>>> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT".

WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO, TONIGHT.

>>> NORTHWESTERN'S FOOTBALL COACH , FACING ISSUES.

>>> WISHING TO CONSOLIDATE POLITICAL POWWOW POWER.

WE EXPLAIN.

>>> A COMPANY TIED TO THE MAYOR IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP THIS VACANT BUILDING.

>>> NATIVE MEXICAN CULTURES AT THE ART MUSEUM.

>>> AND, THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL.

>>> NOW TO SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

NOW SLATED TO BECOME A SHELTER FOR CHICAGOANS, WITH THE PLAN TO SPEND $2.9 MILLION ON LINCOLN AVENUE.

THE PLAN IS TO USE AS A TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR THOSE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS.

THEY HOPE THAT THE PROGRAM CAN BE A MODEL FOR THE CITY.

THE PLAN WILL NOW GO UP FOR APPROVAL.

>>> A DISASTER PROCLAMATION FOR THE FLOODING WITH JULY 2nd DORMS.

THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS AFTERNOON, SETTING NINE INCHES OF RAIN THAT FELL.

THIS GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO PURSUE STATE RESOURCES FOR RECOVERY EFFORTS.

>>> A GROUP OF CICERO RESIDENCE ARE CALLING FOR WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT TO PUT MORE INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP MANAGE WHAT THEY CALL A PRODUCT CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH RAIN .

THEY ARE CALLING ON MUNICIPAL, STATE, AND COUNTY LEADERS TO FIX THESE ISSUES.

>> OAK PARK AND ERWIN, THERE IS DRY LAND.

THEY ARE CONTINUING EACH DAY TO CONTINUE THESE FLOOD AND WE KNOW THAT THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> THE INTERSECTION OF CLARK STREET AND RIVER NORTH WILL BE CLOSED TODAY AND IT WILL STAY THAT WAY UNTIL OCTOBER 31st.

THEY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL BE CLOSED TO AUTO TRAFFIC AND THAT WILL ALLOW MORE THAN A DOZEN RESTAURANTS TO EXPAND OUTDOOR DINING , A PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

>>> COMING UP, WHAT'S NEXT AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>>> "CHICAGO TONIGHT" MADE POSSIBLE BY ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS , THE GYM AND CAME MAYBE FAMILY.

THE HOPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

♪ ♪ OPPRESSION.

IT'S JUST BIZARRE.

YOU GO IN THE LOT, FOR ONE DAY, YOU WILL NEVER PLAY.

THE COACH CAN DO THAT INSTANTLY IF YOU WANT TO.

>> AGAIN, THE INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND NO PROOF.

DO YOU FIND THAT THERE IS PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY, >> I AM AN EXPERT WITNESS IN MANY HAZING CASES.

THEY ACTUALLY ADMIT THAT THEY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IT APPEARS THAT THE COACH DID IDENTIFY WHICH STUDENTS SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED AND INDICATED WHO SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT HAVE THE SECONDARY EVENTS OCCUR , AS WELL AS WHAT KIND OF THINGS SHOULD BE GOING ON.

THERE'S A LINE BETWEEN HIS BEHAVIOR AND THE HAZING THAT APPEARS TO BE GOING ON.

THE OFFICIAL REPORT CAME OUT .

>> AND THERE ARE ALL DIFFERENT ALLEGATIONS , WE HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH.

OBVIOUSLY , THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STATEMENTS MADE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE, GOING FORWARD?

>> YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN.

I'M NOT SURE , SO THERE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW , MAYBE OTHER STORIES WILL COME OUT, I DON'T KNOW.

FRANKLY, IT'S JUST BEGINNING.

>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT OR ARE THEY HOLDING THEMSELVES TO A HIGHER STANDARD OR DO WE SEE MORE WITH OTHER BIG PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY?

>> IT WAS A HUGE UNCOVERING OF BREAKING THE CODE OF SILENCE.

YOU KNOW, WITH HAZING AT THAT LEVEL.

I THINK REGARDLESS OF WHAT LEVEL OF COLLEGE IT IS, HAZING HAS DEFINITELY BECOME INTEGRATED INTO OUR CULTURE.

>> AND WHAT YOU THINK THAT UNIVERSITIES CAN BE DOING?

>> WELL, I AGREE WITH RICK THAT THE POWER IS IN THE HANDS OF THE COACH.

IT'S NOT JUST THE COACH, BUT IT IS THE ENTIRE COACHING STAFF , ALL WORKING AND HELPING THE ATHLETES .

EVERYBODY REALLY KNOWS ABOUT IT , IT EVEN TO THE CLEANING STAFF, THEY KNOW ABOUT IT.

