Angelina Leshchinskaya and Wendy Acosta both walked into PAWS Chicago’s adoption center at 1997 N. Clybourn Ave. at the same time for different reasons.
Acosta, who lives in Portage Park, was sure she was going to adopt and had been doing research to bring home a new friend for her chihuahua, Hazel. Leschinskaya, of Buena Park, was just expecting to browse for what would be her only dog at home.
Despite their differences, both ended up leaving with puppies — chihuahuas named Twinkle and Sparkle — from the same litter.
“Literally within the first couple of minutes, I was drawn to Twinkle right away,” Leshchinskaya said. “I was like, ‘OK, this is a sign.’”
Angelina Leshchinskaya is licked by her newly-adopted puppy Twinkle during PAWS Chicago’s Holiday Adopt-a-Thon in Lincoln Park, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.
PAWS’ annual adopt-a-thon event got started Friday with a goal to get 200 animals adopted by the event’s end on Dec. 21.
Even in the early hours of the event’s first day, PAWS’ adoption center was full of visitors meeting cats and dogs and receiving adoption consultations. Visitors were welcomed by snacks and warm beverages, too.
Celene Mielcarek, head of program operations, said the Adopt-a-Thon is the biggest push each year to get animals at PAWS adopted.
“The Adopt-a-Thon is not just about bringing a pet into a home at this wonderful time of year,” she said, “but also about enabling us to rescue more, save more, with the space that opens up in our shelter.”
Mielcarek said that the holidays are already a time for increased traffic at PAWS. With many off from work and spending more time with family, people are more inclined to add a pet to their home. The Adopt-a-Thon takes advantage of that timing.
Kringle, who is available for adoption, looks out a window during PAWS Chicago’s Holiday Adopt-a-Thon in Lincoln Park, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.
And this year the event is especially critical for the animals. While the pandemic’s restrictions keeping people at home increased pet adoptions, now there is rising pet homelessness and relinquishment.
“We’re seeing that happen all year,” said Paige Krueger, an eight-year volunteer veteran at PAWS, “and those numbers are increasing.”
Krueger said increased care costs for pets and few new veterinary offices are to blame. Getting as many as possible adopted is crucial right now so that shelters can find some relief and not risk the lives of pets in overwhelmed facilities.
To help reach their adoption goal, PAWS has extended hours on select days during the event, and every day there are additional appointment times for those looking to adopt. Walk-ins are also accommodated.
Before coming in, PAWS recommends potential adoptees fill out their “comPETability” survey. Once at the adoption center, counselors help visitors look through different options and get settled with their pet. Krueger added that if the adoptee lives in what PAWS considers a pet food or resource desert, they may qualify for free pet food, leashes or crates.
Leshchinskaya and Acosta pointed to their experience to show how easy the adoption process is and encouraged people to consider adopting instead of going to a breeder. They also said they plan to keep in touch so their new dogs can see each other in the future.
And Acosta, who is taking home Sparkle, can’t wait for her two dogs to start playing together.
“[Sparkle] wagged her tail once she met Hazel,” she said, “and when she did that I knew that these two were gonna be best friends. It just was like, ‘Where do I sign?’”
Angelina Leshchinskaya (right) holds her newly-adopted puppy Twinkle while Wendy Acosta holds Sparkle, a puppy she adopted who is from the same litter as Twinkle during PAWS Chicago’s Holiday Adopt-a-Thon in Lincoln Park, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Brandon Johnson‘s decision to call off a budget vote he was certain to lose leaves the embattled mayor with no choice but to consider program cuts, unpaid furlough days and other options he has so far refused to entertain.
Without deep spending cuts and shared sacrifice, Johnson’s $68.5 million property tax increase — pared back from his original proposal of a $300 million tax hike — failed to garner enough aldermanic support to garner overall budget approval. After days of frenzied lobbying, he had only 19 rock-solid votes.
The search for at least seven additional votes to get to the 26 needed for passage will probably require the mayor to scrap the property tax increase altogether, eliminate the $50 million he was hoping to spend to create 2,000 more summer youth jobs and remove the line in the sand he has drawn against any layoffs or other cost-cutting options that could alienate unions he relied on to get elected.
Johnson is now operating from a position of weakness — not strength. He is no longer calling the shots; the City Council is.
Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson argued that all it would take to get Johnson’s $17.3 billion budget over the finish line is $150 million worth of cuts.
That sounds like a lot. But it isn’t when you consider that the city’s budget is 47% higher than it was pre-pandemic, not counting pension costs.
“To say there is no option in the way of…workforce reductions [and] shared sacrifice is just not playing ball with folks that are trying to come to some form of common ground,” Ferguson said.
