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Mayor Brandon Johnson praised the “maturation” of Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, whose handling of sexual harassment issues involving former state Rep. Harry Benton has made him politically vulnerable in leading the supermajority House Democratic Caucus in Springfield.

“Watching his maturation has been just a remarkable testament to what’s possible in this country, to serve as first Black Speaker of the House,” Johnson said of Welch when pressed by reporters about the controversy during a news conference. “I trust that the speaker is going to do what’s right for his constituents and the state of Illinois.”

Johnson’s comments came just days after Welch told the mayor’s allies at the Chicago Teachers Union that he would “lead” efforts to provide additional state funding to avoid layoffs and cuts at Chicago Public Schools — a politically dubious pledge that was also seen as the speaker’s attempt to shore up support from a highly political progressive group amid criticism over the Benton case.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Rick Pearson.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including Gov. JB Pritzker signing protections against insurance rate hikes, how Dolton is trying to prevent teen takeovers and what to know about the Bud Billiken Parade.

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Chicago grocers are severely affected by reductions to SNAP: ‘We need to bail out this industry’

From a small window in his front office, Dimitrios Drossos, second-generation owner of Fresh Market Place on the Northwest Side of Chicago, has a direct view of the checkout lanes, where more and more often he’s watching customers nervously hesitate over their carts, deciding at the last moment to hand back a single avocado or a bunch of cilantro.

The culprit, he’s learned, is almost certainly an issue with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Customers who merely months ago shopped with confidence, knowing that their Link or EBT cards held enough money, now count cents.

“It breaks my heart,” Drossos told the Tribune on a recent afternoon. “I can’t sit here (in my office) because if I see a customer like that, often a mom with a couple kids, I’ll break down. I’ll just tell them to take it, but how many times can I do that?”

Gov. JB Pritzker signs protections against insurance rate hikes

Drivers and homeowners will have greater protections against insurance rate hikes after Gov. JB Pritzker yesterday signed legislation prohibiting excessive increases.

Following budget director’s sudden resignation, Mayor Brandon Johnson insists Chicago has ‘stability in me’

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget director’s resignation is the latest shakeup of his administration’s finance team ahead of what is sure to be a grueling budget season.

Annette Guzman, director of the Office of Budget and Management, left her post to care for her sick mother, the mayor said during a City Hall news conference yesterday. Her exit, reported by the Tribune Monday night, follows the resignations last week of acting Chief Financial Officer Steve Mahr and Deputy CFO Noor Shaikh in June — which came after CFO Jill Jaworski departed at the beginning of this year.

Dolton changes curfew, adds penalty to prevent teen takeovers

Dolton Village Board members voted to institute a 9 p.m. curfew after police reported five large youth gatherings, sometimes called teen takeovers, in the village this summer.

Despite not seeing any major incidents tied to teen gatherings, shots were fired near officers during one large gathering and police recovered an assault rifle from a teenager at another, Police Chief Jeffrey Chapman said.

Chicago Media Report: Viewers petition FCC to support ABC 7 — and WCIU-TV to air complete City Series rematch

An ABC commercial blitz — and a call to action — has generated more than 153,500 comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission over the agency’s early license review of the network’s eight owned-and-operated TV stations, including ABC 7 Chicago.

More than 96% of the comments have been supportive of the Disney-owned network’s bid to retain its station licenses, according to an analysis conducted on behalf of ABC.

The ‘first lady of Chicago jazz,’ Geraldine de Haas dies at 91

She was a woman former Tribune critic Howard Reich called “the first lady of Chicago jazz,” and for decades Geraldine de Haas delighted in that role. She earned it too, through stunning performances and as a passionate promoter and producer of jazz programs and events that changed the cultural face of the city.

Right tackle Darnell Wright signs 4-year, $116M contract extension with Chicago Bears

The Bears have signed right tackle Darnell Wright to a four-year, $116 million contract extension, the team announced yesterday.

Related:

• Column: Massive payday for Darnell Wright is a sign the Chicago Bears are roster building the right way
• In Coby Bryant’s absence, Bears coaches want to see ‘11 frickin’ dudes … competing their ass off’

6 things we heard from Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, including aiming for a fast start and CJ Carr’s experience

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman opened fall camp with a news conference yesterday at Notre Dame Stadium, addressing a number of topics for a team that checks in at No. 5 in the preseason coaches poll.

Here are six things we heard from Freeman, safety Adon Shuler and linebacker Drayk Bowen as the Irish prepare to dive into practices this month.

Bud Billiken Parade 2026: Route, start time and a look back at 97 years of Chicago’s back-to-school tradition

Nicknamed “The Bud,” the Bud Billiken Parade has been a back-to-school celebration and showcase for Chicago’s talented young people since 1929. For four generations, the Sengstacke family has organized what it says is the largest Black parade in the United States.

Here’s what to know about the back-to-school tradition.

Column: After ‘Dear Abby’s’ retirement, where are all the people getting their advice?

As long as there have been problems, there have been people willing to offer advice, writes Rick Kogan. Free advice could always be had from tavern keepers, clergymen, neighbors or parents. Newspapers got into the game as a way to boost circulation, inventing such things as comics and columns that addressed the concerns of the troubled. Advice, for the price of a paper.

For more than a century, readers have been writing to newspapers. Some have written to complain, some to praise. But most have written asking for advice about life’s vexations and troubles, or to share their observations on life’s oddities and joys.