SO HOW COME PEOPLE ARE NOT REPORTING?

HOW COME SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO BREAK THE CODE OF SILENCE?

YOU KNOW, THE VICTIMS WHO HAVE COME FORWARD ARE EXTREMELY BRAVE.

WE SEE THAT, WITH EX-WORKERS WHO HAVE COME FORWARD AND SAID YEAH, WE KNEW ABOUT THAT, WE KNEW ABOUT THAT, AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO BREAK THE CODE OF SILENCE.

>> WE ONLY HAVE A FEW SECONDS, BUT GIVEN WHAT SUSAN SAYS , WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT BEING THE ENTIRE COACHING STAFF?

>> IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE .

WHEN IN INITIATION GOES TOO FAR , THAT'S THE LINE YOU HAVE TO CUT AND WHO KNOWS.

>> ALL RIGHT, RICK, YOU ARE GOING TO STAY WITH US AND WE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE ON THIS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>> UP NEXT, A BATTLE BETWEEN CHICAGO'S DEMOCRATS.

>>> SOME RESIDENCE ON CHICAGO'S NORTHWEST SIDE BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE A REPLACEMENT FOR THE 20th DISTRICT STREET AS THE UNIONS THAT HELPED TO ELECT BRANDON JOHNSON PUSH TO CONSUME MORE POWER.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S A BIT OF A POLITICAL MUSICAL CHAIRS SITUATION , WITH MAYOR JOHNSON'S FIRST DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF AND 11 DEMOCRATIC CITY PEOPLE .

HOW IS THAT LOOKING RIGHT NOW?

>> THEY HAD HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH WITH THAT SEAT AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION.

THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN LEADING THAT OPPOSITION ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE.

>> SO WHAT DO WE KNOW?

>> SHE'S A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER .

SHE RAN FOR THE COOK COUNTY BOARD , FINISHING THIRD WITH ROSA, WHO DID NOT SUPPORT THAT APPOINTMENT.

>> AND YOU DID MENTION THAT TO ME BEFORE.

SO, IS SHE HOPING TO WIN A FULL TERM?

>> SHE WILL LIKELY FACE GUZMAN WHO HAS UNITED SUPPORT OF THE PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL MOVEMENT AND HAS HAD A SERIES OF VICTORIES IN THE LAST DEMOCRATIC BINARY.

PRIMARY.

TAURO HAS A LEG UP AS THE INCUMBENT.

>> SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT FACTIONS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY , WHO HAS THE EDGE?

>> THE INCUMBENT ALWAYS HAS THE ADVANTAGE.

NOT ONLY DOES THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WIN THE MAYORAL RACE BUT THEY HAVE CONSOLIDATED THEIR POWER AND THIS IS A TEST OF THAT.

>>> READ HEATHER'S FULL STORY ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> A WELL-CONNECTED COMPANY IS LOOKING TO DEVELOP CITY HOME PROPERTIES IN THE WEST SUBURBS, HOPING TO RECEIVE $80,000 IN GRANT MONEY .

ONE OF THE CO-OWNERS IS MARRIED TO A HIGH-LEVEL CITY OFFICIAL.

HERE IS THE MAYOR OF AURORA LOOKING AT HOW THAT SAME COMPANY IS LOOKING TO INCREASE THAT FOOTPRINT.

>> THIS IS JUST STEPS AWAY FROM CITY HALL .

WHEN WE FIRST REPORTED , THAT'S IN THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A GRANT ON TOP OF $75,000 LAST YEAR.

ONE OF THE CO-OWNERS IS A DIRECTOR OF CYBER AND TECHNOLOGY AND THEY RUN A CONSULTING COMPANY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WERE ONCE INVOLVED IN A CONSULTING BUSINESS IN 2020 , WITH A LIFELONG FRIEND OF IRVIN'S.

>> DO WE KNOW WHAT THEIR NEXT MOVES ARE GOING TO BE?

>> THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THREE VACANT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES .

IN A LETTER TO THE CITY LATE LAST YEAR , THEY HAD A MEETING WITH CITY STAFF TO DISCUSS A LETTER OF INTENT OVER THESE PROPERTIES.

THIS WAS WITH THE CITY OF AURORA AFTER BEING TOLD THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY RESPONSES AND THEY REACHED OUT AGAIN.

A STAFFER FROM THE CITY'S CLERK OFFICE SAID THAT IN EARLY FEBRUARY , THEY MET WITH POTENTIAL INVESTORS WHO EXPRESSED SOME INTEREST.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY HAS NOT TAKEN ACTION , NOR HAS A LETTER OF INTENT BEEN ENTERED INTO , INVOLVING THE PROPERTY .

