Chicago News
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SEP 11, 2019
UNLOCKED
Roger Romanelli, of the Fulton Market Association, urged aldermen to rethink the changes to allow more community input. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]
Aldermen on Tuesday advanced a sweeping initiative that would open the door for some offices and retailers to move into the industrial area west of Fulton Market, despite protests from some business owners who called the plan overly restrictive.
The changes (O2019-5606) were first proposed last year by the city’s Department of Planning and Development under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel as a way to invite more businesses into the Kinzie Industrial Corridor, which is bounded by Ogden Avenue, Sacramento Boulevard, Lake Street and Grand Avenue, while maintaining the area as a predominantly industrial zone. -
The City Council's Office of Financial Analysis now has two analysts ready to help aldermen break down Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2020 spending plan, which must close a budget gap of $838 million.
Kenneth Williams, right, joined Jonathan Silverstein as an analyst in the Office of Financial Analysis. [Heather Cherone/The Daily Line]
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SEP 10, 2019
Former State Sen. Ira Silverstein resigned over the weekend from his post as Democratic committeeperson for the 50th Ward, relinquishing his political pull as he ramps up his campaign for a Cook County judgeship.
Ald. Debra Silverstein, right, and Halle Quezada. [Submitted]
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Aldermen peppered city officials with questions Monday, demanding to know why the city changed the way it awarded $200 million in grants to nonprofit groups that educate low-income children younger than 5, icing out organizations that had served their communities for decades.
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A years-in-the-making plan to allow offices and retailers to move into a traditionally industrial stretch of the Near West Side is set for a key vote Monday by the City Council’s Zoning Committee Tuesday, teeing it up for final approval next week.
A map of the Kinzie Industrial Corridor. [City of Chicago]
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SEP 09, 2019
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Ten progressive aldermen plan to vote as a block on the city’s 2020 budget — putting Mayor Lori Lightfoot on notice that they will vote against any budget that does not build “a city that provides for the many, not just the wealthy few.”
Several aldermen meet with members of United Working Families Thursday to strategize on the budget. [Twitter/@UWFIllinois]
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A new study showing that rents and home prices are rising near the future site of the Obama Presidential Center proves that those warning that the $500 million project would fuel gentrification and displacement in Woodlawn have been right all along, Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20) said Thursday.
Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20) said it was obvious that plans for the Obama Presidential Center were fueling displacement. [Heather Cherone/The Daily Line]
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SEP 06, 2019
Cook County Commissioners narrowly approved a $16.4 million contract Thursday to order the latest model of tasers and body cameras for thousands of Cook County Sheriff’s deputies, despite protests from multiple commissioners who said the purchase had faced too little scrutiny.
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SEP 05, 2019
Cook County commissioners heard dueling arguments on Wednesday over how far they should limit landlords’ ability to turn away potential tenants with criminal histories.
Tom Benedetto, legislative analyst with the Chicagoland Apartment Association, urges commissioners to give landlords more leeway in denying rental applications. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]
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Robert Murphy, the Democratic committeeperson for the 39th Ward announced Wednesday he will step down from his party post at the end of this week, ending his tenure just shy of one full term.
Robert Murphy, right, and Ram Villivalam celebrate in January when Villivalam took office as the first Asian American state senator. [Robert Murphy/Facebook]
State Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), left, 33rd Ward Committeeperson Aaron Goldstein. [Submitted]