By “shared sacrifice,” Ferguson means “furloughs and altered schedules — not just with exempt employees and senior employees, but with the labor unions who, I’m sure at this point, understand that we are in a place we’ve never been before.”
“If you look there, you are immediately looking at tens of millions of dollars,” he said.
City Council dean Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), vice mayor and Zoning Committee chair who serves as Johnson’s de facto floor leader, agreed.
“ Furlough days may be what we have to do. That means everybody in the city takes a part in this. I think that’s fair,” Burnett said.
Johnson vowed to work through the weekend to forge a compromise in hopes of passing the budget when the City Council meeting reconvenes Monday.
The mayor said he is open to all ideas, including scrapping the $68.5 million property tax increase.
“We are not Congress. We don’t mint money. If there’s no budget by the end of the year, there’s no appropriations for services to continue,” Johnson said.
Budget Director Annette Guzman said the City Council does not have “continuing appropriation authority” and must, by state law, pass a budget by Dec. 31.
“Whether we are going to levy any property tax — whether it’s the existing property tax we have in place today — we have to have that in place by the end of this year or we’re not able to do things like pay our debt service, pay our pensions,” she said.
Johnson has declared off limits the $272 million pension advance over and above the actuarially required annual payment to the four city employee pension funds. He’s determined to avoid a drop in the city’s rating that could make it more expensive for the city to borrow.
But Wall Street is watching, and the marathon budget stalemate will likely cause that drop anyway. Shrinking the pension advance therefore becomes more likely.
So is eliminating thousands of vacancies.
“Looking at the police vacancies that we know are not going to be filled in the next year, which is about $170 million — you can find $70 million out of that. Then, those who want to do zero property tax can actually say if they’re really about that or not,” said Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Andre Vasquez (40th).
Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) agreed that eliminating police vacancies “we know we can’t fill” must be considered. He called it a “pretty big concession” from his coalition that is “pro-police and pro-public safety.”
“This is a fair compromise to allow us to plug this gap with the implicit understanding that we could come back and restore those [police] positions next year,” Reilly said. “The exercise should not be finding new taxes to raise to fill that gap. It needs to be cutting costs.”
But Ferguson said the “dirty little secret” is that the budget carries police vacancies that the city can’t possibly fill to cover tens of millions of dollars in police overtime.
Eliminating those vacancies could leave a Chicago Police Department that has roughly 2,000 fewer officers than it did just a few years ago with no way to cover the enormous overtime tied to securing special events and tamping down summer violence.
Johnson said he’s willing to consider eliminating police vacancies. But he stressed that the proposal originated with Reilly and Ald. Anthony Beale (9th).
The fourteen-member “Common Sense Caucus” that includes Beale and Reilly is demanding deeper spending cuts — and putting specific items on the chopping block.
“We’re going to get rid of your $50 million additional summer [jobs] program. We’re going to get rid of Walter Burnett’s $400,000 fund [in the vice-mayor’s office]. We’re going to tell the departments, `Here’s your budget from 2020, plus the cost of inflation going forward. That’s your number. Figure it out,’ ” Beale said.
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) speaks during a Chicago City Council meeting at City Hall Friday.
Johnson vowed to “hold firm and strong and steady” on creating 2,000 more summer youth jobs.
“Everybody is convinced and knows that good-paying jobs and taking care of our young people and building affordable homes — that is the answer,” the mayor said.
Yet another idea that could be resurrected is raising the $9.50-a-month garbage collection fee that pales by comparison to other cities and suburbs, and has been frozen since its inception nearly a decade ago. The Black Caucus has branded the fee regressive.
But Ferguson believes the opposition to an increase may have been overstated.
Vasquez urged the Johnson administration to use the time between now and Monday to engage in a “real conversation” with members who have demanded more efficiencies.
Johnson said he expects to have “quite a time this weekend bringing people together.”
“Are they disagreements that are any different than any other time? It might be a little bit louder,” Johnson said. “But we also get that noise when the Cubs and Sox play together. It’s just the way Chicago is.”
Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson prays during a vigil for Detective Allan Reddins at Oak Park Village Hall, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Detective Reddins was shot and killed last week in the line of duty.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Pallbearers for Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins carry his casket to the hearse after his funeral at Apostolic Church of God on the South Side, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. Detective Reddins, 40, was shot and killed Nov. 29 when an armed gunman opened fire near the Oak Park Public Library during a brief standoff with police.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Volunteers carry Christmas trees that were delivered by the “Christmas Tree Ship,” which is the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw, to a truck at Navy Pier, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2024. The trees will be delivered to different charities that will distribute the trees to Chicago families.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
A pterosaur model, the Quetzalcoatlus, wears a Santa Claus hat at the Field Museum, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Dinosaur models and replicas were decorated with Christmas hats.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Gov. J.B. Pritzker greets Santa on the Holiday Train, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for “border czar” Tom Homan speaks at a Law & Order PAC event, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Water does not come out of the spout as Iesha Taylor opens the faucet to her kitchen sink in her home in Markham, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. The City of Markham is in a dispute with the landlord/property manager after they failed to apply for a business license. The city then shut off the water to the home that Iesha Taylor is renting.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Leonor “Leo” San Sebastian (left) jokes with student Kelsie Huff, during a pottery class at San Sebastian’s studio Ceramics by Leo in Lincoln Square.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Alfredo Romo, executive director of Neighbors for Environmental Justice in McKinley Park stands at the corner of West 35th Street and South Ashland Avenue in McKinley Park, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Acero community members listen to speakers at an Acero board meeting at Acero Idar Elementary, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, speaks to the Chicago Board of Education during the public comment period at a board meeting at the Colman Office in Grand Boulevard, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Chicago Blackhawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen and Ryan Donato #8 discuss drills during practice at Fifth Third Arena, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Chicago Blackhawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen sets up drills during practice at Fifth Third Arena, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Mary Matthews, a former resident of a nursing home, stands Tuesday in the home she shares with a roommate and dog in Rogers Park.
2024 brought forth a wealth of Chicago music spanning all genres. As we look back, a few local projects stood out this year — from a Grammy-nominated new release by reigning local blues queen Shemekia Copeland to Ravyn Lenae’s South Side-inspired effort.
Here are 13 full-length favorites, selected by WBEZ and Vocalo.
Rachel Drew, ‘Old Sky New’
Floop Records, Mar. 1
Pick a night of the week and more likely than not, Rachel Drew is playing a stage near you. The singer-songwriter has planted a flag for putting in the hours, and here are the spoils: 12 finely crafted songs torched with Drew’s sumptuous voice and pulsing with the nimble guitarwork of musical partner John Szymanski. There’s much to like here, from the sunny jangle-pop of “Please Don’t Wake Me Up” to the rocker “Summer’s Over,” and there isn’t a chorus that isn’t immediately catchy. But the allure of “Old Sky New” is the deeper yearning stretching throughout these songs, whether for a former confidant (“Old Friend”), outside connection (“Stuck in the House All Day”) or unrequited love (“Blaze For You”). —Mark Guarino
Finom, ‘Not God’
Joyful Noise Recordings, May 24
Collaborator extraordinaire Sima Cunningham and multi-instrumentalist Macie Stewart have a knack for popping up everywhere on Chicago’s indie music scene and beyond. But together as the duo Finom, the pair strike their most resonant chords. “Not God,” released in the spring and produced by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, is marked by songs that start off seemingly pedestrian and then swell, touching on new motherhood (“Hungry”), loneliness (“Cardinal”) and even a rocking ode to the banal beats of daily life (“Haircut”). One of the brilliant things about this album is that, like life, just when you think you know what’s ahead, it swerves. — Cassie Walker Burke
Andrew Bird, “Sunday Morning Put-On”
Loma Vista Recordings, May 24
Andrew Bird, who now lives on the West Coast, channeled mornings at the Green Mill in Uptown and former WBEZ jazz programs for this album of jazz standards that is, as the title suggests, the ideal soundtrack to a lazy Sunday at home. The album is a pivot, even for the fluent improviser Bird, but he covers his jazz bases with a group of collaborators with serious bona fides: drummer Ted Poor, bassist Alan Hampton, guitarist Jeff Parker and pianist Larry Goldings. — C.W.B.
Steve Dawson, ‘Ghosts’
Pravda, June 7
Tracking Steve Dawson’s career requires always expecting the unexpected. The former frontman of ace roots-rock band Dolly Varden keeps expanding his sound palette. As a result, he has emerged as a first-rate soul singer, a jazz-minded lead guitarist and an uncompromising songwriter who weighs the emotional space between darkness and light. Far from a bedroom solo project, “Ghosts” boasts a full ensemble, featuring many of Chicago’s top players, to create a relaxing backdrop rich with vocal and instrumental harmonies. — M.G.
Lupe Fiasco, ‘Samurai’
1st & 15th and Thirty Tigers, June 28
Lupe Fiasco’s short-and-sweet ninth album is a reminder why the Chicago rapper has reached icon status. Produced by nine-time Grammy winner Rudolph “Soundtrakk” Lopez, “Samurai” glides over its eight songs (led by its title track, with a music video shot in Chicago’s Ping Tom Memorial Park). To quote the album’s third song, there are a lot of good local projects out this year … “but this one takes the cake.” — Morgan Ciocca
theMIND, ‘Dancing While Crying in the Middle of Nowhere’
A Terrible Thing to Waste x Classicks Never Die, Aug. 7
This project is as short as the title is long, but it packs a lasting punch — a testament to theMIND’s versatility. Originally from Philadelphia, the Chicago-based artist (given name Zarif Wilder) has worked across the city’s creative scene, dabbling in everything from music to film to fragrance. Certain tracks like “Point Nemo” recall British musician Sampha, but there’s a throughline distinctly Wilder’s own as he mixes R&B, funk, electronic and indie rock. The project is filled with short, clever songs — “Gina” and “Oh Deer (Damn, Love Really)” stand out as fan favorites with the most streams. The album’s fitting ending is a piano ballad, “Easy to Miss You.” — M.C.