THE CORRESPONDENCE IS NOT A LETTER OF INTENT.

BOTH THE MEETING INVITE AND THE SUBJECT DID USE THE LANGUAGE LETTER OF INTENT ABOUT REAL ESTATE PURCHASE NEGOTIATIONS COMPLIANT WITH ILLINOIS LAW.

>> CERTAIN PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CONNECTIONS IN THESE DEALS, SO WOULD DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE TERMS?

>> WE DON'T.

THIS WOULD MAKE THOSE TERMS PUBLIC, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING TO TAKE OVER CITY PROPERTY DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S A PATTERN, WITH POLITICAL TIES TO THE MAYOR , BENEFITING FROM CITY INCENTIVES BEING DONATED TO THE CAMPAIGN .

THEY MAINTAIN THAT THESE DEALS ARE ABOVE BOARD AND THE CITY DID NOT COMMENT FURTHER ON THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES AND HAVE REJECTED OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT.

>> WE WILL KEEP FOLLOWING THIS, THANKS SO MUCH.

>>> NATIVE MEXICAN CULTURES FRONT AND CENTER AT A NEW EXHIBITION.

STAY WITH US.

>>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE NATIVE MEXICAN AND HOW DO THESE CULTURES PRESENT THEMSELVES TODAY?

THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS AT THE HEART OF THIS EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART FEATURING WORKS BY ARTISTS WITH ROOTS IN NATIVE MEXICAN CULTURE THAT ARE TRAVELING TO CHICAGO.

HERE'S A LOOK.

>>> ANNA HERNANDEZ IS FROM OAXACA, A CITY FAMOUS FOR MATRIARCHAL CULTURE.

SHE SAID THAT SHE USES TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES AND HER WORK.

>> DESPITE 500 YEARS OF COLONIZATION , THE IDENTITIES AND TRADITIONS INDOOR AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE AIMING TO EXPLORE.

THIS FEATURES WORK BY ARTISTS FROM ACROSS MEXICO ALL WITH TIES TO ITS ORIGINAL PEOPLE.

>> JOSE SANTIAGO USES THIS FRESCO TECHNIQUE TO CREATE HIS MURALS.

>> SANTIAGO SAYS THAT THESE BELIEFS ARE REFLECT DID IN HIS WORK.

>> THE EXHIBIT IS THROUGH AUGUST 27th.

MORE INFORMATION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> MODERN PRO BASEBALL DRAWS PLAYERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD .

THROUGH ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE AND INTERVIEWS , THE LEAGUE GIVES AN IN-DEPTH LOOK .

>> UP-TEMPO, FRONT AND RUN.

>> INCREDIBLY ACROBATIC .

>> PLAYING THE RIGHT WAY.

>> THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MAKING HISTORY.

THE PRIZE, THE PASSION , THAT'S THE REAL STORY.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT FILM .

>> MY FIRST INTERVIEW WAS WITH MY FATHER AND A COUPLE OF OTHER PLAYERS IN MY HOMETOWN , AND I TOOK A CREW THERE WITH ME TO START THE PROCESS AND WE STARTED FALLING REALLY IN LOVE WITH EACH OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE STORY.

IT'S AMERICAN HISTORY AND IT'S A HISTORY THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND IT CAME AT A TIME WHERE THEY REALLY NEEDED TO CREATE SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN AND THEY DID THAT.

THEY INTRODUCED THE GAME OF BASEBALL TO CUBA, PUERTO RICO, VENEZUELA , AND WERE THE FIRST TO GO TO JAPAN TO PLAY BASEBALL SO WITH THE INFLUX OF GREAT JAPANESE PLAYERS IN THE MAJORS , AS WELL BECAUSE THEIR ANCESTORS LEARNED THE GAME FROM GREAT BLACK PLAYERS IN HISTORY.

IT'S FUN, IT'S ENGAGING AND FOR ME, IT WAS LIFE-CHANGING.

>> THE LEAGUE IS AT SELECT THEATERS ACROSS CHICAGO AND YOU CAN FIND MORE DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE.

>>> THAT'S OUR SHOW, JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT .

OUR TEAM HAS A PREVIEW AND A LOCAL ARTIST RAISES AWARENESS ABOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE WITH TRADITIONAL PAINTING.

FOR ALL OF US HERE, THANKS FOR WATCHING, STAY HEALTHY AND STAY SAFE.

>>> CLOSED CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFFORD AND LAW.

AND A PROUD SPONSOR