Latest news with #OfficeofEmergencyManagementandCommunications
Chicago Tribune
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Thousands rally, march through Loop for national ‘Hands Off!' protest
Thousands rallied and marched around downtown Saturday afternoon to take part in a national day of action to say 'hands off' to President Donald Trump's administration. So-called Hands Off! demonstrations were organized for more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states by more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The rallies appeared peaceful, with no immediate reports of arrests. In Chicago, a flood of people swarmed Daley Plaza, with hundreds filling the surrounding streets by noon. The crowd then began an hourlong march making a loop around to State Street and then back to Daley Plaza. People of all ages and backgrounds made up the protest in Chicago. Holding signs and posters seemed more common than not, with many expressing similar sentiments, like 'hands off' immigrants, reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, democracy, lgbtq+ rights and more. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications said it does not provide crowd counts. Anthony and Veena Claypool journeyed downtown with their 9-year-old twin sons from the Belmont Cragin neighborhood for the mass gathering. Both former public school teachers, the Claypools said they wanted to show up to set an example for their sons. 'One part of what we're doing is modeling what it means to stand up for all of our community members and to be upstanders, even though we feel generally protected in Chicago and Illinois, we are standing up for historically marginalized groups all over who don't have all the same privileges and accesses that we do,' Veena Claypool said. Wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf, she said one of her sons had asked her if she should be 'wearing that in the presence of police.' 'That is really concerning to me,' she said. 'My children are growing up in the era of protests, so they do have a fear of police. It doesn't mean we won't continue to exercise our rights and make our voices heard, especially for those who don't have the same luxury.' Anthony Claypool said the government is 'on the precipice of a fascist takeover as billionaires are sitting in every important' Cabinet position. He said immigration enforcement has 'become completely unhinged,' intentional efforts are being made to alienate allies, hate crimes are on the rise and a lack of due process persists. 'Everything that the United States claims to be, they are undermining,' he said. 'I don't think it's ok.' Photographer Bari Baskin and her mother, Sandra Baskin, a real estate agent, said they participated to 'resist the collapse of our democracy' and be a 'part of the power of the people.' Bari Baskin said she marched in Washington, D.C., in 2016 and 'can't believe we have to do this again' but was 'encouraged' by the crowd size. 'Our numbers are bigger than those trying to destroy us,' she said. 'Joy is a form of resistance, and this turnout is giving me a lot of joy.' Asked about the protests, the White House said 'President Trump's position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats' stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.' Erin Sinnaeve and her daughter Megan Sinnaeve traveled over an hour from Aurora to join the protest. Erin Sinnaeve, a veteran who worked as a nurse in the Navy, said she joined the day of action to protect the rights of her daughter and all children and ensure proper access to health care and education, as well as support veteran job security. 'It's better to be out here caring about the community than to be at home watching the news and getting stressed out,' she said. Megan Sinnaeve, a college student, said she wanted to 'be here today for the people that can't be.' 'It's through people and their civic duties that we are going to restore democracy,' she said. 'It's through civic engagement that change is going to happen. Through all these people from different backgrounds and generations, change will come.'