Ravyn Lenae, ‘Bird’s Eye’
Atlantic Recording Corporation, Aug. 9
In August, Chicago-raised, L.A.-based singer Ravyn Lenae released her highly anticipated sophomore album “Bird’s Eye” with an Instagram post, saying the 11-track project “has meant returning to the little girl inside of me.” She went on to reflect on her childhood and Chicago roots for inspiration, even revisiting her grandparents’ South Side house to shoot the album cover. Bird’s Eye only has two guest artists, Childish Gambino and Ty Dolla $ign, though it isn’t lacking. Lenae’s voice alone gracefully guides you along her introspective journey. — Jessica Martens
Marquis Hill, ‘Composers Collective: Beyond the Jukebox’
Black Unlimited Music Group, Aug. 30
You may have caught Chicago trumpeter and composer Marquis Hill commanding the Pritzker Pavilion at Vocalo’s Summer Finale. Less than a month earlier, he released “Composers Collective,” a new project celebrating his friends and colleagues, whom he invited to contribute to the project. Of the album’s 18 tracks, six are Hill’s own compositions. The remaining 12 feature pieces by an ensemble that includes local guitarist Jeff Parker and the rapper Saba, plus members of Hill’s quintet. —J.M.
Shemekia Copeland, ‘Blame It on Eve’
Alligator, Aug. 30
AL 5022 Photo Jeff Bennion Design by Kevin Niemiec
Many years ago, blues queen Koko Taylor publicly designated Shemekia Copeland as her musical successor, and for good reason: She has fire in her voice, and her music always has something to say. This latest album follows an impressive run of records that started during the first Trump presidency and confront the anxiety that prevails to this day. With guest spots by dobro ace Jerry Douglas and legendary Texas songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, the songs on “Blame It on Eve” span the Americana spectrum — gospel, soul, blues, folk and even a French ballad. The album’s centerpiece, however, is Copeland’s unique storytelling. Her vocals have never sounded more urgent, playful or proudly fierce. — M.G.
Michael McDermott, ‘Lighthouse on the Shore’ and ‘East Jesus’
Pauper Sky, Sept. 16
In the early days of his career, Michael McDermott was hailed as a rock ‘n’ roll prodigy who stood firmly in the shoes of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen. His latest double album continues to make good on that promise. Although a slight shift in tone separates the two — “East Jesus” is the rock-oriented epic, while “Lighthouse on the Shore” offers quieter, piano-driven songs — they share common ground in McDermott’s world-bruised lyrics and go-for-broke passion. Combined, the 20 songs range from stadium-sized power pop (“Behind the Eight”), folk rock (“FCO”), psychedelic (“Quicksand”), stately ballads (“Bradbury Daydream”) and others presented in full Technicolor from a mini-orchestra of musicians. —M.G.
Tasha, ‘All This and So Much More’
Bayonet Records, Sept. 20
Tasha Viets-VanLear, who performs as Tasha, was one of the featured vocalists in “Illinoise,” the Tony-nominated musical inspired by Sufjan Stevens’ 2003 album “Illinois.” The production’s influence shows on this project: Big instrumental swells and eclectic mixes (think acoustic guitar, horns, flutes and futuristic loops) are reminiscent of Stevens’ “Illinois”-era sound, especially on Tasha’s lead single, “Michigan.” That’s not to say “All This” doesn’t stand distinctly on its own: The project is tender and vulnerable, finding the musician with an open heart amid expansive ballads and delicate musings on love and sadness, her voice trailing over dramatic electric guitar riffs (“So Much More”) and upbeat piano melodies. —M.C.
Ronnie Baker Brooks, ‘Blues in My DNA’
Alligator, Oct. 11
Blues guitarist Ronnie Baker Brooks admits his greatest inspiration is his father, the late Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks, a beloved figure in Chicago music over decades. As the title suggests, the son isn’t shying away from his pedigree, and the songs show why. “Blues in My DNA” is a high-stakes record with themes spanning everything from racism to struggling to get ahead to missing a parent and running against the clock. But make no mistake — “Blues in My DNA” is not about looking back. This is a proudly modern blues album that has a lot to say about contemporary life, both inside and outside the bedroom. —M.G.
