Afternoon Briefing: Illinois’ opioid settlement fund slow to distribute millions
Good afternoon, Chicago.
Legal settlements with prescription painkiller manufacturers, distributors and sellers have put Illinois in line for some $1.3 billion in payouts intended to help in fighting an opioid crisis that’s still killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. The payouts stem from multistate agreements with major drug distributors, manufacturers and household names such as CVS, Walgreens, and Johnson and Johnson. Nationwide, more than $50 billion is expected from the settlements, according to KFF Health News, which tracks the money.
But so far, the flow of settlement money to organizations in Illinois has remained barely a trickle. A complex bureaucratic process for distributing the funds has put only a tiny fraction of the money into the hands of organizations dealing with the crisis.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy
Park Ridge woman still owns the first Ford Mustang sold in the US, 60 years ago
Gale Wise never intended to be a pace-setter with the Mustang, the sporty model which caused a stir with young people because it was so different from their parents’ huge sedans of the time. She simply wanted a new convertible. Read more here.
More top news stories:
- 1 dead, 2 wounded in Oak Forest shooting, person held by police
- LGBTQ+ students, parents frustrated about Prairie State College’s graduation venue
Kroger and Albertsons will sell off more Illinois stores in updated divestiture plan
Under federal scrutiny over their plans to merge, supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons said they will sell off about 20 more Illinois grocery stores than originally planned in an updated divestiture plan announced Monday. Read more here.
More top business stories:
- Former Chicago Blackhawk Patrick Sharp sells Lincoln Park condo for $715,000
- Evergreen Park students leading the charge as MVCC seeks to fill industry demand for welders
Chicago White Sox extend worst start in franchise history — 3-18 — with 8-2 loss to Philadelphia Phillies
While the offensive struggles — such as being last in the majors in runs (45) and getting shut out seven times — are well-documented, the Sox didn’t do themselves any favors defensively Sunday. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
- Miami Marlins beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 for a 4-game series split as Kyle Hendricks struggles again
- Mallory Swanson has a goal and an assist as the Chicago Red Stars win at Seattle Reign
‘One with the Whale’ review: Climate change and animal activists threaten an Indigenous Alaskan community
The PBS series Independent Lens shows life in Gambell, a small island village where centuries-old hunting traditions are attacked by outsiders. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
- Review: Second City NYC opens with ‘Ruthless Acts of Kindness’ in a theater still finding its way
- Review: Broadway’s ‘Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club’ turns the Berlin nightclub into a weird, dystopian party
Trump tried to ‘corrupt’ the 2016 election, prosecutor alleges as hush money trial gets underway
Trump arrived at the courthouse shortly before 9 a.m., minutes after castigating the case in capital letters on social media as “election interference” and a “witch hunt.” Read more here.
More top stories from around the world: