Daywatch: Ready for the runoff? Early voting begins today
Good morning, Chicago.
Ready for the runoff? Early voting opens today. You can vote at any early vote location in all 50 wards and at the Loop Super Site.
Whether voting early in person or by mail, see our early voting guide.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
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‘I wouldn’t do anything to damage my speaker’: Recordings in ComEd Four case show Madigan playing political hardball as trial pivots to week two
Michael Madigan was still the House speaker and most powerful politician in the state in early November 2018 when he called a longtime confidant for a rundown of the latest thorny political issues. After Madigan’s friend, Michael McClain, remarked “today’s not a slow day for you,” the speaker laughed. “Oh, it’s — it’s been crazy around here,” Madigan said.
It turns out Madigan, the iron-fisted leader often touted for his ability to see three moves ahead, had no idea how crazy things really were.
Chicago’s mayor candidates both have deep CPS ties — but starkly different visions for the future of schools
Whomever voters choose as Chicago’s next mayor on April 4 will not just run City Hall but also oversee Illinois’ largest school district. That will include entering into contract negotiations with the teachers union, whose current deal expires in 2024; coping with enrollment loss as a moratorium on school closings ends; and preparing for the transition to an elected school board before the next term is up.
And while both mayoral candidates — Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas — have deep roots in Chicago’s education landscape, they have sharply contrasting views on issues including student testing, COVID-19 mitigations and charter schools.
New customer-friendly legal recreational cannabis in Missouri cuts into Illinois’ market
Illinois had a three-year head start on legalizing recreational marijuana, but in many ways, Missouri has surpassed it after just one month.
The two states came to legalization very differently, which makes the laws in each state very different — and means Missouri is cutting into the Illinois market.
Illinois sheriffs’ opposition to enforcing weapons ban signals rightward movement about constitutional authority
When a group of Democratic lawmakers in Illinois a decade ago proposed banning assault weapons with legislation that mirrors the state’s new gun law, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association opposed the bill as it has now — but with one major difference. Back then, the sheriffs explicitly said the power to determine a law’s constitutionality lies exclusively with the courts, not themselves.
Fast forward to 2023, when the sheriffs’ association provided a template for a letter used by an estimated 90 of the state’s 102 county sheriffs stating they “believe that (the new gun law) is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution” and that they won’t enforce it.
Chicago Bears spring storylines: Ryan Poles’ patient approach, David Montgomery’s exit and DeMarcus Walker’s newfound purpose
The Chicago Bears roster is changing by the day. In an offseason defined by turnover, the Bears have added 10 players this month via trade or free agency.
More new faces will be on the way as the latter waves of free agency hit the shore. The Bears also have 10 picks in next month’s draft and will continue to mold their team under the guidance of general manager Ryan Poles. As Poles crosses the bridge from free agency to the draft, here are three notable storylines to keep tabs on.
Chicagohenge 2023: How to see it during sunrise and sunset
It’s the first day of spring. Twice a year, during the spring and fall equinoxes, the rising and setting sun lines up with Chicago’s east-west street grid, creating spectacular photo opportunities as the sun is framed within Chicago’s skyline.
Take a look to the west shortly before sunset, according to Michelle Nichols, master educator for the Adler Planetarium. The effect is visible for about the week before and after the equinox. And if you miss it, wait another six months for the next one. The fall equinox happens Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
