Last night, Mayor Brandon Johnson appeared on “Chicago Tonight” to talk about his first two years in office. That and more stories from WTTW News. |
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U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly appears on the May 12, 2025, episode of "Chicago Tonight." (WTTW News) |
When Mayor Brandon Johnson took office two years ago, Chicago was in crisis. As Johnson celebrates his second anniversary and marks what he hopes is the midpoint of his first term in office, Chicago remains in crisis. A different crisis.
Johnson spent much of his first two years in office lurching from emergency to emergency, battered by outside events and suffering from self-inflicted wounds. That has left the bulk of his promises to remake the city into a “Chicago for all” — not just the wealthy or the powerful — unfulfilled.
Despite the mayor’s trademark optimism, the unrelenting turmoil of the past two years, and his missteps in handling problems both new and old, has weakened Johnson’s political standing, ensuring that if he runs for and wins a second term in office in 2027, he will have to do it the same way he won the first time: as an underdog.
Some highs and lows :
No issue has helped bolster Johnson’s political standing more than the significant and sustained drop in violent crime during the past two years.
The migrant crisis has faded from the spotlight since the start of the year, when Johnson’s administration helped launch a unified shelter system that will care for migrants as well as longtime residents who are unhoused.
The low point of Johnson’s first two years in office came as weeks of intense negotiations over the city’s 2025 budget spiraled out of the mayor’s control. Chicago faces a likely budget deficit of nearly $1.2 billion in 2026.
Johnson appeared on "Chicago Tonight." Here's what he said:
“Now, is it moving at the pace in which I want?” Johnson said. “Of course not, I would like to see things with more expediency, but we are certainly headed in right direction.”
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A sea otter mom with pup in the wild. Shedd Aquarium is participating in a groundbreaking surrogacy program that's helping rescued pups return to the ocean. (htrnr / Stock) |
Shedd Aquarium staff recently accompanied Suri and Willow, two sea otters on their journey from Chicago to the Pacific, where the pair will now take on the role of surrogate mothers to rescued pups, pups that could then be released back into the wild once they've learned essential survival skills from their new moms.
Suri and Willow were both rescued themselves and are considered “non-releasable." They arrived at Shedd in late 2022, and the aquarium's animal care team has been training them for parenthood.
The groundbreaking surrogacy program was founded in 2002 by Monterey Bay Aquarium, where researchers have documented the improved outcomes for otter pups when raised by their own species versus humans. The surrogate moms model important behavior like how to groom a sea otter's thick fur and how to forage for food.
Suri and Willow were the first surrogates raised at Shedd, but the team didn't return to Chicago empty-handed.
They brought along “Otter 937,” another young female that Shedd's animal care team will now train until she's mature enough to become a surrogate mom. Otter 937 will remain behind the scenes as she gets acclimated to her new habitat and caretakers, but Shedd visitors may eventually have an opportunity to meet her.
Some backstory:
The sea otter population was nearly wiped out in California due to hunting and the fur trade. Protected status and conservation efforts have helped numbers rebound somewhat, but the otters still occupy only a sliver of their former range.
According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, the dozens of sea otter pups raised in the surrogacy program now account for a significant amount of population growth where they've been released into the wild.
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Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul discusses a lawsuit against the federal government at a news conference in January 2025. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois) |
Weeks before Gov. JB Pritzker is set to testify before Congress on state laws designed to protect undocumented immigrants, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 20 states in suing the Trump Administration, which they claim threatened to withhold billions in federal funding if they don’t comply with unlawful immigration conditions.
Raoul and 19 other Democratic attorneys general on Tuesday announced a pair of new lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation and their respective secretaries — Kristi Noem and Sean Duffy — claiming they’re attempting to illegally coerce states into enacting sweeping immigration enforcement.
If states don’t comply, the Trump Administration has threatened to withhold billions in federal funding for emergency services and infrastructure, which Raoul said would “put Americans at serious risk.”
“This FEMA and transportation funding has nothing to do with immigration,” Raoul said at a press conference Tuesday. “However, it has everything to do with the safety of our residents.”
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Back in the Day: May 14, 2005 - Cubs Pitcher Carlos Zambrano Suffers Computer-Caused Elbow Injury |
On this day 20 years ago, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano was removed from a game against the Washington Nationals with a sore elbow. While injuries in baseball are common, especially arm soreness in pitchers, what started as a routine substitution turned out to be something weirder. As the team’s trainers and medical staff looked into the cause of Zambrano’s elbow ailment, they realized it was because the Venezuela-born ace was clocking several hours a day on the computer emailing family members. The team told him to cut back on computer time and take it easy in batting practice. "I have to spend one hour and take it easy," Zambrano said. "It's not carpal tunnel, but if you don't watch it, who knows what it can lead to? We are trying to alleviate it," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. |
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Local Live Music Recommendations for May 14-20
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Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more.
Thursday, May 15:
Jensen McRae, Lauren Juzang at Lincoln Hall. Tickets. This well-rounded artist makes compelling pop music.
Philip Michael-Scales, 100 Dayys at Schubas. Tickets. This golden-voiced songwriter used to be based in Chicago.
Friday, May 16:
Half Gringa, Gabacho at Schubas. Tickets. The local songwriter levels up on her new album “Cosmovisión.”
The Juju Exchange, Kopano at Sleeping Village. Tickets. Jubilant and cosmic jazz led by Chicago’s Nico Segal.
Saturday, May 17:
Emily Hines, Sarah Weddle, Nathan Evans Fox at Judson and Moore. Tickets. This Nashville songwriter has a striking voice and a new album out in August.
Sunday, May 18:
Kitchen, Sleeper’s Bell, Shep Treasure at Hideout. Tickets. If you like earnest rock music, the headliner is excellent.
Tuesday, May 20:
Kassie Krut, Dorothy Carlos at Schubas. Tickets. Fans of the excellent and disbanded Philly group Palm should see its members play in their new electronic project. |
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What was your reaction when you heard the new pope is from Chicago? |
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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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