This Tuesday, take a minute to read through the latest local headlines. But first, sign up to attend our WTTW News town hall next month, where all five candidates vying to become Chicago’s next Board of Education president will appear ahead of November’s critical election.
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(WTTW News)
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A Chicago police officer repeatedly accused of improperly stopping and searching Black men downtown should be fired for making false statements under oath about two separate stops, according to former Chicago Police Department Supt. Larry Snelling and the Chicago Police Board, records show.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability determined that Officer Joseph Vecchio, who has been stripped of his badge and assigned to administrative duties for 10 months, violated the rights of both drivers in the stops and should be terminated, according to records published Thursday by the Chicago Police Board.
Some backstory:
In one incident, both investigators with the agency better known as COPA and Snelling agreed Vecchio should be fired for filing an official report that included false information that led to the conviction of a Chicago man after an August 2024 traffic stop, records show.
In the other incident, which happened two months later, COPA concluded that Vecchio not only filed an official report about that traffic stop that included false information but made three false statements, under oath, during a court hearing before charges were dropped against that driver.
Snelling, who retired July 15, objected to COPA’s recommendation that Vecchio be fired for testifying falsely about his actions during the October 2024 traffic stop.
However, a member of the Chicago Police Board rejected the superintendent’s objection and upheld COPA’s conclusion.
Less than 24 hours after those recommendations became public, Vecchio was arrested and charged with a felony count of aggravated domestic battery. Cook County Circuit Judge Kimberly Przekota ordered him held in jail pending trial.
Prosecutors accused Vecchio of punching a woman they described as his girlfriend in the head, kneeing her in the face and choking her with both hands. Although Vecchio prevented her from leaving, she escaped the apartment by climbing from a third-floor balcony onto a second-floor balcony, where a neighbor took her to the Jefferson Park (16th) Police District station, where she filed a report.
Vecchio served a 15-day suspension in 2023 after COPA concluded that he was responsible for a “domestic violence incident” when he threatened a woman in April 2020 with whom he told investigators he had “on an off again” relationship. Vecchio also “threw eggs” at her car and damaged her cell phone and vacuum.
In all, Vecchio has been named in 24 lawsuits alleging he committed a wide range of misconduct, records show. City attorneys settled four of those lawsuits for a total of $260,000, court records show.
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WTTW News Explains on Chicago's school board elections. (WTTW News)
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For decades, Chicago has been the only city in Illinois with its board of education handpicked by its mayor, much to the chagrin of education advocates who’ve long called for the board to be an elected body.
This fall, those advocates finally get their wish. It’s off to the races.
What to know:
In the November general election, for the first time ever, all 21 seats on the board will be up for grabs, ending a reign of mayoral control that dates back to 1995 under Richard M. Daley.
The board already underwent one radical shift in 2024, tripling in size from 7 members to 21. Ten of those members were elected by city residents, and the other 11 — a majority — were still picked by the mayor.
That board approves Chicago Public Schools’ budget and policies, sets the annual academic calendar and hires and evaluates the school district’s CEO.
Now, that power will be fully with the people.
So how will the next round of elections play out?
Illinois lawmakers divided Chicago into 20 separate voting districts. One representative from each will be elected by voters in that district to serve on the school board.
Lucky No. 21 is reserved for the board president, who will be elected by all Chicago voters and represent the whole city, much like the mayor.
2026 marks the one and only time all 21 seats will be up for election. That’s because 10 seats will be four-year terms and the other 10 will serve two-year terms.
Those terms will then rotate in future elections, so just half the board will be up for election at once.
And where there’s elections, especially in Chicago, there’s also spending. Lots of it.
Chalkbeat found that groups spent $13 million on the 2024 elections, and that was with just 10 seats up for grabs. As that number jumps to 21 this year, expect campaign spending to go up, up, up.
Let the races begin.
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(WTTW News)
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Hundreds of thousands of Chicago Public Schools students returned to their classrooms across the city Monday on the first day of school for the 2026-27 academic year as local officials continue pushing for more state funding to help prevent staffing layoffs.
