It closes a roughly half-billion-dollar deficit mainly by cutting central office expenses — but does not yet include raises for teachers and principals whose unions are negotiating new contracts with the district. The district noted Wednesday that compared with a year ago, it’s serving 12,000 more students who don’t have a stable place to live, 10,000 more English learners, and 4,000 additional students with disabilities.

Overnight in the Roseland neighborhood — gunfire. Two men, including a tow truck driver, were killed in what police called a shootout. Public and private sector leaders say they’re now committed to working together to address incidents like these.

The Chicago Fire Department will provide emergency medical support both inside the secure perimeter that will be going up around the United Center in August for the DNC, and inside the stadium. The CFD also is sending a team to Milwaukee next week for the Republican National Convention, to see if they can learn anything from whatever happens there.

The convention is primed to become the police department’s biggest test since the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 gave way to widespread protests and sparked waves of looting and violence.

Ald. Bennett Lawson, whose North Side ward includes Wrigleyville, was pleased to hear it. “This is a program a lot of us would like to see move outside of the Central Business District. Those of us with stadiums. Those of us with busy areas near airports. This is a tool we should be using more of.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said, “I want to announce that I have personally taken steps to ensure that our city is getting all of the resources that it needs from the federal government. Prior to this weekend, my administration took the necessary steps to prepare for what has been historically violent weekends.” To that, Gov. JB responded, “Actually, it took a letter from the governor in order to kick that off so I was asked by the city of Chicago to write the letter for them and we did, we sent that to the White House and the federal government.”

“Accusations of falsifying publication records for minority professors seeking tenure, improperly pressuring instructors to increase grades for favored minorities, threats to withhold staff bonuses if they don’t vote to hire unqualified minority candidates and other questionable practices litter the lawsuit filed against the school.”

In addition to making it to the No. 2 spot on the overall list (New York topped that one), Chicago also ranked No. 1 on the best convention centers subcategory and No. 2 when it comes to the local nightlife scene.

The downtown office vacancy rate wrapped up the first half of the year at an all-time high of 25.8%, up from 25.1% at the end of the first quarter. The share of available office space in the central business district is now inching closer to doubling the 13.8% vacancy rate when the COVID-19 pandemic began and has hit new record highs in 13 of the past 15 quarters. Note: These vacancy rates reflect how much space is not under lease. Actual day-to-day occupancy is different, currently hovering around 56%, according to entry swipe card data.

Micky Horstman, of the Illinois Policy Institute: “(Mayor Brandon) Johnson’s 2024 budget banks on residents being issued $348 million in fines and fees from parking, speed camera, red-light camera and other traffic tickets. That’s $46 million more than he budgeted last year. Relying on fines to fill a budget hole is not only fiscally irresponsible, it’s immoral.”

“I know there has been a lot of chatter about the President’s performance in the debate, and the President himself has said he had a bad debate,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote in a letter to constituents describing the meeting. “Having spoken to the president just now, I can tell you he is ready, willing, and able to take on and defeat Donald Trump.”

“Twenty-five thousand young people, of which 64 percent of them were Black children, had summer jobs,” the mayor said. “Say that to those families whether or not they’re feeling the impact, because they are feeling the impact of those investments.” But data received from the city show 64 percent of participants in 2023 were Black, but that percentage was based on just 13,000 workers.

“It wasn’t just Schneider who ended up targets of this mob. The neighborhood is predominantly Jewish, and once the rabble saw a sign in a neighbor’s yard that read, ‘We Stand with Israel,’ they began yelling, ‘Zionists, go to hell,’ the congressman told us.”

The program, named “Cycle Breakers,” includes conflict resolution, mentoring, and mental health services. The goal is to expand current safety efforts, promote healing, and connect young people, as well as their parents, teachers, coaches, and caregivers, with necessary resources.

“Enhancements such as better beaches, improved bike paths and increased greenspace are essential, regardless of the ultimate design of the drive itself.”