Daywatch: Illinois teacher shortage reaches crisis level | Inside the Chicago Bears’ search for a new coach and GM | 7 Midwest cities to visit in 2022
Good morning, Chicago.
Nearly 90% of Illinois school districts statewide are struggling with an alarming teacher shortage that has reached a crisis level during the COVID-19 pandemic, officials with an organization of regional superintendents said Tuesday.
The escalating statewide teacher shortage, which officials said is expected to worsen in the coming years, was reflected in the results of a fall survey of more than 660 Illinois school districts by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online. And the Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free starting next week.
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Inflation hits 7.5% in Midwest; surging consumer prices ‘disastrous’
New national data confirms what American consumers are seeing at the grocery store, as they shop for cars and even what they pay for the roof over their heads — costs are soaring with inflation rising to a whopping 7% nationally.
A closer look at the Labor Department data released in recent days shows the Midwest, which includes Illinois, is at 7.5% while a more local region that includes Chicago, Elgin and Naperville is at 6.6%.
Economists see more trouble ahead as we enter the third year of a pandemic and reflect on how we got here.
Frontier Airlines to begin flying out of Midway Airport in April
A new airline will begin flying out of Midway Airport in the spring, bringing the number of airlines operating out of the smaller of Chicago’s two airports to six.
Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines will begin flying to eight destinations on April 28, including Atlanta, Denver and Las Vegas, Josh Flyr, Frontier’s vice president of network and operational design, said at a news conference Tuesday.
WBEZ parent moving forward with Sun-Times acquisition, forming joint nonprofit newsroom
The Chicago Public Media board voted Tuesday evening to move forward with its acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times, combining the newspaper with WBEZ-FM 91.5 as one nonprofit multimedia newsroom.
The transaction is expected to close by Jan. 31, creating a potentially groundbreaking model for the future of local journalism.
‘Thorough, diligent and exhaustive’: Inside the Bears’ search for a new coach and GM — and why the ever-growing candidate list could be a concern
If the Chicago Bears conduct a shrewd and calculated exploration of their current applicants for a new head coach and general manager, they have a golden opportunity to make two successful hires in the coming weeks.
But first and foremost, the Tribune’s Dan Wiederer writes, they must know what they’re truly after, what their vision is for this latest reboot and how they can unite a new GM with a new coach in a way that propels them forward as quickly as possible.
7 Midwest cities to visit in 2022 for history buffs, nature enthusiasts, foodies and more
The year might have just kicked off, but if you’re already in need of a change of scenery or a long weekend getaway, the Midwest has everything you need within driving distance.
Whether you’re on the hunt for small-town charm or big-city nightlife, you really can have it all — and not stray far from home. Here are top picks for trips tailored to your needs, from a thriving arts scene in Des Moines to a college town steeped in history.
