It may only be July, but the March 2026 primary races are heating up! On Tuesday, two state legislators joined the crowded field of Democratic candidates looking to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District. But that’s not the only race to watch — at least three other congressional seats could be up for grabs.
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Recovery efforts continued this week after the devastating July Fourth flash floods in Texas. President Donald Trump toured the flood site Friday, while officials faced mounting criticism over the lack of emergency warnings about quickly rising waters that killed at least 120 people, including over two dozen at an all-girls summer camp. More than 170 people remain missing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also announced that the Justice Department and the FBI have concluded that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide and didn’t have a client list — even though just months ago Bondi claimed to have such a list. The announcement was met with skepticism and backlash from far-right conservative personalities and influential members of President Trump’s base.
Speaking of sketchy public figures, ex-Ald. Ed Burke was released from prison Tuesday after serving less than half of his two-year sentence. Federal prosecutors want former ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain, who was convicted of bribery, to be sentenced to nearly six years in prison. And an investigation into last week’s mass shooting in River North remains ongoing, though police said the attack was targeted.
In other local news, Chicago’s longest-serving alderman, Walter Burnett, announced that he will step down from the City Council this month. The announcement has fueled speculation that the 27th Ward politician could be tapped to lead the Chicago Housing Authority. Mayor Brandon Johnson, meanwhile, is pushing the City Council’s Zoning Committee to pass a proposal that would clear the way for the construction of more garden apartments and “granny flats.”
Plus, Chicago Public Schools announced more layoffs Friday. In a statement, the district said it was firing 1,458 employees to adjust for enrollment and programming changes. It’s the second round of CPS layoffs this summer.
The third (and perhaps final) NASCAR Chicago Street Race was this past weekend, with Shane van Gisbergen winning both the Xfinity and Cup Series races. Mayor Johnson said Tuesday he’s open to NASCAR returning to Chicago, but hinted that the city may need a better deal to sign a contract extension.
Looking ahead to this weekend, the MLB draft kicks off Sunday night. The White Sox own the No. 10 pick
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, and the Cubs will pick at No. 17.And former Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia, whose long-winded, expletive-laden 1983 tirade against Cubs fans was cemented in the team history, died Wednesday. He was 87.
Without further ado, here’s the Tribune’s Quotes of the Week quiz for July 6 to 12. Want more quotes? You can find past editions of Quotes of the Week, here.