Chicago is officially out of the running to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention. Here's what else we have today from WTTW News.
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(WTTW News)
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Chicagoans are spending more time outside in the summer months, but there’s a new trend in how they’re getting around.
Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Transportation announced that e-bikes and e-scooters are seeing more riders than ever.
As ridership grows, so do safety concerns. So far in 2026, there have been three teen deaths related to e-scooters in Chicago. Alex Bacio, 16, Astrid Alexandra Carrillo Nogera, 17, and Violet Harris, 15, were all fatally struck by motor vehicles while riding e-scooters.
Dave Simmons, executive director of Ride Illinois, a nonprofit that aims to promote safe and accessible rides across the state, said most users aren’t aware of the specific requirements for their micromobility devices.
“The users need to be aware, they need to be defensive when they’re riding and do certain things to keep themselves safe,” Simmons said. “And then, motorists need to realize that they are sharing the road, bike lanes that may be adjacent to the road, with vulnerable road users who don’t have the same protection that they do in their vehicles.”
Nationally, death and injury rates are increasing. The United States Product Safety Commission released new data earlier this year that shows that emergency room visits related to e-bikes and e-scooters nearly quadrupled from 2017 to 2024.
More context:
To combat these national increases, CDOT is taking new steps to promote safety and education for riders, including the launch of a new e-scooter safety campaign. In a statement to WTTW News, a spokesperson from CDOT said, in part, “Chicago is also rapidly expanding infrastructure that supports safer riding, including protected bike lanes and street design changes that reduce speeds and conflicts between road users. These are proven safety tools that have helped result in significant traffic safety gains in Chicago over the last several years (~30% reduction in overall traffic fatalities since 2021 and ~60% decline in fatalities involving people riding a bike or scooter in that same time).”
Illinois is also working to promote safety through a new bill passed in the General Assembly. SB 3484 aims to install new license and registration requirements, set age restrictions and create clearer distinctions between micromobility vehicles based on speed. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, with changes taking effect Jan. 1, 2027.
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Bally’s is slowing construction on parts of its $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West. (WTTW News)
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Bally’s is slowing construction on parts of its $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West, following the Chicago City Council’s approval of video gambling terminals in bars and restaurants.
“The potential for an uncontrolled proliferation of video gambling terminals (VGTs) is in breach of the City’s commitment not to expand gaming in the Host Community Agreement (HCA) and creates uncertainty that could be harmful for Bally’s Chicago prospects,” Bally’s said in a statement.
Bally’s said it’s still committed to opening the permanent casino by early 2027.
But in a letter sent to the company, 28 members of City Council are accusing Bally’s of using the video gambling approval to hide problems with cash flow and delay construction.
Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward) signed the letter. He said that if Bally’s defaults on the agreement, the city has access to “draconian” remedies.
“If they continue along this path, they will be in default of the agreement,” Conway said. “The remedies at the city’s disposal are draconian — specific performance, liquidated damages — hopefully it doesn’t come to that.”
Conway said Bally’s would have to prove that video gambling terminals are harming its business to receive any remedies. Those remedies could include renegotiating the contract, including the $4 million monthly payment Bally’s agreed to make toward police and fire pensions.
Some backstory:
When the City Council lifted its ban on video gambling terminals last December, Bally’s warned city officials the move would send customers elsewhere and disrupt the cash flow necessary to complete construction.
Bally’s is responsible for $400 million over the next two years to finish construction, and it’s currently losing money on its temporary location at Medinah Temple.
By opting to slow construction, Bally’s has put City Council’s video gambling decision back in the spotlight.
Conway was among the alderpeople who defied Mayor Brandon Johnson last December and voted to lift the ban on video gambling terminals. The group argued the move would generate $6.8 million in revenue to help balance the budget while providing a boost to struggling small businesses. But eight months into 2026, none of that money has materialized.
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Cars pass under an Illinois tollway sign on March 1, 2026. (KKStock / iStock)
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The Illinois Tollway Board on Wednesday approved a massive 15-year, $26.5 billion capital spending plan that will raise vehicle tolls beginning next year.
