Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) tweeted, "We just wrapped up our 2023 Spring Legislative Session where we passed a new balanced state budget that invests in key priorities such as education, and child care and takes care of important local needs."

Rep. Mary Beth Canty (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted, "REMINDER! We have two town halls this week! Join @sengillespie, Rep. Mark Walker, and me at 6:30pm tomorrow @MPPLib OR join Senator Gillespie and me at 6:30pm on Thursday @ahml!"

Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) tweeted, "Pointing at individualized behavior isn’t enough. Whether it’s a parade, a school, or a street corner there are very very powerful people who profited off each bullet that left the chamber. That’s a problem. A serious problem."

Chicago Department of Planning and Development Comm. Maurice Cox this week was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters for his lifetime of achievements in architecture, according to a news release from the city. Founded in 1898, the American Academy of Arts and Letters is an honor society for the country’s architects, artists, composers and writers. Cox was honored for his "merging architecture, design and politics through multiple public, private and elected positions," according to the news release.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted "Congratulations to all Israelis on the 75th anniversary of Israel’s statehood. Our countries have a special relationship rooted in shared interests and democratic values. Yom Ha’atzmaut Sameach! #YomHaatzmaut75"

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50) tweeted "I was honored to participate in a flag raising ceremony today at Daley Plaza to commemorate Yom Ha’Atzmaut – Israel Independence Day. With antisemitism tragically on the rise, it was deeply moving to see the Israeli flag waving over the heart of Chicago."

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted "Good morning. There's a hoax account pretending to be Mayor-elect Johnson (great job, Elon). Don't be fooled by the "MayorBJohnson" account; follow @Brandon4Chicago for updates from the mayor-elect and his transition team."

Comm. Kevin Morrison (D-15) tweeted "What is happening in Montana is a disgrace and the clearest example of our democracy under attack. Representative Zooey Zephyr, the first trans woman ever elected in Montana, has been barred from her chamber for the remainder of the session."

Ald. Nicole Lee (11) tweeted "May 9 is Asian American Action Day! Join @AAAJ_Chicago and @CASLmedia for a day of advocacy at the State Capitol in Springfield fighting for Language Access and Equity, Health Care Cultural Competency and more! Registration closes May 2nd: http://bit.ly/AAADay2023"

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability announced on Wednesday that it has selected Public Sector Search & Consulting as the firm that will assist in the search for a new superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. According to a news release from the commission, Public Sector Search & Consulting does work "exclusively on searches for police executives." Two retired police chiefs will lead the firm's work on the superintendent search in Chicago, according to the news release. 

Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) tweeted, "Thanks to Proviso East Teacher Mr. David Moss and Ms. Daphene Walker for bringing the AP Social Studies class to meet with me in Springfield. Progress is fueled by the undying belief that the future is bright. With these excited and inspired students, I am more confident than ever that our future is bright."

Sen. Mike Porfirio (D-LaGrange) tweeted, "This April I am honored to celebrate the Institute for Food Safety and Health’s 35th Anniversary and Dr. Darsh Wasan’s retirement. Thank you Dr. Wasan for your dedication and years of service to addressing food safety issues. Best of luck in your future endeavors!"

Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) tweeted, "As an alumna of Joliet Junior College, I was grateful to be included in the Roots & Branches project to highlight the impact JJC alumni have had in our communities. I have always been proud of JJC and supportive of their endeavors. Go Wolves!"

Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) tweeted, "For those making the trip to Springfield, make sure to stop by my office and let me know about the issues you care about."

Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) tweeted, "Looking forward to Summer 2024 in Chicago, where @DNC will acknowledge having our convention on the ancestral homeland of the Council of the Three Fires. It’s also a perfect opportunity to enshrine in our 2024 platform both Washington DC and Puerto Rico statehood."

Ald. Pat Dowell (3) tweeted "Reminder! My Pet Vaccine and Microchip Clinic is this Saturday at the Ward Office. Details, plus jobs with CPS and Cook County Health, health fairs and more in today's eblast... https://conta.cc/3HbRCch"

Ald. Nicole Lee (11) tweeted "➡️@CookCtyHealth is hiring! Attend the three day job fair running THIS Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1950 W. Polk Street, 5th Floor. Pre-registration is required, so make sure to search “Hiring Fair” in the keywords section to apply and register: https://bit.ly/3LeKuyg"

Comm. Alma Anaya (D-7) tweeted "🏀🎟🪅🚲🍧🍭🍿 Join us this Friday, April 28th to celebrate Children's Day! We will be having a resource fair, raffles, arts & crafts, enterntainment and much more!"

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) said on Facebook "  CHICAGO RESIDENTS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) invites you to join us at our upcoming virtual Community Forum to be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 via Zoom from 6pm-8pm. Residents can register here: https://bit.ly/42UNfeE. Residents can also pre- register for public comment here: https://bit.ly/3H5cn9h."

