Your Daily Guide

Check Where Your Alder Stands on ICE

Since “Operation Midway Blitz” kicked off in September, some local leaders have spoken out more than others. Do you know your alder’s stance? This guide covers alders’ legislative records, letters signed, public statements, on-the-ground support, and constituent resources offered. [Block Club]

• Meanwhile: Greg Bovino's border patrol caravan continues. [Sun-Times]

Pritzker Signs Off on Massive Transit Overhaul

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed off on a $1.5 billion bill that prevents cuts to Illinois transit. It relies on an increased sales tax in Chicagoland, plus diverted dollars from Illinois’ Road Fund, to fund CTA, Metra, and Pace. [WTTW]

Chicago's Best Albums of 2025

Contributors from the Sun-Times, WBEZ, and its sister station Vocalo have compiled a list of the best Chicago albums from 2025. Notable works include:

• “Wish Defense” by FACS, the final album produced by Steve Albini
• “Phonetics On and On” by Horsegirl
• “Star Line” by Chance the Rapper
• “It’s All Starting to Make Sense Now” by m.e.h.
• “Small Talk” by Whitney [WBEZ]

Netflix awaits regulatory clearance on its acquisition of Warner Bros. studios … Meanwhile, Paramount is attempting a hostile takeover of the entire Warner Bros. Discovery conglomerate.

The so-called “Streaming Wars” are getting ugly — and monopolistic. But there are local alternatives to watch shows at home.

Open Television

For 10 years, the nonprofit Open Television has supported Chicago filmmakers as a media incubator. More recently, it developed its own streaming app, which now offers over 500 titles.

OTV’s core mission is to prop up stories by intersectional artists, meaning artists with two or more marginalized identities.

“ What would happen if we built a space where intersectional artists could create without gatekeepers or algorithms deciding their worth?” When OTV launched in 2015, this was its guiding question, co-founder Elijah McKinnon told City Cast Chicago.

Today, the app includes TV pilots, series, short films, and video art from across genders, sexualities, races, classes, disabilities, and nationalities.