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In the midst of CPS turmoil and a budget crunch, we sat down with Mayor Brandon Johnson for a one-on-one interview. Here’s what you need to know and more top stories.
Let us know what you think about this newsletter by emailing us at DailyChicagoan@wttw.com.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Oct. 8, 2024. (WTTW News)
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In his first sit down interview since he appointed six new members to Chicago’s Board of Education after all seven resigned last week, Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to transform the Chicago Public Schools “once and for all.” In an interview on “Chicago Tonight,” he said the district would be better off borrowing money to make a pension payment and cover the cost of a new contract with the Chicago Teachers Union rather than making cuts or laying off teachers.
Johnson offered his most detailed defense of his actions that have roiled the nation’s fourth largest school district. The interview comes one day after he named six new members to the Chicago Board of Education and three weeks after CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said he refused Johnson’s request to resign.
He depicted the turmoil now engulfing the district as the inevitable result of decades of mismanagement by his predecessors, who he said closed schools, cut programs, privatized operations and allowed the district to accumulate pension debt at the expense of Black and Latino children in Chicago.
Here are some choice quotes from the exclusive chat:
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“There’s two visions for our public schools,” Johnson said. “It’s cuts, and we’ve already seen the disaster that does. We’ve already seen that. Where parents are begging desperately for the city to believe in their children. Or we can invest in our children.”
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“I’m going to make sure we invest in children and invest in the families of this city. I’m not going to cut, and take away, layoff, fire, privatize so that other people can benefit, and the people of Chicago can lose. Not under my watch.”
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Green is still the dominant tree color in Chicago, but things are starting to change, as seen in River Park on the city’s North Side, Oct. 7, 2024. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
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This year, Chicago had a wet spring, a dry summer, and so far, a particularly hot autumn. What does that bode for the city's fall color forecast? Well, it's a little unclear. WTTW News reporter Patty Wetli explains why the only thing typical about the 2024 fall color season in Chicago is that it is, per usual, unpredictable.
Here’s what we know:
Here’s what’s up in the air:
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When, exactly, will the change happen? How long will the color last? And how intense will it be?
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Hard to say, according to experts, particularly in a year that’s experienced its share of weather irregularities. After a wet start to spring and early summer, the spigot turned off in the Chicago region, with rainfall totals in August and September a combined 3.5 inches below normal.
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“This has been kind of an extreme and somewhat stressful year for a lot of plants,” said Tom Tiddens, supervisor of plant health care at the Chicago Botanic Garden.“One thing (plants) really don’t like are ups and downs as far as wetness then dryness, wetness then dryness.”
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Ald. Walter Burnett (27th Ward) speaks at a media event on Aug. 27, 2024. (WTTW News)
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Ald. Walter Burnett (27th Ward), the longest-serving member of the Chicago City Council, is now the Zoning Committee chair. He's long been one of the fiercest defenders of the largely unwritten practice of aldermanic prerogative. Burnett, who is also the vice mayor, told WTTW News that he will defer to the local alderperson before greenlighting a new development in his new role.
What's Aldermanic Prerogative?
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It's the decades-old tradition of giving Chicago City Council members the final authority over housing developments in their own wards.
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Alderpeople exercise their prerogative at every committee and City Council meeting on items ranging from sign permits to liquor licenses. But most of the alderpeople’s historic clout comes from the fact that they alone have had the power to approve — or veto — proposals of all sizes.
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That unwritten code also calls on other alderpeople to mind their own business and vote along with the alderperson whose ward includes the project.
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Also From WTTW News: |
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Jury selection begins today in the trial of former Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan. We are in court and will have live updates all day.
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The Illinois Attorney General’s Office just sued TikTok for alleged harmful business practices targeting children. Matt Masterson has more here.
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Attorneys for former Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain met with prosecutors Tuesday afternoon to iron out any final wrinkles before the trial gets into swing.
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Back in the Day: October 9, 1924 - Parents Announce Student Strike to Protest School Changes
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If you think the situation facing Chicago Public Schools is particularly tense now, there is plenty of historical precedent for fraught moments. Today's dive into history isn’t even one of the bigger protest actions. In 1968, a coordinated walkout saw 35,000 students leave their classrooms to protest what they alleged were Chicago Public School’s racist policies. But on this day 100 years ago, parents in Englewood called a strike to protest Harper High School becoming a junior high. They refused calls to transfer their kids to other schools and claimed the school board hadn’t given out proper accommodations or alternatives. As a result, between 700 and 800 students were set to walk out from Harper and neighboring schools. In 2021, Harper, which remained a high school, closed permanently after a 105-year run.
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Via Chicago: Local Live Music Recommendations for Oct. 9-15
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Sima Cunningham at Yoko Ono’s “Sky Landing” in Jackson Park (Credit: Shannon Marks)
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Each Wednesday, Via Chicago presents five must-see shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more. Click here for the full list.
Thursday, Oct. 10:
Lady Lamb, Sima Cunningham at Old Town School of Folk Music. Tickets.
Two excellent songwriters who balance folk and rock. The opener is a Chicago staple who is part of the influential art-rock band Finom.
Friday, Oct. 11:
Hotline TNT, Disq, Interlay at Empty Bottle. Tickets.
Loud, uncompromising and ultimately beautiful rock’n’roll happening in Ukrainian Village.
Saturday, Oct. 12:
Ravyn Lenae, Arima Ederra at Vic Theatre. Tickets.
The innovative Chicago R&B singer returns to her hometown.
Sunday, Oct. 13:
Hiss Golden Messenger, Monde UFO at SPACE. Tickets.
An Americana and folk mainstay ditches his jam-minded rock band for a string of stripped-down solo shows.
Tuesday, Oct. 15:
Sondre Lerche at Old Town School of Folk Music. Tickets.
The charming Norwegian songwriter will be backed by a string quartet as he celebrates the 20th anniversary of his album “Two Way Monologue.”
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Learn more about advertising & sponsorship with WTTW. |
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If you were to move to Chicago for the first time, what neighborhood would you choose? Longtime locals and transplants, tell us why.
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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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