The Rundown | Chicago News

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Thursday, July 16, 2026 Jul 16, 2026

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Chicago’s air quality today is among the worst in the world. The candidates for Illinois governor show a stark contrast in campaign spending as they face off for the second time. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has less than $1 million in the bank roughly two weeks before candidates for mayor start collecting signatures to get on the ballot.

Plus, layoff notices went out to more than 1500 Chicago Public School staffers yesterday. This includes nearly 800 teachers. The cash-strapped district plans to furlough staff for five days when students aren’t in class to save money. This is part of the budget plan for the school year that starts next month, and the deficit is $732 million.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 Jul 15, 2026

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Wildfire smoke from Canada is moving into the Chicago area Wednesday night. It could cause hazy conditions, reduced visibility and a slight smoky smell. Northwestern Medicine recently performed a rare quadruple organ transplant. A new whimsically-colored piano has popped up at Navy Pier, thanks to the group Chicago Plays.

Plus, the big draw in Chicago theater this summer is “Iceboy! The Musical.” The world premiere currently running at the Goodman is a spoof of playwright Eugene O’Neill’s process for writing the play “The Iceman Cometh.” It features real-life married couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, who have both starred in popular TV comedies.

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Jul 14, 2026

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The appointment of Dr. Garth Walker to lead the Chicago Department of Public Health has sailed through a key city council panel. People who live in Chicago’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods will soon have improved cooling options. A new analysis says Illinois residents lost nearly $8 billion to sports betting last year.

Plus, Vladimir Putin’s government made it illegal to criticize the war after Russia invaded Ukraine. But one Russian family couldn’t hold back their outrage. That led to persecution and a frantic effort to seek asylum in the U.S. — a country with a long history of protecting Russian dissidents. Instead of being welcomed, some of the family has been in detention for almost nine months. The rest of the family is in Chicago’s northern suburbs, trying to get them out.

Monday, July 13, 2026 Jul 13, 2026

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A second summer heat wave is hitting the Chicago area this week. A sweeping, bipartisan housing bill that expands access to financing and restricts home purchases by large investors became law in the U.S. Chicago Transit Authority officials say a security surge over the last six months has led to a 30% decline in all reported transit crime.

Plus, Illinois is legally required to provide health care to people locked up in state prisons. It’s been a year since the state backed out of a massive contract with the private company charged with providing that care. People incarcerated in Illinois say they’re still not getting even basic medical attention for treatable conditions. Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Corrections has been signing short-term deals with a different for-profit prison health care company called Centurion Health.

Friday, July 10, 2026 Jul 10, 2026

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A key city council panel is rejecting Mayor Brandon Johnson’s bid to drum up support for a millionaires tax with Chicago voters. Democratic State Rep. Carol Ammons of Champaign says she has “done nothing wrong” after a federal grand jury indictment for wire fraud and obstruction of justice. The Chicago White Sox have reinstated Munetaka Murakami from the injured list ahead of their weekend series against the Athletics.
Plus, Chicago has the largest known inventory of lead pipes of any city in the country. It’s got more than 400,000 lines. An investigation by WBEZ, Grist, and Inside Climate News has found the city is also paying more to replace lead lines. Other cities with a lot of lead pipes are spending less than half what Chicago does.

Thursday, July 9, 2026 Jul 09, 2026

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Illinois lawmakers and advocates are still grappling with changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. After a sold-out run at Raven Theatre this spring, the musical “Octet” is being remounted by the Goodman. About a hundred Chicagoans gathered to recite the Declaration of Independence at the Newberry Library on Wednesday.
Plus, Lake Michigan is Chicago’s shimmering corner of the five Great Lakes. But there was a brief moment in the 1990s when Vermont tried to make Lake Champlain the sixth Great Lake.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 Jul 08, 2026

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has named the next public health commissioner. Mayor Johnson has made his nominees for the reconstituted Chicago Transit Authority board. A longtime-coming memorial to honor victims of Chicago police torture by notorious former commander Jon Burge is officially under construction on the South Side.
Plus, the viral PopUp Bagels debuted in Chicago this spring with a line stretching several blocks down Lincoln Avenue for the private equity-backed goods. The chain’s arrival comes amid a nationwide premium bagel boom. But “Big-Bagel” shops aren’t the only breadlovers hopping in on the trend. Chicago has several new indie bagel spots.

Tuesday, July 7, 2026 Jul 07, 2026

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The city of Chicago ethics committee is calling on U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros to resign. The U.S. government eventually admitted it made an error, and Ojeda Duarte returned to Chicago. Many Chicago museums are offering free admission days this summer.
Plus, America’s 250th birthday is here after months of planning. As celebrations look back across our nation’s history, one prominent work memorializes the words of the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Composer Aaron Copland captured Lincoln’s enduring wisdom in his 1942 work, “Lincoln Portrait.”

Monday, July 6, 2026 Jul 06, 2026

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Chicago’s massive system of underground tunnels and reservoirs is almost completely full for the first time. O’Hare International Airport got as much rain in the first five days of July as it typically gets all month. Chicago saw its least violent 4th of July weekend in at least seven years.
Plus, Chicago is now home to the largest cafe in the world dedicated to Hello Kitty, the iconic white cat with a red bow. Fans lined up around the block just to get a chance to sip and snack alongside each other.

Thursday, July 2, 2026 Jul 02, 2026

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Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling is retiring after being in charge of CPD for less than three years. Mayor Brandon Johnson is urging Chicagoans to be cautious this holiday weekend as a Midwest heat wave finally starts to let up. The Chicago Cubs crushed the San Diego Padres Wednesday, putting up a whopping 23 runs.
Plus, Chicago is now home to the largest local network of air quality sensors in the country. In a single day, the city-spanning network captures over 20,000 data points, revealing disparities in air quality from neighborhood to neighborhood. It’s about to be put to the test during its first Chicago summer, which is the season when air pollution tends to worsen, partly due to climate change.

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