Matthew Blake

Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney (44^th) abruptly dropped his opposition on Thursday to the proposed renovations of Wrigley Field and the redevelopment plans for the surrounding area that include construction of a boutique hotel and plaza, and the Chicago Plan Commission approved the sweeping project 14-0.

A Chicago City Council committee passed by voice vote on Tuesday two gun control measures introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel despite several aldermen’s contentions that the proposed penalty for possessing an assault weapon is too lax. A National Rifle Association lobbyist, meanwhile, testified that ordinances would be vulnerable to legal challenges.

Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool said on Monday that the new Ventra transit payment system will roll out as scheduled in August, but CTA has still not picked a specific date for introduction of the scanned card that will replace the Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus and can be used as a debit card.

Claypool’s remarks came after a CTA board meeting where members signed off on a five-year agreement with the Chicago Board of Education to provide Ventra cards as student fare payment cards to high school students.

The City Colleges of Chicago annual budget includes a modest rise in the money available for academic support services while avoiding tuition increases for students and property tax hikes for local residents.

Cheryl Hyman, chancellor of City Colleges since 2010, told the system’s board on Thursday that the budget “continues a track record” of no tax and tuition increases.

The board on Thursday signed off on a $657 million budget for the fiscal year that started July 1, a 0.3 percent funding decrease from the $658.7 million fiscal year 2013 budget.

The Illinois Finance Authority board passed a measure on Tuesday that will enable some undocumented immigrants to procure loans to attend dental and medical school in Illinois in exchange for practicing in underserved areas in the state following their residencies.