CHICAGO'S TONIGHT.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

RECORD BREAKING HEAT HITS THE CHICAGO REGION.

A LOOK AT WHEN WE MAY GET SOME RELIEF.

A LONG TIME LANDMARK STARTS COMING DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR CHICAGO'S PERMANENT CASINO.

OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THAT AND MORE.

AND CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM.

THE HEAD OF THE TEACHERS UNION ON THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

AND NOW TO SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

A FAMILIAR SIGHT ON THE CHICAGO RIVER WILL SOON BE A MEMORY AS THE FUTURE BALLY'S RIVERFRONT CASINO GETS CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION DURING A DEMOLITION EVENT.

TODAY THE CHAIRMAN OF BALLY'S SAYS THE FORMER CHICAGO TRIBUNE FREEDOM CENTER WILL BE THE PERFECT LOCATION FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT RESORT.

THAT THIS WONDERFUL LOCATION.

THESE 30 ACRES ARE WONDERFUL LOCATION FOR A CASINO BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR LOGISTICS.

ACTUALLY, IF YOU THINK ABOUT 3 QUARTERS OF A MILLION PAPERS, WE'RE BEING PUMPED OUT OF YEAR AND SPREAD OUT ALL ACROSS CHICAGO TWICE A DAY AND LITTLE TRUCKS, BIG TRUCKS.

AND SO IT'S REALLY MEANT FOR ALL OF THAT LOGISTICS.

THERE WILL BE NO EXPLOSIVES OR WRECKING USED TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING.

INSTEAD AN EXCAVATOR GOT THE JOB STARTED TODAY.

OFFICIALS ALSO HELD A CEREMONIAL EXCAVATION WITH GOLDEN HAMMERS AND BRICKS.

BALLY'S OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE ALREADY HOSTING 100,000 TOURISTS A MONTH AT ITS TEMPORARY LOCATION AT MEDINAH TEMPLE.

THE FUTURE RESORT PROMISES A 500 ROOM HOTEL TOWER, A 3,000 SEAT THEATER, 6 RESTAURANTS, A 2 ACRE PUBLIC PARK.

AND OF COURSE, GAMBLING WITH 3300 SLOTS.

173 TABLE GAMES AND VIP GAMING.

THE PERMANENT CASINO IS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL IN FALL 2026.

I HOPE YOU'RE ABLE TO STAY INSIDE TODAY.

HAS AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 TONIGHT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECORDED OR REPORTED TEMPS REACHED 98 DEGREES AT O'HARE.

BREAKING THE RECORD FOR THE DAY.

BACK IN 1973.

AND WITH A HEAT INDEX AT 114 DEGREES AND AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN PLACE THROUGH MIDNIGHT DUE TO ELEVATED OZONE LEVELS BEING UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS TO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS KEEP COOL NEIGHBORS AT SAINT SABINA PASSED OUT MORE THAN 4400 BOTTLES OF COLD WATER AND REMINDED FOLKS TO STAY HYDRATED.

THEY'RE ALSO REMINDING THEM TO CHECK ON THEIR ELDERS.

A BIT OF RELIEF IS ON THE HORIZON, THOUGH.

THE HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80'S FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

ALL SAY THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE SUMMER.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE.

FOR SOME PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAND FOR HOUR.

WE GOT A MORE THAN THAT.

WE CAN GET FREE WATER.

COMING UP IN AIR ABOUT THEM AND TELL HYDRATED.

THAT'S ABOUT WE GET AND FOR TO LOWE'S PICKED THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR SO FAR TO ANNOUNCED IT'S ADDING A TASTE OF FALL TO ITS MENU.

THE RESTAURANT CHAIN SAYS IT'S LAUNCHING A NEW CAKE FLAVOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS.

SALTED CARAMEL SPICE IS AVAILABLE ON MENUS NOW AND WILL ONLY BE AROUND FOR A LIMITED TIME.

AND YES, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE WONDERING THE CAKE CAN BE MADE INTO A SHAKE.

SOUNDS DELICIOUS.

UP NEXT, A LOOK AT HOW THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL IS GOING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION RIGHT AFTER THIS.

IN CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART WHY THE ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS FAMILY.

THE GYM AND K MAYBE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION.

AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

FIRST DAY OF CLASSES IS IN THE BOOKS FOR CHICAGO.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THOUGH, GETTING THERE HAS BEEN SHORT OF AN EASY A CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION IS STILL IN THE MIDST OF PUBLIC CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND THEY SAY CPS LEADERS AREN'T DOING ENOUGH ABOUT THE LACK OF ACADEMIC RESOURCES.

THIS COMES AMID CONCERN OVER DISTRICT FUNDING.

JOINING US NOW IS STACEY DAVIS, GATES, PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION.

STACY, WELCOME BACK.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

YOU AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

OF COURSE.

SO HOW ARE TEACHERS FEELING ABOUT THE START OF SCHOOL YEAR?

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS ALWAYS THE MOST EXCITING DAY.

THE SCHOOL YEAR AND ONLY RIVALS THE LAST DAY, OF COURSE, BUT IT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS HOPE AND JOY AND THE OPPORTUNITY OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

AND SO YESTERDAY I WAS THAT SCHOOL AND THEY HAD A SOUL TRAIN LINE THAT TOOK THE KIDS INSIDE WITH CHEERLEADERS.

I'M MEG GRANDMOTHERS GREAT GRANDMOTHERS AND PARENTS THERE.

IT WAS JOYFUL.

LEAVE IT TO A CLASSICAL SCHOOL TO GO TO THE CLASSIC LIKE A SOUL TRAIN LINE.

SO JUST YESTERDAY, CEO PEDRO MARTINEZ TOLD US THAT THE DISTRICT IS SEEING SOME OF THE LOWEST RATES AMONG BILINGUAL SPECIAL NEEDS.

A BILINGUAL AND SPECIAL NEEDS.

EDUCATORS IS YOUR MEMBERSHIP REFLECTING THIS.

WHAT PEDRO FAILS TO TALK ABOUT IS BELOW THE STANDARD THE DISTRICT WAS TO BEGIN WITH.

SO AS HE TOUTS THE PROGRESS IN STAFFING, READY FOR GETS TO TALK ABOUT, IT'S HOW THE 2019 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT PROVIDED ACTUAL STAFFING THAT HE PARADES AROUND AND SAYS WE'VE ACHIEVED.

YES, WE TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP, WE'VE ACHIEVED.

SO WHY WOULD YOU LAY THOSE PEOPLE OFF?

ONLY HALF OF THE TEACHER ASSISTANCE THAT WERE LAID OFF BACK IN JUNE ARE BACK IN THE SO YOU NEED PEOPLE DOING THE WORK IN ORDER TO ENGAGE WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET THE RESULT THAT HELPED THE DISTRICT MOVE FORWARD.

YOU WROTE IN CHICAGO TRIBUNE OP-ED YESTERDAY THAT THERE ARE MANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN YOU AND PEDRO MARTINEZ, YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR EXPERIENCE BEING THAT, YOU KNOW, HE HAS THUS FAR BEEN ALLOWED TO REMAIN ON THE JOB BY NEAR BRANDON JOHNSON, WHO IS ALSO A FORMER CTU MEMBER.

ONE WOULD THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE ACCORD BETWEEN THE 3 OF YOU.

BUT WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT CT AT CPS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT SEEING?

THAT'S GREAT QUESTION.

ACTUALLY.

VERY RARELY DO PEOPLE ASK THAT QUESTION?

WHAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP WITH THE LEADERSHIP HAS TO BE VISIONARY AND TRANSFORMATIVE.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, PERFORMED AT A LEVEL OF GOOD ENOUGH FOR GENERATIONS.

BLACK CHILDREN SUFFERED IN WILLIS WAGONS.

THEN THEY HAVE 50 SCHOOLS CLOSED THEM RIGHT NOW ARE BILINGUAL SUPPORTS IN THE CITY.

DON'T MATCH THE NEED.

WE HAVE 20,000 AND HOUSE CHILDREN IN THIS CITY FAMILIES RATE.

SO IT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VISIONARY AND TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP.

PEDRO IS ACTUALLY MISSING HIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE LEGENDARY.

WE HAVE A MAYOR OF CHICAGO WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER WHO TALKS ABOUT HIS FAMILIES, MIGRATION TO CHICAGO FROM MISSISSIPPI PAINESVILLE TALKS ABOUT HIS FAMILY'S JOURNEY FROM MEXICO TO CHICAGO.

SO YOU HAVE THESE 2 MEN WHO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GIVE STUCK HOGG A STUDENT WITH A DESIRE SEE WITH THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION DID THIS TIME IS THAT WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO ALREADY MEET LEADERSHIP HALFWAY.

