CHICAGOCHICAGO SPORTSSPORTS BULLS FIRE HOIBERG JohnJohn PaxsonPaxson saidsaid team lackedlacked ‘competitive‘competitive spirit.’spirit.’ Top assistant Jim Boylen promoted to head coach. ARMANDO L. SANCHEZ/ CHICAGO TRIBUNE Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Tuesday, December 4, 2018 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com Charter school movement may decelerate Governor-elect pledges to hold off on cation is expected to deny funded schools. expanding,” said Robert under a new state educa- three new charter applica- The city’s latest threat- Bruno, a professor at the tion funding law, and even expansion, ally mayor stepping down tions and close two low- ened charter school strike University of Illinois at Ur- gained millions of extra performing schools this offers a vivid illustration of bana-Champaign’s School dollars from Chicago Pub- By Juan Perez Jr. “challenges” the independ- week. how growing union influ- of Labor and Employment lic Schools this year. Sup- Chicago Tribune ently operated campuses Now hundreds of educa- ence and new political Relations. porters defeated legislation have brought to the educa- tors at the city’s Acero leadership might signal big The movement still touts that would have curtailed a After years of growth, tion ecosystem. charter school network changes for how charter influential business and state panel’s ability to keep Chicago’s charter school Chicago’s pro-charter have threatened to walk off schools operate in Chicago. philanthropic support, and charters open or authorize movement is facing grow- mayor is stepping down, the job Tuesday, halt classes “It does strike me that in local charter school sup- new campuses. ing turbulence. raising the prospect of a for 7,500 predominantly Chicago, there’s been a sig- porters have won their own But in January, Chicago Illinois’ new governor new direction for the city’s Latino students and launch nificant transformation of recent victories, to be sure. Teachers Union members has pledged to hold off on enormous school district. the nation’s first strike over the charter movement in Chicago charters have so charter expansion, citing The Chicago Board of Edu- a contract at the publicly that it doesn’t seem to be far avoided expected cuts Turn to Charter, Page 5 College financial aid in Ill. expands Public universities fight ‘brain drain’ with more options By Dawn Rhodes Chicago Tribune Illinois’ best high school students have perhaps ne- ver had more options to receive financial aid to at- tend a local university. After watching out-of- state schools woo Illinois’ top students with aggres- sive scholarship offers — often regardless of financial need — Illinois public uni- versities are starting to fight back with more aid pack- ages of their own. It’s all with an eye to ending what has become known among educators and lawmakers as the “brain drain.” Many Illinois schools CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY have primarily offered aid Former President George H.W. Bush’s flag-draped casket was placed Monday in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, where he will lie in state through Wednesday. based on a family’s finances. Indeed, University of Illi- nois at Urbana-Champaign unveiled a new scholarship plan this fall to benefit more Bush saluted as ‘gentle soul’ low- and middle-income families. But in an era of Former president mourned, praised for increasing competition from out-of-state universi- lifelong commitment to public service ties like Alabama, merit aid (or not based on need) has By Calvin Woodward, honor the Texan whose become more popular. Illi- Laurie Kellman efforts for his country ex- nois universities, backed by and Ashraf Khalil tended three quarters of a concerned lawmakers, are Associated Press century from World War II following suit. through his final years as an In August, Gov. Bruce WASHINGTON — The advocate for volunteerism Rauner signed legislation nation’s capital embraced and relief for people dis- launching the Aim High George H.W. Bush in death placed by natural disaster. grant program, allocating a Monday with a solemn President from 1989 to portion of $25 million to the ceremony and high tributes 1993, Bush died Friday at state’s 12 public universities. to his service and decency, age 94. The schools match those as the remains of the 41st In an invocation opening funds with their own mon- president took their place Monday evening’s ceremo- ey and create a pool of in the Capitol rotunda for ny, the U.S. House chaplain, merit-based scholarships three days of mourning and the Rev. Patrick J Conroy, for Illinois’ top students. praise by the political elite praised Bush’s commit- Merit aid typically at- and everyday citizens alike. ment to public service, tracts higher-income stu- With Bush’s casket atop