ExplainerElon Musk’s ‘Electric Skates’ to O’Hare Mired in Secrecy, Skepticism Aug 15, 2018 6:00 AM The Better Government Association has filed a lawsuit against the city for disclosure of public records behind its $1 billion deal with Musk’s company.
Investigation Fed-up Residents on South, West Sides Fight City Hall Over Influx of Polluting Industries Residents protest distribution centers, a metal scrap recycling plant and an asphalt maker — businesses other communities shun. The city has to change the way it permits heavy industry from locating near schools, parks and homes, they say. August 6, 2018
Investigation A Manafort Lender’s Emanuel Ties Chicago’s mayor spent millions in city taxpayer funds to aid expansion of the same West Loop bank prosecutors now say made $16 million in questionable loans to a former Trump campaign chairman now on trial for alleged tax and bank fraud. August 3, 2018
Investigation CHA Seniors File Complaint Over Missing Grab Bars The grab bar complaint is the latest in a series of grievances by CHA residents about the agency’s failure to keep residents safe. July 16, 2018
PolitiFact Fact-Check: Rx Needed for Roskam’s Portrayal of Foe’s Healthcare Stand In an attack on challenger Sean Casten’s health care position, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam distorts the Democrat’s policy stance and attempts to blame Casten for the impact of policies Roskam has supported. August 12, 2018
PolitiFact Fact-Check: Giuliani Says There Were 63 Murders in Chicago Over the Weekend. That’s Five Times the Actual Count. In criticizing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s violence-prevention record, President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani flubs his numbers. August 6, 2018
Action Curbing Golden Parachutes: BGA Policy Team's Government Severance Pay Act Becomes Law August 14, 2018
Perspective Doubek: How One Citizen Changed His Local Township Government — and Maybe State Law August 6, 2018
How BGA Took Its Story on Failing CHA Elevators Offline to Reach Seniors in Public Housing July 11, 2018
Press Release BGA, Chicago Sun-Times Form Exclusive Multi-Platform PolitiFact Partnership August 6, 2018
Payroll Database Follow the money paid to public-sector employees throughout Illinois. Updated August 4, 2016
Pension Database Follow the money paid to retired public-sector employees throughout Illinois. Updated May 24, 2017
Explainer Illinois Politics Becomes the Plaything of the Rich This year’s race for governor is the King Kong vs. Godzilla of big-money politics, rendering small donors irrelevant and impacting races down the ballot as well. July 26, 2018
Explainer Reality Check Time for Metra: The Downside of Frugality A reluctance to spend has led the suburban rail system to cars decades out of date and a bottom line that has never appeared bleaker. June 14, 2018
Explainer Illinois’ Population Is Falling, but the Sky Isn’t Census estimates in recent years point to a shrinking Illinois, but the severity of the drop gets overstated while attempts to blame it on high taxes get overblown. June 7, 2018
Follow-Up Police Chief Threatens Lawsuit To Stop Clean Water Advocates From Criticizing Him A husband and wife featured in a previous BGA story criticized the cop about his ties to a quarry owner whom the state is prosecuting. Updated August 14, 2018
Follow-Up Madigan Moves To Close Landfills Over Drinking Water Concerns After BGA stories raised questions about 'clean-fill' quarries-turned-dumps taking in debris that could pollute groundwater, state attorney general argues two quarries need to be shut down. July 2, 2018