WE TOOK THE MAYOR'S TRANSITION REPORT.

OUR PROPOSALS REFLECT THE VALUES AND THE IDEAS EMBODIED IN THAT.

AND NUMBER 2, PEDRO SAID THAT HE WANTED TO BE A PARTNER AND OUR FRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF IMMIGRANT FAMILIES THAT COME HERE FOR THE PROMISE OF AMERICA AND OPPORTUNITY.

SO WHAT WE NEED IS THAT LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP FROM THE CEO TO ACTUALLY BE LEGENDARY.

IT'S ONLY OCCURRED TO ME JUST NOW TALKING YOU, STACEY CAUSE, YOU AND I TALKED A LOT.

YEAH.

CONSIDERING YOUR ALIGNMENT WITH MAYOR BRANDON JOHNS.

WHY IS THIS JOB NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER?

I KNOW YOU LOVE CTU.

DO LOVE THAT?

I KNOW YOU LOVE THE STUDENTS THANK THE JOB TO NOT OPEN.

CEO MARTINEZ'S AND JOB THAT HE IS CURRENTLY LOBBYING FOR.

HE'S WASTING TIME DOING THE PR THING LAST NIGHT.

KNEW THIS SHOW.

HE SAID HE WANTS EVERYTHING WE WANT.

HE SAYS HE WANTS A BETTER SCHOOL DAY WANTS ART MUSIC, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, WORLD LANGUAGE.

SO JOIN US AT THE TABLE AND SAY YES TO THOSE THINGS YOU CAN PROVIDE.

LIP SERVICE TO A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GIVE CHICAGO STUDENTS WHAT THEY DESERVE.

SO WE KNOW THAT, OF THE DISTRICT AND C 2, YOU ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BARGAINING, RIGHT?

THIS IS A PUBLIC PROCESS THIS TIME FOR THE I THINK WHAT A LOT OF PARENTS WANT TO KNOW, THOUGH, IS WILL THERE BE ANOTHER STRIKE?

AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE FAR FAR AWAY FROM THAT AT THIS POINT.

BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT STILL CARRY THAT FEAR?

BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THERE CAN BE A STRIKE IF IT COMES TO IT.

LISTEN, I'M SO DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT CELEBRATING THE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW AS A PART OF THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

AHEAD, EVERY I HAD EVERY.

THAT WE WOULD BE IN A PLACE RIGHT NOW TO WE'RE AT THE FINISH LINE OR WERE NEARING THE FINISH LINE.

TYPICALLY WE ARE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WEST TIME WHERE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND FIGHTING LIKE YOU SAID FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'VE HAD OPEN BARGAINING WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND WAIT, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE GREEN BAY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE'VE HAD OPEN BARGAINING ABOUT WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR OUR DISTRICT TO JP MORGAN CHASE AND GET BACK SOME PROCEEDS FROM PAYDAY LOANS EFFECTIVELY THAT THEY DID WITH THE DISTRICT DURING THE MANUAL YEARS.

I'M SAYING THAT WITH MAYOR BRANDON JACKSON, WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR WORK TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO TO THE FAMILIES THAT DEPEND ON THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE'RE IN IT TO TRANSFORM IT RIGHT NOW.

YOU HAVE 80% OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE LIBRARIES OR LIBRARIANS.

YOU HAVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS.

WHAT IS IT?

30 1% OF THEM THAT ARE NOT GETTING TRANSPORTATION TO SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.

WE CAN'T KEEP TOLERATING GOOD ENOUGH.

PEDRO HAS AN OPPORTUNITY YOU GOTTA MAYOR WHO SAYING, YES, LET'S ENVISION THIS.

YOU HAVE A UNION WHO'S READY TO DO WHATEVER TO MAKE IT WORK.

WHAT'S THE HOLDUP?

SO YOU BUT YOU CALLING HIM TO COME UP WITH WITH CREATIVE FUNDING SOLUTIONS.

AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, SORT OF LAWSUIT AGAINST JP MORGAN CHASE, EXAMPLE, WHAT ARE OTHER CREATIVE FUNDING SOLUTIONS THAT YOU THINK?

ARE BEING USED.

I DON'T I DON'T HAVE TO BE CREATIVE, RIGHT?

ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED.

YOU HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES, TEACHER GOVERNOR TIM WAS WHO IS THE NOMINEE FOR THE DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW FOR VICE PRESIDENT.

