Changes highlighted in Mayor Johnson's first City Council meeting
A big day and some big changes in City Council chambers on Wednesday as new Mayor Brandon Johnson presided over his first full council meeting.
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A big day and some big changes in City Council chambers on Wednesday as new Mayor Brandon Johnson presided over his first full council meeting.
The 41-9 vote delivered an early political victory for Johnson as he presided over his first City Council meeting.
The first council meeting is scheduled for May 24.
The new City Council was also sworn into office on Monday. There will be a lot of new faces in the council chambers with 13 wards that'll be represented by a new alderperson after an exodus of veteran council members last year.
It's the most diverse class in the Chicago City Council's history, coming with a renewed focus on their wards' priorities.
It wasn't just Mayor Brandon Johnson being sworn in on Monday. New members of the Chicago City Council raised their right hands and took the oath of office, including 13 new aldermen. One of the newly-elected aldermen sworn in on Monday is the 4th Ward's Lamont Robinson.
Brandon Johnson will be sworn in as Chicago's 57th mayor on Monday. We brought in two political experts, outgoing Ald. Leslie Hairston, and former Illinois Republican Party Chair Pat Brady, to talk about what the new mayor's political priorities should be, and what message he might deliver in his inaugural address.
The mayor said she was proud of the way the administration infused billions of dollars in neighborhoods that historically didn't get much investment, listing off several things she feels they accomplished including closing a budget deficit, navigating the pandemic, civil unrest and rising crime numbers.
In addition to Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, a host of new City Council members will also be sworn in on Monday.
CBS 2 Streaming Anchor Brad Edwards sat down with three men who will be in the Council – two rookies, incoming Ald. William Hall (6th) and incoming Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st); and one veteran, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), who was elected to a third term this year.
The circumstances vary from case to case, of course, but in short, the pattern involves Chicagoans getting socked with bills for water they didn't use.
When the new City Council is sworn in next week, more than a third of those elected will be women. That got us to thinking: What should we call them?
The campaign is over, and Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth is the learning the nuts and bolts of the job she worked hard to get.
The campaign is over, and Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth is the learning the nuts and bolts of the job she worked hard to get. You could call it City Council 101, and Manaa-Hoppenworth has the textbook to prove it -- an enormous binder containing the details every member needs to know.
Each of Chicago's 22 police districts has three district council members.
Two Chicago City Council committees had a virtual meeting Friday to discuss the crisis, as the shelter system busts and funds are desperately needed. CBS 2's Lauren Victory reports.
The meeting lasted hours and aldermen had a lot of questions – and it's no wonder they did. CBS 2's Lauren Victory reports.
Last week, Johnson also named state Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas as his first deputy chief of staff.
It's three weeks until Brandon Johnson is sworn in as Chicago's next mayor and he's beginning to fill his cabinet. Last week, he named OEMC Director Rich Guidice as his chief of staff, a surprising move to some. CBS 2 asked Nick Kachiroubas, a professor at DePaul University's School of Public Service, about some familiar names he thinks could join the mayor-elect.
"It's just nuts to me that we have this issue that continues to be reported, on and the city departments are not doing anything about it," Villegas said.
There was a standing ovation for Lightfoot, who was presented with a flag in honor of her term as mayor.
Wednesday is the final City Council meeting for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and 12 sitting aldermen, as the transition process begins to welcome a new Chicago mayor and council next month.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is leaving her successor a parting gift before leaving office – a strong city budget.
Numerous people whose stories we've reported over the past four years have been getting hosed by bogus bills - often rising into the tens of thousands of dollars.
"I need to make you aware that the Water Department has a patter of making mistakes."
The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital in unknown condition, officials said.
According to police, the 62-year-old victim was beaten and severely injured, resulting in extensive and ongoing hospitalization.
Chi Gives Back held a pop-up at Ledo High School on Sunday for its annual toy drive.
The victory pushes the Bears one step closer to their first postseason appearance since 2020.
The Bulls had nine scorers in double figures, led by Matas Buzelis with 28 points.
A government shutdown is still possible if Mayor Brandon Johnson decides to veto the spending plan.
The Justice Department released thousands of new photos and records on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, but at least 550 pages in the documents were fully redacted.
The alternative budget proposal championed by a group of Chicago aldermen won a crucial first full City Council vote on Friday, setting up a final vote on Saturday
A Bulgarian citizen, whom federal officials say was in the U.S. illegally, was found unresponsive in his cell at a Michigan facility.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
The Oscars ceremony is moving to YouTube starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday.
The nearly 100-year-old cinema will close briefly after New Year's Day and reopen on Jan. 9 with a showing of Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother."
Known as a popular Hollywood director, Rob Reiner also had a lengthy record of political and civic activism, especially in California.
A candle projection lit up Sydney Opera House today, marking a National Day of Reflection honoring the victims of a gun attack last week. Two gunmen targeted a seaside Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others.
For a few brief moments, the sun aligns perfectly with the temple of Amun-Re, so the rays shine right through it.
It happened early Sunday, about 28 miles west of Johannesburg. Local police said that 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan pulled up and opened fire, shooting randomly as they fled the scene.
This latest mutation is being called the 'super flu.' The CDC said at least 1,900 people have died from the flu this season, including two kids.
Get ready for some milder temperatures to make a return that will make it feel more like the middle of fall than the beginning of winter. Meteorologist Carl Lam has the latest.
The Bears' next game will be against the 49ers on Dec. 28.
The victory pushes the Bears one step closer to their first postseason appearance since 2020.
The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital in unknown condition, officials said.
A United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Southern California was diverted to Rockford on Sunday.
A government shutdown is still possible if Mayor Brandon Johnson decides to veto the spending plan.
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
Homeowner and Army veteran Kaliff Chilembwe's property tax bill has seen an increase of 118%.
The Bulls had nine scorers in double figures, led by Matas Buzelis with 28 points.
The Bears' next game will be against the 49ers on Dec. 28.
Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami is joining the White Sox on a two-year contract worth $34 million, CBS Sports has confirmed.
DJ Moore scored the game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass from QB Caleb Williams.
Despite a solid effort, Chicago lost its fifth straight game.
A man was set to go before a judge on Sunday after he was charged in a deadly shooting in a hotel parking lot on Chicago's Southwest Side several months ago.
A Bulgarian citizen, whom federal officials say was in the U.S. illegally, was found unresponsive in his cell at a Michigan facility.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
Village leaders in Broadview, Illinois, voted down a proposal that would limit the setting up of additional detention centers in the area.
A grand jury this week indicted a man on charges of setting a young woman on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train last month, and also setting a fire outside City Hall.