The O’My’s, ‘Trust the Stars’
HiyaSelf Recordings Unlimited, Nov. 8
“Trust the Stars” is angelic. With introspective lyrics exploring love and self-discovery, The O’My’s’ new album showcases the duo’s signature blend of soul, R&B and indie influences, delivering immediate dopamine hits with every track. Though Nick Hennessey and Maceo Vidal-Haymes stand strong on their own, their collaborations truly elevate the project. My favorite track, “Next to Me,” features a fierce verse from Chicago hip-hop duo Mother Nature (“It’s the passion I deliver, when I’m meant for something bigger, I can paint the perfect picture, but there’s always something missing.”). It transforms the seemingly romantic song into an expression of independence. —Nudia Hernandez
The Cubs are acquiring right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Astros for third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and third base prospect Cam Smith, according to multiple reports.
Tucker has been an All-Star each of his last three seasons and collected a Gold Glove in 2022 and a Silver Slugger the next year. He posted a .993 OPS last year, landing him among the Top 10 in the majors.
An impact bat like Tucker’s is exactly what the Cubs were missing from their offense last year, when they finished 12th in run-scoring, dropping from sixth the year before. A May and June team slump ultimately sunk the Cubs’ playoff chances, despite an end-of-season resurgence.
The year before, when the Cubs finished with a plus-65 run differential, outfielder Cody Bellinger’s bounce-back season lifted the offense. But he dealt with a broken finger and broken ribs this past season, both missing time and playing through pain because of the injuries.
Shortstop Dansby Swanson led the team in WAR, according to Fangraphs (4.3), but his defense played a large role in that figure. The same goes for second baseman Nico Hoerner (3.9 WAR), who was next on the list.
“Ultimately, teams win all in all shapes and sizes,” Hoyer said Monday. “And having great defenders all over the field certainly helps. But, yes, you can’t lose sight of offense.”
Tucker, who is projected to make north of $15 million in arbitration this year, is set to hit free agency for the first time after the 2025 season
El mejor lugar para cobertura de noticias y cultura latina en Chicago. | The place for coverage of Latino news and culture in Chicago.
El gobernador JB Pritzker anunció el jueves que IBM se asociará con el estado para crear un nuevo centro nacional de algoritmos cuánticos en Chicago, lo que marca la primera empresa de Fortune 500 en sumarse al Parque Cuántico y Microelectrónica de Illinois, que se construirá próximamente en South Chicago.
Es una gran victoria para Pritzker, que durante años ha buscado convertir a Illinois en un líder mundial en computación cuántica e innovación. El anuncio ocurrió un día después de que el Concejo Municipal diera la aprobación final de zonificación al campus de computación cuántica de miles de millones de dólares.
El recién anunciado Centro Nacional de Algoritmos Cuánticos estará anclado por la computadora cuántica modular de IBM, llamada IBM Quantum System Two, que intentará hacer avanzar la supercomputación cuántica en todas las industrias.
“La lista de instituciones públicas y privadas que buscan un lugar en nuestro ecosistema cuántico crece día a día, e Illinois se está convirtiendo rápidamente en su destino de elección”, dijo Pritzker en una conferencia de prensa en Chicago. “Como recordatorio, estar a la vanguardia de esta industria tiene el potencial de brindar prosperidad económica a largo plazo y de amplio alcance para nuestra gente”.
Más allá de los posibles avances en tecnología cuántica, se espera que el centro estimule el desarrollo económico, atrayendo a científicos de todo el mundo. Pritzker también espera que la decisión de IBM continúe ayudando a impulsar las subvenciones federales de investigación y las inversiones privadas hacia el campus cuántico.
La inversión de IBM comenzará con 50 nuevos empleos permanentes, además de trabajos de construcción para las nuevas instalaciones. El director ejecutivo de IBM, Arvind Krishna, estimó que la inversión inicial de la empresa será “de decenas de millones, tal vez llegue a los cientos [de millones]”.
“Estamos implementando un sistema al que realmente no le asignamos un valor comercial. Se va a invertir una cantidad increíble de investigación y desarrollo y de fabricación inicial”, dijo Krishna. “Lo más importante es la cantidad de personas que vamos a incorporar”.
Krishna dijo que la computación cuántica tiene la capacidad de hacer de todo, desde ayudar a combatir el cambio climático, crear mejores baterías, hacer que los alimentos sean más seguros hasta detener los riesgos financieros.
“Creemos que todos estos son problemas que estarán al alcance de la computación cuántica en esta década”, destacó Krishna.
El nuevo centro de IBM funcionará temporalmente en Hyde Park Labs, un centro comercial de ciencia y tecnología afiliado a la Universidad de Chicago. Una vez que se construya el campus cuántico del estado, el centro se trasladará al Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park de 128 acres.
