19th Ward Chicago
coffee is life
Monday, December 23, 2024
1. Brandon Johnson needs to give the money back. 2. The City Council should declare all city contracts involving Hyde Park Hospitality to be null and void and put everything out to rebid
Brandon Johnson campaign took contribution from airport concessions executive despite City Hall ban
Neither City Hall nor Friends of Brandon Johnson will discuss whether the contribution from the CEO of Hyde Park Hospitality violated an ethics rule barring city contractors from giving to a mayor’s campaign fund.
By Robert Herguth
Dec 20, 2024, 5:30am CST
The top executive of a food and beverage concessionaire at O’Hare and Midway airports — whose business operations there are regulated by City Hall — contributed $1,000 to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign fund, elections records show.
Mayoral aides won’t discuss whether the contribution from Hyde Park Hospitality CEO Marc Brooks to Friends of Brandon Johnson in August 2023 — months after the mayor was sworn in to office — violates an executive order that bans city contractors from giving to a mayor’s campaign and, if so, what consequences the Chicago company might face.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
This Sugar Added to Many Foods Boosts Tumor Growth, Study Reveals
Fructose, a simple sugar naturally found in fruits, has long been considered a harmless sweetener. However, recent research challenges this assumption. Scientists at Washington University have observed that a fructose-rich diet can more than double tumor growth in some cases, despite
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Mayor Johnson's Chicago....where one union controls his every thought and deed
mayor chaos
Chicago Board of Education votes unanimously to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez
By Paris Schutz and FOX 32 Digital Staff
Published December 20, 2024 2:56pm CST
Chicago Board of Education votes unanimously to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez
The Chicago Board of Education has voted unanimously to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously Friday night to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
Board members returned from a closed session just after 9 p.m. and announced their decision a short time later with a 6-0 vote in favor of Martinez's firing.
Martinez, who is being fired without cause, will receive six months of salary and a lump-sum payment. His duties will also be modified, board members said.
Following the decision, FOX 32’s Paris Schutz asked board member Frank Thomas why he voted to terminate Martinez but received no response. Other board members also declined to comment.
Martinez addressed reporters after the vote, expressing disappointment and frustration.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed by the board's decision tonight. Leading the system that shaped me has been the opportunity of a lifetime and I am so proud of the work that we have done together. From record-high graduation rates, record-low dropout rates, the strongest post-pandemic reading recovery among large cities," Martinez said. "…If you want to move on from me, just honor the terms of my contract. That's all I ever said. I never questioned any board who wants their own leader. But, it's important because it's not about me. It's important that we have a smooth transition to a new CEO instead of throwing everything into chaos in the middle of the school year."
Martinez added, "It’s not right for any leader to leave midyear. … If there is a silver lining, it’s that educators, families, and especially our students will be spared the disruption of a midyear leadership change."
Martinez will remain as CEO through the rest of the school year. He hinted at potential legal action, emphasizing the terms of his contract.
"First of all, I have been very, very restrained this whole period, since all of this started. Never started by me, by the way… All I've ever asked, let me do my work, follow my contract. And so, Paris, that's what is still going to happen. My contract is really clear. There are state laws. There are work policies, but more importantly, my contract is very clear. And if you haven't met my lawyer, please get to know my lawyer," Martinez said.
Prior to the meeting, Martinez’s legal team warned board members of potential legal action if they moved to terminate him.
The meeting marked the board’s third attempt to remove Martinez following Mayor Brandon Johnson’s earlier call for his resignation and the board’s offer of a contract buyout.
In the letter, Martinez’s lawyers alleged a "coordinated campaign" by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Mayor Johnson to oust him after he declined to approve a loan for what they described as an "unprecedented" multi-billion-dollar contract.
The letter also accused the board of manufacturing cause for his dismissal and argued that plans to appoint a co-CEO would violate his contract.
The full letter from Martinez's legal team can be found below:
Friday, December 20, 2024
At the very least, the mayor will have a friendly place to hang his hat the next time he is flying to London, to get some business
Mayor's campaign takes contribution from top airport concessions executive. Another ethics rule violation?
Neither City Hall nor Friends of Brandon Johnson will discuss whether the contribution from the CEO of Hyde Park Hospitality violated an ethics rule barring city contractors from donating to a mayor’s campaign fund.
By Robert Herguth
Dec 20, 2024, 5:30am CST
Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference in at O’Hare Airport while on his way to London.
The top executive of a food and beverage concessionaire at O’Hare and Midway airports — whose business operations there are regulated by City Hall — contributed $1,000 to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign fund, elections records show.
But mayoral aides won’t discuss whether the contribution from Hyde Park Hospitality CEO Marc Brooks to Friends of Brandon Johnson in August 2023 several months after the new mayor was sworn in violates an executive order that bans city contractors from giving to a mayor’s campaign and, if so, what consequences the Chicago company might face.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
This is going to be big!
The city still has to approve the demolition of the massive grain silos that preservationists tried to save.
By Brett Chase
Dec 17, 2024, 5:23pm CST
The historic Damen Silos were sold by the state two years ago. Preservationists have so far failed to save the massive structures.
The owner of the historic Damen Silos on the West Side moved a step closer toward demolishing the former grain storage structures, though city officials still have to sign off on the plan.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave the green light on Monday to Michael Tadin Jr., whose family business acquired the property from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration two years ago. The Army Corps became involved with the process because of the silos’ location by the Chicago River.