April 21, 2026 Chicago Tonight - Full Episode

0:14 thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

0:16 I'm Brandis Friedman.

0:16 Here's what we're looking at.

0:18 We have a lot of work to do is a lot of people that want to build into city.

0:23 The city's new zoning committee chair joins us to discuss his powerful new

0:27 position and his plans to address

0:29 the backlog of developments waiting for approval.

0:31 And the artist who mission might be over.

0:38 But NASA's plans for export space still soaring.

0:40 A look at what to expect.

0:42 First off tonight.

0:45 The FBI is doubling the reward for anyone with information that helps

0:51 investigators find a man they believe killed or shot and killed in Illinois.

0:55 National Guardsmen nearly 5 years ago.

0:57 The agency says it's now offering $50,000

0:59 in the search for 44 year-old Joseph Matos,

1:00 who's been indicted on federal racketeering charges

1:06 related to the killing but remains at large.

1:08 They believe he's involved in the killing

1:11 of 19 year-old Chris Carter Hall Carbajal had graduated

1:14 from National Guard training and was set

1:15 to be stationed at a military base in Riverside.

1:17 Carbon Hall's family originally offered a $25,000 reward,

1:22 but told WTTG your news at the time.

1:24 But detectives collected evidence and witness testimony.

1:27 But Cook County prosecutors declined

1:30 to press charges citing insufficient evidence.

1:33 And executive order from Governor JB Pritzker

1:37 seeks to limit state employees from using nonpublic

1:40 information gained through their job but to place

1:42 bets in the rapidly growing prediction markets,

1:43 such markets like Polly Market how she allow users

1:48 to bet on anything from sports to policy decisions.

1:50 The governor's office says they operate

1:52 with little or no regulatory oversight or safeguards.

1:56 The U.S.

1:57 under the order no state employees can use knowledge

1:58 gained from their official position to participate in the markets

2:03 or event based contracts whether or not they profit sharing

2:06 that information to help others with their bedding is also prohibited.

2:09 The Chicago Bulls are now in the market for a new head coach

2:14 Hall of Fame coach Billy Donovan is resigning after 6 years at the helm.

2:18 He was expected to stay on after recent

2:21 front-office shakeup in the organization wanted him to stay.

2:24 But now the coaches step down and let the still to be hired.

2:29 New off-court leadership team pickets on coach under Donovan.

2:31 The Bulls made the playoffs just once

2:34 and recently traded much of the roster for future

2:37 draft picks will Michael Reinsdorf thanks Donovan

2:39 for his service with the team and blames a roster.

2:42 Construction for the team's struggles, not the coaching.

2:47 We meet the new leader of City Council's powerful zoning committee.

2:50 He joins us right after this.

2:54 Chicago tonight is made possible in part

2:56 why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

2:59 The Pope Brothers Foundation.

3:03 And the support of these donors.

3:37 It's considered one of the most powerful positions in City Hall

3:40 after months without a permanent leader City Council's committee on zoning,

3:44 landmarks and building standards finally has a new chair.

3:47 36 Ward Alderman Gilbert Villegas will lead the committee,

3:50 putting him at the Centre decisions that shape

3:52 everything from neighborhood housing to billion dollar developments.

3:56 Joining us now is the newly-appointed Zoning Committee chair.

4:00 36 word, Alderman Gilbert Villegas who represents

4:02 parts of the northwest side like Belmont, Craig and Humble Park.

4:07 Welcome back.

4:07 Alderman, Congrats on the new position.

4:09 I appreciate.

4:09 Thank you, Brenda Famu back.

4:11 So you're stepping into the role.

4:12 It's been months of stalled meetings.

4:13 More than 100 proposals are still in limbo.

4:17 What's your plan to work through that backlog?

4:19 Well, we've already hit the ground running.

4:21 We've already scheduled to meetings for next

4:23 month when a May 6 where we're here.

4:26 About 85 to 90% of those projects.

4:28 And my intention is to have a long meeting on that day in order

4:32 to get these projects approved so that we can get people to work working.

4:35 Then on May 19th will have a another

4:37 meeting that will deal with some of pay roll

4:39 over projects as well as some tax amendment

4:42 on ordinances that need to be that he be moved.

4:44 But yeah, this this we need to get things moving.