El proyecto de 440 acres se completará en fases durante los próximos cuatro a seis años.
Pritzker presionó para crear el parque, que estará respaldado financieramente por $500 millones en fondos estatales. El Condado de Cook contribuirá con aproximadamente $175 millones en exenciones impositivas (es decir, no están obligadas a pagar impuestos) a lo largo de 30 años, y la Municipalidad está aportando $5 millones.
PsiQuantum, con sede en California, planea construir la primera computadora cuántica comercialmente útil del mundo en este enorme sitio, que ha tenido dificultades para encontrar desarrollo desde que en 1992 U.S. Steel cerró South Works. Según el constructor Related Midwest, la primera fase del proyecto se centrará en el parque de 128 acres, anclado por PsiQuantum.
Related Midwest también ampliará el acceso a más de 100 acres de áreas verdes en el sitio, y estiman que se crearán más de 20,000 puestos de trabajo a lo largo del desarrollo del parque.
En julio, Pritzker anunció que la agencia de investigación y desarrollo del Departamento de Defensa de Estados Unidos, o DARPA por sus siglas en inglés, se instalará en el campus cuántico del estado para establecer un programa en el que se probarán prototipos de computación cuántica.
Según DARPA, la meta de la “Iniciativa de evaluación comparativa cuántica” o QBI, será evaluar y probar las afirmaciones sobre computación cuántica y “separar las exageraciones de la realidad”.
El campus cuántico contará con una instalación criogénica necesaria para la investigación y el desarrollo de la microelectrónica y las tecnologías cuánticas. Se espera que genere un impacto económico de hasta $60 mil millones, según las estimaciones de la oficina del gobernador. También se espera que cree miles de puestos de trabajo, pero el gobernador lo enmarcó como un proyecto con el potencial de crear “decenas de miles, y quizás más, puestos de trabajo”.
Chicago ya alberga el Chicago Quantum Exchange, lanzado en 2017 con los laboratorios nacionales Argonne y Fermi, que ahora cuenta con uno de los equipos más grandes de investigadores cuánticos del mundo.
Cuando era alcalde, Rahm Emanuel ayudó a impulsar el camino de Chicago hacia el desarrollo cuántico en 2018, al anunciar que la Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign se uniría a los esfuerzos de la Universidad de Chicago en tecnología cuántica con los Laboratorios Nacionales Fermi y Argonne como parte del Chicago Quantum Exchange.
En su rol más reciente como embajador de Estados Unidos en Japón, Emanuel ha ayudado a asegurar acuerdos de investigación multimillonarios entre la Universidad de Tokio y la Universidad de Chicago.
El mejor lugar para cobertura de noticias y cultura latina en Chicago. | The place for coverage of Latino news and culture in Chicago.
El gobernador JB Pritzker dijo el miércoles que estará dispuesto a hablar con el nuevo zar fronterizo del presidente electo Donald Trump para discutir su plan de deportación masiva, pero cuestionó si Tom Homan tiene la “autoridad” legal para realizar la amplia iniciativa de Trump.
Los comentarios del gobernador demócrata en una conferencia de prensa no relacionada con el tema en Chicago se dieron dos días después de que Homan criticara a Pritzker y al alcalde Brandon Johnson en un evento político de recaudación de fondos en el lado noroeste en el que declaró que Chicago sería la zona cero de su plan.
“En algún momento, se convertirá en parte de la administración Trump y, por lo tanto, estoy abierto a dialogar con él”, comentó Pritzker. “Diré que él… no tiene la autoridad para hacer las cosas de las que ha hablado. Ser un zar fronterizo no es un cargo oficial en el gobierno y dependerá del presidente de los Estados Unidos y de los líderes de la Patrulla Fronteriza y de Aduanas tomar decisiones sobre cómo manejaremos la frontera”.
Homan, exdirector interino del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) durante el primer mandato de Trump, amenazó con arrestar a las personas que se encuentren con los delincuentes indocumentados a los que persigue. Y aunque reiteró que no había ningún plan para separar a las familias, dijo que “eso puede suceder”.
En declaraciones hechas el domingo durante el programa “Meet the Press”, Trump dijo que el ICE “comenzará con los criminales”. No está claro si eso significa tratar de atrapar a inmigrantes o criminales indocumentados en prisiones y cárceles, o dentro de las comunidades. Pero la primera administración de Trump tuvo problemas para obtener la cooperación de las autoridades legales en los estados santuario.
Pritzker dijo que cooperará con las autoridades para ayudar a encontrar a los “criminales violentos” que la administración Trump está persiguiendo, pero prometió proteger a los inmigrantes documentados, migrantes e inmigrantes sin estatus legal del estado, que tienen protecciones bajo la ley estatal.
