City Council

The City Council’s Zoning Committee signed off Tuesday without discussion on a zoning change that paves the way for the construction of a new private school in the River West neighborhood.

Aldermen approved by voice vote the zoning change for Bennett Day School, a kindergarten through eighth grade academy that will be located at 955 W. Grand Ave. The K-8 school is slated to open in the fall of 2015 following the launch of a Bennett Day pre-kindergarten school at 657 W. Fulton Ave. The pre-kindergarten school is expected to begin operations in the fall of 2014.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel at Wednesday’s City Council meeting said he had fought against "Big Tobacco" throughout his lifetime as the chamber passed a law banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products within 500 feet of schools.

Emanuel warned that tobacco corporations would fight off further city regulations, such as a proposed ban on the use of e-cigarettes in public places that is currently in committee. “Next month, tobacco companies will come in and they will work you over,” Emanuel told aldermen.

Chicago's City Council Finance Committee on Monday approved placing three non-binding referendums concerning taxi rates, high-capacity firearm magazines and guns in restaurants on ballots in Chicago for the upcoming March elections.