Covering the boss city of the universe @CrainsChicago. Alum: @thedailylinechi, @rivetradio, @kenrudinjunkie, @totn, @WIUX. Hoosier.
Mar 30, 2023 • 37 tweets • 6 min read
Here in Chicago City Council Chambers, where we're already on a ten minute break at a special meeting to consider new rules to govern the 2023-2027 term.
New committees/chairs here: chicago.legistar.com/LegislationDet…
New rules here: chicago.legistar.com/LegislationDet…
New rules opposed by the League of Women Voters + BGA's Policy arm, who say:
-Rules for next term should be decided by new alds
-There's no chance for public to weigh in/this shortcuts their own proposals for more notice
-Committees already cost millions + many rarely meet as is
Jan 15, 2023 • 32 tweets • 7 min read
Hello from Lane Tech, where all nine Chicago mayoral candidates are here awaiting the start of the 47th Ward Democrats’ forum.
I'm garbage at estimating crowd size, but organizers expected about 400. I'll tweet on and off.
Big round of applause for the unopposed 47th Ward Ald. @MattMartinChi, who points out that this ward has one of the strongest voter turnouts of any in the city.
Jan 11, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
A remap presser happening now, led by Rules Chair Michelle Harris (8th) and with other alds Waguespack, Ervin, and O'Shea.
"The chairwoman has been fair in this process. Aldermen have all been at the table and had the opportunity to come into the map room," Waguespack says.
"We should be able to cooperate" and get to a good map that represents all communities of interest, Waguespack says.
This, after Friday's dust-up with the Latino Caucus, who wanted to amend protocols for the map room.
Jan 11, 2022 • 22 tweets • 4 min read
"Teachers will be back in classes tomorrow and all students should return on Wednesday," Lightfoot says.
As for who won or lost the latest fight between the mayor and CTU: "No one wins when our students are out of the place where they can learn the best and where they're safest."
Switching back to remote would have created social, emotional, and economic turmoil, Lightfoot says. "We can never forget the impact on the lives of our children and their families, they must always be front and center. Every decision has to be made with them at the forefront."
Jan 10, 2022 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady is testifying in front of City Council's Health Committee – she says that record number of positive COVID cases recorded last week were caught outside of school. Transmission and case rates in schools are not higher than the city broadly.
There have been 53 outbreaks across 51 CPS schools YTD this school year (of 500 schools), AA says. Outbreak size is small (2.5 cases). Most involve only students. Biggest outbreak (8 cases) was among staff. No large outbreaks, unexpected spread, or significant increase in risk.
Jan 10, 2022 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
This morning, CTU Prez Jesse Sharkey said 3 things needed for a deal: remote instruction, widespread testing, and metric for schools to flip remote. Holdup is the mayor, who is "being relentlessly stupid... relentlessly stubborn... relentlessly refusing to seek accommodations."
Video of the presser here, Q&A starts at around 40:30. facebook.com/watch/live?ref…
Sharkey says the union compromised on testing and remote learning, and that the district has agreed to distribute high quality masks.
Nov 22, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Q for the mayor at this presser about the city's vax numbers: Given low vax rates in Chicago's Black community, is it too early to start celebrating? LL says no, but says there continues to be way too much misinformation and mistaken genuine belief about safety of the vaccine.
