Good morning, Chicago.
The Chicago metropolitan area saw a slight increase in population according to the most recent estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, as international immigration outpaced domestic departures in many big cities nationwide.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area grew by 70,762 people — less than 1% — from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024. That was the ninth-largest numeric growth of any metropolitan area in the country. But the population of the metropolitan area was still lower than it was five years earlier because of declines during the COVID pandemic. The metro area’s population stood at 9,408,576 in 2024, down from 9,454,363 in 2020.
“Increasingly, population growth in metro areas is being shaped by international migration,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “While births continue to contribute to overall growth, rising net international migration is offsetting the ongoing net domestic outmigration we see in many of these areas.”
Cook County remained the second largest county in the union behind Los Angeles County, with just under 5.2 million people.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Robert McCoppin.
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Wisconsin clerk who failed to count almost 200 ballots is suspended
The mayor of Wisconsin’s capital city said yesterday that she has placed the municipal clerk on leave as investigators work to determine how she failed to count almost 200 absentee ballots in the November election.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement that the city has launched an investigation and that she needed to suspend City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl to maintain public confidence in the clerk’s office. The mayor added that the city will spare no expense to ensure every vote is counted heading into the swing state’s spring election. The state Elections Commission also is investigating whether Witzel-Behl violated any state laws or abused her discretion.
Chicago civil rights groups call for release of Mahmoud Khalil, Palestinian green card holder who helped lead Columbia encampment
A day after at least 250 people protested at Federal Plaza the arrest and possible deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, an activist who helped lead Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian encampment in New York, civil rights groups in Chicago called for his release.
Mayor Brandon Johnson pushes CPS to refinance $240M in debt, experts warn of long-term risks
The city is pushing Chicago Public Schools to refinance about $240 million in debt to balance its budget for the year, a move that some finance experts argue is fiscally irresponsible.
In a briefing with reporters Tuesday, senior aides to Mayor Brandon Johnson said the district could get the money released out of an existing debt service fund, which school districts use to pay off debt similar to a mortgage or a construction loan on a house.
Chicago fur ban rejected by City Council
Aldermen rejected an effort to ban the sale of new fur products in Chicago. The failed ordinance aimed to fight animal cruelty with “compassion and empathy,” sponsor Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, said. But the opponents who won out argued the regulation would put family-owned fur stores out of business in an act of government overreach.
Man shot following argument at O’Hare Airport, police say
The argument began just before 1 a.m. Wednesday at a baggage claim in the airport, according to a report obtained by the Tribune. The conflict spilled onto the street outside Terminal 2 and the men began shooting at each other. Police recovered 57 shell casings at the scene.
Get ready to stay up late tonight for a ‘blood moon’ and total lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse will be visible across North America including Chicago.
Weather permitting, the celestial show will start late tonight, with the total eclipse — when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow — lasting from 1:26 a.m. to 2:31 a.m. tomorrow. During that time, the moon will still be visible but will appear to turn a rusty reddish color, a phenomenon known as a “blood moon.” This will be the first time this has happened here since 2022. Here’s the full schedule of expected events.
Northwestern players sweat through the night with no AC but keep cool in Big Ten Tournament win over Minnesota
Junior forward Nick Martinelli slept near a bucket of ice Tuesday night in the Northwestern team hotel, grabbing fistfuls to rub on himself when he felt overheated. Fifth-year guard Ty Berry slept on top of his covers but still tossed and turned.
It wasn’t anxious thoughts about facing Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament that kept the Wildcats up. It was the hotel’s broken air conditioning, which coach Chris Collins said resulted in room temperatures near 85 degrees.
Mallory Swanson still missing from Chicago Stars ahead of season opener — and striker’s return uncertain
Mallory Swanson is still missing for the Chicago Stars.
The star striker will not play in Friday’s regular-season opener against the Orlando Pride, the reigning NWSL champions. Swanson has not participated in any preseason activities due to personal reasons. And the Stars won’t specify when — or if — Swanson will return.
Column: In 1939, ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ took on a corrupt federal government. It wouldn’t have a chance today.
“We are living in an era where bad guys, the real-life kind, are running amuck.” That observation comes courtesy of “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, who, at a recent industry event, urged his fellow screenwriters to reconsider valorizing “bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves.” His proposal: “I say we write more good guys.” Fictional villains may be more “fun and they’re easier to write well, but maybe we could use a few more George Baileys.”
Instead of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Gilligan’s words made Tribune film and TV critic Nina Metz think of a different, earlier collaboration between director Frank Capra and star James Stewart: 1939’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” With a screenplay from Sidney Buchman, it’s a political drama grappling with serious themes. It also makes room for comedy.
‘Black Bag’ review: Workplace romance goes rogue in a witty spy game starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett
What’s a dinner party among spies really like? Is even the smallest of small talk fraught with deception? Does anyone dare mutter a single un-strategic comment about the food? Not once but twice, as strategic bookends, director Steven Soderbergh’s sleek, droll guessing game “Black Bag” drops us into an intimate gathering at an elegant London townhouse, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips.
St. Patrick’s Day 2025: Where to watch Chicago River dyeing and parades
The Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day means green will be seen all around the city — including the Chicago River.
Here’s what you need to know if you plan to catch a parade or the river-dyeing process.