Chicago Tribune
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
NASCAR shaves two weeks off setup, road closures for Chicago Street Race
There's no telling if the cars will set any speed records this summer, but the setup for the Chicago Street Race is projected to go a lot faster. NASCAR and the city announced the traffic plan for the third Chicago Street Race, with buildout and breakdown of the pop-up racecourse in Grant Park reduced to 25 days, shaving nearly two weeks off last year's construction schedule for the July Fourth weekend event. Street closures have been reduced to 18 days, one day less than last year and a 28% improvement from the inaugural event in 2023. The first shutdown is set for June 19, with all streets to be reopened by July 8, according to a news release Monday. 'The city of Chicago has been working with NASCAR in the planning and execution of the 2025 race to further minimize the impact to residents and visitors,' Frank Velez, acting executive director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, said in the release. NASCAR is gearing up for a more streamlined race weekend event July 5-6, with a smaller concert lineup, downsized hospitality buildout, reduced ticket prices and an accelerated setup/breakdown schedule. The Cup Series race is also moving from broadcast to cable TV. The Chicago Street Race will once again feature a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue, which will be closed off and lined with fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. But a relocated concert stage will replace the Skyline, a mammoth temporary structure along Columbus Drive that last year housed the most expensive suites overlooking the start/finish line at Buckingham Fountain. The downsized buildout and consolidation of the premium seating areas enabled the reduced setup and breakdown schedule, minimizing traffic disruption and keeping the park open as long as possible before the event, the city said in the news release. The first street closure is scheduled for June 19 — nine days later than last summer — with Balbo Drive shutting down from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive. In addition to several lane and temporary closures, Ida B. Wells will be the next full street closure from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive beginning June 23. Street closures will pick up speed in and around Grant Park in the week before the event, culminating with the complete shutdowns of DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Randolph Street to McFetridge Drive, and Michigan Avenue from Roosevelt Road to Monroe Street, beginning July 3. Michigan Avenue is expected to be fully reopened by morning on Monday, July 7, along with northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The southbound lanes of DuSable Lake Shore Drive are scheduled to reopen before midnight on July 8. The last trace of the street course is scheduled to be removed by July 14, also days ahead of last year's timetable. A more detailed street closure and traffic plan is available at 'In keeping with our desire to be as responsive as possible to our neighbors, we're proud of the work that we've been able to do with OEMC and the city of Chicago to further reduce the build schedule in 2025,' Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race president, said in a statement. The Chicago Street Race features an Xfinity Series race on Saturday, July 5, and the Grant Park 165 Cup Series race on Sunday, July 6. In 2023, the inaugural Fourth of July weekend event navigated record rainfall that curtailed races, canceled concerts and left remaining fans soaked. Last year, while sunny skies prevailed for the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, the Cup Series race was once again shortened when rain delays forced officials to call the race after 58 laps as darkness fell on the unlit street course. Last year's race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm. The nationally televised Cup Series race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago, according to a companion report. Earlier this month, NASCAR announced this year's somewhat downsized event, which includes the reduced hospitality buildout and only one musical act — southern rockers the Zac Brown Band — who are scheduled to play after the Xfinity Series race. This year, the Grant Park 165 main event on Sunday is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., 2½ hours earlier than last year, in the hopes of finally finishing the race. The Cup Series broadcast is moving from NBC to cable channel TNT. Tickets, which went on sale in January, are also less expensive this year. Single-day general admission passes start at $99 — a third less than last year — while premium grandstand reserved seats are priced at a nearly 50% reduction.
Chicago Tribune
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Mayor Johnson says staff changes were ‘personal decisions' despite housecleaning promise
Mayor Brandon Johnson downplayed the recent departures of some top city officials Tuesday, arguing the exits that came days after he hinted he was rooting out disloyal staff were 'personal decisions' the outgoing employees made themselves, not firings. 'These are very personal decisions that people make,' Johnson said, citing the retirements of CTA President Dorval Carter and Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee. Johnson's defense came a week after he told the crowd at a South Side church event last Monday he wished he 'would have cleaned house faster' while suggesting he would start getting rid of people. 'If you ain't with us, you just gotta go,' he told the church crowd. The departures of four city leaders were announced Thursday. In statements that day, his administration framed the departures of Rhee and Jose Tirado, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, as a 'retirement' and a 'transition,' respectively. Also announced were the departures of Civilian Office of Police Accountability chief administrator Andrea Kersten, who Johnson did not have the power to fire, and the mayor's own chief strategy officer, Joe Calvello, who Johnson hired last March. Asked Tuesday if he would soon fire other employees, Johnson said he does not 'discuss personnel issues' and 'this is not about one individual' before instead highlighting several favorite policies. But despite distancing himself from the staff changes, Johnson maintained he was nonetheless 'elected to disrupt the status quo.' 