Good morning, Chicago.
Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools lunchroom workers rallied outside of the Board of Education yesterday, demanding higher pay as contract negotiations approach the one-year mark.
Clad in navy CPS uniforms, 25 workers linked arms and blocked traffic on Madison Street across from the district’s downtown offices, sitting in silence before they were led away by police.
“I love my job, I love my students, my kids. But CPS is treating us like we don’t matter,” said Marian Gutierrez, a lunchroom attendant at Mitchell Elementary in West Town, who was cited and released by officers. “With the money I’m making, I can’t keep up with my rent, my bills or food.”
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Kate Armanini.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what Chicago’s outgoing watchdog told the Tribune in an interview as she leaves office, who the Bears took in the NFL draft last night and why murals of invasive plant species are popping up around the city.
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President Trump says Lebanon and Israel agree to extend Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House.
The president said the meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon went “very well.” The meeting was the second high-level talks between the two countries since last week. The initial 10-day ceasefire, which took effect last Friday, had been due to expire on Monday.
‘Millionaire tax’ amendment won’t be on November ballot as Illinois Democrats can’t come to agreement
Illinois Democrats failed yesterday to advance a proposed constitutional amendment that would have asked voters in November to impose an additional tax on residents who earn more than $1 million a year, exposing divisions within the party over education funding and dealing a blow to their election-year message on affordability.
Outgoing watchdog notes Chicago’s ‘deficit of legitimacy,’ Mayor Brandon Johnson considers successor
As Mayor Brandon Johnson mulls her successor, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg has returned to one of her favorite phrases.
Chicago, she told the Tribune during an interview as part of a media tour before she leaves office, “operates at a deficit of legitimacy.”
Porter County councilman defends himself on social media against allegations of inappropriate conduct with students
Porter County Councilman Greg Simms, a Democrat seeking his third term representing District 3, took to video on social media this week in the face of mounting pressure to defend himself against allegations of inappropriate conduct while he was a teacher at Washington Township High School in 2019.
What to know if your flight is canceled amid rising jet fuel costs
Airlines worldwide have begun canceling flights as the war in the Middle East strains jet fuel supplies and pushes up prices — but the disruption doesn’t end there.
For travelers, it can mean having to navigate a confusing web of passenger protections that vary widely depending on where they’re flying.
Former Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan lists Lincoln Park home for $4.5M
In Lincoln Park, the Donovans paid $3.5 million in 2021 for the three-story house, which at that time was newly built by AK Custom Homes. They purchased the home through an opaque land trust that masks their identities.
NFL draft: Chicago Bears select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the No. 25 pick
The Bears drafted Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with the 25th pick in the NFL draft last night in Pittsburgh.
The selection of Thieneman immediately bolsters a secondary that was depleted during free agency. All four Bears safeties were up for new contracts this offseason, and last year’s starters — free safety Kevin Byard III and strong safety Jaquan Brisker — found new homes in free agency.
- Column: 1st-round pick Dillon Thieneman gives the Bears a wealth of speed, range and disguise options
- Bears have 3 picks on Day 2 of the NFL draft. Here are 25 prospects to watch.
Column: Like a rat scurrying along the field, the Chicago Cubs just keep on streaking
It doesn’t seem to matter what happens to the Cubs these days, writes Paul Sullivan. When you’re on a roll, everything seems to go your way. Blown late lead? Another closer goes down? A rat in da kitchen? What are you gonna do?
The Cubs don’t sweat the small things, as evidenced by yesterday’s 8-7, 10-inning, walk-off win over the Philadelphia Phillies, their ninth straight.
- Cubs run winning streak to 9 — their longest in 10 years — with walk-off victory: ‘A complete effort’
- Chicago baseball report: Injured Cubs relievers make progress — and White Sox’s Noah Schultz living a dream
UIC researchers use mural art to raise awareness of invasive plant species
Murals of orange candleflower, Callery pear, kudzu and other plants dot the sides of buildings in the Wicker Park, North Center and other North and West Side neighborhoods. Viewers may be surprised to learn that researchers are behind these paintings, and the plants they depict can have damaging effects on the environment.
The nine murals — completed in October — were commissioned by University of Illinois Chicago’s MEC Lab for macroscale ecology and conservation. They depict well-known invasive plant species or plants threatening to become invaders in the Midwest.
Review: ‘Rocky Horror Show’ on Broadway is a show stuck in its own time warp
Director Sam Pinkleton’s ”Rocky Horror” revival cannot decide whether it’s paying retro homage to a cult show that was once way ahead of its time or if it’s trying to update the experience in some way, shape or form for this new reality, writes Chris Jones.
