Sen. Bernie Sanders will be in Chicago on Thursday to rally support for Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) ahead of the mayoral runoff. Additionally, Arne Duncan on Friday announced his support for former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the April 4 runoff.  

City Council members held a news conference last week. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

A group of aldermen is pushing to hold a special City Council meeting next week to vote on changes to the council’s Rules of Order that they say would help make the legislative body more independent. But even if aldermen approve the rule changes next week, the new City Council will still have to vote on its own set of rules after being sworn in on May 15. 

The city’s health department announced a partnership with the public libraries to offer mental health services to residents. Meanwhile, the Mayor’s Office announced applications are open for the city’s youth summer jobs program.

Protesters march down Stony Island Avenue in favor of a CBA ordinance to combat displacement as a result of the Obama Presidential Center in 2019 [Maxwell Evans/Block Club Chicago]

Voters in the 5th Ward overwhelmingly support the implementation of a community benefits agreement (CBA) for parts of South Shore that will be affected by the construction of the Obama Presidential Center, but the two aldermanic candidates in the April 4 runoff to replace retiring Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) differ in how much of the CBA’s policy demands they support. 

One of the candidates, community organizer Desmon Yancy, fully supports the demands of the coalition calling for a CBA, while Tina Hone, former chief engagement officer for the city of Chicago, disagrees with some of the demands.

Aldermen are calling for a special City Council meeting next week to consider changes that would make the City Council more independent from the mayor’s office. The city’s Office of Inspector General issued an advisory this week on the topic of the mayor’s failure to appoint a chief administrative officer. Chicago Public Health Department officials this week are launching a new Crisis Assistance Response & Engagement team in the Loop.

Members of the CCPSA held a news conference last week. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) on Tuesday sent a list of four finalists to fill two vacancies on the Chicago Police Board to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The mayor is now tasked with choosing from the list to fill both or one of the positions or requesting a new list of qualified candidates entirely.

An outgoing alderman has formalized his plans to exit office three days early, and campaign contribution limits have come off in the first aldermanic race of the runoff season. 

Meanwhile, the public has a chance to weigh in on the process for crafting district boundaries for Chicago’s elected school board.

A voter marks their ballot in Chicago during the 2022 primary election [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A new state law would make it easier for municipalities such as Chicago to implement ranked choice voting in future elections.

Members of the CCPSA held a news conference last week. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) will meet Tuesday evening to discuss candidates to fill two vacancies on the Chicago Police Board.  

On Tuesday, the commission will first meet virtually for a closed meeting at 5 p.m. and then in a virtual meeting open to the public at 5:30 p.m.

Aldermen and advocates for a municipal sidewalk plow program held a news conference last week. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

A municipal sidewalk snow plowing program has been a demand of transit, pedestrian and disability rights advocacy groups for years, and with a measure officially introduced to City Council last week the idea could become a reality via a pilot program. 

Former mayoral candidate U.S. Rep Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.) has endorsed Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) in the runoff for Chicago mayor. And Gov. JB Pritzker announced record revenue from the state’s TV and film production industry.

County lawmakers are pictured during a meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners March 16, 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a program to help low-income residents pay for solar energy upgrades and a program to help formerly incarcerated residents rebuild their lives after release. 

The county will also begin to explore lowering educational barriers for some government jobs and approved changes to its ordinance ensuring minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) are awarded county contracts in an equitable manner.

A rendering of the proposal for 1200-1234 W. Randolph St. [City of Chicago presentation] 

During a more than five-hour meeting Thursday, members of the Chicago Plan Commission approved several development proposals including a 42-story, 395-unit residential building on land that was originally approved in 2019 to be developed as a hotel in the 27th Ward on the Near West Side. 

Former mayoral candidates Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) on Thursday announced his endorsement of Cook County Comm. Brandon Johnson (D-1) in the runoff for Chicago mayor. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas got endorsements from sitting aldermen. And on Wednesday the civilian police oversight commission detailed its search for a new police superintendent. 

Ald. Jason Ervin (28) speaks during a news conference on Wednesday beginning a push for a more independent council. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A group of 10 aldermen held a news conference Wednesday morning heralding their plan to begin establishing a more independent City Council before a new crop of aldermen is sworn in in May.