'The last time we've seen this type of response to a mayor was 40 years ago,' Johnson said, an apparent reference to the broad opposition from white aldermen to Mayor Harold Washington, the city's first Black mayor. 'There are individuals who have been stuck in the past, maintaining the status quo, and there are a number of people who understand what this unique moment in our city's history requires.' Also Tuesday, Johnson said that ahead of his March 5 appearance in Congress at a hearing focused on 'sanctuary city' policies, his team is coordinating with leaders in New York, Boston and Denver, who are also testifying. The mayor said his team is organizing requested records ahead of the hearing called for by House Republican leaders. He plans to highlight the economic benefit of immigration and 'show up for working people,' he added. As the government of President Donald Trump targets the city — including earlier this month with a Department of Justice lawsuit aimed at curbing Chicago's sanctuary policies — it is 'imperative in this moment that we don't flinch or cower to the intimidating tactics that are ultimately trying to get us to disrupt the evolution of our democracy,' Johnson said. 'The people of Chicago will be on center stage. I'm representing the values of Chicago,' he said. 'We're not going to allow someone to put us in a position where we surrender our humanity.' He added that he has no current plans to meet with Trump and said Trump's administration has not shared information regarding the number of deportation arrests made in Chicago in recent weeks. Also Tuesday, Johnson defended his handling of an Inspector General's Office report dinged the mayor for blocking investigators from gaining access to City Hall's 'gift room,' where the administration is supposed to store gifts the mayor receives. In response to the IG's criticism, Johnson released a 20-second video last week showing the contents of the 'gift room.' Asked if it was still an issue that there is no public access to the gift room, the mayor insisted the short, grainy video is sufficient alongside the updated gift log his team put online. 'You do have access to it,' Johnson said. 'There's a public log. We put out a video, we'll do that on a regular basis. It's unprecedented, no other administration has done that.' The mayor also highlighted his priorities in Springfield as Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly craft a budget. He will try to secure more funding for bilingual learning and special education, as well as the city's transit systems, he said. Johnson also promised 'conversations' about the state's now-expired personal property replacement tax.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
String of leadership changes rattles City Hall days after mayor reportedly warned of plans to clean house
CHICAGO — Only days after Mayor Brandon Johnson reportedly warned of plans to clean house, leaders of several Chicago agencies announced they would be stepping down. On Thursday, the mayor's press office announced that Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Jamie Rhee would be retiring in April and Jose Tirado, the Executive Director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), would be 'transitioning out of his position.' They were not the only changes to come Thursday, Andrea Kersten, Chief Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) also announced her resignation. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines The news comes only days after the Chicago-Sun Times reported that Mayor Johnson had warned of plans to clean house during an appearance at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church on Monday night. During his remarks, Johnson had reportedly mentioned that he should have 'cleaned house' faster while discussing what he would now do differently. 'Yeah, I wouldn't have done that. If you ain't with us, you just gotta go. So now I'm in a position now where I'll be making some decisions in the days to come because playing nice with other people who ain't about us, it's just a waste of exercise,' Johnson said during his Monday remarks. 'So there's a whole bunch of people saying, 'Oh, shoot. Who's about to get fired?' Well, you're about to find out, stay tuned.' The announcements regarding Rhee and Tirado came in statements shared by the mayor's press office on Thursday. Rhee, who has led Chicago's airports since 2018 and has served with the city since the Daley years, said she would be retiring from her post effective April 15. It was not immediately clear who would be taking her position. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland 'Throughout her decades-long career, Commissioner Rhee embodied the best of public service, and she has left an indelible mark on our airports and our city,' Mayor Johnson said in the statement. 'Her work has improved the travel experience for hundreds of millions of visitors that will be felt for generations to come. Her unwavering commitment to diverse businesses of all types and sizes has opened countless doors for Chicagoans who have been shut out for far too long. I want to thank Commissioner Rhee for her tremendous service to our city and our people.' In the statement addressing Tirado's transition, Johnson thanked him for his role in hosting the DNC last year. 'On behalf of our city, I want to thank Jose Tirado for his years of dedicated service and commitment to community safety,' Johnson said. 'During his tenure, thanks to his leadership and our collaborative approaches, our city began to see reductions in crime across all categories and we successfully hosted the 2024 Democratic National Convention and several other large-scale events and conventions. I wish him all the best in this next chapter as we look forward to building upon the progress we have made together.' Tirado had served the OEMC for nearly three years after rising through the ranks of the Chicago Police Department. Tirado denied that his transition was related to Johnson's comments on Monday and said in a statement that his departure had been planned since early January. 