Alex Nitkin is The Daily Line’s reporter covering Cook County and Chicago land use policy. He came to TDL from The Real Deal Chicago, where he covered Chicago real estate news. He previously worked at DNAinfo, first as a breaking news reporter, and then as a neighborhood reporter covering the city's Northwest Side. Nitkin graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism with a bachelor’s degree.
Bio
Solutions reporter, @IllinoisAnswers/@BetterGov. Formerly of @thedailylinechi, @trdchicago & @DNAinfoChi. Amateur baker. Tips: [email protected]
NOV 06, 2019
Tom Benedetto, legislative analyst with the Chicagoland Apartment Association, urges commissioners to give landlords more leeway in denying rental applications. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Landlords, commissioners mixed on on ‘compromise’ Just Housing rules
Tom Benedetto, legislative analyst with the Chicagoland Apartment Association, urges commission...
NOV 05, 2019
Newly re-elected Chief Judge Tim Evans addresses reporters. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Evans finds ‘problems’ in Dart’s call to merge electronic monitoring divisions
Newly re-elected Chief Judge Tim Evans addresses reporters. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Cook Co...
NOV 05, 2019
Civic Federation President Laurence Msall fields reporters' questions at City Hall. [Heather Cherone/The Daily Line]Civic Fed praises ‘calm-before-the-storm’ county budget
Civic Federation President Laurence Msall fields reporters' questions at City Hall. [Heather Ch...
NOV 04, 2019
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is “absolutely” on pace to absorb the responsibilities of Recorder of Deeds Edward Moody by the end of next year, both officials told commissioners during separate budget hearings last week, but a lingering federal probe could complicate the process.
Moody, Yarbrough upbeat on clerk-recorder merger as Shakman looms
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is “absolutely” on pace to absorb the responsibilities of Recor...
NOV 01, 2019
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown said on Wednesday that her office has made “record” time in revamping her office’s hiring processes since a federal monitor was assigned to keep tabs last year.
Brown touts progress on Shakman reforms, hopes to lift federal monitor ‘as fast as possible’
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown said on Wednesday that her office has made “record”...
NOV 01, 2019
Cook County’s hospital system is set next month to end its contract with a psychiatric service that provides therapy for 2,000 patients who lack private insurance, leaving mental health advocates worried that vulnerable users of the service could see an abrupt end to their care.
Psychiatrists in the dark over in-sourcing of county mental health services, advocates say
Cook County’s hospital system is set next month to end its contract with a psychiatric service th...
OCT 31, 2019
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown asked commissioners on Wednesday to reverse years of cuts to allow the county’s 366 courtrooms to be fully staffed, expunge hundreds of thousands of marijuana convictions and smooth the office’s transition to an e-filing system.
Brown asks for budget boost to reverse ‘untenable’ drop in court clerks
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown asked commissioners on Wednesday to reverse years o...
OCT 31, 2019
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart addresses the Board of Commissioners. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Dart shuffles Sheriff’s Office to focus on electronic monitoring
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart addresses the Board of Commissioners. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]...
OCT 30, 2019
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx defended her record to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Foxx defends pull-back on felony shoplifting prosecutions during drama-free budget hearing
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx defended her record to the Cook County Board of Commissio...
OCT 30, 2019
Cook County Health and Hospitals System CEO Dr. Jay Shannon warned commissioners about an "astonishing" increase in unfunded health care costs. [Ales Nitkin/The Daily Line]County health leader asks commissioners for help: ‘We don’t have the ability to print money’
Cook County Health and Hospitals System CEO Dr. Jay Shannon warned commissioners about an "asto...
OCT 29, 2019
The 16 extra staffers budgeted to join the Cook County Board of Review next year won’t be enough to handle the grueling workload imposed by an unprecedented spike in property tax assessment appeals, the board’s three commissioners told members of the county Board of Commissioners on Monday.