Following a contentious budget battle, Mayor Brandon Johnson joined CPS CEO Macquline King and Chicago Teachers Union officials to welcome back students at George Leland Elementary on the city’s West Side.
In doing so, Johnson again called on state legislators to step up to help fully fund the cash-strapped school district.
“We’re also going into a season where we have to demand more from those who have the ability to give more to actually do more,” he said, adding that throughout his tenure as mayor, he’s released more than $1 billion in Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) dollars into CPS. “I’ve done my part, the state of Illinois has to do theirs.”
The new academic year will be a critical one for CPS, with its Board of Education fully transforming into an elected body in January and an upcoming mayoral election in February.
CPS is counting on another $285 million in TIF funding under its newly finalized budget, along with $150 million in additional not-yet-approved state funding.
That came as part of a marathon meeting by the Board of Education last month in which CTU-backed members successfully pushed for an amendment to add in the extra state funding in hopes it would allow the district to stave off layoffs in the proposed budget King and district officials had pushed for.
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More From WTTW News:
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Via AP: Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy whose fatal shooting of Sonya Massey inside her home became a flashpoint over police use of force, died Sunday while serving a 20-year prison sentence. Grayson’s attorney confirmed the news earlier Sunday but declined to provide any
further details.
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Back in the Day: August 25, 1965 - Tennis Pro Kathy Horvath Born in Chicago
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With the 2026 US Open Tennis Championship, the only Grand Slam tournament in the United States and the final Grand Slam of the women’s WTA and men’s ATP season, it’s good to look at the Chicago area history of the sport. Though no Chicago-born player has ever won a singles Grand Slam (current pro Taylor Townsend has won multiple in doubles), Kathy Horvath had a solid quarterfinal run in 1983 and 1984 at the French Open. On this day 61 years ago, Horvath was born in Chicago. In 1979, she became the youngest ever player to debut at the US Open at 14 years old — she played and won a qualifying match on her birthday — and it’s a record that stands to this day. Horvath
played in the WTA Tour from 1981 to 1989, played in the 1984 Olympics and retired to a career on Wall Street.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers highlight their favorite things in Chicago. This week, it’s Crystin Immel, managing editor of television news for “Chicago Tonight” and WTTW News, on craft beer taprooms in the north suburbs.
Crystin Immel: That summer heat and, even more important to this wavy-haired writer, the humidity is finally starting to give way to a more manageable outdoor atmosphere. What better way to enjoy breathing comfortably outside again than by grabbing your favorite brew and sipping it outside? So, here’s my list of taprooms to check out in the north suburbs.
1). Sketchbook Brewing Company (Skokie): Belgians, and lagers and ales, oh my! There’s no shortage of selection at this taproom that offers more than 20 beers on tap. They brew all their beer on the premises so you can catch the process in action over your next pint. Their large beer garden and patio offer plenty of seating, and you can even bring Toto with you. But if you’re looking for a more intimate spot, check out their original location in nearby Evanston. My favorite tap: Cumulus, Hefeweizen
2). Double Clutch Brewing Company (Evanston): Whoever said you had to sacrifice style for substance? Well this taproom offers both in grand fashion because their beers aren’t the only thing on display. Their large taproom also houses a number of vintage cars for you to check out. Their outdoor space is smaller than the other places on this list, but it’s still a nice option. Their beer selection has some bold options like their love-it-or-hate-it smoked beer Helles Rauchbier Lager (imagine your favorite smoked meats, but in liquid form). They also offer a lot of fun seasonal selections like the refreshing Shandy Pants Lemon Ale. My favorite tap: Altbier
3). Une Année | Hubbard’s Cave Brewery (Niles): Beer AND barbeque?! It doesn’t get better than that. They have an expansive beer garden, big enough to host live music, which they regularly feature. They also host other events, including a tabletop game night, a book club, and mahjong 101 classes. It has a family atmosphere too, with some kids’ music entertainment on select Sundays, so pack up the kids and check it out. My favorite tap: Twist of Wit, Belgian Wit Beer
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What Chicago food item would you willingly wait in line for? Tell us why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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