Sin embargo, el gobernador expresó su preocupación por el hecho de que las leyes vigentes, incluida una que convierte a Illinois en un estado santuario, no se cumplirán bajo una segunda administración de Trump.
“Estoy orgulloso de esas leyes en el estado de Illinois. Estoy orgulloso de esas leyes que protegen a las personas indocumentadas aquí que, por cierto, también protegen a los migrantes y a los inmigrantes documentados”, aseguró Pritzker. “Pero tenemos leyes que protegen a los inmigrantes indocumentados y me aseguraré de cumplir la ley. Me preocupa que la administración de Trump y sus lacayos no cumplan la ley, pero yo lo haré”.
Pritzker también dijo que impedirá que se despliegue la Guardia Nacional de Illinois para ayudar con las deportaciones masivas.
“Creo que eso no es estadounidense. Llamar a la Guardia Nacional para que participe en esta tarea es algo que debería hacer la Patrulla Fronteriza y de Aduanas, si quieren participar”, destacó Pritzker. “… Pero los civiles, los militares, los militares a medio tiempo que forman parte de la Guardia Nacional de Illinois no se unieron [al ejército] para poder ir a la guerra en otro estado”.
Los comentarios de Pritzker se dieron cuando firmó una orden ejecutiva que creará un nuevo Director de Soluciones de Vivienda de Illinois para combatir las crisis de vivienda del estado y aumentar la cantidad de viviendas de clase media y opciones de alquiler en todo el estado.
La orden también volverá a lanzar el programa SmartBuy, que ofrece una primera hipoteca a tasa fija a 30 años con $5,000 en pago inicial diferido y asistencia para los costos de cierre. El programa también proporcionará hasta $40,000 en alivio de préstamos estudiantiles a los solicitantes de préstamos que compren una casa en Illinois.
El mejor lugar para cobertura de noticias y cultura latina en Chicago. | The place for coverage of Latino news and culture in Chicago.
Un alto funcionario de las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago (CPS, por sus siglas en inglés) recomienda cerrar sólo dos de los siete campus chárter de Acero programados para cerrar y luego considerar si hacerse cargo de las otras cinco escuelas en dos años, argumentando que eso podría reducir los efectos en las familias y al mismo tiempo borrar el déficit financiero de la organización chárter.
Ese camino fue una de las cinco opciones que los líderes de CPS presentaron a los miembros de la Junta de Educación el jueves sobre cómo abordar los cierres propuestos.
Otras incluían que el distrito escolar se hiciera cargo de las operaciones de las escuelas chárter financiadas con fondos públicos pero administradas de forma privada, permitiendo que todas ellas cierren o proporcionando más fondos para mantener abiertas las siete escuelas durante al menos dos años más.
Muchas reuniones de la junta han estado llenas de padres, estudiantes y personal de Acero denunciando los cierres, que serían los más grandes de Chicago desde que se cerraron 50 escuelas en 2013, y pidiendo al distrito que intervenga.
Los miembros de la junta escolar también han sido muy críticos con Acero, hasta el punto de que la red de escuelas chárter amenazó con emprender acciones legales contra la junta la semana pasada por comentarios “difamatorios” e “imprudentes”.
La junta ha exigido que los líderes de CPS propongan soluciones alternativas a los problemas financieros citados de la red de escuelas chárter Acero.
Pero los cierres de Acero se han convertido en un tema clave en la lucha en curso entre el alcalde Brandon Johnson y el director ejecutivo de CPS, Pedro Martínez.
El mes pasado, la junta seleccionada por Johnson eliminó una presentación de CPS de varias soluciones de la agenda de una reunión, frustrando a los funcionarios del distrito. Esa presentación se realizó en la reunión del jueves.
“Lo que hemos escuchado de las familias es que no deberíamos cerrar los campus”, destacó el alto funcionario de CPS Alfonso Carmona a la Junta de Educación. “Entonces, cuando pienso en [permitir que Acero cierre las siete escuelas], la opción que históricamente hemos elegido en el pasado para las escuelas chárter, esa es una opción que honestamente, en mi opinión, debería eliminarse de la ecuación”.
Pero los déficits financieros proyectados de Acero que se han citado en la decisión de cerrar las escuelas requieren acción, señaló Carmona.
La absorción de las escuelas por parte de CPS podría costar hasta $28 millones, precisó.
Alternativamente, dar a Acero más dinero en efectivo para mantener en funcionamiento las siete requeriría cerca de $3.2 millones. Pero esa sería una solución temporal por solo un año, y crearía un precedente de que CPS intervendría para proporcionar más fondos a los operadores de escuelas chárter que enfrentan dificultades financieras, dijeron los funcionarios.
