Happy Paczki Day, Chicago. A true local holiday if ever there was one. Tomorrow, Mayor Brandon Johnson is set to testify in front of the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the city's self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city. Here’s the latest on that and more.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Oct. 8, 2024. (WTTW News)
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Brandon Johnson has faced no shortage of high-profile tests during his 20 months as Chicago mayor. From the migrant crisis, to the Democratic National Convention, and the problems that have bedeviled Chicago’s mayors for generations: the city’s precarious finances, persistent crime and violence and pernicious allegations of misconduct by Chicago police officers. But the scale of those challenges is likely to be eclipsed by the trial Johnson is set to face Wednesday, when he is scheduled to testify in front of the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the city’s self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city.
“This is not about Brandon Johnson. This is about Chicago,” Johnson told reporters Feb. 25. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. Who I am is who I will remain.”
Some backstory:
The hearing is likely to represent a flashpoint in the ongoing battle between the city and with the GOP-controlled U.S House and the Trump administration, which is attempting to strip self-proclaimed sanctuary cities of all federal funding. Chicago gets approximately $4 billion every year from the federal government.
Johnson is scheduled to testify alongside Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. All four are Democrats.
U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), the committee’s chair, has accused all four mayors of prioritizing “criminal illegal aliens over the American people.” There is no evidence undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes than other groups.
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The U.S. Capitol is seen in a file photo. (Mikhail Makarov / iStock)
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The last time Chicago’s mayor flew to Washington, D.C., to field questions from a congressional committee, the iPhone was just a few months old. It was June 2007, and then-Mayor Richard M. Daley was riding high, having just been reelected to an historic sixth term with the support of more than 71% of Chicago voters, speeding him on his way to eclipsing his father as the city’s longest serving mayor.
Dogged by scandals despite his electoral prowess, Daley made the fight against what was then best known as global warming the centerpiece of what would turn out to be his final term in office and seized the chance to tout his initiatives during a hearing held by the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Alongside mayors from Gainesville, Florida, and Portland, Oregon, Daley boasted about his efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by encouraging residents to use public transportation while pushing businesses to build energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.
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A photograph by Kenn Cook Jr. (Courtesy of Kenn Cook Jr.)
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Kenn Cook Jr. began taking photographs just three years ago, and already his efforts at documenting the West Side of Chicago have opened doors. One of those doors is to the studio he occupies as artist-in-residence at Legler Regional Library in Garfield Park. Cook’s photography assignments have included the Chicago White Sox, Uber and the NAACP, and he’s staff photographer of The Culture, a grassroots organization.
But the Austin resident’s favorite pursuit is photographing people and places in the neighborhood. “I carry my camera with me pretty much everywhere I go,” Cook told WTTW News. “I drive through the community, see something I like, get out of the car, talk to people, spend some time and ask to take their photograph. I try to make it an everyday practice just to capture the beautiful moments I see.”
His impressive black-and-white photographs are now being assembled for a book to be titled “From the Westside, With Love.” On the walls of his studio, the photos brim with pride and beauty.
As the 2025 artist-in-residence at Legler Library, Cook hosts weekly open studio sessions, and he wants to hear from residents — plans are underway to record oral histories and digitize family photos. He’ll welcome special guests, including Drea Slaughter of the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative. She’ll join him at the library on March 29 at 2 p.m.
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Back in the Day: March 4, 1995 - Supreme Court Justice Allows Chicago to Ban Spray Paint
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Since 1992, the sale of spray paint has been illegal in Chicago. At the time, the ordinance was passed to battle a growing graffiti problem. “Spray paint cans have become weapons of terror,” Ald. Edward Burke said then. On this day 30 years ago, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens turned down an emergency request from spray-paint makers and sellers who wanted the Supreme Court to postpone the city’s enforcement of the law. In 1993, a federal judge named Marvin E. Aspen declared the ordinance
unconstitutional in 1993 and the city had not been able to enforce it since. Justice Stevens’ move allowed them to start. To this date, the sale and purchase of spray paint remains banned in the city.
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This Week’s Staff Recommendations: Chicago Photographers
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Every Tuesday, WTTW News staffers recommend the things they love in Chicago.
Michael Izquierdo, social media producer for WTTW News: Here are some of my favorite local photographers that you should have on your radar.
Mustafa Hussain — @mustafahussainofficial
Hussain’s work wants audiences to understand the full picture and intention behind his craft. From every photographic detail to the environment his subjects are in, Hussain’s images are hard to look away from. They force you to stop and reflect on the story he’s telling.
Liya Jordan — @lyportfo
Where photography and graphic design meet, Jordan brings a fresh take to creative photography. If you’ve ever dreamed about being on the cover of a magazine, or on the poster of your favorite video game, your dreams can become a reality behind her lens.
Adam Ouahmane — @adamouahmane
Your favorite drag artist’s favorite drag photographer. As if drag isn’t eye-catching as it is, Ouahmane's work makes you want to do drag. From the high concept storytelling to bold colors, Ouahmane’s work is a proud reflection of the diverse drag scene in Chicago.
Patricia Aquino — @filmedbyrici
I can tell that Aquino’s background as an intensive care trauma nurse translates into her work as you physically feel present and in tune with her and her subjects, to the point where the vulnerability spills onto the screen.
Daniel Delgado — @ricanfx
With an experienced understanding of playing with lights and shadows, Delgado’s work often feels so intimate that you feel like you’re building relationships with his subjects. Delgado’s unique perspective to photography shows how subtle uses of color and lighting placements can bring a story to life.
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Paczki Day is Tuesday. What's your favorite sweet treat that you can find in Chicago?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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