district getting involved.

Nothing, nothing.

Nothing is certain when it comes to where the bears are going to It does seem like the Chicago delegation is a distant 3rd, though, at this point, in the Anna in Arlington Heights, which the state is working, state legislators are working on negotiating Arlington Heights.

>> Deals and Chicago's like wait a second.

What about us?

And everyone else can hike.

All right.

think they're served.

I do think they're very What they allowed to stop and go to right thing.

They need to be able to sort of put pressure on them for a sweetener of some kind.

they know stadium deal.

Well, the state meals not going to happen in the city right on The sweetness is like the big thing.

What is going to pencil out for the Bears?

Is it having control of a site like they want think heights?

>> Is it getting as many incentives as possible if they won numbers at that Skyline, Central location that they want in Chicago, the sweetness, the Walter Payton joke, I have to is that was that was meant And Kim, we former Governor Pat Quinn, the master of the petition drive when the clipboard more the of for it.

But, you know, he's he's trying to get the Bears owners to stay in Illinois.

>> Does it feel like the team's owners are listening right now to what the fans have to say well or to how all the fans that signed the petition.

Yeah, I mean, I don't really know.

This is one of those things where I keep thinking I'm maybe.

>> More fixated on all of the financial challenges that the city has already.

You know, what kind of money are leaders willing to part with?

And also, you know, I keep thinking rest.

We were talking about earlier, you know, Toyota Park and then, you know, Bridgeview that didn't work out so well religion, you know, most stadiums are not great.

Return on investments do Bears.

Fans in the southwest suburbs.

Are they just as happy driving to Hammond as they are Arlington Heights?

Pay interesting to see if they can get some money out of Springfield to at least, you know, do some upgrades at Soldier Paquin is out there representing those interests of those who do not want Hammond Hoosiers.

So there and you know, when we think we thank him for his service.

Alright, 80 a explosive charge this week.

explicit also yes.

And from a county contractor.

>> Alleging abuse by Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Rick, what's the back story there?

The back story goes back about 10 years when Tyler Technologies, an outside contractor was brought in to update the county's property tax system which involves several offices, tons of data, very old computers.

It has gotten a lot 10 certain the last year since my colleague just watched David Jackson, I reported on how expensive and delayed this has been.

Everyone knows that property tax bills were delayed after one.

Runs the city and the suburbs knows how revenue distributions So they have treasure.

Pups has been like the chief adversary of Tyler saying we should fire you.

We should sue you.

I don't like anything you're doing and that's putting it very mildly.

And for the most part, Tyler has been diplomatic push back against But a straw broke last week when apparently the treasure had a conversation with leader at Tyler using some heated language, calling her an idiot with a modifier in front of that we say on threatening to go to Tyler's board and say explain what a terrible job they've done.

so the CEO of Tyler's Intially said no one on the team is going to talk to anymore.

You've been banned.

The only person to talk to a Tyler now is me.

And we're going through an intermediary from now on.

Interesting.

I mean, it should lead.

You know, she's known for being outspoken, having, you know, kind of a headstrong personality.

But >> often kind of a happy warrior type of person.

More than someone who seems like they would get this, you know, sort of abuse that.

Yeah, know, I've I've interviewed her several times and she's always, you know, go lucky with the bright jacket.

every time.

So I mean, but this is also not surprising when you hear some things the background about her as well.

Yeah, what she said is I'm I'm standing up for my staff who's getting screened at every day by taxpayers who?

>> I'm mad about the leak.

Bills are mad about not getting refunds of which there 180 something outstanding.

So there are people who've been waiting and waiting for these refunds.

So she's like I'm standing up for my Standing up.

The tax payers are not backing down.

And I think you made a great point in your report on this.

Her name is in those great, big letters on all the envelopes that, you know, Cook County homeowners get.

So it's her name that people are associating with You know the bills, the lack of dispersement seen anything that goes wrong.

So I. Can appreciate the first one to give you warnings about property to she's the first one.