4:46 People are ready ready to get to work.

4:47 This is construction season.

4:48 Unfortunately, we don't enjoy the same whether it's California and Florida.

4:53 And so we have a the compressed construction season.

4:55 So we want to make sure that we're getting people I do want this position.

4:59 Look, this is something that this I've been in the construction industry,

5:02 my whole professional career deputy

5:04 director with the Department of Transportation,

5:06 not-for-profit Trade Association read advocating infrastructure

5:10 down to Springfield in DC and then

5:11 also I was the chief of staff what's called the Capital Development Board,

5:15 which is an agency that does a state agency

5:18 that all the vertical construction in the state of Illinois.

5:20 So in essence, it was a question construction manager.

5:22 I lead the economic Capital Technology

5:25 Development Committee as well as the chairman

5:26 for the last 6 years and capital being part of the infrastructure.

5:29 So again, I know to get things done

5:32 and looking forward getting it done for our colleagues.

5:35 It extension of work that you previously

5:36 Are there specific types of projects, affordable housing,

5:39 transit oriented neighborhood revitalization that you plan

5:42 to prioritize first once you get going?

5:43 Yeah.

5:43 So it's we're going to be talking with our colleagues

5:46 can find out what their what their priorities are.

5:47 We want to make sure that we're addressing.

5:49 The housing shortage that's there.

5:51 One of the big issues that we're seeing around supply

5:54 and demand is just predictability of how big it projects completed.

5:56 And so one of the key things I want to do

5:57 is meet with both developers and the outside attorneys as well

6:03 as the internal government employees to figure out what is it

6:06 that we need to do in order to speed up projects.

6:08 This is the perfect related technology on so that we would predictability.

6:13 I would imagine having each project having its own

6:16 dashboard were those folks and some of those stakeholders

6:18 have an opportunity look at that dashboard

6:21 to find out where the rat in the process.

6:23 Again, this is right for taking out.

6:25 This is right for technology because already we

6:26 have tons of boxes of paper and in 2026.

6:30 We gotta get rid of the paper, especially specifically around this committee.

6:33 Your previous leading role,

6:35 the economic Capital Technology Development Committee that's

6:38 been handed off to Alderman Derek Curtis.

6:40 No part of the deal that put you in the chair was the support

6:43 of the Black caucus so that one of their members could take over there.

6:48 What does that say to you about the role

6:50 of race and sort of politicking deal cutting in Chicago politics?

6:53 Well, I think I think and take a look at this as well.

6:57 I think that both Eric and I started 2015.

6:58 So we're we're we're not 3rd term and we didn't want

7:03 to do is set a precedence around allowing freshman the ability to have

7:08 powerful committees like zoning.

7:10 And so I think that in your and last and yeah, it's been in the role,

7:12 yes Room, which which which he did a great job during his tenure there.

7:15 And he's the vice chair of the committee.

7:16 So we look, we're both going to work collectively to make

7:18 sure that we get projects completed in the city, Chicago,

7:21 but he was an opportunity to promote a colleague using our colleague of mine,

7:24 who's in his 3rd term as well.

7:25 And we took them and we looked at it, do roll cause and we thought that was

7:31 the best path forward as a result of my committee,

7:34 my steps going to be helping and Eric as well

7:36 to get to get his footings around that committee.

7:38 But we want to make sure that we're we're both can be successful,

7:43 he's in charge of economic capital technology,

7:45 infrastructure thing, which is called the capital Improvement plan.

7:47 That's in that committee.

7:50 And then I'll be with zoning.

7:51 So we're going to be doing a bunch of construction city.

7:54 Chicago.

7:54 There's also the of the little issue of Aldermanic prerogative.

7:57 Do you plan on honoring

7:59 this this decades old tradition of aldermanic prerogative

8:02 that gives all the people the final

8:04 authority over the housing developments in their ward.

8:06 I think so I'm going to be setting up some meetings with see map as well as MPC.

8:10 So that's Chicago Metropolitan Agency for planning as well as the Metropolitan.

8:14 Planning Council.

8:14 I want I want to get some information around planning.

8:16 But what I see about automatic pride, it's more about educating people.

8:20 What we see is that once people talk about affordable housing, people out there.