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50) said on Facebook "Indian Boundary Park Cultural Center is starting new low-cost art programming for youth, teens, and adults/seniors. Check out the exciting new programs and register at: https://bit.ly/IBSpringNewPrograms2023"

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted "Thank you to my colleagues that voted on my resolution requiring the City electrify its fleet by 2035. It’s happening. Chicago committing $42M to making its fleet all-electric - WBBM Newsradio On-Demand - http://Omny.fm"

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) tweeted "The growing evidence that Covid-19 is leaving people sicker: Dr Strain concluded that 'Covid generated a kind of epidemiological aftershock by leaving people susceptible to a huge range of other conditions, threatening global health systems'"

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted ".@aldnapolitano41 and I have introduced ordinances raising fines & requiring family counseling for parents when minors commit crimes. The heads of the Black & Socialist caucuses shunted them into legislative purgatory."

Ald. Sophia King (4) tweeted "Congrats again to Ald-Elect @LamontJRobinson! We've begun transitioning and are committed to working together to serve the people of the ward. The ward email - [email protected] - will continue to be active, please reach out with any questions or concerns you may have!"

Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) tweeted "Join @ChicagoBarAssoc and @chipublib for a free virtual event on Tuesday, April 25 at 6 PM. Attorney Matthew Formeller of Formeller & Formeller LLP will host an interactive discussion on starting your own business followed by a Q&A. Register here: https://buff.ly/3GX1cja"

Follow this page for live updates for the Feb. 28 Municipal Election.

The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection at 3 p.m. Wednesday will host a webinar on Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer licensing. The webinar is set to include information on the application process and best practices for safe operations. Those interested can find more information and register online. 

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted “A year ago, Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. The US has correctly chosen to stand with the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom. We must defend our allies and democracy at all cost. #SlavaUkraini #freedomisntfree”

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) tweeted “The 2nd Annual WGN Radio Vest-a-Thon in support of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation was a huge success. A big thanks to David Hochberg for all his efforts to protect our Chicago Police Officers. @WGNRadio @cpdmemorial @Chicago_Police @ChicagoCAPS22 @BevRevNews @sjfhns”

Comm. Scott Britton (D-14) tweeted “Chicago Black Restaurant Week is underway! Plan your trip to a participating location for great food and great deals before February 26: http://chiblackrestaurantweek.com #CBRW2023”

Ald. James Cappleman (46) tweeted “I remember back in the 1980s when former President Jimmy Carter helped build the Habitat for Humanity affordable housing located a 1/2 block from my home. This wonderful man knows the true meaning of public service.”

Ald. James Gardiner (45) said on Facebook “Chicago Pipefitters Local 597 endorses 45th Ward Alderman Jim Gardiner. I am grateful for your support.”

Ald. Sophia King (4) tweeted “We had a great time celebrating the amazing work of the @AIDSChicago! Thank you so much for your incredible advocacy.”

Elected: 2007

Twitter: @ILforDowell

Campaign Site: https://www.illinoisfordowell.com

Bio: Pat Dowell has a long history in Chicago politics, first as a student volunteer for Dorothy Tillman, who she would later face in an election, and later as a Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Planning through the administrations of mayors Eugene Sawyer and Richard M. Daley. Tillman made way for Dowell’s win in the 2007 election when she voted against Labor on the ordinance that raised the minimum wage for big-box stores in Chicago. Labor then decided it could no longer support Tillman, and threw its money and endorsements behind Dowell. She defeated Tillman in a run-off election and has been serving in the City Council ever since. Dowell has maintained her vehemence in planning and development, as she helped launch the Parade of Houses project to construct market-rate single-family homes on vacant lots throughout the 3rd Ward. Though Dowell has been a close ally of Lightfoot, she hasn’t been shy to criticize the mayor. She hesitantly supported Lightfoot’s “Connected Communities Ordinance,” which proposes developments in the city’s transit hubs, and called the ordinance “nothing if we aren’t going to put some meat on the bones.”

Before serving as Chicago’s top executive, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was a corporate litigator and police prosecutor. Lightfoot is an Ohio native who got her bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and her law degree at the University of Chicago Law School. After law school, Lightfoot first worked for the legal firm Mayer Brown for six years.

In 1996, Lightfoot became Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. In that role, Lightfoot led the investigation and prosecution of 15th Ward Ald. Virgil Jones as part of the Silver Shovel Investigation. In 2002, Lightfoot became Chief Administrator at the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards. Later, she rejoined Mayer Brown and served as outside counsel for Bank of America and worked on police-related cases.