>> Absolutely.

I mean, it was interesting, though, given that these firms rely on government contracts for their businesses, that they came out and, >> you know, made such a stand against her.

They were pushed maybe to the breaking point here.

It seems like in this has been become political and in many senses, I mean, Brendan Reilly, who is running against Toni Preckwinkle has repeatedly brought up Tyler Technologies and said he might them get him out of the county you know, another charge that was allegedly set by Maria Pappas.

She called allegedly called won one candidate.

A token has Hispanic.

I believe that he took them You know, again, these are just allegations, but I think maybe some of the racially charged language may be elevated more just a simple f you.

Yeah.

And the way she explained that that statement was she was warning this leader, the chief administrative Officer, Tyler, I don't want the other corporate leaders to Tyler to treat you like it took him into.

That was explanation about 80 sticking with you for a minute.

Chicago's credit rating downgraded this week.

Not one but 2 agencies.

Go right.

Way of explanation the same thing that we've been here for a very long time for these ratings agencies.

The city needs to do more to have structural solutions to fill its budget gaps.

>> The out years are looking very bad.

And for the first time we heard the infighting between the mayor, the city council is leading to a lot of uncertainty that basically gives these 2 agencies croll and Fitch where usually like a little less cynical about the city, a little bit more optimistic that they could turn things around a reversal essentially saying like what you guys are giving us no signs that you're going to fix it.

And of course, as soon as downgrades came out, we saw more of the infighting that, again, ratings agencies, the mayor and city council are not quite there yet and finding something that's really going to fix the city's long-term fiscal, such sort of a vicious credit rating cycle.

absolutely.

I mean, Christian, how quickly do you think we'll see this?

And, you know, anti Johnson campaign I think pretty quickly.

I mean, I mean, people you can go online and just look who's going to the next mayor of Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson.

That's not what people are.

>> A lot of people are thinking right now.

And so, you know, we just have to kind of weeks.

You know, interesting.

Chicago is supposed to be weak mayors, strong counsel, former government, but apparently that's >> not what all the ratings to see.

Alright, Quinn jury this week leveled a 5.7 million dollar verdict in an excessive force case over a botched CPD rate in 2018.

Remind us about that right.

This is a family in back of the yards.

You know, CBD was executing a warrant.

>> For a man who ended up actually not living in this property and used a flash bang and allegedly.

All right.

It's it was approved by the court pointed assault rifles that children.

So this family see inside this was excessive force.

And instead interestingly, instead of settling, you know, often the law department will settle you know, reduce risk to the taxpayers.

They went court and went trial with this and then they lost 5.7 million dollars that they're going to pay out other.

They are likely going to appeal.

It seems they haven't totally said if they're going to or not.

so raises the question, you know, are there other cases out there are and whether the policies that existed then back in 2018, what's been changed?

You know, I think those are kind of some of the larger oversight questions that we're having.

Yeah, I thought it was interesting came to see they've said in the ruling the city knew or in the in the jury's verdict, rather that the city knew officers routinely violating the rights of Chicagoans when serving warrants.

>> Is that something that could potentially a rise other cases if they're setting this precedent?

>> Yeah, I'm a case like this.

Also for reformers.

And it can be really frustrating because this is something that happened, you know, in 2018, even if there have been changes, you know, the anjanette young trial, which app or anjanette young raid that happened a year later.

A lot of these issues were very similar as far as how CPD was operating, things that we later saw from body camera footage.

And even if there are reforms, the city is still going to be grappling with those mistakes from 7 years ago, 8 years ago.

And it can be difficult to sometimes and that will, again, to figure out can we keep this going in a positive direction?

Because every time you think you're making some progress, we're reminded just how far and how badly things have been damaged in the engine.

It won't taste.

Got a lot of media attention.

>> Why wasn't this settled?

I think that's a question.

And I think that I mean, there's a lot of payouts for all these wrongful convictions as well.

