News photographers have to be ready to meet the moment and the Chicago Tribune's Stacey Wescott did that superbly. She tells the story here: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/22/t...

Quick reminder for some - don't share rumors or things that can't be confirmed, don't have dates, etc - even if it's seemingly good news. That only confuses an already very bad situation. There are MANY good journos and photogs on the ground doing fantastic work. Look for and amplify that.

Bloodbath in Indiana higher ed as public colleges and universities ordered to eliminate 20% of all degree programs, apparently based purely on student demand (=enrollments) and not any rational calculation of need or value. www.ipm.org/news-section...

So @adquig.bsky.social and David Jackson at @injusticewatch.org have been writing about the troubled Tyler Technologies Cook County contract for months & now the political finger-pointing. 10s of millions over budget and delays. Latest in @chicagotribune.com: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/03/c...

My friend and former seat-mate in the Chicago City Hall press room Craig Dellimore of WBBM-AM (second from left) is hanging up his microphone Friday. His retirement party was at the station today. One of the good guys in local broadcasting and SAG-AFTRA leadership.

I’ve been lucky enough to so far avoid buyouts or layoffs, but always lived in dread of them. Been gutted all day thinking about who will leave, who might have no choice but to leave, what stories we’ll miss without them, and how much our readers will suffer for it. Alden doesn’t care.

When a tech firm -- whose 3 govt contracts have ballooned to $265M -- needed help they hired lobbyist Jay Doherty. He was later convicted in the ComEd 4 case. Folo of joint @chicagotribune.com/@injusticewatch.org by David Jackson & @adquig.bsky.social: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/11/c...

Who owns most of the farmland in Illinois? Not farmers. The first of many stories looking at the state of farming here. Lots of troubling insights: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/01/i...

🤌

The Music Box theatre is adding a third screen to the historic Lakeview cinema. blockclubchi.co/3FyTlKW

A Chicago housing nonprofit that provides rental subsidies for very low-income renters is facing a $10M budget shortfall and saw nearly its entire board turned over. Lizzie Kane with the details: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/05/17/c...

"Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways"

As promised, today's dispatch from pre-slating. At some point, I will make a flow chart of who worked for who and the source of their rivalries, but we're JUST starting out on the 2026 campaigns, so gimme a break. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/t...

Dems support labor, but unionization efforts in public offices are facing pushback, incl. from State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, who said during the campaign she'd be "honored" to be part of the union effort. Glad @taliasoglin.bsky.social dug in: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/i...

Pre-slating day here at Local 134 for Cook Co Dems. We’ve got a lot of uncontested races (board prez, clerk, treasurer, sheriff). Assessor and Board of Review are the hotter tickets. Not a ton of Qs today (no endorsements until later this summer), in part because most alds are at Council. Story TK.

"Ethics Committee Chair Ald. Matt Martin said [he]... had to focus on what should be the absolute bare minimum, fighting tooth and nail just to preserve the status quo.” www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/13/m...

The city of Chicago is on track to exhaust the $82 million officials set aside to cover police misconduct settlements and judgments in 2025, just four months into the year, city records show. (via @heathercherone.bsky.social)

Folks neck deep in Chicago politics Twitter might remember screenshots of the city's salary database a few months ago seemed to show a bunch of aldermanic staffers earning more than the mayor. @alexnitkin.bsky.social dug in and found an opaque bonus system: illinoisanswers.org/2025/04/14/c...

My open records request to the NYC Mayor's office for communications about the DNC site selection process has been extended again. We're about to pass the two year mark. The story is (probably) completely moot, now it's just fascinating to follow.

County board is saying goodbye to Anthony Quezada, already approved as Chicago alderman. Lots of accolades for his ability to strike up seemingly unlikely friendships. Scott Britton, who considers himself center-left, described him half-jokingly as the “gay Latino socialist son I never had.”

👋🏻 Been covering the Cook Co board on and off for the better part of a decade at The Daily Line, then Crain’s, now the Tribune. Lots of good Qs in the replies, will try to answer the technical ones and when I write about them or not.

HUD Midwest director and other longtime Chicago staff are retiring early amid Trump administration threats and cuts. HUD’s spokesperson also bashed an exiting veteran employee because the agency no longer accommodated his disability: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/20/h...

I LOVE these photos. As a baby reporter, I was intimidated/inspired by Fran’s fearlessness in pressers, her breakneck speed and innumerable scoops. She remains an absolute machine. The women of the City Hall press corps owe her a debt for helping clear a path for us. Happy anniversary! 🥂

The Housing Authority of Cook County, designated as troubled by federal housing officials, spent more than $60,000 on Six Flags trips. Former leader says it’s “good governance.” Trib’s Lizzie Kane reports: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/24/c...

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration made a big deal about pushing for a city-owned grocery store and said they’d pursue state money for the program. But records dug up by @taliasoglin.bsky.social show they didn’t even apply. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/06/j...

After years of planning, I’m excited to launch a daily look back at what happened on this day in Chicago history. Here’s Jan. 1: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/01/c...

A month after the arrest, city of Chicago finally gave us the 911 calls from the alleged DUI crash involving Cook County Democratic elected official Samantha Steele chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/1...

Budget status this afternoon: Sticky situation, discombobulation. (Any good turn of phrase in here is all @aliceyin.bsky.social) www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/13/m...

SEIU 73 threatening lawsuit over CTU contract proposal they believe would take special ed jobs away. This union conflict is a big deal with significant potential political fallout short/long-term. Story with @taliasoglin.bsky.social and @nellsalzman.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/03/s...

And across the street at the county building, it’s the monthly meeting of the county Board of Review. Commissioner Samantha Steele, arrested last month for a DUI, is participating remotely “due to illness.” She has not made a statement yet about the incident.

At the swearing in for Circuit Court Clerk Mariyana Spyropoulos. “We have high hopes for her service in this position,” county board president Toni Preckwinkle says. “We need somebody who’s committed to running an effective office. I know she has that commitment and will do the hard work.”

Ted Cruz and Senate Republicans are investigating Chicago’s housing of migrants at the city’s airports, wielding federal grants for airport construction projects as part of their inquiry, @aliceyin.bsky.social reports www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/01/s...

make 👏 campaign art 👏 like this again 👏 👏

NEWS: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s comms chief faced sexual harassment, misogyny, racism complaints before firing. Chief of staff Christina Pacione-Zayas was criticized for talking about "peace circles" to complaining workers, city gave him “verbal coaching.” www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/26/m...

“I’m an elected official,” Steele said. “You’re what?” an officer asked. “I don’t want any of this… I’ll wait for [my attorney].” “You were involved in an accident, you hit several cars.” “Two.”

Read the whole story by @petrellareports.bsky.social here. Editing with Kaarin Tisue and the whole photo/audience team at the Tribune. www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/17/i...

In an astonishing moment of Chicago City Council brevity, aldermen just voted (50-0 to kill Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed $300 million property tax hike proposal) without any floor debate. I was taking the over on a 90-minute debate over/under.

Sounds like this hearing will be *Friday* y’all.

The Chicago Tribune sports department is hiring! We have a GA sports reporter opening — the role will involve helping beat writers with pro sports coverage plus features, off-the-beat news and other stories. If interested, apply here: myworkdaycenter.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/TPCO/j...

Mid-budget fight is as good a time as any to start posting here (Hi!). Jake and I dive into some ways aldermen are looking to shrink Mayor Johnson’s property tax hike (and what various hikes would still cost homeowners): www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/12/m...