8:25 That's all we don't want that in here

8:27 and not understanding what affordable housing needs.

8:29 Listen, I grew up in late Pope's which a Chicago housing authority.

8:34 and as a result of that, again, living in living in public housing.

8:38 Give me a different view around what what

8:40 working working people and what they're how they're struggling.

8:43 And we want to make sure that we're

8:44 addressing every one of the affordability issue.

8:47 So going to be talking about affordable housing market rate,

8:51 all types of development.

8:52 But what I really want to focus on is making

8:54 sure that we have the ability to get things done.

8:56 Quicker.

8:56 The fact that we're taking months in some cases,

8:59 years to get projects approved is

9:01 really what's leading to the affordability issue.

9:04 Just not enough supply.

9:05 And as a result of that prices are You know,

9:07 we talk about affordability and in whose impacted by the lack

9:12 of affordability a lot on because there's been a finding by the U.S.

9:14 Department of Housing and Urban Development

9:17 under former President Joe Biden that found.

9:20 That all the ramp aldermanic prerogative fuel segregation in Chicago,

9:22 violating civil rights of black and Latino

9:26 residents by limiting the creation of affordable housing.

9:28 How do you square aldermanic prerogative with that?

9:31 Well against is it's about education.

9:32 It's about having a discussion that's going to bring in the subject matter.

9:34 Experts around planning to figure out how we can educate my colleagues,

9:38 but also the public around what affordable

9:40 housing as a negative connotation right now.

9:42 And really frustrating because we take a look at what 60% of median

9:46 household income is that some communities some cases at $60,000 for family of 2.

9:51 And we think about that.

9:54 I mean, that's little bit more than that.

9:56 Maybe $30.30, $1 an hour that someone's making, right.

9:59 So we need to we need to stop this whole

10:03 stigma around negative stigma around former housing and educate people.

10:06 What affordable housing really means on that note,

10:09 Chicago continues to face a housing shortage of how can zoning committee

10:15 be used as a tool to fix to fix the affordable housing crisis?

10:19 In addition to what you just named.

10:20 I see the zoning committee as in up his economic development committee as well.

10:25 So we're gonna have the ability to spur economic development.

10:28 But what's really causing the affordability issue of supply and demand.

10:32 And what we need to do is make sure that we're getting projects done quicker.

10:36 I keep that this sizing technology because of the fact

10:40 that government has been real slow to get on board technology.

10:43 Think about the fact that right now you can order groceries,

10:47 track it on your phone, have affordable being delivered.

10:50 But yet if you get into the system,

10:53 building system and to submit a permit, you can track it.

10:56 You're you Nicole people.

10:58 You're having to send emails to figure out where things are at.

11:01 And again, just no transparency.

11:02 So my goal is to really focus on cutting the red tape,

11:07 getting projects completed quicker.

11:09 A lot for predictability of more transparency.

11:12 There's also major projects like the 78 side quantum

11:15 Bally's Casino all in the works facing delays, public scrutiny.

11:19 What role do you plan on playing to move large-scale developments like that.

11:24 But while also ensuring community needs are taken into account, absolutely.

11:26 working closely with those those on our men

11:27 and women that represent those areas.

11:30 This tonight we approved site quantum to my committee as well.

11:34 The foundry, which which is the previous Lincoln Yards.

11:39 78 with stadium.

11:39 I mean, these are projects that have been approved by City Council.

11:41 We're excited about those are projects that we need now

11:43 imagine these are large scale projects that people that say,

11:47 hey, we want to invest in Chicago,

11:50 but we'll also hear from people that are a little

11:52 bullish that are little bullish Chicago because of the fact

11:56 that I'm certain little in Chicago because of the fact

11:58 that just don't know what's going on there.

12:01 So we want to do is signal know Chicago's open for business.

12:04 We want to allow them to invest in the city,

12:07 but then also do it in a way where again,

12:12 is predictability about when these projects are going to take route.

12:14 Quickly, before we let you go,

12:15 you previously been at odds with the mayor over issues like the budget,

12:18 corporate head tax that he proposed plan on working with Mayor

12:21 Johnson as well as the rest of city council on this.

12:22 And, you know, any time the city council,

12:27 he's standing up and not being a rubber stamp.

12:29 It's good for taxpayers.

