The county this week announced a multimillion-dollar program to assist suburban Cook County communities in fleshing out their climate change responses and gave residents an update on how money spent from the county Equity Fund has been used, as well as a preview of how it will be used in the coming year. 

From top left, Kim Walz, Angela Clay, Marianne Lalonde, and from bottom left, Patrick Nagle, Roushaunda Williams and Michael Cortez. All are running for 46th Ward alderman.

In the six-way election battle to succeed retiring Ald. James Cappleman (46) on Feb. 28, most of the candidates started the year with tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash as candidates rack up large donations from labor groups, other elected officials and a third-party delivery app. The 46th Ward covers Uptown and portions of Lakeview.

Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10) speaks during the City Council meeting Wednesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Aldermen on Wednesday laid a roadblock to the ordinance Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced during this month’s City Council meeting setting out the city’s proposed new franchise agreement with ComEd. 

Members of the City Council Committee on Finance met in council chambers Tuesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

The City Council will meet Wednesday for its final regularly scheduled meeting before the Feb. 28 municipal election when Chicagoans will vote for mayor, aldermen and the newly created police district councils. 

While Wednesday’s agenda is light, aldermen are set to consider proposals that would add a new city offense for assaulting paramedics and another that would grant an $800,000 payment to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a man who was fatally struck by a city tow truck driver at O’Hare International Airport. Aldermen are also expected to vote on a controversial expansion by Norfolk Southern Railway. 

The Logan Boulevard bike lane between Rockwell Street and Diversey Parkway. [Erin Hegarty] 

Bike, pedestrian and transit advocacy groups say the conversation is shifting on transportation-related issues facing Chicago after all eight candidates challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the Feb. 28 election gathered at the University of Illinois at Chicago last weekend to answer questions about bike and pedestrian safety and the CTA.

Lightfoot, who is seeking a second term as mayor, did not attend the forum.

The municipal election is Feb. 28. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line] 

With the Feb. 28 election less than one month away, incumbent Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) has the most cash on hand, according to campaign finance records, in the four-way race to represent the 1st Ward on the City Council. 

Joe Senorski, director of political action for Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2, speaking during a committee meeting Monday. [City of Chicago livestream] 

A proposal to add a new offense to Chicago’s municipal code for assaulting emergency workers, particularly ambulance drivers and emergency medical services personnel, will go to City Council for final approval Wednesday. 

A key committee on Tuesday will consider $1.8 million in payments to settle lawsuits filed against the city. And aldermen will discuss a proposal that would codify the right of workers at health and social service organizations that receive city grant funding to unionize. 

The City Council Committee on Public Safety is scheduled to meet Monday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

A proposal from Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) would create a new offense under the city code for anyone who assaults emergency workers, particularly ambulance drivers and emergency medical services personnel, who O’Shea says have seen an increase in attacks.

Gov. JB Pritzker made endorsements in 22 City Council elections on Thursday. And a City Council committee re-referred a proposal to create a “Chicago Fatal Crash Legacy Report” to a new council committee.

Cook County Board Pres. Toni Preckwinkle presides over the county board of commissioners meeting Thursday. [Livestream]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved $25 million in funding for violence reduction and prevention-oriented initiatives. The money will be distributed to scores of organizations participating in more than three dozen initiatives over the current and following fiscal years. 

Chicagoans this year will elect members of 22 police district councils. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

In-person early voting at two locations in Chicago begins Thursday and in addition to selecting their pick for mayor and local aldermen, voters will be asked to choose three members of the 22 newly created police district councils based on the police district in which they live. 

But with four of the 22 police district councils having less than three official candidates listed on the ballot for the three open seats in each district, at least three write-in candidates are all but guaranteed to win elected office — a rarity in Chicago. The civilian oversight body and the mayor will be tasked with appointing at least one candidate to fill an open seat on one of the district councils. 

Cook County Human Resources Bureau Chief Velisha Haddox speaks during the county Finance Committee meeting Wednesday. [Cook County Government livestream] 

The Cook County Finance Committee on Wednesday voted to approve a one-year extension of a contract with Deloitte, the firm that has been performing employee recruitment and hiring services for the county for the past 14 months. The approval sends the final decision to the county board of commissioners. 

Some commissioners, while still voting to approve the $5.47 million contract (Item 23-0253), stressed they would hold Deloitte accountable and refuse to renew the contract again if it fails to deliver on its stated goals and if the county Bureau of Human Resources fails to provide information commissioners have asked for, such as the average length of time it takes between the opening of a job vacancy and the end of a replacement’s onboarding. 

A City Council Committee approved a measure authorizing the Public Building Commission to assess city buildings for ADA compliance. And the Transportation Committee during its Thursday meeting will consider a proposal to create a new crash report for crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists. 

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate met in Council Chambers Tuesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Aldermen and members of the public used a committee hearing with the Chicago Housing Authority on Tuesday to voice their concerns and displeasure with the city’s sister agency that serves 64,000 households.