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Happy Friday. Start your weekend with the latest comments from Gov. JB Pritzker vows to fight back on the Trump administration's threats of a National Guard deployment. Plus, more stories from WTTW News.
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Gov. JB Pritzker addresses the news media at an event in Maywood on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (WTTW News) |
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Gov. JB Pritzker vowed Thursday to immediately challenge in federal court any order by President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops or other armed military personnel in Chicago, as U.S. Military officials granted immigration enforcement agents access to a nearby naval base.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement strike teams are likely to hit Chicago’s streets late Friday or Saturday morning after gathering at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is about 35 miles outside of the city, Pritzker said.
The base in North Chicago will serve as a hub in upcoming operations overseen by the Department of Homeland Security in Chicago, as first reported by the Washington Post.
Unidentifiable agents in unmarked vehicles wearing masks will target Latino communities and say they’re targeting violent criminals by attempting to locate and detain undocumented immigrants, Pritzker said Tuesday, as part of Trump conduct raids designed to make good on Trump’s promise to conduct the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
“Part of their kind of nefarious plan is begin with ICE, cause mayhem on the ground, and by doing that, say that there’s a need for military troops on the ground to protect ICE,” Pritzker said Thursday, outside a school in Berwyn, where he urged parents, faculty and staff to prepare for immigration raids.
That is why everyone must protest “peacefully, not give them any reason to call in National Guard or military troops of other types,” Pritzker said.
If the president does order National Guard troops to Chicago, Pritzker vowed to immediately act.
“We’re going to immediately go to court, if National Guard or other military troops are sent to, deployed to the city of Chicago, immediately go to court,” Pritzker said. “So that’s going to be our first line of defense is getting a court to issue a (temporary restraining order) or other injunction against that activity.”
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Learn about sponsorship opportunities. |
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(DGLimages / iStock) |
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Chicago’s tipped workers may have noticed a little more in their paycheck this summer. It’s part of the One Fair Wage ordinance that took effect last year, which phases out the tipped minimum wage in five years, so that it matches the citywide minimum wage by July 2028. Last year, wages went up to $11.02 per hour. This year, it increased again to $12.62.
While Mayor Brandon Johnson and advocates say the move helps the city’s lowest-paid workers, critics worry about the higher labor costs facing restaurants. Currently, employers pay a tip credit — a portion of the hourly minimum tipped wage — to their workers. The rest of workers’ pay is made up of tips to equal at least the city-mandated minimum wage of $16.60 per hour.
More context:
Minimum wage advocates argue that many service workers are disproportionately impacted by the high cost of living in a city like Chicago and that a subminimum wage isn’t livable, even with additional tips.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, servers in Illinois make an average wage of $16.68 per hour, and an average annual salary of $34,700.
Nataki Rhodes, lead organizer with One Fair Wage, has worked several tipped service jobs and said the current wage isn’t livable.
“A lot of tipped workers live in poverty,” Rhodes said. “You do have slow seasons in restaurants. I, myself, when I was a worker, I suffered from eviction. And so we do have a high amount of eviction rates and high amount of homeless rates among those that are working and they still can’t afford to pay their rent.” |
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(Courtesy of Northwestern University) |
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Northwestern President Michael Schill, who has led the Evanston university amid periods of turmoil that included student protests, a widespread hazing scandal within the athletic department and federal funding cuts that forced layoffs, has announced he is stepping down.
Schill, 66, said it has been his “profound honor” to lead Northwestern as its 17th president over the past three years The university’s Board of Trustees is expected to name an interim president “soon.”
Some backstory:
Schill faced tumultuous times during his tenure, most recently as Northwestern cut approximately 5% of its staff budget in July through the elimination of 425 positions amid an ongoing battle with the Trump Administration, which has frozen federal funding earmarked for the university.
In April, Northwestern said it had received stop-work orders on around 100 federal grants, but Schill and other university leaders said their financial issues go beyond the funding freeze, stating in July that higher education in general “faces tremendous and mounting headwinds.”
Schill also dealt with the wake of bombshell hazing allegations first made by former university football players in 2023 that ultimately led him to fire longtime Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
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Back in the Day: September 5, 1901 - Minor League Baseball Founded in Chicago
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Local historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas has a slogan that says, “everything dope about America comes from Chicago.” He’s right and on this day 124 years ago, the city added “Minor League Baseball” to that long list. On Sept. 5, 1901, professional baseball executives gathered at the Leland Hotel (which was located on Michigan Ave. near Jackson St.) to figure out how to best compete with Major League Baseball. As the Society for American Baseball Research points out, “the consensus across all the minor leagues was the necessity to unify and protect themselves from the feuding major leagues.” This is how the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, now known as Minor League Baseball, formed. Fourteen leagues and 96 clubs were members during its inaugural season in 1902. |
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Jay Pritzker Pavilion. (Patrick Pyszka) |
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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 some highlights.
Sept. 5-7: German American Oktoberfest (Lincoln Square) | Map
Thirsty? Drink a stein of lager. Need an outfit? Put on some lederhosen.
Sept. 5-7: Taste of Chicago (Loop) | Map
Well, it’s in September now but there are still great local bites and concerts to explore in Grant Park.
Sept. 5-7: Edgewater Music Fest | Map
Cloud Nothings, Speedy Ortiz, Discus, Air Credits and Rich Jones are just a few exemplary artists rounding out this neighborhood fest.
Sept. 6: Vintage Car Show (Highland Park) | Map
From noon to 4 p.m., check out some hot rods, vintage rides and cool cars.
Sept. 6-7: Printers Row Lit Fest | Map’
There are too many good authors speaking here to count on this stacked Lit Fest.
Sept. 6-7: Renegade Craft Fair (Wicker Park) | Map
Your significant other will thank you for bringing them to this.
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What's been the best part of your Chicago summer so far? |
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to say:
"After moving here a couple of years ago, after 40-plus years of oppressive East Coast heat, I cannot get over the fact that we've had our windows open nearly every day in August! It's been absolutely beautiful!" — @csonkatroy.bsky.social
"The free concerts in Millennium Park have been amazing! I caught a great show there last week."— @ishijime1989
"Random jaunts into the city to explore and eat. Chicago summers are truly on another level!" — @gottheglow.bsky.social
“Going to art fairs." — @queen_madame_x |
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5:30 PM | 7:00 PM |
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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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