Good morning, Chicago.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle unveiled her $9.89 billion 2025 budget proposal yesterday, closing a $218 million projected budget shortfall without tax or fee hikes, program cuts, or layoffs.
“I think it’s fair to say this is a good news budget,” Preckwinkle told reporters during a yesterday afternoon briefing ahead of her official budget speech this morning.
Preckwinkle was unfazed earlier this summer when describing the 2025 gap, which represented a small percentage of the county’s overall budget. This year’s cuts are limited to the elimination of 56 vacant positions, but no layoffs. Most were positions funded by federal pandemic relief, county officials said.
A boost in certain revenues and a shuffling of leftover money in the county’s general fund from the 2023 budget helped close the $218 million gap. In all, Preckwinkle’s 2024 proposal is a $628 million increase over this year’s.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s A.D. Quig.
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More than 3 million without power after Hurricane Milton slams Florida, causes deaths and flooding
Hurricane Milton barreled into the Atlantic Ocean today after plowing across Florida as a Category 3 storm, pounding cities with ferocious winds and rain, whipping up a barrage of tornadoes and causing an unknown numbers of deaths. It compounded the misery wrought by Helene while sparing Tampa a direct hit.
- Here’s what has made Hurricane Milton so fierce and unusual
- Photos: Hurricane Milton strikes Florida
Chicago-area natives evacuate Florida as Hurricane Milton barrels toward state’s Gulf Coast
Within the millions ordered to evacuate, some with ties to Chicago made their way to the city. Meanwhile, volunteers and groups from the Chicago area are sending in aid to help recovery efforts.
Florida runners registered for the Chicago Marathon have a big decision to make
Dave Richardson was not going to miss the Chicago Marathon.
When the news began to warn of the advance of Hurricane Milton toward Florida, where Richardson and his wife Stephanie live just a few miles outside of Fort Lauderdale, the couple decided to move up their flight to Chicago by four days. Now, they’re staying in an airport hotel as they work remotely throughout the week in advance of the marathon’s Sunday start.
Three jurors selected so far to hear evidence in Madigan corruption trial
After a long day of questioning, the first three jurors were chosen Wednesday to hear evidence in the trial of Michael Madigan, the former Illinois House speaker now facing sweeping charges of corruption and bribery.
Questioning is expected to continue at least through the end of the week, until a panel of 12 regular jurors and six alternates has been selected. Opening statements in the blockbuster case are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday.
CPS, teachers union set sights on special property tax districts to plug schools’ budget hole with different visions
The sharply-divided leaders of Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union seem primed to unite around one broad solution to solve the school district’s budget woes: tax increment financing revenue.
Both CPS CEO Pedro Martinez and CTU leadership urged city officials this week to use TIF revenue — property tax dollars collected to spur economic development projects — to help cover the district’s major budget stressors, including the cost of non-teacher pension payments and a still-under-negotiation contract with teachers.
No motive given in fast-food restaurant double homicide on Southwest Side
A Cook County judge ordered a fast-food worker held in custody days after surveillance video captured him fatally shooting two men inside a Southwest Side restaurant, though prosecutors provided no clues to what may have sparked the violent outburst.
Chicago Sky executives say they’re ‘in a good place’ with Angel Reese and other players after coach Teresa Weatherspoon’s sudden firing
Chicago Sky leadership wanted to focus on the long term Wednesday as the team broke ground on construction of a new training facility in Bedford Park.
But the short-term future is more pressing for the Sky, who are seeking a new coach for the second time in less than a year after firing Teresa Weatherspoon at the conclusion of a 13-27 debut season.
3 things we learned from the Chicago Bears in England, including Jaquan Brisker’s status and offensive line depth
Chicago Bears staff and players appeared rested and ready to get to work, a little more than 24 hours after arriving for what they hope will be as close to a normal week as possible a continent away from home.
The Bears had two walk-throughs Wednesday in place of what’s normally a practice day with the idea of easing into things with the six-hour difference. Here are three things we learned.
- Is Caleb Williams ‘bossy’? DJ Moore and GM Ryan Poles weigh in on the Bears rookie QB’s maturation process.
- Hurricane Milton delays Jacksonville Jaguars’ London flight ahead of Bears game
Chicago International Film Festival artistic director Mimi Plauche, seen here in a 2018 photo. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Column: Encouraging signs for the 2024 Chicago International Film Festival — and 10 movies to get you started
The Chicago International Film Festival’s 60th edition opens Oct. 17 and continues through Oct. 27. It’s the oldest continuous juried film festival in North America, now in its seventh year with artistic director Mimi Plauché as head of programming.
Tribune film critic Michael Phillips has 10 films to get you started.
Removing books from libraries often takes debate. But there’s a quieter way.
Thousands of books have been removed from schools and libraries over the past several years, often accompanied by stormy public meetings and acrimonious debate. But there is a quieter way books have been pulled from libraries — a process called weeding.
Now, three years into a surge in challenges and removals of books from libraries, weeding is sometimes being used to remove books because of the viewpoint they express or the story they tell. The issue is now working its way through the court system.
