Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed off on two bills lawmakers approved earlier this year.

A total of 28 newly introduced measures were banished last week to the City Council’s Committee on Committees and Rules, but 23 of the mostly perfunctory proposals are scheduled to be resurrected Wednesday and sent to the “appropriate” committees during a rules committee meeting.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot cemented her “comprehensive plan” to honor Du Sable Thursday.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposal to honor Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable, the city’s first non-indigenous resident, pulls out all the stops with multiple statues, public artwork, a new festival and a renamed downtown Riverwalk. But it leaves out the proposal some aldermen and advocates have been pushing for 18 months: renaming a portion of Lake Shore Drive after Du Sable. 

Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6) and Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) speak during a news conference Thursday.

One day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot formally introduced her long-awaited proposal for civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department (O2021-2143), proponents of a competing community proposal think they still have enough votes to get their ordinance approved.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot answers questions during a news conference Wednesday.

A portion of a wide-reaching business relief package unveiled Wednesday by Mayor Lori Lightfoot was one of more than 20 newly introduced measures banished to the City Council’s Committee on Committee and Rules.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot discusses her proposal for civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department during a news conference Monday.

Aldermen and long-time community advocates for civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department didn’t waste time poking holes in Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s long-awaited police oversight ordinance hours after she released the plan on Monday.

Wednesday’s scheduled vote to rename Lake Shore Drive after Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable is the culmination of a more than 18-month effort.

The outer portion of Lake Shore Drive would be renamed after Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable if aldermen approve a long-stalled name change Wednesday. And another proposal up for a vote in the City Council would empower the city to shut down “rogue” towing companies operating in the city.

Jeff Brink and Malcolm Whiteside during Monday’s finance committee meeting.

A proposal to establish an Urban Forestry Advisory Board stalled in committee Monday, as aldermen approved more than $1 million in legal settlements.

Key sponsors of a police oversight ordinance include Ald. Harry Osterman (48), Ald. Leslie Hairston (5), Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6).

A key committee vote on civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department will be taken next month, teeing up a possible vote by the full City Council June 23, Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29) told aldermen multiple times on Friday. 

Advocates for the Empowering Communities for Public Safety ordinance rallied outside Ald. Taliaferro’s ward office Monday [Erin Hegarty]

Aldermen are set on Friday to discuss a years-in-the-making proposal to establish civilian oversight of the police department as Mayor Lori Lightfoot continues working on her own measure. 

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) explains his proposal to license tow truck operators.

A proposal to license towing companies to target “rogue” truck operators is headed to the City Council floor.

Members of the City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection gave unanimous approval on Wednesday to the ordinance (SO2020-4817), which Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) introduced in October and has tweaked multiple times since. The measure is lined up for final approval by the City Council next Wednesday.

Lincoln Towing, based at 4882 N. Clark St. in the 47th Ward, has kept its business license despite attempts by state regulators to shut it down.

Aldermen are scheduled to again consider an ordinance that would regulate “rogue” tow truck operators by requiring companies to be licensed with the city after the measure stalled in committee last month.

Ald. Pat Dowell (3) chairs the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

Aldermen are scheduled Wednesday to consider appropriating more than $55 million in federal grant money toward vaccination efforts in the city and allowing the commissioner of the Department of Assets, Information and Services to contract out work.

Members of the Chicago Aldermanic Black Caucus during an October 2019 news conference [Alex Nitkin/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s Aldermanic Black Caucus voted to endorse the Empowering Communities for Public Safety Ordinance, adding a powerful tailwind to the civilian police oversight plan as Mayor Lori Lightfoot prepares to release her long-awaited counterproposal.

Ashish Sharma discussed mitigating the urban heat island effect Monday.

Researchers and city officials told aldermen on Monday that combatting the phenomenon of urban heat islands in Chicago will require a “mix of solutions” as the city’s tree canopy shrinks and temperatures rise.

The more than two-hour meeting of the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy on Monday included a subject matter hearing on the effects of heat islands and potential remedies to the issue.

A chart in the 2020 Chicago Region Tree Census Report shows Chicago’s canopy coverage has dropped from 19 percent in 2010 to 16 percent in 2020. [The Morton Arboretum]

Aldermen are scheduled on Monday to discuss the urban heat island effect in Chicago and consider various ways to combat the phenomenon that causes temperatures to soar in areas with little tree cover.

The subject matter hearing, scheduled at 10 a.m. in the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy, is the result of a resolution (R2020-452) introduced by Ald. George Cardenas (12), who chairs the committee.

 Jitu Brown speaks during a news conference outside City Hall on Wednesday

A coalition of labor and community groups is raising the volume on its demands that Mercy Hospital keeps operating at full capacity for at least the next 10 years and that neighbors have seats on the hospital board after it’s sold to a new owner later this month.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44) during Thursday’s meeting of the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation.

Chicago’s peak season for neighborhood block parties is fast approaching and aldermen are looking to city officials for guidance as demand for the neighborhood gatherings heats up.

The McDonald’s Cycle Center in Millennium Park [McDonald’s Cycle Center]

The City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation will consider an agreement with Shift Transit to operate Millennium Park’s McDonald’s Cycle Center, which offers cyclists secure bike parking, repairs and locker rooms.

Michael Jacobson, Tanya Triche Dawood and Sam Toia address aldermen Tuesday.

Representatives of the hotel, restaurant and retail industry told aldermen on Tuesday businesses they represent are facing roadblocks to filling jobs as the city reopens. At the same time, a lack of childcare options is keeping some Chicagoans from returning to work, they said.

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development met Tuesday for a subject matter hearing on resources that are available to employers, workers and labor organizations as Chicago gradually lifts business restrictions. The hearing was spurred by a resolution (R2021-445) introduced by Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10), who chairs the workforce development committee, and Ald. Raymond Lopez (15).

Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10) and Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) introduced a resolution calling for a hearing on resources for employers and workers.

Aldermen are set to hear from workforce and employment experts Tuesday about resources available to employers, workers and trade and labor organizations as Chicago continues reopening. 

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development is scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. for a subject matter hearing spurred by a resolution (R2021-445) introduced by Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10), who chairs the workforce development committee, and Ald. Raymond Lopez (15).