'My departure from OEMC has been planned since early January and I want to thank Mayor Johnson and his administration, the staff at OEMC, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department for their commitment to our residents and the opportunity to serve alongside them during this summer's Democratic Convention among many other events and missions,' Tirado said. 'I especially want to thank the 911 and 311 operators at OEMC, who are the first line of response to every public safety incident called into the City of Chicago. The importance of the work that they do cannot be highlighted enough.' The mayor's office said Francisco Velez, the Deputy District Chief and Special Events Liaison for the OEMC, will serve as Interim Executive Director. Eileen O'Neill Burke later confirmed that Tirado would soon be leading the Cook County State's Attorney Office's gun crimes investigations unit. 'Jose Tirado is exactly the kind of accomplished and highly dedicated public servant we are recruiting to help rebuild the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. I was overjoyed when he accepted our job offer last month, and appreciated his professionalism in wanting to take appropriate time to transition responsibilities from OEMC. I am looking forward to Jose putting his substantial law enforcement and public safety background to work leading our gun crimes investigations unit, which will be so critical to our efforts to get machineguns, 'switches,' ghost guns, and other dangerous illegal firearms off the street. Jose's years of experience will prove to be an invaluable asset in our efforts to make Cook County safer and stronger,' Burke said. Chicago customs officers seize over 161K counterfeit Forever Stamps coming from China The third big shakeup came when Andrea Kersten, the Chief Administrator of Chicago's Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), announced that she would be stepping down after four years at the helm of the office that investigates alleged police misconduct. 'Over the last four years, it has been a privilege to lead this agency in the service of all Chicagoans and I am incredibly proud of the transformative work that has been accomplished during my tenure,' Kersten said in a statement. While Kersten was appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Johnson won't be the one to appoint the next COPA head. The decision is now in the hands of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, which did not exist at the time Kersten was brought on board. In a statement shared Thursday, Cavello said that he was leaving to work 'at the intersection of professional sports and organized labor.' Working for Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City of Chicago has been an absolute privilege. It has been an honor to go to City Hall every day and fight for Chicago's working class. I am especially proud of the work we did around the Democratic National Convention. When the world's eyes were on Chicago, we showed it to be a world-class city. While it was not easy to make the decision to leave, I am excited to start my next chapter working at the intersection of professional sports and organized labor. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I had to work for the great people of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson. Joseph Cavello WGN-TV has reached out to the mayor's office for comment on the leadership changes and whether they were tied to his Monday comments but has yet to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Three top city officials stepping down after Mayor Brandon Johnson's ominous firings message: ‘If you ain't with us, you just gotta go.'
Three members of Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration announced their exits Thursday, days after the mayor delivered a warning about purging city officials who lacked loyalty to him. Departing his cabinet are Jamie Rhee, Commissioner of the Department of Aviation; and Jose Tirado, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Separately, Joe Calvello, the mayor's chief strategy officer, stepped down this week less than a year after being hired to shore up his administration's then-struggling communications effort and build out the freshman mayor's long-term vision. And Andrea Kersten, head of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, also announced her resignation on the heels of an apparent bid by the Chicago police's civilian oversight committee to oust her. The high-profile exits came the same week Johnson warned of a potential incoming firing spree apparently focused on holdovers from past mayoral administrations, though Calvello's and Kersten's resignations did not appear to be part of any purge given that the former was tapped after Johnson took office, and the latter's position isn't under the mayor's control. At a Monday night 'Faith in Government Tour' panel at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church — which was not included in the mayor's public schedule — Johnson responded to a question by Pastor Stephen J. Thurston II on what he would have done differently in his first two years in office with: 'I would have cleaned house faster.' On Thursday, Rhee and Tirado's departures — which were rumored for weeks — dropped, though they were framed as 'retirement' and a 'transition,' respectively. Johnson in his Monday remarks said he kept on some staffers who did not 'agree with (him) 100%' when he became mayor in an effort to show 'godly presentation' and his ability to work with others. 'If you ain't with us, you just gotta go. So now, I'm in a position now where I'll be making some decisions in the days to come, because playing nice with other people who ain't about us, it's just a waste of exercise,' Johnson said. New mayors have the discretion to fire and hire most officials in their administration as they see fit, but Johnson has struggled with executing high-profile personnel decisions in his first two years as mayor. His team from the start mistrusted staffers they viewed as loyal to his predecessor, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and sought to drive out holdovers despite not always having a replacement plan ready. Johnson's transition team fired the city's deputy mayor of intergovernmental affairs Beth Beatty before he took office in May 2023, only to swiftly rehire her. Later that August, the mayor fired public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady in a manner she told NBC 5 was 'really disturbing,' similar to the quick dismissal in March 2024 of Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Erin Harkey. And the employment status of lame duck Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, whom Johnson opted to keep on until the teachers union contract dragged on too long, has triggered a monthslong political and legal saga that continues today. COPA shakeup Kersten, chief administrator of COPA, announced Thursday her resignation as head of the agency that investigates use of force incidents by Chicago Police Officers. The mayor does not have hiring or firing power over that appointment, the city's police civilian commission does. 