Good morning, Chicago.
With the school year fast-approaching and coronavirus cases on the rise, Chicago Public Schools joined the growing number of organizations mandating the COVID-19 shot. On Friday, the district announced that almost all employees will be required to be fully vaccinated by mid-October, and those who fail to do so will be ineligible to work.
Meanwhile, a decision on whether or not booster shots will be offered more widely in the U.S. this fall could be coming in a matter of weeks, the director of the National Institutes of Health said yesterday. The comments came days after the FDA said people with weakened immune systems can get a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna.
And, the Bud Billiken Parade, a South Side tradition since 1929, made a comeback Saturday after taking a year off due to the pandemic — but this time with COVID-19 testing on the route and on-site vaccinations. See photos of the event here.
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The 2020 census numbers released last week figure to reinvigorate a long-standing power struggle at Chicago City Hall between Latino aldermen representing an ever-larger political base and Black aldermen seeking to maintain influence even as their constituency continues to significantly erode.
Chicago and the suburbs added few new homes in the past decade, according to the census. Here’s what that means for the region.
Did the place where you live gain or lose residents? Search Chicago-area counties by city or village.
Republican state lawmakers were almost entirely united in opposition to the Democratic-controlled General Assembly’s decisions on how to dole out $2.8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money through the budget passed this spring.
They said the money was handed out with few specifics, little public scrutiny and no real opportunity for the minority party to advocate for the needs of their constituents. GOP lawmakers were angry both about being denied the chance to make special requests for their districts and critical of a spending plan that uses federal coronavirus relief funding for programs that reflect Democratic priorities.
On the night Chicago police Officer Ella French was shot to death and her partner badly wounded, the two were working on a roving team tasked with patrolling areas around the city prone to spikes in violence. The team has drawn criticism as its officers, often less-experienced, work city hotspots.
Funeral services for Chicago police Officer Ella French will be held this week.
Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on Justin Fields’ preseason debut in the Bears’ 20-13 win over the Dolphins
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The rookie first-round draft pick didn’t look jittery. If you could see through the visor he wears on his helmet, surely he didn’t have big eyes for the moment. More thoughts here from the Tribune’s Brad Biggs.
Fields was “as calm as can be” and in total control, raising new questions about his development timeline. Bears writer Dan Wiederer takes a closer look.
See more photos from the Bears’ preseason opener at Soldier Field.
Wheaton mansion sells for $2.89M, the highest price on record for that city
A five-bedroom, 12,258-square-foot mansion in Wheaton sold on Friday for $2.89 million — Wheaton’s all-time highest residential sale price on record.
Built in 2017, the mansion has 61/2 bathrooms, five fireplaces, wide-plank floors and two laundry rooms. Its lower level contains a sport court that allows for full-court indoor basketball and volleyball games. Other basement features include an exercise room, a gaming room, a wet bar and a golf simulator.