County and labor leaders held a news conference Friday to provide information as the county’s new paid leave law will soon be enforced, and the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners presided over candidate withdrawals and dismissals in multiple Democratic Party committeeperson races.

A file photo of voting booths.

A coalition of real estate industry groups and other commercial groups filed a lawsuit Friday morning against the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners alleging the city’s Bring Chicago Home ballot question is legally invalid in a few ways.

The Chicago Police emblem is pictured at the Public Safety Headquarters in this file photo.

Edwin Benn, the independent arbitrator who last year in a ruling opened the door for Chicago police officers to have serious disciplinary decisions decided in private instead of in front of the Chicago Police Board, issued a ruling Thursday that upheld his original decision after the City Council voted to kick the issue back to him last month. 

Last month, the City Council voted 33-17 to reject a portion of a new contract between the city and Chicago chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police that would allow officers to have serious disciplinary cases decided through arbitration instead of the Police Board.

Related: City Council approves most of FOP contract, rejects arbitration option; Council also approves Garrit police shooting settlement after July rejection

CDOT Comm. Tom Carney speaks during a ribbon-cutting for pedestrian and bike safety improvements to Central Park Avenue in Garfield Park in December 2023. [CDOT]

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointment of a new Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) commissioner last month was met with disappointment by some groups that had called for a transformative leader to tackle the myriad transportation challenges the city faces.

The mayor announced in late December that Tom Carney, who had been serving as acting commissioner since the departure of Gia Biagi in August, would move into the CDOT commissioner role permanently, though his appointment still needs to be approved by City Council.

Cook County announced the nonprofit organizations that would receive funds through a new grant program meant to temporarily stabilize smaller operations, and the city’s business affairs department announced the grantees that will participate in its program to revitalize vacant storefronts.

Chicago Department of Housing Comm. Lissette Castañeda [Courtesy of Mayor's Press Office]

Mayor Brandon Johnson made numerous appointments to administrative leadership roles last month, including to the city’s housing department.

The appointment of a new housing commissioner comes as the mayor’s office launches a new initiative aimed at reducing the red tape that can slow new developments and as the city may have new revenue available soon to fight homelessness if voters approve an increase to the real estate transfer tax for high-end properties.

The city inspector’s office became the first to be released from a federal court monitor, and the Cook County zoning board will hold its first meeting of the year Wednesday.

Chicago's skyline is pictured in this file photo.

The city and its partner organizations released the findings of a heat disparity study last month, and the results helped visualize how different communities across Chicago experience heat because of their geographic surroundings and infrastructure. 

Chicago was one of 18 communities selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) back in April to participate in the agency’s annual urban heat island mapping program, a project to record and track heat disparities across geographic areas in municipalities. NOAA has run the project, which is funded through the NOAA Climate Program Office, since 2017. 

Related: Chicago heat study aims to provide policy solutions for disparities, dangers related to extreme temperatures 

Onni Fulton Market is pictured in this post from the company's Instagram. [@onnifultonmarket on Instagram]

The Chicago Plan Commission held its final meeting of the year Thursday and approved a proposed amendment to a Fulton Market planned development and heard a presentation on the next phase of a previously approved planned development in Garfield Ridge.

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends a ribbon-cutting for the new Maria Elena Sifuentes Apartments in Albany Park on Dec. 20, 2023. [Chicago Department of Housing]

The city marked the completion of a new affordable housing complex in Albany Park on Wednesday — the Maria Elena Sifuentes Apartments, located at 3559 W. Lawrence Ave. The complex is a six-story, mixed-use development with most of the residential units designated as affordable housing.

The $26 million project received substantial assistance from the city after it was selected in the Department of Housing’s 2019 funding round.

The Cook County flag flies over the county government building in downtown Chicago. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The Cook County President’s Office on Thursday will release its second Policy Roadmap, an overarching strategic plan that will guide the legislative and administrative actions of the Offices Under the President for the next four years.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is pictured during a City Council meeting in September 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The city government continued to defend its actions Tuesday regarding the death of a 5-year-old migrant boy following a medical emergency at a temporary shelter at 2241 S. Halsted St. in Pilsen Sunday.

Though other children and teens from the same shelter were reportedly hospitalized, according to the Chicago Fire Department, the city Tuesday denied the incidents were related to the boy’s death.

Concept art shows one of the planned mixed-use buildings that is part of the LeClaire Courts project. [Department of Planning and Development]

The Chicago Plan Commission will hold its final meeting of the year Thursday and take up a short agenda that includes a proposed amendment to a Fulton Market planned development and a presentation on the next phase of a previously approved planned development in Garfield Ridge.

The plan commission is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. in City Council chambers at City Hall, although the meeting will also be livestreamed here. 

Dr. Thaer Ahmad, top right, speaks to the Committee on Health and Human Relations on Dec. 18, 2023. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations approved a resolution Monday that calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza War and is supportive of the recent United Nations General Assembly vote for a ceasefire in the region.

The city was not able to fully celebrate a milestone of moving thousands of migrants out of police district stations Monday, as just under two dozen new arrivals had been recorded as staying in stations. Meanwhile, the mayor and city’s Family and Support Services department announced the opening of the city’s latest center for individuals leaving prison.