HE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GIVE MORE AS GOVERNOR OF MINNESOTA TO SCHOOLS.

SAME THING IN CALIFORNIA WITH GOVERNOR NEWSOM.

SAME THING IN MICHIGAN WITH GOVERNOR WHITMER.

THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE PANDEMIC WERE EXPIRING AND THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAINTAIN THE PROGRESS THAT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE MADE IN THOSE STATES AS WELL.

SO R GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN OUR GOVERNOR WILL HAVE TO STEP UP BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CLIFF.

THAT THE PARTICULAR CHICAGO AND FACT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL ACROSS THIS STATE AND COUNTRY FOR THAT MATTER ARE FACING SIR CLIFF.

IT IS THE COURAGE OF GOVERNORS IN OTHER STATES TO WORK WITH PARTNERS AT THE UNION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AS WE MENTIONED, CEO PEDRO MARTINEZ JOINED US YESTERDAY.

HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS AN AGREEMENT THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE RESOURCES PUT TOWARDS SCHOOLS, HE SHARED THAT THERE ARE STILL IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE.

NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, THE AMOUNT RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE A MEAN AND GET IT.

TAKE MY WORD FOR I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME TO OUR SCHOOLS, COME VISIT OUR CLASSES.

NOW THE BUILDINGS WILL THERE'S A LOT OF ON THE FACILITY SITE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RICH PROGRAMMING, THE ELECTIVES THAT WE HAVE NOW, THE FACT THAT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS NOW OFFER COLLEGE CREDIT, I HAD 6,000 SENIORS LAST YEAR THAT CUT IN COLLEGE CLASSES WHERE THEY WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

HE SAID THE SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS AND IT SAID NOT WITH THE YOUNG BY THE WEEKEND DOESN'T NEED TO BECAUSE I HAVE AN AMAZING SET UP ALREADY.

THESE ARE SMALLER HIGH SCHOOLS.

SO OF COURSE, THE CEO THERE IS POINTING TOWARD SOME OF THE SUCCESSES, RIGHT?

WHAT WHAT STUDENTS ARE GETTING WITHIN CPS, SCHOOLS SAID ENOUGH.

NO, IT'S THE VARIABILITY THAT'S KILLING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT'S THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DIE.

WE CAN CELEBRATE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BY IMUS.

WHAT IS THE BASELINE IS THE PORT THAT EVERY SCHOOL IN DISTRICT, WHAT CAN FAMILIES EXPECT WHEN THEY WALK AND CAN THEY EXPECT PE TEACHER?

CAN THEY EXPECT A FINE ARTS PROGRAM?

CAN THEY EXPECT SPORTS FOR EVERY SEASON?

THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS IT'S THE FLIP OF THE COIN.

IT'S THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PRINCIPAL.

IT'S THE WILL OF THE ELYSEE, ITS EVERYTHING.

BUT THE STANDARD THAT WE HAVE TO START PUTTING IN, THAT'S WHAT OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROPOSALS REPRESENT.

SO WHEN PEOPLE LAMP HOME, THE QUOTE, COST OF THEM, IT IS THE COST OF DOING SCHOOL IN CHICAGO.

RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE ONLY DOING THE COST TO SECURE PART MEAN WE'RE ONLY DOING THE COST OF SCHOOL IN CHICAGO.

A GOOD ENOUGH AND GOOD ENOUGH IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE.

ALL RIGHT.

10 SECONDS LEFT STACY DAVIS, GATES PREPARING FOR THE FIRST ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD.

THE DISTRICT'S HISTORY COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HOW IS CTU SUPPORTING CANDIDATES?

LOOK RIGHT NOW I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE INDOORS LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE LOCAL LIST OF THE LOCAL ACTIONS THAT WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE IN A TIME PERIOD WHERE RED STATES ARE MARGINALIZING THE RIGHTS VOTING RIGHTS OF PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE, BROWN PEOPLE WHO NEED THE CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO WORK FOR THEM NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN SOME AGENCY TO MAKE THOSE SELECTIONS.

THAT'S A GREAT THING.

SURE.

WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT AS WE GET CLOSER TO NOVEMBER 5TH AS WELL.

STACY DAVIS GATES, A CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

UP NEXT, WORK BEGINS ON A PERMANENT CHICAGO CASINO.

OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON THAT AND MUCH MORE RIGHT AFTER THIS.

DEMOLITION BEGAN TODAY ON THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE'S FORMER PRINTING PLANT TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CITY'S FIRST PERMANENT CASINO AND IN-STATE ELECTION NEWS.

THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT SIDED WITH REPUBLICANS TOSSING OUT A LOT.

HE SLEEP ASKED BY DEMOCRATS THAT COULD HAVE IMPACTED THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AND IN FEDERAL COURT ATTORNEYS FOR MICHAEL MADIGAN ASKED A JUDGE TO THROW OUT CERTAIN EVIDENCE AGAINST THE FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER.

HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE IS OUR SPOTLIGHT.

POLITICS TEAM AMANDA, VICKI HATTER, SHARON LYNN BURG.

WELCOME BACK, GANG.

I THINK WE'VE ALL RECOVERED FROM LAST.

KNOW WORKING ON AND WILL GET WHAT YOU WILL GET.

THAT WILL BREAK.

AND WHEN WE TELL PEOPLE SO LOCAL LANDMARK MCCAIN BEGAN COMING DOWN TODAY.

AS WE MENTIONED, POLITICIANS, COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES, CASINO EXECUTIVES ALL ON HAND TO DO THE HONORS.

THEY WERE HELPING TO DEMOLISH WHAT WAS ONCE THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PRINTING FACILITY ARE AT THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE PRINTING FACILITY.

IN ITS PLACE IS GOING TO BE CITY'S FIRST CASINO.

A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY'S TOURISM AGENCY SAID, QUOTE, THIS ISN'T A DEMOLITION DAY.

IT'S A CELEBRATION DAY.

HEATHER, THIS IS FINALLY HAPPENING NEARLY 2 YEARS AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THAT WHAT IT TAKES A WELL, THERE WERE BIG PROBLEMS WITH THE INITIAL PLAN APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ALL THE WAY BACK IN 2022.

ORIGINALLY THE 35 STOREY HOTEL WAS SUPPOSED TO GO IN A LOCATION ON THE SITE THAT WOULD HAVE TO STRAIGHT CRITICAL WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO IT HAD TO BE MOVED.

BALLY'S ALSO HAD TROUBLE SORT OF FIGURING OUT THE FINANCES FOR THIS.

THIS IS NOT A SMALL UNDERTAKING AND THE CITY IS NOW HOPEFUL THAT NOW A PERMANENT CASINO IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND THAT IT WILL GENERATE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 200 BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS EARMARKED BY STATE LAW TO FUND CHICAGO'S WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED POLICE AND FIRE PENSIONS WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL GIVE THE CITY A BIT BREATHING ROOM, BUDGET WISE.

AND THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONCERN EVEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

IF THIS THIS PERMANENT CASINO WAS GOING TO COME TOGETHER.

27TH WARD ALDERMAN WALTER BURNETT REMINDED ATTENDEES THAT HE GREW UP 3 BLOCKS AWAY IN WHAT WAS THEN THE CABRINI GREEN HOUSING PROJECT.

THIS IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

THESE ARE MY PEOPLE IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO IS ONLY INCUMBENT UPON ME TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD DO WELL AND PEOPLE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD BENEFIT ON A PROSPERITY THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO BENEFIT FROM.

WHAT DOES UNION WORKERS WEATHER SINCE THAT WORKERS, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, THIS IS PERSONAL FOR ME.

HEATHER ALDERMAN BURNETT SAID THAT HE STILL HAS SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CASINO WHAT ARE THEY?

WELL, NOW HE'S MADE A LOT OF PROMISES TO CITY OFFICIALS THAT THEY WOULD HIRE CHICAGOANS TO DO THIS WORK.

AND WALTER BURNETT IS NOT THE KIND OF ALL PERSON WHO WILL LET COMPANIES SORT GONE.

THAT SORT OF PROMISE.

AND THIS IS NOT ONLY SUPPOSED TO HELP THE CITY'S BUDGET IS SUPPOSED TO HELP THE CITY'S ECONOMY, RIGHT, LIKE MAYBE A MINI DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION EVERY LONG WEEKEND.

THE CITY WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THAT.

I'M BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY THAT CHICAGOANS WORK.

THESE CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND WORK THESE CASINO AND HOTEL JOBS, WHETHER THAT WILL HAPPEN IS VERY MUCH UP IN THE AIR.

