The Latest Breaking News from Ray Lopez 15th

Johnson’s first budget leans on one-time revenue, hopes for federal, state help to avoid tough choices down the road

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first budget is expected to sail through the Chicago City Council on Wednesday. It’s balanced in part with $786.5 million in one-time revenues. The search for new revenue sources has been punted to a Council subcommittee.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 14, 2023

Decorum call: City Council moves to rein in unruly crowds, threatening behavior at its meetings

New rules ban profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive or disruptive language at Chicago City Council meetings. Also out: banners, signs, large bags and sharp objects.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 14, 2023

Mayor Johnson’s next floor leader has to get along with colleagues — and let democracy work

With Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa departing as zoning chairman and floor leader, Mayor Brandon Johnson has to select a replacement who can help the City Council function effectively and solve the city’s many challenges.

Chicago Sun-Times · Nov 7, 2023

Park District’s delay in opening public pools deprives Chicagoans of summer fun

Not everyone lives by a beach, so the delay means one fewer summer activity for residents, especially teenagers, who were cooped up inside the last two summers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jun 21, 2022

Chicago police identify man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding an officer in Englewood

The 28-year-old man, who remains at large, is named in a police alert as the gunman who opened fire on a marked Chicago police car around 5:45 p.m. in the 6100 block of South Paulina Street.

Chicago Sun-Times · Jun 2, 2022

Stricter curfew approved by divided City Council

Mayoral allies and critics alike again condemned the crackdown as a desperate response that will have no impact on an outbreak of youth violence downtown — but signed off on it anyway.

Chicago Sun-Times · May 25, 2022

Lightfoot’s curfew rollback clears committee amid opposition from all sides

The Committee on Public Safety approved the mayor’s ordinance by a comfortable vote of 14 to 3 that did not reflect the barrage of concerns raised about a crackdown roundly condemned as a toothless and desperate headline-grabber that will have no impact on youth violence.

Chicago Sun-Times · May 20, 2022