“Delegates to the Democratic National Convention this week can see progressivism in action, from crime to schools.”

“There’s one really, really, important reason that he (President Joe Biden) chose Chicago, and that is that we’ve demonstrated to the country that Democrats deliver in Chicago and in the state of Illinois,” Gov. JB Pritzker said, citing the convention theme of Illinois Democrats. “So when all these people come from around the country, they get to see what the Democratic agenda looks like in action.”

Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws, a coalition of feminist and LGBTQ+ organizations held a rally on Wacker Drive just east of Michigan Avenue early Sunday evening. While these groups were the organizers, the rally later became one for the pro-Palestinian cause. By the time the group was ready to march, the crowd had grown to 500 people.

“We matched the city of Chicago’s goal with ensuring that 50 percent of the total construction construction workforce hours were performed by residents of the city of Chicago,” a spokesperson said.

“I’m very upset about the tax bill,” Lifelong Evanstonian Janet Alexander Davis said. Property taxes on her home increased more than 100 percent between 2021 and 2022. She and her husband, senior citizens on fixed incomes, qualify for two of the tax breaks offered by Cook County. “I can make the payment,” she said, “but that means I can’t do something else.”

“Here in Chicago, we’ve turned things around. We’ve had nine credit upgrades here. We’ve had balanced budgets for the last four years. And this is really the message that we’re sending when Democrats are in charge. We’re going to put the economy back on track,” U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said.

See our Wirepoints piece on the implications of this here.

In total, 46 percent of construction workers hired for the convention are from Chicagoland, with the majority coming from the North Side of the city and its suburbs, according to the DNC host committee.

However, ousting CPS CEO Pedro Martinez from the position could prove difficult since Mayor Brandon Johnson can only remove Martinez with the support of the Chicago Board of Education. While Johnson appoints the board members, those same appointees sided with Martinez and rejected Johnson’s recent loan and pension payment proposals.

“Since Johnson took office, South and West side voters have remained his strongest political base, along with lakefront and Milwaukee Avenue progressives. But with signs of friction from both groups amid a string of mishaps during his first year in office, including a failed tax referendum and controversial decisions over the migrant crisis, a successful DNC could provide much-needed momentum for the Johnson administration.”

At the Dirksen Federal Building in the Loop, security gates popped up overnight to prevent anyone from vandalizing the courthouse. Along the Magnificent Mile near Chicago Avenue, roads have been blocked off, police officers are on standby, and large security gates have partially cut off access to sidewalks. “I feel like I’m walking into a jail or something over there,” Chris McClendon said.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be quick to anger when instances of officer-involved misconduct occur, while simultaneously turning a blind eye to the black bodies that are being left lifeless on our streets,” the Austin (15th) District Councilors wrote. “We are perpetuating our own genocide when we fail to address the violence that is devastating our communities.” The statement also called out a “stark contrast” between the “polished image” Chicago leaders have created for this week’s Democratic National Convention and “the harsh reality on our streets.”

Democrats may hope that Kamala Harris’s ascension and her shunning of Gov. Josh Shapiro will appease the far left. But radical protesters scorn the Democratic Party and still want to create chaos in Chicago.

Martinez, it seems clear, made the ultimate mistake in the eyes of Johnson and his CTU allies: accepting fiscal reality and showing accountability and common sense by pushing back against CTU contract demands that could create a $2.9 billion deficit for CPS next year.

The DNC, which took possession of the United Center on June 24, began repurposing 25 hospitality suites last month to serve as anchor booths for TV and cable networks. Outside, the parking lot south of the arena has been transformed into an expansive media village, where trailers, satellite trucks and remote workspaces are clustered by network.

Ald. Jessie Fuentes is asking the Poor People’s Army to reconsider their plans for a protest tent encampment in Humboldt Park, citing “safety concerns” for homeless individuals in the area and the potential diversion of resources from those in need.