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Tom Butala

CPD creates new top community policing position

Fri, 02/27/2015 - 4:35pm

Chicago Police Department 11th District Commander Eric Washington was promoted to the newly-created position of deputy chief of community policing on Friday.

Washington is tasked with overseeing the operations of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy program – or CAPS – that exists in CPD’s 22 districts, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

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Insiders discuss Obama library

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 3:52pm

New poll results have signaled area residents support the development of President Barack Obama’s presidential library in one of two locations near the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park campus. Shortly after the findings were announced, key players in the proposed development of the library joined a City Club of Chicago panel to discuss the issue.  

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Emanuel money does not guarantee incumbent aldermen victory

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 4:46pm

Despite vastly outspending Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and the other mayoral candidates before Tuesday’s election, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was unable to avoid an April 7 runoff. The mayor is not the only well-funded Chicago elected official who faces six more weeks of campaigning. Twelve of the 31 alderman who were supported by the mayor’s super PAC were forced into runoffs as well, and one lost outright.

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Candidates hope for late rush after low turnout early on Election Day

Tue, 02/24/2015 - 4:28pm

Election Day voter turnout in Chicago remained low through Tuesday afternoon, leaving some candidates hoping for a late rush of voters before the polls ultimately closed on Tuesday evening.

Shortly after 2 p.m., as the downtown area was hit with snow and high winds, the Aldertrack elections guide issued an email stating poll-watchers had reported an “exceptionally low turnout in many precincts” throughout the city. The organization predicted many precincts would not exceed a 20 percent turnout “unless the after-work crowd picks up in a big way.”

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Rep. Gutierrez: Republicans want to ‘punish’ Obama, immigrants with Homeland Security-funding impasse

Tue, 02/24/2015 - 3:51pm

U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) on Monday expressed frustration with the efforts of Republican lawmakers to tie crucial funding for the Department of Homeland Security to legislation attacking the president’s recent immigration reforms. Later in the day, a top GOP lawmaker attempted to resolve the issue.

While speaking during a City Club of Chicago event, Gutierrez predicted Republicans would be unwilling to take bipartisan steps to pass legislation funding the DHS. The department’s funding is currently set to expire on Friday.

Chicago journalists say city would benefit from mayoral runoff

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 4:30pm

In the lead up to Tuesday’s municipal elections, there’s one common theme that’s been heard throughout Chicago media – do not let Mayor Rahm Emanuel win reelection without working for it.

Candidates running for Chicago office must receive over 50 percent of the vote in the Feb. 24 elections to be elected outright. If the leading candidate receives 50 percent of the vote or less, the top two candidates in that particular race will face off in April 7th’s runoff elections.

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Q+A with Rather Stanton, development director at Legal Prep Charter Academy

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 4:07pm

Rather Stanton, the development director at Legal Prep Charter Academy, is working hard to prepare his school’s first graduating class for college before it matriculates in spring of 2016.

Stanton and Sam Finkelstein co-founded Legal Prep after working previously working together at a summer program that exposed at-risk youth to the legal profession. The West Garfield Park charter school took on its first freshman class in the summer of 2012 and will have a full student body of about 325 students when the 2015-2016 school year begins at the end of the summer.

All eyes on city races, but don’t forget about the suburbs

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 4:22pm

With Election Day slated for Tuesday, Chicagoans are watching to see if Mayor Rahm Emanuel can avoid a runoff and how a couple dozen close aldermanic races shake out.

But Chicago is not the only municipality with potentially close elections coming up. There are several other elections scheduled to take place in the Chicagoland area on Tuesday. Here’s what’s coming up in Lake, Will, Kane and DuPage counties.

Waukegan

In north suburban Waukegan (Lake County), three of the city’s nine aldermanic seats feature contested races in Tuesday’s primary.

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Days after Daley endorses Emanuel, nephew gets support from mayor’s PAC

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 6:52pm

Three days after former Mayor Richard M. Daley endorsed Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a super PAC established to support Emanuel and his City Council allies began making expenditures in support of the campaign of Daley’s nephew – 11th Ward aldermanic candidate Patrick Daley Thompson.

Daley endorsed Emanuel’s bid for reelection on Feb. 9. Since then, Emanuel’s Chicago Forward PAC has spent over $20,000 in support of Thompson’s candidacy.

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Education leaders present divergent views on Chicago’s charter schools

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 5:10pm

Leaders from Chicago’s education community sparred over the role charter schools should play in Chicago’s public education system during a panel discussion at a Wednesday City Club of Chicago luncheon.

Troy LaRaviere, principal of Chicago Public Schools’ Blaine Elementary School – one of the district’s top performing schools ­– was extremely critical of the city’s charter schools during Wednesday’s discussion.

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