from Navy pilot to dents most likely to attend the Lincoln Catafalque, congressman, U.N. ambas- college anyway, experts say. ALEX BRANDON/AP first used for Abraham Lin- sador, envoy to China and Former President George W. Bush and other family watch as the casket of former Presi- coln’s 1865 funeral, digni- Turn to Aid, Page 5 dent George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard into the rotunda. taries came forward to Turn to Bush, Page 9 Future of WGN CPD to add 50 sergeants to help solve shootings uncertain as sale By Jeremy Gorner from the Los Angeles Po- shot, 13 of them fatally — four months. cases, he said. Chicago Tribune lice Department and the the most violent weekend At a news conference Police officials would of parent looms U.S. Department of Justice in Chicago in years. Monday at police head- not immediately say how Texas-based Nexstar Media Under pressure over the to recommend how investi- As part of the Tribune’s quarters, Superintendent many sergeants are already Group said Monday it has department’s abysmally gators here can solve more recurring series, a front- Eddie Johnson said the supervising the detective agreed to buy WGN owner low rate of solving shoot- homicides and shootings. page story Sunday focused bulk of the 50 new ranks. Tribune Media for about ings, Chicago police an- The measures come at a on concerns and frustra- sergeants will likely be Johnson made no direct $4.1 billion, potentially nounced plans Monday to time when the Chicago tions plaguing residents overseeing homicide and connection to the abysmal ending Chicago-based add 50 more sergeants next Tribune has been examin- and witnesses on one West shooting investigations. clearance rate but said the ownership of Ch. 9 and year to improve its supervi- ing the challenges faced by Side block in which a Some, though, could also additional 50 sergeants creating uncertainty for the sion of detectives investi- police in solving violent shootout that weekend left be assigned to supervise would “ensure proper case future of cable channel gating violent crime. crime from just one week- four people wounded. One the work of detectives han- management and provide WGN America and radio The department also end in early August when eyewitness did not hear dling robberies, sexual as- station WGN-AM 720. said it will bring in experts at least 75 people were from a detective for nearly saults and missing person Turn to Solve, Page 6 Business Chicago Weather Center: Complete $2.50 city and suburbs, $3.00 elsewhere High Low Tom Skilling’s forecast 33 26 forecast on back page of A+E section 171st year No. 338 © Chicago Tribune 2 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Tuesday, December 4, 2018 JOSE M. OSORIO/CHICAGO TRIBUNE 2015 Volunteers sort donated cans at the Greater Chicago Food Depository in Chicago. Insult a columnist, donate to charity about the Greater Chicago Food De- virtual food drive, they’re restricted to pository. the purchase of food,” Maehr said. “It It was founded almost 40 years ago helps us make sure we have fresh by volunteers looking for a way to get produce available to people all year ACCURACY AND ETHICS surplus food from grocery stores and long, which is a priority. We want restaurants into the hands of people people to go in and see high quality Margaret Holt, standards editor who couldn’t afford enough food. The food that not only nourishes their body Rex W. Huppke group’s first vehicle was a donated but nourishes their spirit.” The Tribune’s editorial code of principles governs station wagon. As a high-volume charity with professional behavior and journalism standards. Every- This may come as a mild shock, but Now, it’s a massive operation. extensive connections in the food one in our newsroom must agree to live up to this code of not everybody likes my columns. “Today we know that we are serving industry, the Food Depository can buy conduct. Read it at chicagotribune.com/accuracy. In fact, some readers send notes about one in eight people in Cook food for pennies on the dollar. A dona- Corrections and clarifications: Publishing information expressing wide-ranging dissatisfac- County,” Kate Maehr, the depository’s tion of $18.50 buys a 40-pound case of quickly and accurately is a central part of the Chicago tion and an overall view that I have the executive director and CEO, told me. corn on the cob. On average, a $1 dona- Tribune’s news responsibility. intellect of a turnip and the looks of a “We reach more than 800,000 people tion provides food for three meals. uniquely unappealing rodent. who at some point in the year are While the holidays tend to fire up While reading one such note re- needing to turn to a food pantry or our generous spirits, food insecurity is cently, I thought: Wouldn’t it be nice, soup kitchen to get food assistance.