AND TODAY WE HEARD A WARNING FROM ALDERMAN BURNETT WHO SAID IT BETTER HAPPEN UNLESS YOU WANT TO RUN INTO SOME MORE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME IS WHAT WE WERE JUST THINKING.

AMANDA NICK IN 2023, THE TEMPORARY CASINO IN THE MEDINA TEMPLE NEAR MICHIGAN AVENUE BROUGHT IN ONLY A QUARTER OF WHAT WAS PROJECTED THOSE REVENUE SHORTFALLS HAD SOME SPECULATING ARE SOME FOLKS WERE SPECULATING THAT BALLY'S MIGHT NOT ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE PERMANENT CASINO.

BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE TODAY.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS DEMOLITION SIGNALS THAT THE RIVERFRONT CASINO IS DEFINITELY AGO?

I MEAN, CERTAINLY BALLY'S IS PROJECTING A LOT OF CONFIDENCE, BUT NONE OF US HAS A CRYSTAL BALL HERE.

IT IS OBVIOUSLY CHEAPER TO KNOCK DOWN A BUILDING, THEN TO BUILD ONE.

AND I THINK ANYBODY WHO SAW THE GIANT HOLE IN THE GROUND FROM WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE CHICAGO SPIRE THAT SAT EMPTY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS KNOWS THESE PLANS AND ALWAYS COME TO FRUITION.

BUT AS FOR WHAT WE HEARD TODAY, A LOT OF CONFIDENCE FROM COMPANY OFFICIALS WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

MAYBE THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT'S LIKE GOTTA ONLINE BETTING.

WHAT ARE TOP PEOPLE ON OK?

SO DESPITE THE RECORD BREAKING HEAT SCHOOL WENT ON AS SCHEDULED STARTING YESTERDAY WITH A CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HEARS CPS CEO PEDRO MARTINEZ WAS ON CHICAGO TONIGHT WITH AND ASSURING US THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

SO LET'S WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT INTERVIEW FIRST OFF, ALTHOUGH THEY WELCOME TO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS TOGETHER YESTERDAY PEDRO MARTINEZ SAYS THAT HE HAS NOT MET PRIVATELY WITH MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON IN THAT THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE SCHEDULE, THOUGH.

HE SAYS THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH.

AMANDA, WAS THAT SURPRISING GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE HEADLINES THAT MIGHT BE REPLACED?

IT IS CERTAINLY THINK FIRST OF ALL, HE SAID THE COMMUTE REGULARLY, BUT ONLY EVERY FEW COUPLE WEEKS WHICH CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE OF CPS AND THAT MAYOR JOHNSON IS A FORMER TEACHER IN CTU MEMBER.

THAT'S NOT ALL THAT OFF.

AND FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS SURPRISING IT PER SE.

AFTER STORIES CAME OUT THAT JOHNSON ONCE MARTINEZ OUT BECAUSE IF YOU'RE MARTINEZ, MAY BE A KIND OF JUST TRY AND STAY AWAY FROM HAVING THAT CONVERSATION.

KEEP HER JOB AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

AND IN AND WORK IT GO ON PROGRAMS LIKE OURS AND TRY AND MAKE THE CASE PUBLICLY TO THE MAYOR ABOUT WHY YOU SHOULD MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION.

LIKEWISE, IF JOHNSON DOESN'T HAVE THAT ABILITY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST UNILATERALLY LET MARTINEZ GO AT THIS POINT, IT HAS TO BE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD WHO VOTED WITH MARTINEZ REALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET OVER THE PREFERRED PATH THAT JOHNSON HAD ONE TO TAKE.

YOU DON'T MAYBE WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WHEN YOUR DUCKS AREN'T IN A SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON THERE.

BUT MARTINEZ WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE US A DATE FOR WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A FORMAL DISCUSSION.

IT I WILL SAY IT DIDN'T LOOK AWKWARD ON THE VIDEO YESTERDAY.

THEIR KIDS ARE PARENTS FROM THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR ANY SORT OF DEEP TALK, THEY REALLY TALK TOO CLOSE TOGETHER.

THEY JUST SORT MOVED IN THE SAME CIRCLES WITH MARTINEZ FOLLOWING AND TO BE CLEAR, THAT PREFERRED PATHWAY THAT JOHNSON WANTED WAS TO BORROW ANOTHER SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.