12:30 It's good for Jen Hawkins.

12:33 We're elected just like the mayor.

12:34 We have opinions and we should be able to voice those opinions.

12:36 So whenever the mayor has something

12:39 that we can collaborate on looking forward collaborating,

12:41 but if he's putting something forward and a bunch

12:44 of us are not really accepting orders,

12:45 we think is a different different opportunity to get it done.

12:49 We're going to make those opinions right.

12:51 Brand new zoning committee chair and 36 word Alderman Gover Ga Gus.

12:52 Thanks for joining us different to you.

12:56 Thank you.

12:57 Up next out of this world plans with a look

12:59 at some of NASA's upcoming projects and missions.

13:03 Stay with us.

13:49 The new era of space exploration is under way.

13:53 Scientists, space enthusiasts and general skywatchers.

13:56 We're delighted earlier this month.

13:57 As for astronauts spent 10 days on a trip

13:59 around the moon before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

14:02 But the end of the Artemis 2 mission

14:06 is just the beginning for NASA's other goals.

14:08 Like building a moon base to studying faraway galaxies.

14:13 Joining us now, our Hunter Miller,

14:15 a public observing educator at the Adler Planetarium Charles Mud,

14:18 principal attorney at Mud Law who specializes in space law.

14:19 It is a thing.

14:24 And Allison Strong professor of physics and astronomy

14:27 at Northwestern University and probably the coolest title space lawyer.

14:29 thanks to everyone for joining us.

14:31 We appreciate you.

14:34 A Hunter Miller.

14:35 What tells apartments to mission what did that accomplished?

14:37 So the goal of the Artemis 2 mission.

14:38 These are really very iterative missions that are

14:41 all building towards a big future goal.

14:43 So this is the first test of the space

14:46 launch system Orion spacecraft with humans in sides.

14:49 That was a really big step to take.

14:52 To move us towards an project S towards future missions,

14:54 including winning astronauts on the

14:56 What are the plans for Artemis 3, 4 and beyond.

15:00 So this has changed a little bit recently.

15:01 So Artemis 3 is now planned as a another test mission

15:05 that will staying in Earth orbit rather than venturing to the moon.

15:10 This will allow them to have some future, some further tests with.

15:14 Docking with lunar landing module is

15:16 being created by private corporations today.

15:18 So that is a test they thought was very important,

15:20 an additional step that they wanted to add to this project

15:24 with Artemis for being the full on return to the moon land

15:27 astronauts on the lunar surface and that is currently being projected

15:31 for as recent as 2028 very soon that feels like a tight timeline.

15:37 Flicked back to I mean, just tonight,

15:38 unscientific mind coming up in a couple of years.

15:41 Basically, it is absolutely soon.

15:42 But, you know, when you have things like Artemis 2 that have

15:44 launched their using very similar technology to return to the moon itself.

15:48 So, you know, it is a tight timeline will see if they can pull it off.

15:51 There's a lot of moving parts for these missions,

15:55 but they always like to project, you know, the most positive outlooks.

15:58 See what we can do.

15:59 And I'm hopeful that they're gonna push to get us their Thank Charles.

16:03 What is international law say about what a country

16:07 can do on the moon or anywhere in space?

16:10 Well, one of the most interesting things is that the moon and other celestial

16:14 bodies as the terms happened to be

16:16 in the Outer Space treaty and other documents.

16:18 Are the province of all humankind.

16:20 So no country, no party can claim ownership

16:25 to a particular area of land of the moon.

16:28 What's interesting, though, the moon agreement,

16:31 which was the last of the 5 treaties, space treaties was 1984,

16:36 and the United States is not a party to the moon agreement.

16:39 And one of the main reasons for that is

16:42 that the moon agreement went beyond the Outer Space

16:46 treaty and so that nobody could on minerals or anything

16:51 mined or extracted from the moon or celestial bodies.

16:54 And there are actually 4 countries, the Japan,

16:59 UAE and Luxembourg that have laws contrary to the moon agreement and saying,

17:03 yes, we things that we might.

17:06 And that is one of the future projects to mind from asteroids.

17:10 What is the U.S.

17:10 and maybe some of those other countries?

17:12 What's the country's rationed now?

17:15 For disagreeing with all the other countries that that have signed on to this.

