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| What Chicago's Talking About |
| Police Misconduct Battle at State Supreme Court Today | For years, Chicago and its cop union have fought over whether disciplinary hearings for officers accused of serious misconduct must remain public. Today, the Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments. Currently, over two dozen officers are in limbo with pending charges. [Sun-Times] | | Mayor Proposes Data Center Moratorium | Mayor Brandon Johnson officially proposed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction in Chicago, citing environmental concerns. It’s now up to City Council to vote on the ordinance. [Tribune 🔒] | | | Dangerous Month For Cyclists | Juan Martin Márquez Luna, 54, was fatally struck by a car while e-biking in Garfield Ridge. This is the second incident at the same intersection — a pedestrian was struck and killed there last year, sparking calls for safety improvements. In the past two weeks, two other Chicago cyclists were struck and are in critical condition. [Block Club] | | Billionaire-Funded Anti-CTU Group at Back-to-School Event | Common Ground Collective, an anti-Chicago Teachers Union group backed by billionaire Michael Sacks, paid for the DJ at a back-to-school fair at an elementary school in Edgewater. Members also handed out fliers linking to school board endorsements. Parents are pushing back, as campaigning is prohibited on Chicago Public Schools grounds, but the collective maintains it did not break any rules. [WBEZ] | | Art Institute Returns Nazi-Looted Painting | The Art Institute of Chicago is returning a 113-year-old painting to the family of its original owner after an investigation revealed it was stolen and resold during Nazi occupation. On today’s podcast, we talk about how Chicago’s world-class museums manage repatriation. Plus, a new report says younger Chicago Latinos are speaking less Spanish at home. [City Cast Chicago 🎧] | | |
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| | | This fall, Chicago’s architecture takes center stage as Open House Chicago®️ returns October 17-18, 2026. | Explore more than 200 sites across 30+ neighborhoods, including iconic landmarks, hidden gems and buildings rarely open to the public — all free to explore. | Whether you’re a longtime architecture fan or simply curious about your city, OHC is your chance to step inside, discover something new and see Chicago from a different perspective. | Join us October 17-18 and discover what makes Chicago’s neighborhoods unique. | Learn more at openhousechicago.org |
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| |  | Bachelors Barney and Shango at Brookfield Zoo (Emmi Mack / City Cast Chicago) |
| OK, gorillas may not be native to Chicago, but we can still celebrate World Gorilla Day. Both of our local zoos have state-of-the-art habitats for the great apes. I visit Lincoln Park Zoo often and, last summer, toured Brookfield Zoo’s new $66 million gorilla home. | | I know, watching gorillas at the zoo can be depressing — they’re so like us. But that’s also what makes it fascinating. Spend even a little time, and you’ll observe the sheer character of these wild animals. | | At Brookfield, I saw bachelor roommates spar like they were on a sitcom. (Did you know bachelor groups are common for male gorillas?) Binti Jua, now 38, is also still at Brookfield. Back in 1996, she famously rescued a three-year-old from her enclosure. | | At Lincoln Park, I always watch Kwan. (As a kid, my aunt Ellen gifted me a Kwan “adoption” — I thought he was really mine.) Kwan was once a movie star, stealing scenes in “Return to Me,” my favorite Chicago rom-com. Today, he’s a 37-year-old stay-at-home dad. | | Of course, long before them all, there was Bushman, the first gorilla to live in Chicago. Bushman had no fancy habitat. He flung fruit and feces from a cage. At least conditions have improved. | | If you’re interested in gorilla conservation: | | | | |
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| | | Suicide touches far too many lives. In Illinois, it's the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 15-34, and 4th for ages 35-54. But there is HOPE, and together, we can save lives. | Join us at the Out of the Darkness Chicagoland Walk on October 3 at Montrose Harbor. Walk in honor of someone loved, in memory of someone lost, or in support of your own mental health. | Learn more, register, or donate at afsp.org/Chicago. |
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