Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Center Square: Statistics show increase in crime during Brandon Johnson's first 90 days
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said his work in public safety has been tremendous so far, but figures show an increase in crime through his first 90 days in office compared to previous administrations.
Johnson assumed office on May 15 of this year. Through his first 90 days in office, numbers show 38 more people have been shot and killed, 41 more murders, and motor vehicle theft has increased by 4,341 thefts compared to Lori Lightfoot’s first 90 days in office.
Chicago Tribune: City ‘will suffer’ if officer disciplinary hearings are held out of public view, Police Board president says
The president of the Chicago Police Board on Thursday cautioned that the city “will suffer” if the City Council approves a new contract for Chicago police officers that allows them to choose to have serious misconduct cases tried behind closed doors.
Addressing a recent effort by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 to remove 22 misconduct cases from the board’s docket, Ghian Foreman, the board’s president, said: “Police accountability and, ultimately, the people of Chicago will suffer if the most serious police disciplinary cases are removed from the police board’s jurisdiction, which is what will happen if this decision is allowed to stand.”
Chicago Sun-Times: Mayoral allies nearing compromise on plan to raise tax on higher-end home sales, but office building owners still not buying in
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s City Council allies are closing in on a compromise that will deliver on his promise to raise the real estate transfer tax on high-end home sales to create a dedicated funding source to help the unhoused, but the owners of large office buildings that have plummeted in value are not on the train.
Zoning Committee Chair Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) said the compromise that Chicago voters will be asked to approve in a binding referendum in March is the one that now former Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara floated during a three-hour subject matter hearing last month.
ABC 7: Mayor Johnson's deputy chief of staff is working on solutions for city's migrant crisis
Close to 1,000 migrants are still living at police stations in Chicago, waiting for space in shelters. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Deputy Chief of Staff Christina Pacione-Zayas is in charge of the city’s migrant response.
The city has received eight more buses of migrants since Monday. The 12th District police station is becoming so crowded, some families are living in tents nearby.
CBS Chicago: Federal assistance is coming for Chicago area flood victims, but some say it's coming too late
Help is on the way for Cook County homeowners who suffered losses and damage after recent flooding.
Now that President Joe Biden has approved federal assistance, those impacted by the flooding can apply for grants or low-interest loans.
Capitol News: Unity – not Trump – is the message at Illinois State Fair Republican Day
During Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair Thursday, state party leaders sought a message of unity ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
One apparent strategy in driving home that message was to not mention former President Donald Trump, who is facing four criminal indictments. While Trump’s name and political slogans were visible on signage and clothing at the fair rally, the speakers generally kept their focus on the policies of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker.