Good morning, Chicago.
The Chicago Board of Education is set to appoint a new board member the same day as a scheduled vote on a budget for Chicago Public Schools’ upcoming fiscal year, capping months of debate over how to close a looming deficit while navigating lingering political tensions.
The scheduled “oath of office” marks another shift in leadership for a body still grappling with the fallout from a mass resignation last fall. The board’s 21st seat, which was vacated by Frank Niles Thomas, will be filled by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
At the center of the board meeting is a deficit that district officials say stretches into the hundreds of millions, which has led to intense debate between board members in recent weeks. Much of the tension can be traced back to a desired $175 million pension payment made to the city and an earlier borrowing plan backed by Johnson, a former teachers union organizer, that helped trigger the prior board’s resignation in October 2024.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Nell Salzman and Kate Perez.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including the Bears setting their initial 53-man roster, Chance the Rapper talks about his new album and how Chicago restaurants are marking the end of summer.
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Trump’s order on flag burning could return the question to the Supreme Court
The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said that if it were up to him, he would jail “every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag,” But the Constitution, the conservative hero noted in 2015, protects flag-burning as a form of free speech. And importantly: “I am not king” who can outlaw the act single-handedly. Neither is President Donald Trump.
So on Monday, he signed an executive order that sets out to challenge the 5-4 Supreme Court decision that has stood since 1989, when Scalia joined the majority ruling that flag burning is a protected exercise of free speech.
Wisconsin judge accused of helping man evade ICE arrest loses a bid to drop charges
A Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man evade arrest by U.S. immigration agents lost an attempt to throw out the Trump administration’s case against her.
The prosecution of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has highlighted the push by President Donald Trump’ s administration to confront state and local authorities who resist his sweeping immigration crackdown.
Gun violence survivors slam President Donald Trump’s talk of deploying National Guard in Chicago
When Eric Wilkins first heard that President Donald Trump was considering deploying National Guard troops to Chicago, he said he couldn’t help but think it sounded like a “bully tactic.”
Wilkins, 54, was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot about 26 years ago. Now an organizer with Communities United, he said community groups are using other, more effective methods to prevent gun violence, such as jobs programs and sports leagues.
“To have the military come in and push his agenda — that’s just really being bullied,” Wilkins said. “I feel like it’s aimed at Black and brown (people), and I think it’ll cause discord.”
- As Chicago continues to make gains on crime, many see potential for damage in National Guard threat
- Handling crime a strength for President Donald Trump as many in US see a ‘major problem’ in big cities: AP-NORC poll
Family members raise questions about arrest after video appears to show officers throwing punches
Family members of a 32-year-old man who was taken into custody Monday raised questions about Chicago police officers’ account of the arrest after a video apparently taken by a bystander appeared to show officers punching the man multiple times during a scuffle, even though the officers reported that he threw a punch at them first.
Gun-related arrests at Naperville Topgolf now top 15 for the year
The arrest of a man in the Naperville Topgolf parking lot last week brings the total number of arrests on gun-related charges at the venue to 15 for the year.
Chicago Bears have set their initial 53-man roster. Here’s a breakdown of who’s staying — and who’s gone.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson completed their initial 53-man roster yesterday.
The roster is always evolving throughout a season, but for now, this is what the 2025 Bears will look like. Next, the Bears have until 11 a.m. today to put in waiver claims on players who were waived by other teams. The Bears will also begin to build their 16-player practice squad.
- Bears’ 53-man roster tracker: Jaylon Johnson is activated — and other moves finished ahead of deadline
- Column: Analyzing the Bears’ roster starts in the trenches, where GM Ryan Poles did his heavy lifting
NIU’s Thomas Hammock, who went ‘viral’ for transfer portal comments, tries to stay adaptable in a new era
When Northern Illinois quarterback Josh Holst saw that videos of coach Thomas Hammock were ringing up millions of views on social media over the last couple of weeks, he wasn’t surprised.
“Not really,” Holst said. “He goes viral every once in a while. … He’s just like that.”
Hammock’s players know how he often speaks — the passion for college football and his program pouring out of him.
After the release of ‘Star Line,’ Chance the Rapper talks about its true inspirations
Chicago-born Chance the Rapper released “Star Line” on Aug. 15, his first solo release since “The Big Day” in 2019. The latter LP had been poorly received. Chance himself even criticized the album, saying “I had a F-minus, but that’s behind us,” on “Star Line’s” intro track. The six-year gap wasn’t treated as a revamp, but rather a development.
“A lot of people see it that way because they’re used to watching things episodically, but the truth is things just continue to build forward,” Chance said in an interview with the Tribune. “I think of (‘Star Line’) as a huge growth and not really trying to rebuild anything or go back to anything.”
Column: Bill Kurtis writes of the adventures of his ‘Whirlwind’ life as a TV news anchorman
It’s understandable if you know Bill Kurtis only as an anchorman. That was his profession for decades, polished with that sonorous voice and often in the company of Walter Jacobson on WBBM-Ch. 2, or nationally alongside and Diane Sawyer on the CBS Morning News or, on the less serious side of things, narrating the Will Ferrell romps “Anchorman” and “Anchorman II,” or as the official judge and scorekeeper of NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!”
What I will tell you is that if you only know Bill Kurtis for those jobs and accomplishments, you don’t know Bill Kurtis at all, writes Rick Kogan. But you will, because he comes at you in substance and even swashbuckling style in “Whirlwind,” his forthright and exciting autobiography that will hit bookstores in mid-September.
Labor Day 2025: 14 Chicago restaurant specials to mark the unofficial end of summer
Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer with a three-day weekend offering a last chance to make the most of the nice weather with grilled food, refreshing drinks and music. Restaurants and bars throughout the area extend their weekend brunches to Mondays, offer patriotic specials and host parties to let you have a little fun in the sun. However you prefer to celebrate, you should check out these spots.