Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
Several residents headed to City Hall today to voice their concerns about the city’s migrant crisis, as the City Council tried to approve a referendum on the city’s status as a sanctuary city.
Below, we fill you in on the chaotic scene, and clear up some misconceptions about what it means to be a sanctuary city.
Plus, we’ve got more community news you need to know this afternoon.
Thanks for spending a little bit of your afternoon with us.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Angry crowd shouts down City Council members during migrant debate
Reporting by Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout
City Council chaos: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s allies tried Tuesday to approve their own, softer version of a nonbinding referendum on Chicago’s burgeoning migrant crisis, but failed after being shouted down by an angry crowd ordered forcibly removed from City Council chambers. Amid the chaos, the meeting was recessed until Nov. 16. That’s the day after the Council is scheduled to take a final vote on Johnson’s $16.6 billion budget.
How we got here: Ninth Ward Ald. Anthony Beale has been trying for weeks to put an advisory referendum on the March ballot asking voters if Chicago should remain a sanctuary city. Tuesday’s Rules Committee meeting was called to substitute Beale’s simple sanctuary city question for a softer, more innocuous version.
Sanctuary city explained: Sanctuary localities pledge not to cooperate with unconstitutional policing by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The term has become conflated with policies that provide public benefits and resources, according to DePaul University’s Kathleen Arnold. Repealing Chicago’s sanctuary won’t stop the flow of Venezuelan migrants. “People did not flee Venezuela because they heard that we’re welcoming in Chicago. Sanctuary ordinances simply uphold the Constitution,” Arnold says.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- ‘Bring Chicago Home’ referendum to hit ballots: In other news from City Hall, it will soon be up to Chicago voters to decide whether to authorize the City Council to raise the real estate transfer tax on high-end property sales to combat homelessness. A referendum on the matter will be on March ballots for spring elections after the Council’s 32-17 vote.
- Paid leave ordinance vote on hold: The city’s alderpersons were also poised Tuesday to deliver one of the most generous paid leave policies in the nation. But Alds. Brian Hopkins and Brendan Reilly used a parliamentary maneuver to defer consideration of the matter for at least one meeting.
- Cook County Health data breach: Up to 1.2 million Cook County Health patients could have had personal information leaked to hackers this year after a company contracted to provide medical transcription services to the county said an “unauthorized party” gained access to its network.
- Phasing out gas stoves? Activists want Chicago to join suburban Oak Park and other cities around the country in changing local emission standards for new buildings, phasing out natural gas usage in favor of electricity. They say the changes would help health, climate and homeowners’ pockets.
- Grocery pop-up fills community gap: A new West Garfield Park grocery pop-up is providing the neighborhood with a source for groceries through Dec. 21. It’s a temporary replacement for a nearby Save A Lot that’s being renovated.
- Public corruption display covered: A display at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse about the history of public corruption prosecutions in Chicago is being covered through the end of jury selection for Ed Burke’s federal trial, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall told attorneys Tuesday.
- ‘Love Actually’ turns 20: Despite all its tropes and troubling plots, the star-studded set of love stories has become a must-see for many, and arguably one of the last holiday classics, writes Richard Roeper, looking back on the film’s 20th anniversary.
EXPLORING THE CITY — AND BEYOND 🥾
Experiencing notable waterfalls around Illinois and Indiana
A couple of weeks ago, Sun-Times outdoor columnist Dale Bowman set out on a quest about 2.5 hours south of Chicago to catch one of the area’s most notable waterfalls at its best.
When he got to Williamsport Falls (25 N. Monroe St., Williamsport, Indiana) on Oct. 25 — a waterfall known at times to run dry — his timing was just right.
“Williamsport Falls was flowing,” Dale writes in his column. “As I parked, I heard the roar of falling water at what is called Indiana’s tallest free-falling waterfall.”
The falls put Dale in mind of a few other notable falls in the area to check out — and no matter the season, they’re always worth seeing.
Wildcat Canyon Falls: Located in Starved Rock State Park in Deer Park Township, these falls are considered to be a difficult hike from the visitor center. “However, I believe a physically challenging hike makes for a deeper experience when you reach the waterfall,” Dale writes.
Burden Falls: The tallest waterfall in Illinois is Burden Falls in the Burden Falls Wilderness Area in southern Illinois — but, Dale explains, with a caveat. “It is a series of falls and cascades, not a free-falling waterfall. It also has seasonal flow.”
Jackson Falls: Also located in southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest, Dale writes that he first visited these falls some years ago when he camped near them, “adding another layer of intimacy to the experience.”
BRIGHT ONE ✨
I Love My Coffee Black slated to open coffee shop at Englewood Save A Lot
Reporting by Mariah Rush
Save A Lot franchisee Yellow Banana has made good on its promise to include a Black-owned vendor at its Englewood location, six months after the company’s controversial takeover of a former Whole Foods store.
I Love My Coffee Black plans to open its first brick-and-mortar location at the site by the end of the year, according to founder Kavia Simmons. The 150-square-foot cafe, at 832 W. 63rd St., will serve coffee, tea and pastries. Simmons hopes to host a grand opening later this month. Her coffee company’s specialty is making black coffee amenable to drinkers who like some flavor.
“We do flavor-infused coffee, so you can still enjoy it black,” Simmons said.
Simmons, who launched the coffee company in 2019, worked as a waitress before managing a coffee shop in Indiana. She began working at Stivers Coffee’s warehouse in Pilsen, from where she now sources her own beans.
She said she became entrenched in the coffee business and even now still works at the Stivers warehouse.
“I’m still roasting. I’m grinding. I’m inventing,” she said.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What’s your favorite waterfall to visit in the Chicago area? Tell us why.
Email us (please include your first and last name and where you live). To see the answers to this question, check our Morning Edition newsletter. Not subscribed to Morning Edition? Sign up here so you won’t miss a thing!
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Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
