City Cast Chicago
🏙️ Chicago’s still a sanctuary city
December 15, 2023
An interesting update on committeepeople races: Four Chicago wards are also slated to get Libertarian Party committeepeople, a first for the city, Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson Max Bever told Hey Chicago. Libertarian candidates in those wards are running unopposed.
What's CITY Talking About?
Chicago Remains a Sanctuary City
Voters won’t be asked whether Chicago should remain a sanctuary city after City Council voted 31–16 against the nonbinding referendum. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
- The city’s sanctuary city status was the cause of a lot of City Council drama last month. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
- How’d Chicago become a sanctuary city? [Hey Chicago 💻]
First ‘Rogue’ Bus Carrying Migrants Impounded
After City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday penalizing buses that drop off migrants outside of official hours and the city’s designated landing zone, the first “rogue” bus was impounded and towed that night. [Block Club]
Oprah Winfrey Portrait Completed by Chicago Artist
D.C. too far to see the portrait of the talk show host and philanthropist at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery? Luckily, artist Shawn Michael Warren had already painted a mural of Winfrey in West Loop. [Sun-Times]
- How did “The Queen of Talk” make her name in Chicago? A couple historians school us. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
This Week’s Must-Listen
All week, I’ve been thinking about the family that has been making the pilgrimage to Des Plaines for more than 20 years. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
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What To Do
Friday, Dec. 15
- Light Up Nights Starts 💡 Ravenswood | 5–9 p.m. | Free
- Rollin’ With Frosty ☃️ Streeterville | 6–8 p.m. | Free
Saturday, Dec. 16
- Fitness Hike 👟 Eggers Grove | 10 a.m. | Free
- Holiday Singles Mixer 💘 Logan Square | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | $25
- Soulful Book Fair 📚 Greater Grand Crossing | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Varies
- Renegade Craft Fair Opens 🎁 West Town | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Varies
- Holiday Sparkles ✨ Little Village | 1–4 p.m. | Free
- “Tomato Tattoo” Staged Reading 🍅 The Loop | 1:30–4 p.m. | Free
- Ugly Sweater Party for Dogs 🐾 Lakeview | 1–4 p.m. | Varies
- The Living Nativity 👶 Bridgeport | 3–5 p.m. | Free
- A Jazz Christmas 🎺 Evanston | 7:30 p.m. | $30+
- Juice WRLD Day 🖤 Near West Side | 8 p.m. | $35.95+
Sunday, Dec. 17
- Handmade Artisan Bazaar 🛍️ Hyde Park | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Varies
- Last-Minute Holiday Shopping 👛 Irving Park | 3–8 p.m. | Varies
- Holiday Choir Concert 🎶 Oak Park | 6:30–8 p.m. | Donation requested
Chicago Chatter
For weeks, Hey Chicago readers and City Cast Chicago podcast listeners have been voting on the best Christkindlmarket mug, and we’ve arrived at the finals. In a plot twist, classic boot–shaped mugs got the boot 🫢
Nearly a decade apart, our final two contenders share a similar style, but does size matter? Vote to pick a winner.
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Today on City Cast
How Chicago Kept its Sanctuary City Status
Axios’ Carrie Shepherd and Northwestern University professor Arionne Nettles help us break down Chicago’s sanctuary city status, investment in neighborhood schools, Columbia College’s ongoing faculty strike, and lighting Humboldt Park’s landmark Paseo Boricua flags.
Support the faces behind the Hey Chicago newsletter and City Cast Chicago podcast by becoming a founding member today!
—Sidney Madden
Thanks to editor Simone Alicea!
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