Author: WBEZ Chicago

The year 2023 was a deadly one at the Cook County Jail. Eighteen people died in custody, “for many reasons,” said reporter Carlos Ballesteros, who reported on the record year for Injustice Watch. His reporting cited drug overdoses, lapses from jail staff and failed oversight. In our last episode, we learned about a group of volunteers who set up outside Cook County Jail to hand out free supplies to people after they get released. Today, we’ll hear about a few people who never were released, the conditions and circumstances that led to some of their deaths, what changes have been made and what changes may still be needed at the Cook County Jail. “Ultimately, it's jail, right?” Ballesteros said. “But the things we hear from people inside and their families is really disturbing.” The number of deaths at the jail has decreased since the 2023 report. We get an update from the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, which oversees the jail.

Almost every night, a group of volunteers sets up a table of supplies. Their goal is to assist everyone who is being released; from bottled water to a ride home. But sometimes, it’s a challenge when people are released well after midnight.

Apple slices were a favorite Chicago pastry decades ago. Not many bakeries sell them today, but the dessert still has avid fans who hold on to its nostalgic flavor.

The story of Pigasus, who unknowingly accepted the Youth International Party (Yippie) nomination for president in Daley Plaza in 1968, shows that sometimes pigs need rescuing. “My heart hurt for the pig,” said April Noga, executive director of Chicagoland Pig Rescue, of Pigasus’s run for president. “Because I put myself in the pig’s shoes of being pulled around a rally and then detained and not knowing what's going on. And used as, not entertainment but used as a prop. Because the pig is a sentient being.” In our last episode, we dispelled a rumor that Pigasus was barbecued. Reporter Andrew Meriwether searched Grayslake and Libertyville for the farm where she lived out her days following the ‘68 campaign. In today’s episode, Noga tells us why pigs still need rescuing. She explains that Chicagoland Pig Rescue gets as many as 20 calls a month, from overwhelmed people in need of rehoming a small-breed pet pig, to concerned citizens who have spotted an injured, large-breed pig on the side of the road. “Every case is a little different,” Noga said. Noga explains how she started Chicagoland Pig Rescue and how pig rescuing and fostering works. She also introduces us to Ramona, a three-year old potbelly mix who was rescued from a home where she was neglected. Noga described Ramona — who is one of six pigs in Noga’s “house herd” — as an "automatic foster fail."

During the demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, activists trotted out a pig named Pigasus for president. Her campaign was cut short after she and protesters were arrested by the Chicago Police. Rumors swirled that Pigasus was barbecued, but what really happened to her?