Blair Paddock

Chicago

Associate Producer at WTTW-TV (Chicago, IL)

investigations @wttw other words: @WBEZ, @AustinTalks, @Suntimes, @HydeParkHerald, @SouthSideWeekly

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Articles

Lockdowns, Staffing Shortages at Illinois Prisons Leads to Visit Cancellations

4 days ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Blair Paddock

Thanks to our sponsors: View all sponsors “It was just awful,” her daughter, Nadia Kivenas, said. “You’re expecting to see someone and then they cancel the visit, especially in a time of need.” Several family members and advocates with loved ones incarcerated in prisons across Illinois told WTTW News that their in-person visits have been canceled by the Illinois Department of Corrections due to short staffing or lockdowns.
Lockdowns, Staffing Shortages at Illinois Prisons Leads to Visit Cancellations

5 days ago | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock

Lockdowns, Staffing Shortages at Illinois Prisons Leads to Visit Cancellations (WTTW News) Weak after a cancer diagnosis, Vida Kivenas wanted to travel to see her grandson at Pinckneyville Correctional Center one final time before she passed away. Twice, she and her daughter drove over four hours to the prison in hopes of a visit. But both times, they found out upon arrival that visits were canceled at the Southern Illinois facility due to short staffing.
Illinois Lawmakers Seek to Boost Housing Resources for People Leaving Prison

2 weeks ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Blair Paddock

Share Thanks to our sponsors: View all sponsors Illinois lawmakers and advocates are trying to advance a pair of bills that could alleviate the housing burden on those in situations similar to Reyes. It took Javier Reyes 11 rental applications to find housing after his incarceration. Some applications went without a response; some people said they don’t lease to those with records. “Even in jail, I had a place to sleep,” Reyes said.
Illinois Lawmakers Seek to Boost Housing Resources for People Leaving Prison

2 weeks ago | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock

Illinois Lawmakers Seek to Boost Housing Resources for People Leaving Prison The Illinois State Capitol is pictured in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois file photo) It took Javier Reyes 11 rental applications to find housing after his incarceration. Some applications went without a response; some people said they don’t lease to those with records. “Even in jail, I had a place to sleep,” Reyes said.
12 Years Later, Lawsuit That Called Attention to Conditions at Now-Closed Stateville Prison Settled

3 weeks ago | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock

12 Years Later, Lawsuit That Called Attention to Conditions at Now-Closed Stateville Prison Settled Stateville Correctional Center is pictured in a file photo. (Blair Paddock / WTTW News) After 12 years, the class action lawsuit over living conditions at Stateville Correctional Center that helped bring the prison to a close was settled Thursday.
The Carceral System Enters Its Smartwatch Era

Feb 12, 2025 | thenation.com | Blair Paddock

Society / February 12, 2025 The Carceral System Enters Its Smartwatch EraWrist monitors like the BI VeriWatch dominated at a recent industry conference. But some 20 miles away, incarcerated men had other ideas about what the future should look like.
New Book ‘Disillusioned’ Explores Racial Inequity, Tension in American Suburbs

Apr 17, 2024 | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock

The suburbs aren’t immune to the country’s issues around racial inequality. While suburbs were once a beacon of the American dream, families have now realized suburbs failed to deliver equally on this promise, according to a new book. The suburbs were built on the idea they’re a place where families can give their kids a better life, but as generations pass, Herold said, this doesn’t always hold up.
‘It’s a Human Dignity Issue’: Data Reveals Racial, Economic Disparities in Access to Quality Nursing Home Care Across Chicago

Dec 21, 2023 | hpherald.com | Blair Paddock

(Video produced by Nicole Cardos) This story is a collaboration between WTTW News, South Side Weekly and Hyde Park Herald. Additional data reporting by Charmaine Runes and Jared Rutecki. When nursing home resident Curtis Spears fell while getting out of bed, his sister Julia Preston and Belhaven Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center staff members agreed on one detail: He fell. How he ended up on the ground is where their stories differ.
CPS Board’s Move Away From School Choice Draws Praise, Backlash

Dec 20, 2023 | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock |Paul Caine

In a major departure from past policy, the Chicago Board of Education has announced it intends to move away from a system built on school choice. It’s a system that means Chicago Public Schools families can apply to have their children attend schools across the city, versus being required to attend their neighborhood school. Critics say that means neighborhood schools lose out to better-funded competitors as a result.
‘It’s a Human Dignity Issue’: Data Reveals Racial, Economic Disparities in Access to Quality Nursing Home Care Across Chicago | Chicago News | WTTW

Dec 20, 2023 | news.wttw.com | Blair Paddock

A data analysis by WTTW News and the Hyde Park Herald/South Side Weekly found the disparity between access to quality nursing home care for Black and White Chicagoans is stark, with highly rated homes concentrated on the city’s North Side and housing majority White residents.