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As this sunny summer weather continues to make us forget about fall for just a bit longer, here’s your lineup of the biggest stories this Thursday. |
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Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling addresses the news media on Tuesday, Jan. 28. 2025. (WTTW News) |
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The city of Chicago spent $119.7 million on overtime for members of the Chicago Police Department during the first six months of 2025 — nearly 20% more than the Chicago City Council set aside for police overtime as part of the city’s annual budget, according to records published by the city’s watchdog.
CPD spent approximately 7% less on overtime during the first six months of 2025 than it did during the same period in 2024, according to a WTTW News analysis that compared 2024 data, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request from city officials, and a database published by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg.
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling defended CPD’s spending on overtime during the department’s mid-year budget hearing on Wednesday, where alderpeople peppered him with questions about his efforts to rein in overtime.
“So we’re very careful about it, and I’m being a lot more careful about it because not only are we worried about the overtime, but we’re also worried about the health and wellness of the officers,” Snelling said. “We’ve reduced that overtime greatly.”
CPD spent an additional $46.4 million on overtime in July and August, which are typically two of the most violent and busy months of the year, according to the inspector general database.
More context:
The city is on pace to spend approximately $240 million on police overtime by the end of the year, according to data published by the inspector general, even as officials imposed limits on overtime to help fill a $146 million gap by the end of the year and a projected deficit of $1.15 billion in 2026.
In 2024, CPD spent a total of $273.8 million on overtime, 6.5% less than in 2023, according to a WTTW News analysis.
CPD’s overtime costs have soared because officers’ salaries and benefits have gone up significantly while the number of CPD members has decreased by approximately 1,200 employees since 2019, Chicago Police Department Deputy Director Ryan Fitzsimons said. |
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(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) |
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A suburban Cook County resident has died from West Nile virus, the Cook County Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday. It’s the first West Nile virus-related death in Illinois confirmed this year.
The resident was in their 60s. Laboratory testing confirmed that West Nile virus was a contributing factor to the person’s death, according to CCDPH.
The risk of West Nile virus in suburban Cook County remains high. From May 11 through Sept. 6, suburban Cook County has recorded 33 cases of West Nile virus, almost twice the number of cases from last year, according to CCDPH.
Know the 3 Rs:
West Nile virus occurs in humans when they are bitten by mosquitoes that contracted the virus by feeding on infected birds. Public health officials are reminding residents to practice the three Rs:
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Reduce opportunities for exposure to mosquitoes
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Repel insect bites by wearing protective clothing and using insect repellent
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Report stagnant water that can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes to your local health department
Mild symptoms can be a fever, headache, rash and body aches three to 15 days after infection. Severe West Nile virus symptoms can include a high fever, stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness and inflammation of the brain, which can lead to permanent neurological damage or death. |
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An Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle is pictured in Chicago in an image uploaded to social media by the agency on Sept. 8, 2025. (Credit: ICE) |
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Cook County officials are calling out federal immigration agents for their “deceptive” tactics amid an increase in detentions and arrests carried out by masked, plain-clothes officers.
County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and others on Wednesday said the tactics employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have left families “torn apart.”
“Residents following legal processes to become citizens have been detained,” Preckwinkle said at a news conference. “Even U.S. citizens have been subjected to harassment and unfair treatment. These practices create fear in our neighborhoods and erodes trust in law enforcement.”
County officials said plain-clothes federal agents in unmarked vehicles have refused to provide identification or even warrants in some instances as they carry out their immigration operations. They’ve introduced a resolution calling on county agencies to provide official communication to county commissioners whenever ICE conducts immigration enforcement on county property or buildings. |
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Back in the Day: September 18, 1889 - Hull House Founded by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr |
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Jane Addams, a pioneer in social work, progressive reforms, educational programs, women's suffrage and more, was the first woman to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1931, she was given the rare prize for her work in Chicago at Hull House, a settlement house that became a pillar of the community and social justice issues worldwide. It was on this day in 1889 that Addams and her longtime friend Ellen Gates Starr established Hull House. Named after a real estate baron who built the place in 1856, the building "sat on the Near West Side, at the convergence of neighborhoods occupied by European immigrants, many of whom were Italian, Greek, Polish, and Russian." As a WTTW piece points out, "With Hull House, Addams and Starr hoped to provide a space where other educated, privileged women (whom they called “residents”) could volunteer their knowledge and skills with people in the neighborhood, with the goal of uplifting the poor. They especially wanted to offer services for children, who were sometimes left unsupervised while their parents worked difficult, low-paying jobs. Hull House was to be a center for social services, but it was not strictly charity for the community: resident volunteers were to be part of the community." To read more on Hull, check out this interactive WTTW deep dive. |
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This Week's Arts and Culture Events |
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Every Thursday, WTTW News arts correspondent Marc Vitali highlights the city’s must-see cultural events.
Marc Vitali: Summer is nearly gone with the wind. Thankfully, all’s fair in fall with a harvest of arts and culture, so indulge yourself in the abundance that we have in this great city.
“Carmen” – The Joffrey Ballet
Sounds like an ideal destination for a hot date — athletic dancers move with passion as desire turns to betrayal and … OK, maybe not a first date. Expect a sexy ballet from the Joffrey dance corps with seductive music by Georges Bizet. The same choreographer created “Frankenstein,” so to speak — or at least the version that played at the Joffrey two years ago. This tale of defiance should be as incendiary as its setting: a cigarette factory in 1930s Spain. “Carmen” opens the 70th season of the esteemed dance company. Sept. 18-28.
Kommuna Lux – Krug Community Circle, Wheeling
This band is a blast of adrenaline. Coming off a sold-out Evanston show earlier this year, Kommuna Lux returns to the area. Hailing from Ukraine, the boisterous and danceable group calls itself “Odesa’s premier urban folk and klezmer band.” Having seen their live videos, I don’t doubt it. Since Russia invaded in 2022, the band has become a cultural voice for Ukraine, raising funds and awareness via some very snappy music. Sept. 19.
A Pair of Film Festivals: Reeling and the Chicago Underground Film Festival
Two film festivals at the same time? Welcome to Chicago! Reeling is the 43rd Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival with 38 features and 59 shorts of queer cinema. It runs Sept. 19-28 at Landmark Century Centre Cinema and Firehouse Cinema. And the Chicago Underground Film Fest (CUFF) is back for its 32nd year with genre-defying movies and more; it runs Sept. 17-21. Dig through the schedules of both festivals and find a film that’s just your size. |
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Where's the best place to get an Italian beef in Chicago? Tell us how you order one.
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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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