Inspector General Joseph Ferguson speaks at City Hall.

The city’s transportation department has failed to ensure records are accurate and complete in its billing system for commercial driveway permit fees, resulting in an annual revenue loss up to $1.5 million, a follow-up report from the city’s inspector general found. 

Chicago Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady speaks during a Tuesday news conference.

As other major cities are mandating vaccinations for city employees and people dining indoors or using gyms, the city’s public health commissioner said Chicago is not mandating indoor restaurants and gym patrons be vaccinated.

Advisory councils on bicycles and pedestrians haven’t met since the pandemic began. 

It has been more than one year since advisory councils meant to help steer the city’s discussion and decision making on bike and pedestrian issues last met. 

Malcolm Whiteside, the city’s deputy commissioner of forestry, and Cook County Board Comm. Bridget Degnen (D-12) discuss Chicago’s tree canopy [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Chicago’s new Urban Forestry Advisory Board could be the “answer to everything” for the leader of the city’s forestry bureau as he tries to grow Chicago’s tree canopy, he said.

City planning officials hope to sell this 26-space parking lot at 3840 N. Lincoln Ave. to a private developer. [The Daily Line/Alex Nitkin]

City planning and budget officials are hoping to raise at least $10 million by selling off a crop of city-owned parking lots in Lakeview, North Center, Lincoln Square and Portage Park to private developers.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners held its first all-in-person meeting of 2021 on Thursday. [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans’ office isn’t moving fast enough to accommodate a surge of women seeking legal protection from their domestic abusers, multiple county commissioners said during a meeting on Thursday.

A report published by Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson found the Department of Streets and Sanitation has yet to implement actions to fix its weed-cutting program. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said an announcement on mandatory vaccinations for city employees is coming “shortly.” And Lightfoot cautioned against a new ward map drawn in a “backroom deal.” 

Aldermen are tasked with redrawing boundaries for the city’s 50 wards.

August marks the City Council’s annual summer break from official business, but aldermen have little time to rest this year. In addition to focusing on work in their wards, council members are gearing up to redraw boundaries of the city’s 50 wards. 

Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (D-13) speaking during a meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee on Wednesday

The Cook County Board of Commissioners is poised on Thursday to delay the next property tax deadline until October and approve a framework for spending the county’s first round of American Rescue Plan dollars, among dozens of other measures, during the board’s last scheduled meeting until September.

From left: Chicago Police Officer Bob Long, Deputy Chief Thomas Mills and Cmdr. Sean Loughran speak during a virtual committee hearing on Tuesday.

Chicago Police Department leaders pledged Tuesday to push forward with a long-promised overhaul of its controversial gang member database but defended sticking with their existing system in the meantime, even as they faced a barrage of criticism from aldermen and advocates over its inaccuracy and disorganization.

From left: Ald. Maria Hadden (49), Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20) and Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29) speak during the Tuesday public safety committee meeting. 

Questions over the amount of time police officers should wait before entering a home to execute a search warrant, what time of days such warrants should be executed and whether the city should codify search warrant policy were at the heart of discussion among aldermen on Tuesday.  

Cook County Board of Review Comm. Tammy Wendt (D-1) alleged during a virtual public hearing on June 29 that the board regularly violates the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

A bitter internal dispute at the Cook County Board of Review has widened to include State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as both offices have been enlisted to weigh in on accusations from one commissioner that the board routinely violates state transparency laws.

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) speaks during the February news conference unveiling the proposed Anjanette Young Ordinance.

Aldermen are scheduled on Tuesday to discuss measures designed to codify new search warrant procedures and the rein in the police department’s use of gang databases.

The city of Chicago and the Fraternal Order of Police have reached a tentative agreement on an eight-year labor contract, officials announced on Monday. And the city is scheduled in August to host a series of three community engagement forums meant to solicit public input on the 2022 budget. 

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) and Jazmine Salas speaking during a news conference on Friday. 

Aldermen last week approved a measure creating civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department, but some grassroots leaders say there’s more work to be done to ensure Chicago residents participate in the oversight process.