Don’t miss Mayor Brandon Johnson on “Chicago Tonight” at 5:30 and 10 p.m. Here, we explain his new school board picks, plus updates on suburban ballot initiatives and a report on the NASCAR Street Race.
Let us know what you think about this newsletter by emailing us at DailyChicagoan@wttw.com.
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Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks Monday at the Sweet Holy Spirit Church. (WTTW News)
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Mayor Brandon Johnson revealed his first round of new appointees Monday for Chicago’s Board of Education after the full board abruptly announced their plans to step down late last week.
The new members include: former local school council chair Frank Niles Thomas, the Rev. Mitchell L. Ikenna Johnson, Southeast Environmental Task Force Executive Director Olga Bautista, Michilla “Kyla” Blaise, who serves as chief of staff for 16th District Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar, West Side community
activist Mary Gardner and former CPS teacher and Chicago Teachers Union member Deborah Pope.
Johnson said there are “a number of people” who remain under consideration for the seventh board seat and there are others he will appoint once the board expands to 21 members in January. According to the mayor, the intention is that these new appointees will begin serving by this month's Oct. 24 board meeting.
Some backstory on the appointments:
These new picks come amid a tumultuous time between Johnson and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who said he rejected the mayor’s request that he resign his position.
Over the weekend, a large majority of Chicago’s 50 alderpeople signed an open letter calling the resignations an “unprecedented” move that will bring “further instability to our school district.” In the letter, more than 40 City Council members decried Johnson’s plan to take out a $300 million high-interest loan to cover CPS expenses, saying that doing so is “not a smart decision.”
Alderpeople are reacting strongly to the move, with Ald. Bill Conway saying the new appointees are "loyalists who will probably likely fire" Martinez. Meanwhile, Ald. William Hall said the resigning members were leaving because of "Pedro’s pandering plan."
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Glacial Park is a jewel of the McHenry County Conservation District. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Region / Flickr Creative Commons)
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This November advocates for natural resources hope voters will take note of issues further down the ballot, specifically referenda in several of Chicago’s collar counties. If these measures are approved, they'll provide additional funding for the region’s forest preserves. Let's dive into what's at stake in this election.
Forest preserve districts in DuPage, Kane and Lake counties, along with the McHenry County Conservation District, are all asking either for tax increases or the ability to issue bonds to pay for land acquisition, habitat restoration and ongoing maintenance. Though each proposition is unique, the reasoning behind them all is similar.
Why do they need more money?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, loads of people “discovered” the forest preserves, and that increased usage hasn’t slowed as people continue to look for ways to disconnect from technology.
While more visitors are a net positive for the preserves, there’s added wear and tear on the land and facilities. That requires more maintenance of existing trails and highlighting a need for more trails and recreational opportunities.
What are the proposals?
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A still from a promotional video for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. (Courtesy of NASCAR)
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This summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend generated an estimated $128.1 million in economic impact for the city — up more than 17% from the inaugural race last year, according to a report released by the city’s tourism agency. It was commissioned by the city’s tourism agency Choose Chicago was completed by the Sports Industry Research Center at Temple University.
The NASCAR race, which transformed the streets of downtown into a 2.2-mile street course, is already set to make its return to the city next summer.
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Also From WTTW News:
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Turnover of the Chicago Board of Education just a month before voters will elect new board members has sparked talk of a state intervention, reports Amanda Vinicky.
The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from R. Kelly, who’s convicted of child sex crimes.
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Back in the Day: October 8, 2019 - Chicago Fire Announce Return to Soldier Field
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Here at Back in the Day, we like to highlight the off-the-beaten path parts of Chicago history rather than the obvious picks. When Oct. 8 comes around, we could talk about the date of the actual 1871 Chicago Fire or the 1997 date when the Major League Soccer team called the Chicago Fire announced its formation. Instead, we’re going to talk about that team’s stadium. In 2019, the Fire had been playing for the last 13 years at SeatGeek Stadium in southwest suburban Bridgeview. But on this day five years
ago, the team announced a return to Solider Field in 2020, where they played from the club's first season 1998 to 2005. To their fans, a move to Soldier Field felt like a fresh start. After all, the Fire had only made it to the playoffs twice during the team’s 14-season run in Bridgeview. Their luck hasn't changed. Since their return to Soldier Field, the team currently holds a 43-74-43 win-loss-draw record, has missed the playoffs each time, and finished no better than 22nd league-wide.
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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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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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