CPD says the thieves have broken side windows to gain entry to almost all of the cars. The thieves target unattended cars parked on streets and in parking garages.

The district, which has added thousands of new positions to its payroll in recent years, said it will maintain roughly $500 million in funding increases for schools made since the 2021-22 school year. It stressed that overall, schools will employ more people in the fall compared with this past school year, including 500 more teachers, 600 additional special education paraprofessional positions, and almost 90 more restorative justice coordinators.

In the U.S., Chicago and Los Angeles held onto their second- and third-place rankings from 2022 as the most congested cities, increasing their average time in traffic to 96 and 89 hours, respectively.

According to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office, the minimum wage increase, implementation of the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance and a “scheduled enhancement” of the Fair Workweek Ordinance requirements will all take effect on July 1.

New population estimates show Cook County lost more than 117,000 white residents and nearly 65,000 Black residents in recent years — larger declines for both groups than nearly every county in the nation.

Barely a week ago, Ald. Lamont Robinson, citing ongoing violence, publicly called for the city to close the beach at 9 p.m. and strictly enforce a nighttime curfew.

According to federal court records, at least five separate groups have filed lawsuits against the city of Chicago since January, alleging their permit applications were improperly denied and that the city’s ordinances that could restrict their activities and enforce additional security perimeters are unconstitutional.

Glenn Eden, board, chair of Choose Chicago’and Charles Smith vice chairman of World Business Chicago: “We can’t hold ourselves back from success. Chicago is in the midst of a renaissance. Transformation is not always linear or easy, but we can’t allow ourselves to fall victim to the critics or doubters. We can’t let the noise from the critics distract us from the work at hand. We must push forward harder and stronger than before. We must believe in ourselves and our city. For now is Chicago’s time to shine.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas created a research team to do an analysis of 2023 tax bills. “In most of the southwest suburbs, bills are up approximately 17 percent,” said Pappas. “But in 13 of the 15 suburbs [in which taxes increased], bills are up 30 percent. Those 13 are all African American.”

“One of the worst high schools in America is just down the road from the Obama Presidential Center: Hyde Park Academy High School. According the the Wirepoints website, only two percent of its students were proficient in reading in 2023. That is two out of 100 students. That means 98 students — if we can even call them students — will age out of the public school system without one of humanity’s most basic survival skills.”

Advocates for seniors, low-income residents, the homeless and other vulnerable people were outraged last week when Johnson’s administration closed most of the city’s cooling centers and all of Chicago’s libraries on Juneteenth, the fourth day of the dangerous heat wave.

“The city of Chicago has committed $14.5 million this year to community violence intervention work. Our city is barely kicking in to reduce gun violence within its own borders. Play that over five years, and the cumulative total from the city would be less than philanthropists have already donated this year.”

“Let’s be clear, addressing the injustices of and remnants of slavery is a serious issue. But using race and racism to explain away every problem, respond to every criticism and justify every failure only serves to cheapen the argument for any type of reparations. That’s exactly what Mayor Johnson has done with every problem plaguing Chicago and the Black community.”