Matthew Blake

In an emotional and perhaps historic meeting, the Chicago Board of Education voted to close 49 elementary schools and one high school program on Wednesday, unanimously approving the school action recommendations of Barbara Byrd-Bennett, chief executive officer for the Chicago Public Schools.

Byrd-Bennett framed approval of these school actions as an act of courage and defiance of the status quo, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor popular, nor politic; but one must take it because it is right.”

With 11 days left until the spring state legislative session draws to a close, Gov. Pat Quinn again on Monday urged the Illinois General Assembly to pass “comprehensive pension reform,” but he left it to legislators to sort out the specific elements of the reforms.

“All the legislators – every one of them – they campaigned on pension reform,” Quinn said at a press conference following his speech at the City Club of Chicago. “This is their moment – their hour in history to pass something comprehensive.”

The Metra Board of Directors on Friday expressed frustration with cost estimates for plans to provide free wireless Internet on passenger trains, and the matter was sent back to the committee level.

In January, Metra entered into a $200,000 contract with San Francisco-based Xentrans for the company to first study the Wi-Fi issue, and second put forth a Request for Proposals to private vendors capable of supplying Wi-Fi on trains system-wide.

Jobs, tourism dollars and a new basketball arena are just some of the perks promised in the city’s redevelopment plans for Navy Pier and McCormick Place.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Thursday unveiled the “Elevate Chicago” initiative, which includes plans for an “entertainment district” in the area surrounding the McCormick Place convention center and a redesign of Navy Pier public and commercial spaces.

One week before the Chicago Board of Education votes on whether to close 53 elementary schools and one high school program, the board of commissioners for the city’s Public Building Commission approved an estimated $160 million worth of capital investments in 100 school facilities. Those facilities will take in students from closing schools if the Board of Education approves the school closings.