Por lo tanto, Carmona recomendó el cierre del campus Octavio Paz en La Villita, una escuela primaria de 98 estudiantes, y Cruz, una escuela de kínder a doceavo grado en Rogers Park que tiene 542 alumnos.
Carmona dijo que esas dos escuelas son las principales contribuyentes al déficit financiero proyectado de Acero, que predijo que podría desaparecer por completo si cerraran. Según este plan, CPS proporcionará a Acero poco o nada de dinero adicional para mantener en funcionamiento las otras cinco escuelas durante dos años y luego consideraría hacerse cargo de ellas en 2026.
No está claro si los funcionarios de Acero estarían de acuerdo con alguno de estos planes. CPS y la junta escolar no tienen la autoridad para obligar a Acero a mantener abiertas sus escuelas. Pero los funcionarios del distrito y del operador de la escuela chárter han expresado su voluntad de trabajar juntos para encontrar una solución.
La Junta de Educación no votó sobre ninguno de los cinco caminos a seguir, pero algunos miembros de la junta dijeron que les gustaría avanzar rápidamente.
Three people were arrested after a stabbing in Armour Square near Guaranteed Rate Field Friday morning, according to Chicago police.
A man, 35, was in a “verbal altercation” with three people on a CTA bus in the 200 block of West 35th Street at 10:11 a.m. when one of them slashed him with a “sharp instrument,” police said.
He was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition after officers applied a tourniquet at the scene.
One of the three, who were all arrested, was also taken to a nearby hospital for lacerations to his hand.
The reality of Garrett Crochet – White Sox rotation ace left-hander, pitcher staff leader, Opening Day All-Star starter – being outta here has set in.
Days after Crochet was shipped off to the Red Sox for four prospects on the last day of the winter meetings, the Sox were left with no clear-cut Opening Day starter or set rotation in mind coming off a modern-day record 121-loss season. The trade was about 2026 and beyond, but you have to wonder if the 2025 roster will march to the same beat of the bleak, record-stalking drudgery that unfolded this summer.
In the face of falling attendance and revenues, nobody expects Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to write significant checks for players who could take a significant chunk out of that 2024 loss total. General manager Chris Getz’ initiatives to alter infrastructure, upgrade intel and plug in new staff including first-year manager Will Venable are noble and smart. But who is going to predict anything better than a third straight 100 loss season, especially if 2023 All-Star center fielder Luis Robert follows Crochet out the door?
“Obviously wins and losses matter, and we’ll all be judged on that,” Venable said when asked how success could be quantified in his first season. “Also it’s about our players and did we support them to get better? Did they get better and continue to develop?
“Then did we do the things internally with our infrastructure and our systems and processes to set us up for success in the future, too? There’s a lot of work being done behind the scenes. So I think all those are fair measures of our success.”
The Crochet deal was viewed by Getz and most industry voices as a success, to the extent such trades can be judged when prospects are involved. Talent evaluators are high on left-handed hitting catcher Ryan Teel and see him as a big leaguer in 2025. And right fielder Braden Montgomery likely would have been a top three pick this year had he not broken his ankle in the NCAA super regionals.
“Montgomery is the pivotal guy that will determine the trade’s value,” one evaluator said. “If he becomes an above average right fielder that’s a good player and the trade is fine.”
“As an organization you do the best you can,” another talent evaluator said. “They had to move Crochet. No point in having him.”
Without him, the starting rotation shapes up in December, in no particular order, as perhaps Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin, Drew Thorpe, Sean Burke, Ky Bush, an affordable veteran free agent and who knows who else. Getz mentioned Rule 5 pick Shane Smith from the Brewers organization, the top selection in the draft Wednesday, as well as Jairo Iriarte. Seventeen different pitchers made starts in 2024, and Crochet (32 starts), Chris Flexen (30) and Erick Fedde (21) will all be gone unless Flexen, a free agent, happens to re-sign.
The Sox’ young pitching is viewed as the organization’s strength. But then there’s the offense, which ranked last in almost every significant category this season and will likely have no significant sluggers coming in from outside.
It could be another long year.
“If they move Robert as well, how many games do they win?” one former executive said.
Perhaps Venable and his staff, with 35-year-old Walker McKinven on board from the Brewers as his bench coach, can raise the bar for a winning culture as players develop and while Getz seeks to make more deals to spruce up the farm system and collection of young major league talent.
“We have such a strong process working right now,” Getz said. “There are areas you’re looking and working to improve. It starts with the identification and acquisition process and then you start to work on the development part of all this, which is certainly vital. But I keep pointing back to the infrastructure we’ve been building committed to really strengthening the foundation of this organization. It really gives you confidence that you’re going to get the most out of these players.”
How it translates into actual wins, only time will tell.
This much is certain: It’s going to take some time.