The 11-member board voted unanimously to approve its new capital program, called the Driving Connections Plan, on Wednesday. That plan will raise passenger vehicle tolls by 45 cents per toll beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The added revenue would fund development on seven interstates, including the Jane Addams Memorial and Veterans Memorial tollways.
“As we move forward, our responsibility is to balance today’s needs with tomorrow’s obligations,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said. “To protect the system, we have to invest wisely in the system we need to ensure the Illinois tollway continues to serve customers, communities and the regional economy for decades to come.”
More context:
Tolls on commercial vehicles will also increase by 30% as part of the new plan.
The board said its capital program is designed to help alleviate traffic to reduce driving time, improve aging roadway infrastructure and fuel economic development. Public speakers at Wednesday’s meeting were largely in favor of the new spending plan.
Tollway officials said the Jane Addams Memorial — which they called a “critical connector” between Chicago, its northwest suburbs and the Rockford area — will receive $2.6 billion in planned investments under the new capital plan.
But some critics have argued the board is moving too quickly and giving the public little time to weigh in.
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More From WTTW News:
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Via WTTW Playlist: After being laid off from Eater, several well-known journalists, including Chicago's Ashok Selvam, started Ravenous to provide the kinds of food stories they thought were missing as AI and social media influencers change the scene.
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Back in the Day: August 20, 1976 - Cardinal Karol Wojtyła Visits Chicago Two Years Before He’d Become Pope John Paul II
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Yes, the current Pope Leo XIV is the Dolton native Robert Prevost, but the Chicago area’s history with the Catholic Church and future pontiffs runs deeper than just that. On this day 50 years ago, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, the Archbishop of Kraków, led a Polish delegation of clerics to visit Chicago. On Aug. 20, 1976, the cardinal was accompanied by Mayor Richard J. Daley as they toured St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Ukrainian Village. Two years later, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła would be elected pope on Oct. 16, 1978, taking the name John Paul II. He was the first Polish pope and first non-Italian to take the title in nearly 500 years. He’d serve as Bishop of Rome until he died
in 2005.
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This Week’s Arts and Culture Events
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Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.
This summer, it’s been true that sometimes plans don’t work out. Yes, what should be a season for going out has been wetter than normal, smokier than normal and totally unpredictable. We haven’t even mentioned the heat yet! What is a sure bet, as throughout history, is art. Enriching your cultural life is a rain-or-shine-or-smoke-or-heat activity. It’s good for all seasons and good for all weather reports. Below, we’ve compiled a handful of events to keep you busy no matter what might be going on outside.
Film: “The Greatest Showman: Five by William Castle” — Music Box Theatre
William Castle was a wildly influential horror director who specialized in wild marketing stunts, creating genuine scares on a low budget and gimmicks, both on-screen and off. This week, the Music Box is screening five of Castle’s films and are telling viewers to “expect fog, strobe lights, plants in the audience, and surprises every night.” Screenings run from Friday to Aug. 27. For the full schedule and tickets, click here.
Theater: “Good People” — Theater Wit
David Lindsay-Abaire's 2011 Tony-winning play "Good People" has returned to the Chicago stage for the first time since its 2012 local debut at Steppenwolf. Now at Theater Wit, the revival has been getting rave reviews throughout its run, with the Chicago Reader calling it
“quite funny” and “poignant” and noting that “Lindsay-Abaire’s story offers keen insights into how a lifetime on an economic and emotional knife-edge leaves soul-deep scars.” Set in Boston’s Southie neighborhood, the play follows a woman named Margie who loses her job at a dollar store. This run ends Sunday, so buy tickets before it’s gone.
Art: Community Day: IAM a Garden — Intuit Art Museum
On Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., the Intuit Art Museum is holding a special free admission day complete with interactive activities and guided tours. The day begins with a “Garden Chat” with lead museum educator Joshua Willis, which will focus on the “artists who transformed their homes and yards into living works of art.” With artistic tasks and a tour of Emery Blagdon’s Healing Machine, expect a packed but leisurely day of hands-on learning. Register and read more about the schedule here.
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Where’s your favorite place to watch sports in Chicago? Tell us why.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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