Kaegi, Board of Review plead for more staffers: ‘We need more bodies to throw at these files’
The 16 extra staffers budgeted to join the Cook County Board of Review next year won’t be enough ...
OCT 29, 2019
Owners of Chicago-area medical cannabis dispensaries have until Nov. 8 to apply for a lottery that will decide who can fill the limited number of spots where recreational pot can be sold under city zoning rules.
Zoning board sets date, rules for cannabis placement lottery
Owners of Chicago-area medical cannabis dispensaries have until Nov. 8 to apply for a lottery tha...
OCT 28, 2019
Starting on Monday, dozens of county officials are set to splay open their offices’ budget books for a marathon week of scrutiny by the Cook County Board of Commissioners. And unlike previous years, they won’t be begging commissioners for mercy from layoffs and belt-tightening.
County set to reap windfall from Lightfoot’s behemoth $300M TIF surplus
Starting on Monday, dozens of county officials are set to splay open their offices’ budget books ...
OCT 25, 2019
The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is changing its name to remove any hint of association with federal immigration authorities.
County changes name of Homeland Security Department to avoid confusion with ICE
The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is changing its name to ...
OCT 24, 2019
Try again.
That was the message Cook County Commissioners sent on Wednesday to the county rulemaking body responsible for ironing out details of the Just Housing Ordinance, which is set to go into effect at the end of the year.
That was the message Cook County Commissioners sent on Wednesday to the county rulemaking body responsible for ironing out details of the Just Housing Ordinance, which is set to go into effect at the end of the year.
Commissioners demand Just Housing Ordinance rule tweaks
Try again.That was the message Cook County Commissioners sent on Wednesday to the county rulemaki...
OCT 24, 2019
Ald. George Cardenas (12), right; State Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago) [Submitted]
County Environmental Commission becomes latest front in Cardenas-Munoz feud
Ald. George Cardenas (12), right; State Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago) [Submitted]
A new commis...
OCT 23, 2019
Last week, Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (D-13) had 16 commissioners lined up to create a ballot measure asking voters to hike their own taxes for the Forest Preserves District of Cook County, he said.
Then Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle weighed in.
“The president told me over the weekend she will not be in favor of it, and that took away support from a number of commissioners who had been in favor,” Suffredin told reporters on Tuesday. After Preckwinkle made her decision, Suffredin said he counted just five remaining supporters.
Then Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle weighed in.
“The president told me over the weekend she will not be in favor of it, and that took away support from a number of commissioners who had been in favor,” Suffredin told reporters on Tuesday. After Preckwinkle made her decision, Suffredin said he counted just five remaining supporters.
Commissioners declare Forest Preserves tax hike ‘dead as dead can get,’ but advocates vow to push on
Last week, Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (D-13) had 16 commissioners lined up to create a bal...
OCT 23, 2019
The city’s five-year housing plan calls for Chicago officials to spend $1.4 billion to build or preserve 40,000 homes during the next five years. [BRIAN KELLY / FLICKR]Lightfoot budget to boost housing funds by $10M, but homeless advocates say it’s not enough
The city’s five-year housing plan calls for Chicago officials to spend $1.4 billion to build or...
OCT 22, 2019
City leaders on Monday painted the broad strokes of a plan to channel the city’s array of neighborhood development funds into a targeted set of commercial districts on the South and West sides where neighbors have already etched out plans.
City to focus TIF, Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grants ‘like a laser’ on walkable South, West Side districts
City leaders on Monday painted the broad strokes of a plan to channel the city’s array of neighbo...
OCT 22, 2019
Hikers along the North Branch Trail. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]Preckwinkle to propose Forest Preserves budget Tuesday as tax hike measure stalls
Hikers along the North Branch Trail. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]A proposal to ask voters for p...
Bio
Solutions reporter, @IllinoisAnswers/@BetterGov. Formerly of @thedailylinechi, @trdchicago & @DNAinfoChi. Amateur baker. Tips: [email protected]