In June 2015, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Lightfoot to head the nine-member Chicago Police Board, in the fallout over the Laquan McDonald case later that same year, Lightfoot was appointed to the Mayor’s Police Accountability Task Force. The task force eventually recommended doing away with the Independent Police Review Authority, appointing a new Deputy Inspector General to monitor the police department and creating a civilian-led oversight commission to set police department policy — the latter was accomplished during Lightfoot’s first term as mayor while the others were completed under Emanuel.

Lightfoot ran for mayor in a crowded 2019 field and made it to the runoff against Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle after finishing in first place with 18 percent of the vote in the first round. In the runoff, Lightfoot trounced Preckwinkle handily, winning in all 50 of the city’s wards.

As mayor, Lightfoot has often had an abrasive relationship with the City Council and has been criticized for how she handled the city’s response to racial justice protests in 2020, such as raising bridges to protect the Loop from property damage. Some of her legislative and administrative accomplishments, however, include passing ethics reforms such as a ban on “cross-lobbying,” the legalization of Accessory Dwelling Units and an overhaul the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance and the pandemic-era “Chi Biz Strong” business recovery package.

During her 2023 reelection effort, Lightfoot’s campaign was criticized for emailing Chicago Public Schools teachers to ask if students would volunteer for the campaign in exchange for class credit. While initially saying it was a common practice, Lightfoot’s campaign later called it inappropriate and said it would not happen again, with Lightfoot herself calling it a “well intentioned” “mistake.”

Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) is seeking the progressive vote as he makes a bid in the crowded mayoral race. Johnson, a former social studies teacher and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, entered the mayor’s race in late October with the backing of the CTU already in the bag. His mayoral run has also gained endorsements from at least four other labor groups — Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, SEIU Healthcare Illinois, American Federation of Teachers and Illinois Federation of Teachers. An avowed advocate for working families, Johnson is running for mayor on a platform that includes “fully funded public schools, affordable housing, green jobs and access to mental health care,” according to his mayoral campaign announcement.

Johnson recently won a second term on the county board. After ousting incumbent Comm. Richard Boykin in the 2018 Democratic primary, Johnson’s legislative accomplishments have included the county’s Just Housing Ordinance, which barred landlords from refusing to rent to tenants based on certain criminal records and sought to end housing discrimination for people based on some prior convictions. Johnson’s legislative accomplishments also include a controversial 2020 resolution to shift funding away from Cook County Jail and toward health care, restorative justice and job creation to address root causes of crime, though the resolution was purely symbolic.

Edward Ward has worked as a coordinator for Chicago Public Schools’ Sustainable Community Schools Program and has previous experience as a restorative practices specialist, coaching educational professionals in that capacity on how to hold talking circles and peace circles. Ward, a DePaul University graduate, was one of the candidates who applied to replace former Ald. Michael Scott, though the position ultimately went to Scott’s sister, Ald. Monique Scott (24).

Jane Lucius and her husband are small business owners and longtime Edgewater residents, according to her website. Lucius has served as a beat facilitator for the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy program in the 24^th police district and as president of Neighbors of Edgewater West.

Gabriel Piemonte is a Woodlawn resident and longtime journalist and community organizer. He worked as an editor for the Highland Park Herald and a communications consultant and has made strides in community organizing in the 5th Ward, where he resides. He aided in building a credit union in the South Side for borrowers who’ve often been turned away and helped to create a program for area teenagers to get paid to learn videography and critical thinking skills.

Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) tweeted Tomorrow! Join the Department of Planning and Development for the first community meeting on the Milwaukee Avenue Urban Identity study! You can learn more at the project website, and register below Register (1/11/23, 6pm): https://tinyurl.com/4ks8fepn Website: http://chicago.gov/MilwaukeeAve"

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted "This morning I met w/ @PeoplesGasCHI concerning their meter replacement program in the 15th Ward’s #ChicagoLawn community. As work progresses into 2023, we cannot leave sidewalks in this condition. I look forward to working together to speed up restoration for my residents."

Ald. Matt O'Shea (19) tweeted "I'm honored to have the endorsement of IUOE Local 150."

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted "We are working to organize a Town Hall this month to discuss the #plowthesidewalks initiative. There are approximately 500K people with disabilities living in Chicago. It’s OUR responsibility to champion equity and opportunity for ALL Chicagoans."

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) tweeted "I am honored to be endorsed by the 40th Ward Dems! The 40th Ward Dems, led by @MaggieJOK, are committed to increasing voter access and turnout in our ward! Thank you for all you do! I look forward to continue working together to move our ward forward!"

Access Living is hosting a panel on disability issues with mayoral candidates at 115 W. Chicago Ave. at 1 p.m. Saturday. Andrés Gallegos, who is the chair of the National Council on Disability, will host the panel and members of the public are welcome to attend. The event will also be livestreamed. Additional information, including candidates’ answers to a questionnaire, is available online.