17:21 And clarify one point and that most countries are not on the moon agreement.

17:24 I think there's probably less than 30 countries are

17:26 actually signed on to the moon agreement than in comparison.

17:29 Really quickly.

17:30 The Artemis accords that the U.S.

17:32 has put forward has 62 countries.

17:36 Now a lot of your being actually signing on yesterday.

17:38 Welcome Lot B, a house.

17:42 And you are working on that early stages of a project

17:44 with NASA that a look at potentially habitable worlds.

17:48 Tell us about that.

17:49 Yeah, that's right.

17:50 So it's a really exciting time for NASA science as well

17:53 as space exploration and people are

17:54 undoubtedly familiar with Hubble Space Telescope,

17:56 James Webb, Space Telescope Roman, which will be launching in September.

18:00 But the one you're referring to is called habitable Worlds.

18:04 Observatory will be the next big NASA flagship.

18:06 And the idea here is to build essentially a super Hubble.

18:10 So it'll be bigger than Jamie team.

18:12 But at a look at UV wavelengths slay couple does and into the optical.

18:17 And so to let us look at Earth like planets around sun-like

18:19 stars really for the first time and assess whether or not their habitable.

18:24 So it answer really for the first time this pressing question that we have,

18:29 are we alone in the universe?

18:30 Are we alone in the universe?

18:31 Can we move to another planet if we mess this one up,

18:34 there is no Planet but I think it's a you know,

18:39 it's it's an age old question for humanity, I think.

18:41 And one that has eluded us because it's so technically challenging.

18:45 It requires an ultra stable telescope

18:47 and a lot of technology that we're still developing.

18:50 So there's actually a lot of crossover between things in sort aerospace

18:55 engineering and building the sort of next

18:57 generation facilities like habitable worlds, uncertainty.

18:59 You mentioned the James Webb Space Telescope already out in space.

19:03 What are scientists learning from that cash?

19:07 It's really been a, you know,

19:10 such a transformational facility and the world's best Christmas gifts, right?

19:13 And launched on Christmas Morning.

19:14 So I would say like the most interesting thing that we've

19:18 learned is that everything is happening a lot earlier than we expected.

19:20 When we look at the very first galaxies,

19:24 we see that there are a lot more mature than we expected.

19:27 So it's like looking back and expecting to see,

19:31 you know, infants and seeing toddlers instead.

19:33 Now what we want to understand is what's driving this.

19:36 Why are galaxies forming so quickly and maybe this will help us understand,

19:39 for example, the origin of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

19:44 Hunter House, NASA working with private companies

19:46 as they work towards possibly building a moon base.

19:49 So the role of private companies,

19:52 it's going to take a few different roles along the process.

19:54 So the first step is going to be in future Artemis missions where

19:58 they will be building components that will be

20:01 used for landing astronauts on the lunar surface.

20:03 But looking ahead to the not NASA's plan for an extended moon base,

20:10 you know, time on the moon for astronauts that will require many more landings.

20:15 Many more launches the NASA's capable of achieving by themselves just

20:18 to get the materials required to construct these bases on them.

20:21 And so that is where private companies will really

20:24 become very a central is in delivering these payloads

20:28 to the lunar surface so that astronauts can go live

20:31 on these bases and learn more about them there any ever.

20:34 Any criticisms concerns, conflicts about, you know,

20:37 sort of the private involvement in what until what, the last 10, 20 years has

20:41 for the most part been sort government's effort, right?

20:46 wasn't the original like back during the Space age.

20:48 That was all NASA.

20:50 All right.

20:50 It is a little bit of a new Also say that, you know,

20:53 another thing and they're really pushing for with, you know,

20:57 Artemis project is international cooperation as well.

20:59 This is really a mission for the entire world.

21:02 It's something that can only be accomplished

21:05 with that cooperation because these are much

21:06 more challenging goals than we have ever

21:09 accomplished in space exploration in the past.

21:10 So I think it really just comes down to requiring the help

21:12 of a lot of different folks to make these really big lofty goals possible.

21:17 And I think that really showcase is why we are choosing to return to the moon.

21:23 Now, you know, over 50 years after, you know,

21:24 the last time we landed humans on all hands on deck.

21:29 Everybody to Charles.

