Good afternoon! Three panels of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be viewable to the public in Chicago this month. Here’s what else you need to know today.
1. A new medical license pathway for international doctors could alleviate Illinois’ shortage. A law passed in 2023 and in effect this year created a limited license that allows doctors trained abroad to practice for two years under a supervising physician, Kaitlin Washburn reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Doctors must either treat an underserved population or practice in an area of unmet medical need. After the two years, they’re given a provisional license for another two years, which allows them to mostly work independently while still supervised. Then, they’re granted a full, unrestricted medical license.
The state will likely be short 6,200 doctors by 2030 — but more than 12,000 residents have an international medical degree they can’t use.
“Illinois has had a physician workforce shortage for several years, and it is not improving,” said Piyush Vyas, president of the Illinois State Medical Society. “With further training under physician supervision, [doctors who had been trained abroad] will help alleviate the shortage of medical professionals in key areas of our state.”
Lawmakers and department officials are still working out the administrative rules for the licensing process. [Chicago Sun-Times]
2. Despite the city’s outreach, a homeless encampment shows no sign of shrinking at a Northwest Side park. As of yesterday, there were still more than 20 tents at Gompers Park, but the future remains unclear for the unhoused, my colleagues Lauren FitzPatrick and Elvia Malagón report.
Last fall, there were slightly more tents in the park. It appears that as some people moved out, others moved into Gompers, which has been a symbol of the homelessness challenge in Chicago.
Signs were recently posted telling residents they have to move their belongings by May 12.
In a statement, city officials said tents will be relocated to parts of the park without construction activity, park programming or flooding concerns. But they did not specify where the tents can remain.
Some of the newest tents at Gompers are because of construction of a bridge along Foster Avenue that displaced people living nearby, said Monica Dillon, an advocate for the unhoused. Others still living at the park are waiting for housing on the Northwest Side, where available units are limited. [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Illinois Democrats are awaiting decisions from Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. JB Pritzker that will spark a high-stakes political shuffle. For now, candidates are anxiously awaiting word from both Pritzker and Durbin, but the behind-the-scenes jockeying is in full force, my colleague Tina Sfondeles writes.
The Democratic governor, who is widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender, would be vying for a third term next year — and it’s unlikely he would want to leave office as he positions himself as a leader of the Democratic resistance against President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Durbin, 80, has remained silent about a reelection plan. A spokeswoman said yesterday she had no updates on that decision. The senator this week told reporters in East St. Louis his decision would not be coming this week.
Nevertheless, several potential contenders are ready to jump into the Senate race, and they’re busy fundraising and building up their campaigns, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lauren Underwood. Rep. Robin Kelly is also exploring a run. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. A man has been charged in the robbery of a valuable violin on a CTA train, but the instrument is still missing. A 39-year-old Chicago man was charged with one felony count of robbery and three misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing a peace officer, according to Chicago police.
The maple and spruce violin was a gift from music student Cyrus Spurlock’s older brother, who crafted it himself. Spurlock was sitting on a train at the Clark and Lake stop Friday when the violin was stolen. Spurlock was offering a cash reward for information leading to the return of the instrument, which is valued at $10,000.
Spurlock said the instrument’s rectangular case has been recovered but there is no word on the violin itself. Now he hopes the man in custody is willing to provide information on its whereabouts. [Chicago Sun-Times]
5. Chicago’s Links Hall, a cornerstone of the city’s dance scene, is set to permanently close amid financial trouble. Links’ Executive Director SK Kerastas said the venue will continue with performances scheduled through June, then close up shop over the summer, my colleague Courtney Kueppers reports for WBEZ.
Since its founding in 1978 by choreographers Bob Eisen, Carol Bobrow and Charlie Vernon, Links has often given a home to experimental new works that pushed the envelope both artistically and politically. For example, the space recently housed ABORT, which was about abortion.
“It’s hard to overstate what Links means to Chicago’s dance community,” said Chicago Dancemakers Forum Executive Director Joanna Furnans, who has staged work at Links. “For many, Links is a home — the sort of incubator home base for the building of dance artists’ careers in this city.” [WBEZ]
Here’s what else is happening. Multiple victims were reported in a shooting at Florida State University. [AP]
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the birthright citizenship case in May. [The Hill]
Are there signs of life on alien planet K2-18b, or is it just a lot of hot air? [NPR]
NPR CEO Katherine Maher addressed the future of federal funding for public media. [NPR]
Oh, and one more thing … With so much political charge in the air, WBEZ theater reporter Mike Davis has compiled a list of four shows on Chicago stages that explore themes of history and identity, from race to female sexuality to queer life.
There’s Rivendell Theatre’s No Such Thing, telling the story of an aging artist who feels she has become invisible to society and running through April 27. Meanwhile, The Story Theatre will run At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen, chronicling Black queer life and drag culture in the rural South.
You can see the full list in the link. [WBEZ]
Tell me something good … What are your standout memories of celebrating springtime holidays, whether it’s Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day or any of the others?
Paul writes: “When I was in my early teens, after many years of coloring Easter eggs with my mother, I decided I could do it on my own and give a colored egg to each member of our church choir. One of the ladies decided to place the egg in the bottom of her purse, and she forgot about it. Until it cracked and the apparently-not-hard-boiled or not-hard-boiled-enough egg’s contents began to leak through the fabric to the floor. Suffice it to say, that was egg-zactly the last time I gave out such a gift.”
Feel free to email me, and your response may be included in the newsletter this week.
image source from：https://www.wbez.org/wbez-newsletter/2025/04/17/the-rundown-addressing-illinois-doctor-shortage