And I think that is on the minds of a lot of people in the city of Chicago because all this money is going out.

Not enough is coming back in and we still hear names decades later.

John Berge and Ronald Watts Renault who are, you know there.

There's a long and sad history there.

Alright, 80 some some dispiriting news this week for our friends over at the WGN, 9 on air folks laid-off as well as 3 people from creative services.

>> Several of those reassigned to a new hub in Nashville.

you surprised to see such a huge change all at once?

Not only the huge change but the names of the folks that got laid off.

I couldn't believe these are like storied veterans that Chicagoans have been seeing on their TV's for very long time.

>> not surprised that you layoffs, continue the read pressing industry.

We've it it feels like every other week.

There's some kind of >> depressing news that can those.

what I mean.

You know it the other thing that maybe think of, you know, WGN's parent company, they're trying for a merger.

Of course, there's this huge potential paramount buyout, you know, where they're alone.

>> Cnn and CBS, you know, is there any reversing this era of, you know, cutbacks and consolidation.

I don't know.

I'm feeling very pessimistic about it for a lot of different reasons.

But >> when I think specifically, you know, with WGN, this media consolidation, you know, like you are all saying, these are story names.

We know that there's a lot of challenges for in your television.

Lot of changing habits and the same time trust in local media, local media is so important for your information ecosystem.

And if you're Chicago and who grew up with these names with these faces.

That is really important goodwill.

It does seem foolish to get rid of that, especially if there weren't apparent financial challenges.

This is maybe a little more strategic.

And just, you know, this is what makes I've always appreciated how local media makes the place feel the state, you know, WGN has such a wonderful history in the city, even after, you know, it was no longer under Tribune publishing.

That is a strong local brand.

And it is why the Chicago market feels distinct from other places and it reshapes how Chicagoans are gonna get their news.

When you have fewer veterans, fewer trusted faces, you know, to at And that specific station, I mean, that is station is probably the most news >> In Chicago, Julian Cruz, Sean Lowe's Bronagh.

I mean, these are these are general size I I run into on the street and and you know, we we talk about stories and we help each other out.

I mean, this is this is a wonderful market.

I worked in Philadelphia, which is very cut throat.

I mean, we used to hide behind buildings leading source But when you came here, we all work remembered going to Springfield for the first time and former reporter political reporter Charles Thomas.

Yeah, guided me through how I was supposed to go.

have no idea where and that is a confusing Capitol Hill.

The in the basement with runaway.

Go next.

And he showed me everything that I needed to do and who I should talk to He's working for the competition.

I'm working for NBC and that's Chicago.

It's just a great market.

My father will work to WGN for The push years and know.

And so when there's something about seeing people's faces, like.

>> lines, seeing someone's face night after night, like that is a different kind of trust.

Almost any other that is inviting someone into your home.

And it's interesting you always hear.

>> That, you know, people distrust the media generally, but their local news, that's who they go for that today.

That's who they trust.

I trust the 4 of you thank you for being here.

But trust you to We are out of time.

Thos are thanks to Quinn Myers, Kim, Delaware, Quick and Christian Farr.

And we're back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation, additional support is provided by.

>> And that's our show for this Friday night.

Stay connected with our reporters and what they're working on by following us on Instagram at W T Tw Chicago.

Now for the Week in review.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy.

Stay safe and standpoint.

Have a great weekend.

Well, a lot of us one spent our weekend that the double and we were hoping it for a revival.

What's going on with the and they've been trying to reopen the of the Wicker Park nightclub Uptown and they got a big city grant to do it.

And it just didn't work for a variety of reasons that the grant has been returned.

>> And so maybe there will be a double during the future.

But right now.

Some either looking.

So they're doing some partnerships, the smaller stuff, but they're not reopening a stand-alone and the times I mean, maybe if they can get the brand alive, that's something the down never get over it becoming yeti which is gone to a it was it is composed caption, News made possible.

>> By Robert, a cliff and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and