'Over the last four years, it has been a privilege to lead this agency in the service of all Chicagoans and I am incredibly proud of the transformative work that has been accomplished during my tenure,' Kersten said in a statement. 'COPA has established itself as a truly independent and transparent voice in Chicago's broader community safety system, which is imperative in building trust in police accountability.' Kersten was appointed to lead COPA in February 2022 after joining the agency the year before and has been a lightning rod for scrutiny for most of her tenure, despite the agency's noted increase in case closures. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling delivered a blistering assessment of the agency's investigative practices during the police board meeting in 2024, and the Fraternal Order of Police has remained a staunch critic, as well. FOP President John Catanzara told the Tribune Thursday that the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability was set to recommend to the City Council that Kersten be fired. 'We had it on very reliable information they voted to make a recommendation for termination,' Catanzara said. Anthony Driver, president of the CCPSA, declined to comment Thursday. Johnson administration exits In a move that appeared to be unrelated to Johnson's forewarned plan to oust holdovers, one of the mayor's handpicked top advisers announced he is leaving the city after less than a year on the team. Calvello, the mayor's chief strategy officer, said Thursday he is leaving his Chicago role to work for Sports Solidarity, an organization advancing organized labor in professional sports. Johnson hired Calvello to the brand new strategy role last March in an apparent effort to shore up his administration's then-struggling communications effort and build out the freshman mayor's long-term vision. Calvello, 32, was tapped after a stint as communications director for U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and before that worked on Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. He said in a statement he was 'especially proud' of his team's work around the Democratic National Convention. 'It has been an honor to go to City Hall every day and fight for Chicago's working class,' Calvello said. Meanwhile, Johnson in a Thursday statement praised Rhee for leaving an 'indelible mark on our airports and our city.' He then thanked Tirado for helping to oversee reductions in crime and a 'successfully hosted' Democratic National Convention. Rhee, a Rahm Emanuel appointee, oversaw O'Hare and Midway airports, key drivers of the city's economy. More recently, she has helped lead an effort to overhaul large parts of O'Hare that has at times pitted Johnson against the Illinois Congressional delegation. Rhee thanked her staff in a statement and said she is 'eternally grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and am extremely proud of the work that's been accomplished.' The seven-year veteran commissioner oversaw Chicago's airports as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, marking some of the most challenging moments in recent memory for air travel. As activity began to rebound from pandemic lows, the recovery at O'Hare, long a linchpin in the nation's air system, remained sluggish, as business travel was slow to return and one of the airport's major airlines began to shift focus elsewhere. By November 2024, the most recent month of data available, the number of travelers at O'Hare for the year was closer to pre-pandemic levels, reaching 95% of 2019 numbers. Passenger traffic at Midway had surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Rhee also oversaw major construction projects at the two airports, including the completion of a redesign of O'Hare's runways to reduce delays at the congested airport nearly 20 years after the project was announced. Another major O'Hare construction project during Rhee's tenure has yet to take off. Work to replace Terminal 2 with a new Global Terminal and add two satellite concourses is set to be the centerpiece of an overhaul of the airport's terminals. Tirado first served as acting OEMC director at the end of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's tenure before Johnson permanently appointed him to the role in December 2023. His office has helped secure federal funding for West Side flooding and planned the city's handling of major events like Lollapalooza and the first two NASCAR street races. The OEMC also receives the city's emergency calls and dispatches police, fire fighters and ambulances, putting it in a key position to oversee Johnson's plans to change the way first responders react to mental health-related calls. A source close to Tirado said he submitted his resignation to the city earlier this year to take a position in the Investigations Bureau of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The recent departures follow the retirement of CTA President Dorval Carter, announced last month. Carter, appointed to lead city's sister agency by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2015, had in recent years faced criticism and mounting pressure to resign, but Johnson had publicly pushed back on his detractors. Leaders first appointed by previous mayors still head the city's Park District, Streets and Sanitation, Fire Department and other key city agencies. But based on the mayor's Monday warning, there could be more heads rolling soon. 'Everybody don't have that Joseph anointing,' Johnson quipped to the audience. 'There's a whole bunch of people who are like, 'Oh, shoot, who's about to get fired?' Well, you're about to find out, stay tuned.'