AND PEDRO MARTINEZ SAYING I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY THE WAY TO GO CONCERN ALREADY ALREADY FACING 500 AND SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT FUNDING CLIFF THAT WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT, NICK, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE DISTRICT IS FACING, THOUGH, FINDING ENOUGH BUS DRIVERS, HOW CBS DO WITH PEDRO MARTINEZ SAYS THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF HIS NEARLY THREE-YEAR TENURE, BUT HE SAID THEY'RE UP ABOUT 200 DRIVERS FROM WHAT THEY HAD LAST YEAR.

SO CERTAINLY MORE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN NEED.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE LAST WEEK.

THE NUMBERS WE GOT WERE ABOUT 15,000 STUDENTS, ABOUT 10,000 OF WHOM ARE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

AND YOU KNOW THAT NEARLY 2000 OF THEM WERE LEFT WITHOUT AN OPTION.

ALTHOUGH CEO MARTINEZ SAID HE THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING THAT NUMBER DOWN CLOSER TO ABOUT 1100 AND THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE THIS TAKEN CARE OF WITHIN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS.

THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME POINT DURING THIS FIRST SEMESTER TO CREATE A HUB MODEL.

THESE ARE FOR, YOU KNOW, JANET STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO A SELECTIVE ENROLLMENT SCHOOL FAR AWAY FROM WHERE THEY LIVE.

THE IDEA BEING THAT THEY MIGHT GO TO A SCHOOL THAT'S CLOSER TO THEIR HOME AND BE ABLE TO GET PICKED UP THERE.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF OPTIONS.

SHOVELING AROUND START TIMES IN CLOSING TIMES FOR SCHOOLS TO TRY AND MAKE THIS WORK.

BUT IT IS STILL A HUGE ISSUE FOR THE DISTRICT.

SO BEFORE RUN OUT OF TIME, ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT SIDING WITH REPUBLICANS OVER THIS CONTROVERSIAL LAW THAT DEMOCRATS PASSED THAT WOULD BAN THIS LEADING CANDIDATES.

AMANDA, REMIND US WHAT THIS BILL WAS ABOUT.

SO HES GOING NOVEMBER.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS PRACTICE THAT ISN'T USED ALL THAT OFTEN BUT ALLOWS BASICALLY PARTY INSIDERS TO HAVE SOMEBODY RUN IN A GENERAL ELECTION, EVEN IF NOBODY FROM THE PARTY RAN IN THE PRIMARY AND DEMOCRATS PASSED THIS TO TAKE PLACE DURING THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE FOR THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE PUSHBACK CAME FROM.

REPUBLICANS WHO YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME MIDWAY THROUGH.

WE HAD AGREEMENT FROM A LOWER COURT PREVIOUSLY.

NOW THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT ALLOWING THAT TO SLIDE.

ALSO THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

SO WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HANDFUL OF REPUBLICANS AND REALLY ONE PARTICULAR RACE, IT PEOPLE SORT OF CALL THIS LAW BY THE NAME OF THE DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THE INCUMBENT IS GOING TO HAVE PERHAPS A HARD TIME WITH REPUBLICAN COMPETITOR THAT THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT, NOT LESS.

WE'VE SEEN OF IT, BY THE WAY, THEY'LL RUN THIS ELECTION.

BUT THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS FOR THE FUTURE, OK, GOOD TO WE DIDN'T GET TO TALK ABOUT MIKE MADIGAN, BUT I'M SURE THAT WE SAW THAT IS EVERYBODY IS MADE NICKY HENDERSON, ROENICKE NUMBER, THANK YOU.

AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS TUESDAY NIGHT.

YOU CAN STREAM CHICAGO TONIGHT, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OUR WEBSITE AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER.

THE DAILY CHICAGO IN AT W T TW DOT COM SLASH NEWSLETTER AND JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5, 30 10 BLACK MALE VOTERS COULD BE CRUCIAL IN DECIDING THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN NOVEMBER.

WHAT HERE'S AND TRUMP NEED TO DO TO WIN THEIR VOTE AND THE LATEST INSTALLMENT IN OUR W T TW NEWS EXPLAINS SERIES EXPLORES THE HISTORY AND THE IMPACT OF REDLINING.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

CLOSED CAPTIONING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFF LAW.

A CHICAGO PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH PROUD TO RECOGNIZE IT'S AND SENIOR PARTNER ROBERT CLIFF RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS BY SUPER LAWYERS