Mayor's Office

A representative from the Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting ridiculed Mayor Emanuel’s plan to use a citywide light show to attract tourism as being financially wasteful and harmful to the environment; Alderman Bob Fioretti (2^nd) questioned the timing of the plan, which is being proposed at the same time the mayor’s Infrastructure Trust Board is attempting to make government buildings more energy-efficient

Mayor Rahm Emanuel during a Thursday transportation panel at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Washington, D.C. proposed that mayors from around the country introduce a “national hazardous waste” fee, which would apply to freight trains; Fee would finance safety programs intended to offset the effects of potential accidents involving hazardous waste carried by the trains

Chicago Mayor’s Office on Wednesday said about 9.9 million room nights were booked in city hotels in 2013, over 275,000 more room nights than were booked during 2012; Hotel tax revenue accounted for $105.93 million last year

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined over 700 volunteers at Chicago Public Schools’ Sullivan High School on Monday to create artwork to commemorate the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; AmeriCorps’ City Year organization planned “Day of Service” events at Sullivan and Kilmer Elementary School nearby on Martin Luther King Day, when both schools have historically closed for the day

Mayor Rahm Emanuel this week introduced an ordinance to the City Council that would allow for the sale of six vacant, city-owned lots in and near the Humboldt Park neighborhood to developer L&MC Investments LLC for $1 each; Developer would build two-story, 1,840-square foot affordable homes on the lots; Lots are located at 1122 N. Christiana Ave., 1144 N. Christina Ave., 1222 N. Rockwell St., 1226 N. Campbell Ave., 1756 N. Drake Ave. and 3221 W. Crystal St.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel was praised by Respiratory Health Association President and CEO Joel Africk in a letter to the editor of the NapervilleSun published on Sunday for his efforts to bring greater regulation to the fast-growing electronic cigarette industry in Chicago; Africk said it has been proven that unsafe substances like metal and silicate particles exist in e-cigarette vapors

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday said that city crews will fix potholes throughout Chicago – weather permitting – every day between now and April; Emanuel’s announcement comes after a Monday report from Chicago’s Office of the Inspector General revealed that the Department of Transportation surpassed its seven-days-from-request goal in fixing potholes 26 percent of the time between 2010 and 2012

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Thursday asked the Department of Law to issue a request that would grant the city six more months to comply with a Monday U.S. District Court ruling that requires gun stores to be allowed to operate within city limits; Ruling judge’s 35-page opinion said a 2010 city ordinance that restricts gun sales within city limits “goes too far”; Mayor said the extra time is needed to allow the city to establish a law that would regulate gun sales