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Happy Friday. WTTW News has the latest on a potential National Guard deployment in Chicago, CPS’ budget vote and more. |
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Chicago's new hybrid Board of Education meets for the first time at the Chicago Public Schools Loop headquarters on Jan. 15, 2025. (WTTW News) |
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Chicago’s Board of Education has approved a new budget for Chicago Public Schools, rejecting calls from Mayor Brandon Johnson and others for high-interest borrowing to help the cash-strapped district cover a $175 million municipal pension payment it may instead pass on to the city.
The board voted 12-7, with one abstention, late Thursday following a contentious debate between board members who were split on how best to fund city schools while keeping costly cuts out of the classroom.
The spending plan proposed by interim CPS CEO Macquline King relies on non-classroom cuts and $379 million in TIF dollars in order to close a $734 million budget gap. It will also push a $175 million municipal pension payment onto the city, unless CPS can obtain enough outside funding to cover that cost.
Some backstory:
Members opposed to the district’s proposal claimed it was based on “assumptions, not facts.” Those in support said taking out a high-interest loan threatens to “shut down the district.”
“I cannot vote yes on a budget that assumes a $379 million TIF surplus, when City Council has not demonstrated the political will to do it,” board member Jitu Brown said.
Johnson had pushed for the loan and recently said he expected CPS to make that pension payment. A previous iteration of his handpicked board fired previous CPS CEO Pedro Martinez after he refused to sign off on such borrowing.
On Thursday, the Chicago Teachers Union called on city alderpeople to put in writing their commitment to hand over $500 million in TIF surplus to Chicago Public Schools to help fill the district’s massive budget gap and restore previously announced cuts to custodial staff and other workers.
A majority of the City Council this week penned a letter urging the board members to avoid a high-interest loan while pledging to “support a TIF surplus to help balance both the city and CPS budget.”
CPS officials unveiled their budget proposal at a previous board meeting earlier this month. Beyond the TIF funding, that spending plan relied largely on central office and operational cuts and debt refinancing. |
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Sponsor Message |
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Soar above the city on the Centennial Wheel and take in iconic skyline views. Keep the fun going with a ride on the Wave Swinger, a spin on the carousel, or a round of mini golf along Lake Michigan. It's where family outings, date nights, and spontaneous afternoons turn into lasting memories. Get your tickets here now and start planning the perfect summer day. |
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Learn about sponsorship opportunities. |
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Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling discusses plans for a rally and march down Michigan Avenue on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. (Heather Cherone / WTTW News) |
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Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling on Thursday said the Chicago Police Department was preparing for President Donald Trump to make good on his threats to send the National Guard and a strike team of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to Chicago.
Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Trump’s pick to serve as his “border czar,” told reporters at the White House that the Trump administration was considering using Naval Station Great Lakes, which is about 35 miles outside Chicago, to house federal immigration agents or National Guard troops who could be deployed in Chicago, confirming news first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
More context:
If Trump federalizes the National Guard or sends additional ICE agents to the city, all Chicago police officers will be required to wear their uniforms so “they can be clearly identified,” Snelling said during a virtual news conference.
In addition, Chicago police officers will not be dispatched immediately to reported immigration enforcement operations, Snelling said.
Instead, a supervisor will be sent to the scene and ordered to determine whether the incident only involves federal officials enforcing federal immigration laws, Snelling said. If the incident is an immigration enforcement operation, Chicago police officers will not be dispatched, Snelling said.
“If we know that it’s only immigration enforcement going on, our officers will not be in those areas assisting in any way when it comes to immigration enforcement,” Snelling said.
But officers will not prevent either National Guard troops or federal agents from carrying out their duties, Snelling said.
“We will not interfere with the work that they’re doing,” Snelling said. |
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Ald. Angela Clay (46th Ward) unveils a Narcan newsstand in Uptown on July 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Chicago Department of Public Health) |
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Repurposed newsstands containing free doses of Narcan have officially launched in Uptown with the aim of increasing access to the life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, city officials announced Wednesday.
The Narcan newsstands, which were launched during a harm reduction event in Uptown on Wednesday, will be located at the following four locations in the neighborhood:
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Nourishing Hope, 3945 N. Sheridan Road
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Cornerstone Community Shelter, 4628 N. Clifton Ave.
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Institute of Cultural Affairs, 4750 N. Sheridan Road
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Department of Family and Supportive Services, 845 W. Wilson Ave.
The Narcan newsstands were launched by the Chicago Department of Public Health in collaboration with 46th Ward Ald. Angela Clay’s office. In the past several weeks since the newsstands began being rolled out, more than 300 Narcan containers have been distributed, according to Clay.
“Harm reduction is a public health priority and these tiny but mighty newsstands are equipping our community with life-saving resources,” Clay said in a statement. |
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Airports and roads in the Chicago area are expected to see a surge in travelers as part of the extended Labor Day weekend. O’Hare and Midway International Airports are expected to see more than 1.79 million travelers between Thursday and Tuesday, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Nearly 8.2 million vehicles are expected to pass through the roads during the Labor Day weekend, according to the Illinois Tollway.
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Back in the Day: August 29, 1935 - Acclaimed Director William Friedkin Born in Chicago |
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What do movies like “The Exorcist,” “The French Connection,” and “To Live and Die in L.A.” have in common? They’re all directed by William Friedkin, who was born in Chicago on this day 90 years ago. The child of Jewish Ukrainian immigrants, Friedkin grew up in Uptown on the corner of Gunnison and Sheridan and attended Senn High School in Edgewater. After stints directing live broadcasts at WGN, he moved to LA to become a film director. His first breakthrough was 1971’s “The French Connection,” which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director. By the time of his death in August 2023, Friedkin had directed more than 20 films, with his last feature, “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” released two months after his passing. Near his old stomping grounds at Senn on Ridge Avenue is a commemorative street sign titled “William Friedkin Way,” which was unveiled in 2024. |
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Chicago Jazz Festival (Patrick L. Pyszka / City of Chicago) |
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Every Friday, WTTW News highlights the must-see events, festivals, fairs and markets to help you make the most out of your city this weekend. Click here for the full list and read on below for a trio of highlights.
Chicago Jazz Festival – various downtown locations
In the waning days of summer, Jazz Fest brings wall-to-wall music to drown out the cicadas. Big names jam all kinds of jazz in venues outdoors and in — see a show at Preston Bradley Hall in the Cultural Center if you can. Always terrific is the Next Generation program on the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace. Talented youth from Kenwood Academy, Whitney Young and Jones College Prep (among others) play with purpose.
ARC Music Festival - Union Park
This weekend, some of the world’s most acclaimed DJs will converge in the West Loop for a three-day music festival called ARC. See Jamie xx, John Summit, Amelie Lens, Adam Beyer, FISHER and dozens more.
Wingout Chicago - Gallagher Way at Wrigley Field
Like wings? Head to Wrigley Field Saturday and Sunday for a two-day celebration of local chicken shops and buffalo sauce. Tickets are available here.
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Where's your favorite place to see live music in Chicago? Tell us why. |
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to say:
"The Hideout. Nothing more to say about the place, it speaks for itself." — John S.
"Constellation. Unique acts in an intimate space." — @tommartinsays
"The Salt Shed! It has a truly unique and high quality space with great performers" — @kat_dougal
"Ravinia! The music + nature combo is unmatched, and I absolutely love to picnic!" —@beccapayne18 |
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. |
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry |
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