21:31 What what are the legal questions, though,

21:32 that pop up as private companies start to build a presence in space as well?

21:37 Well, one of the legal questions is our company under the same set of rules.

21:43 For example, tourist actually of somebody who watches the satellite.

21:45 Are they subject to the laws here on the United States?

21:50 And they are.

21:51 It's very clear that even under the Outer Space Treaty that alone the countries

21:57 from which rocket or any object happens to be launch controls that that launch.

22:04 And if a U.S.

22:05 company, for example, launches a satellite,

22:07 then that company in the satellite operations

22:08 are still subject 2 United States law.

22:12 And that means to be very clear,

22:15 because there's a limited amount of space, even though it's big.

22:20 There's a limited amount of space and the very

22:22 south to and wants a low earth orbit.

22:25 So we need to make sure that the laws

22:29 apply and that the country's the companies know that.

22:33 If that makes yes, it doesn't.

22:36 Following.

22:37 So then there's the president's budget request for NASA in 2027.

22:42 It would increase funding for space exploration but cut funding

22:45 for science by 46% and cutting the total agency by 23%.

22:51 Allison, what might the U.S.

22:52 lose if these cuts are approved?

22:56 So I think it is very concerning obviously,

23:01 I understand the desire to have a balanced but the science portfolio,

23:05 if NASA has given us, I think some of the most amazing discoveries about

23:10 our place in the universe over the last 30 years.

23:13 And it has helped the United States be leaders in astronomy and space science.

23:19 So we would lose a variety of telescopes.

23:22 I mean, we're familiar with the big names, but all of the telescope's, you know,

23:28 there are dozens that work together to help us answer questions about stars,

23:30 planets and galaxies.

23:33 And and ultimately what we would lose us,

23:35 the ability to train future generations of scientists.

23:36 Most of the NASA money in addition to supporting missions goes towards training.

23:42 Scientists training students doing public outreach and all of that would be

23:44 in jeopardy after physics in particular is actually slated to be cut by 65%.

23:50 And I don't know what you're supposed to do if a 3rd

23:53 of the budget that you expected to certainly not meet these lofty goals

23:56 that we've been talking Certainly not

24:01 scientifically Fortunately Congress and I think

24:02 most Americans are fully in support

24:05 of supporting both science and space exploration.

24:06 And I did a quick calculation earlier.

24:09 I think the whole budget of NASA science plus space

24:12 exploration works out to like one coffee per month per American.

24:15 And I think that's a pretty good Charles can

24:19 investments and NASA had of those spur commercial innovation.

24:23 Well, you know, now, sir, kind of the impetus for all of the companies

24:30 and everything that's come in the United States.

24:32 You know, they they kind of system from the research

24:36 and the investment that's paid Bennett that made in Nassau.

24:40 And I think that that continued cooperation is necessary.

24:43 And SpaceX has had a huge part of working with now.

24:47 So to provide launches and actually move away from a time where the U.S.

24:53 had to rely on Russia to launch.

24:56 So there has been a commercial public-private partnership.

24:58 And I think that's going to continue into the Hunter couple of seconds left,

25:03 whether it's the moon, faraway galaxies.

25:05 What do you think?

25:05 It's important to study space?

25:07 You know, I think it's a lot of reasons that it's important.

25:10 There's, of course, the science benefits, the cat out of exploring space.

25:14 Not just understanding of what our place in the universe.

25:17 But also a result and tons of other

25:19 discoveries that are very useful in our day-to-day life.

25:21 Right.

25:22 But I think another element that's really

25:23 important to me is the wonder that exploring

25:27 space brings about I see that on people's faces every day of my work.

25:30 And that's something that I think space can provide.

25:32 That's really special.

25:36 And wd 40 built OK, I will have to leave

25:39 it there 100 Miller Charles night out since Trump.

25:41 Thanks to all of Appreciate it.

25:43 Thank And that is our show for this Tuesday night.

25:47 Stay connected with our reporters and what they're working on by following us

25:49 on Instagram at W T Tw Chicago and join us tomorrow at 5,

25:53 30 10 now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman,

25:56 thank you for watching.

26:02 Stay healthy and safe and have a thing.

26:34 Closed captioning is made possible by Clifford and Clifford Law offices,

26:40 Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death with more than 40 years