CHICAGO — Turmoil at Chicago Public Schools. A chaotic push for a city budget. A disappointing season for the Bears. It was 12 months of comings and goings — new beginnings and endings — sacrifice and honor — upheaval and arrivals.
Chicago showcased from the start during a year of highs and lows in 2024. From a successful Democratic National Convention at the United Center to the ultimate wind-down of an overwhelming crush of immigrants finding shelter, the city withstood many tests.
There were college demonstrations over the war in Gaza and Pro-Palestine protests at the University of Chicago, DePaul, and Northwestern.
Known as the DePaul Divestment Coalition, demonstrators rallied against the Israel-Hamas war and demanded that the university cut ties with Israel.
Students and supporters gather for the first night of encampment at Northwestern University, protesting the university’s support of the ongoing war on Gaza.
In state and city politics, Chicago turned down then-new Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “Bring Chicago Home” referendum, which looked to amass $100 million yearly for homeless services by raising high-end real estate transfer taxes.
YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ: Mayor Johnson vows Brings Chicago Home fight not over
Chicagoans cast their votes during the primary, which resulted in a razor-thin win for Cook County State’s Attorney candidate Eileen O’Neill Burke, who went on to win over her Republican challenger, Bob Fioretti, in November.
Republican nominee for Cook County state’s attorney Bob Fioretti, left, and Democratic nominee for Cook County state’s attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In another city scuffle, council members fought to save the gunshot-detecting ShotSpotter, which ultimately ended as Johnson had promised on the campaign trail.
ShotSpotter is now decommissioned in Chicago. What’s next?
But Johnson broke a promise by asking for a later-withdrawn $300 million property tax hike to balance a billion-dollar busted budget.
Weeks before ShotSpotter was set to go dark on Monday, Sept. 23, a group of City Council members urged Chicago Mayor Johnson to keep the gunfire detection software.
While the CTU fought for a new contract, an entire school board resigned. Mayor Johnson appointed a new one, culminating with the new board voting unanimously to fire Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez.
Reaction pouring in after Board of Education voted to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez
Martinez attorney sends cease-and-desist to members of Chicago school board
After more than a year of controversial spending and combative leadership style, embattled south suburban leader Tiffany Henyard found herself locked out of the race for one of her two elected positions.
‘They can’t beat me’: In rare caucus, Tiffany Henyard loses Thornton Township nomination
While still a candidate for Dolton mayor, the Democratic Township committeeman dispatched her from the Thornton Township ballot in a simple voice vote.
DOLTON DYSFUNCTION: Tiffany Henyard’s admin spent $100K on travel
It was the final chapter for the council’s longest-serving alderman, Ed Burke, who was sentenced to two years on federal corruption convictions.
Not long afterward, history’s longest-running speaker of the house, Mike Madigan, sees his federal corruption trial begin.
Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke
Former Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan
On a positive note, Chicago shined in nominating Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in August after President Biden dropped out of the race.
‘The greatest honor of my life’: Biden withdraws from race in presidential earthquake
FILE – President Joe Biden attends a Medal of Honor Ceremony at the White House in Washington, July 3, 2024. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, July 21, ending his reelection bid. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
City, State politicians react after Biden drops out of presidential race
It followed Donald Trump’s visit to NABJ, in which he contentiously questioned Harris’ ethnicity.
“I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump said while addressing the group’s annual convention.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on final day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage after speaking at the NABJ convention, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Sadly, CPD lost two officers in the line of duty in 2024: Shot and killed in the line of duty was Officer Luis Huesca in April. Seven months later, Officer Enrique Martinez was also shot and killed. In November, Oak Park Police Detective Allan Reddins also lost his life to gunfire.
An Illinois State Trooper, Clay M. Carns, was struck and killed on Interstate 55 just days before Christmas.
Remembering the fallen:
There were fatal police shootings too, most notably Dexter Reed during a pullover in Chicago and Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy at her home in Sangamon County.
It was a year of loss in the entertainment world as Chicagoans mourned the passing of iconic talk show host Phil Donahue, who worked out of WGN for several years, Oak Park native Bob Newhart and Chicago native and legendary music producer Quincy Jones.
Phil Donahue (Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage)
Bob Newhart (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Quincy Jones (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Chicago also encountered several natural phenomena, such as tornado outbreaks, one in Mundelein and Sugar Grove in February, and then July brought more in Chicago and the southwest suburbs.
It got noisy during the ‘Summer of Cicada,’ with the emergence of two different broods on a 17-year scale, spawning cicada-infused Malört shots.
Cicada-infused Malört shot sold at the Noon Whistle Pub
The day became night on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse moved across North America when the moon passed between the sun and Earth. It happened so memorably in 2017 that when it emerged again, it brought back the one and only Tom Skilling, who decided in 2024 – his 45th year of broadcasting at WGN – it was time to call it a career.
CELEBRATING SKILLING: Beloved Chicagoland meteorologist retires after 45 years at WGN
“This isn’t goodbye, it’s thank you,” Skilling said on Feb. 28.
In sports, it was the arrival of the number one draft pick for the Bears: Caleb Williams and a top-10 pick for the Sky in Angel Reese.
Caleb Williams poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected first overall by the Chicago Bears (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, right, pose for a photo before the WNBA basketball draft in New York. Caitlin (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)
After bringing the Bears into a promising start, a six-game losing streak led to a first: the dismissal of head coach Matt Eberflus mid-season.
Chicago Bears fire head coach Matt Eberflus
“In retrospect, could we have done this better? Absolutely,” Bears president Kevin Warren said.
The Bears weren’t the only Chicago sports team to change their coaching regime. The Blackhawks, Sky, Fire, and the White Sox all brought in new blood after disappointing seasons.
FILE – Former Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
FILE – Former Chicago Fire head coach Frank Klopas (Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images)
FILE -Former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
The White Sox season was especially disappointing — they struck a nerve on the South Side with a historic 121-loss season — more losses than any team in modern baseball history.
Meanwhile, the Bears and Sox spent the year considering how – and where to fund new stadiums. While Northwestern University tore down its home for a new field.
“Taxpayers really aren’t going to do well under that proposal,” Pritzker said.
First time renderings revealed of White Sox proposal for a new ballpark in the 78
Gallery: Chicago Bears’ proposed domed lakefront stadium
First images of new Ryan Field released: See photos
Finally, joy and celebration for one of the Monsters of the Midway. While inspiring Chicago in his battle with ALS — at long last, Mongo made the NFL Hall of Fame.
“That’s who he is. That’s what he’s always been – a fighter,” said Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary.
Former Bears Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael, Devin Hester, Julius Peppers elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame
“He’s on a team you can never be cut from,” added Bears Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent.
What will the jury decide the fate of Michael Madigan and the accused Highland Park mass shooter? How will Illinois and Chicago be impacted by a second Trump Administration and how will the years of public and private wrangling leave the Bears and White Sox when it comes to new stadiums are just some of the big stories to watch unfold in the year 2025.
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