Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward) said the tipped minimum wage should be eliminated to protect workers from sexual harassment, wage theft and abuse. (Heather Cherone / WTTW News)
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Taken together, the two proposals are likely to form the foundation of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s agenda when it comes to labor. A former organizer for the Chicago Teachers Union, Johnson enjoyed the unanimous support of Chicago’s progressive labor organizations.

(WTTW News)

In recent decades, Illinois has lost a significant portion of its Black population. While a variety of issues have been cited as reasons for Black families to leave the state, a recent study suggests financial equity could also be a consideration.

(WTTW News)

The CTA touted the lockers as a convenience for customers and a way to reduce congestion and pollution from Amazon’s ubiquitous delivery trucks and vans. The program is a three-year deal, with two options to extend it by a year.

A company is pitching to turn the building at 62 S. Broadway in Aurora into a residential development. (WTTW News)
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A company with ties to Mayor Richard Irvin and a high-level city official is interested in developing three city-owned properties in west suburban Aurora, information obtained by WTTW News shows.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks to reporters at a news conference celebrating the continued recovery of the tourism industry on July 10, 2023. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois)

On Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the state’s legislative leadership and representatives of the hospitality industry announced that hotels in Illinois saw record revenues in fiscal year 2023, which ended June 30.

A employee pushes a cart at a Walmart in Vernon Hills, Ill., Tuesday, March 28, 2023. On Friday, the U.S. government issues the June jobs report. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh, File)

The latest sign of economic strength — a gain of 209,000 jobs last month — makes it all but certain that the Federal Reserve will resume its interest rate hikes later this month after having ended a streak of 10 rate increases that were intended to curb high inflation.

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, Nikolas Rodriguez, and Laura Ayala-Clarke on the night Rodriguez says they first met.

Furniture Store Owner Laura Ayala-Clarke Denies Charges, Says Attorney is Handling Claims

Two former employees of Laura Ayala-Clarke, the girlfriend of Mayor Richard Irvin of west suburban Aurora, claim she failed to pay them for several weeks of work and isn’t running her business on the up-and-up. She recently was approved for a city grant. 

Workers start to tear down the NASCAR course and seating in downtown Chicago on July 3, 2023. (WTTW News)
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“Like everything I inherited, I’m a teacher, I will assess and grade it," Mayor Brandon Johnson said, promising an “open process where other folks get a chance to weigh in.”

(Courtesy of Chioma)

Starting a business from scratch takes a lot of work — not to mention capital. A startup initiative from Google is helping Black and Latino entrepreneurs reach their goals.

Illinois International Port District leaders are asking for funding to bring the port’s infrastructure back into shape. (WTTW News)
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Erik Varela of the Illinois International Port District said the port brings in steel, iron, concrete and sand. “If the port were to go away or not be invested in, you have to imagine that those commodities are going to go elsewhere, those jobs and those things will go there.”

(hanmoohyun / Pixabay)

Some workers in Cook County will find a little more in their paychecks starting this month.

A person pumps gas at a Chevron gas station on May 26 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images via CNN)

The national average for regular gasoline dipped to $3.55 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. A year ago, a gallon of regular sold for an average of $4.87 a gallon.

(WTTW News)
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Get ready to pay more for gas and groceries. Illinois rings in the fiscal new year on July 1, which brings with it changes.

(Courtesy of NASCAR)
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Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller said additional patrols will be added downtown, on CTA trains and buses and near Navy Pier, which will host a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The exterior of a new Siemens Venture passenger car is displayed at Chicago’s Union Station after a news conference announcing faster rail service on June 26, 2023. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams.)

The Amtrak line ran its first 110 mph service on Monday, up from 90 mph previously, which would make the one-way trip less than five hours long. The trip is now a full 30 minutes quicker than when the service ran at 79 mph when the project began in 2010.

Jim Crown, far left, is pictured with members of his family and “Chicago Tonight” host Phil Ponce on May 14, 2017. (WTTW)

"Jim gave back to the city through philanthropy and leadership on a number of civic and academic boards as he was deeply committed to investing in Chicago and its people," Mayor Brandon Johnson said.