Midwest
Chicago spent $80K to renovate office for first lady Johnson as city faces billion dollar budget shortfall
Invoices and receipts from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration have raised new questions about extravagant spending as the city faces a nearly billion dollar budget shortfall.
Documents uncovered by local news station NBC 5 revealed that in the grip of fiscal crisis, the city spent more than $80,000 to redecorate and renovate an office in the Chicago Cultural Center for first lady Stacie Johnson.
“The invoices and receipts, obtained by NBC 5 Investigates through a series of Freedom of Information Act requests, show that work order requests began in February and continued through August of this year to renovate and redecorate Room 306 in the Chicago Cultural Center,” the report said.
Electricians, carpenters and painters on the city’s payroll were contracted for the work, according to an invoice from the city’s Fleet and Facility Management department, also called 2FM, NBC 5 reported. The workers accrued more than 350 hours of labor at a cost of over $25,000.
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Another invoice reportedly shows the city paid more than $43,000 for furniture, including a $2,200 office chair and a $4,400 desk labeled the “First Lady’s Desk” on the document. The city spent another $4,600 on a desk for a staffer and more than $8,300 on two club chairs, according to the outlet.
The invoice was dated Aug. 13, with a Sept. 12 due date, NBC 5 reported.
Mayor Johnson’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Confronted with the invoices and asked to defend the city’s spending, Johnson told NBC 5, “So, the Cultural Center has always been a location for dignitaries; every first lady has had office space there. Renovations for my office or any other office is standard procedure. Our commitment to invest in people is still to invest in people.”
The mayor pushed back against follow-up questions about the optics of excessive spending at a time when his administration is considering layoffs of city workers to cut costs.
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“The purchase of a desk is not going to change the financial structural damage that has been in place for a very long time. So this is why we ask – and I mean this respectfully – we ask far more profound questions than that. We ask, how do we make sure that the structural damage that’s been created over the course of decades – we reroute the rivers, if you will, to make sure that we get to the places where there is dry land. And that’s what we are doing,” he said.
When NBC 5 pressed the issue, Johnson criticized the outlet’s questions. “So I’ve been mayor for 17 months, and you have a question of how I feel about optics? Just go back on review the tape. If I were to allow my leadership to be based on someone’s opinion of me, it would be a derelict of duty. I never question my position to invest in people. I don’t do this for optics; I do this to transform lives.”
The mayor said he is more focused on the optics of hiring young people for summer jobs, building affordable housing and ensuring that schools have counselors and social workers, as well as investing in Chicago’s South and West sides.
But Johnson still has not put forward a plan to close the city’s projected $982 million budget gap.
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Detroit, MI
Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal slammed by Cleveland Guardians, 7-3, in Game 5 of ALDS
CLEVELAND — Guardians centerfielder Lane Thomas ended the Detroit Tigers’ season with one swing off the best pitcher in the American League.
After cruising through a relatively smooth first four innings, Tarik Skubal, the AL pitching Triple Crown winner, found himself in trouble in the bottom of the fifth and couldn’t escape.
Andrés Giménez, Steven Kwan and David Fry loaded the bases with one out on three singles, setting up Skubal against All-Star José Ramírez. Skubal tried to challenge Ramírez inside with a 99.9 mph fastball but hit Cleveland’s slugger on the hand to plate Cleveland’s first run and tie the game at 1.
Next up was Thomas after a mound visit, and he crushed the first pitch he saw — a 96.7 mph sinker down the middle — for a grand slam to put Cleveland ahead 5-1 and light the crowd’s fuse to stand and cheer nonstop the final four innings.
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Cleveland’s five-run inning proved enough to outlast Detroit’s furious rally attempts late. The Tigers scrapped out two more runs but couldn’t catch Cleveland, ultimately falling 7-3. Skubal gave up five of the seven runs, which ties the most he allowed in a start in 2024. He pitched six innings, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
The Tigers finished with a 90-79 record over 169 games including the seven-game postseason run (86-76 in regular season). It is the second straight time the Tigers have lost in the ALDS after making the postseason. The Guardians advance to face the New York Yankees in the ALCS, starting Monday.
Attempted comeback falls short
The Tigers got one run back in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single from Jake Rogers and worked the bases loaded with two outs to bring slugger Kerry Carpenter up as the potential go-ahead run with the score at 5-2. But Carpenter missed on a high fastball for strike three to end the threat.
In the seventh, Colt Keith doubled off the centerfield wall to score Riley Greene from first, but the Tigers ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts. Thomas drove in another run in the seventh inning to push Cleveland’s lead back up to 6-3.
Closer Emmanuel Clase came on with a runner on in the eighth inning for a would-be six-out save and shut down the Tigers, including striking out Carpenter to end the inning and staring him down as he walked off the mound. Cleveland added another insurance run and Clase pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the series win.
A STUNNING STORY: Stressful? You bet. But if Detroit Tigers say this ALDS Game 5 will be fun, have some.
One hamstring heroics
Carpenter’s status was in question the past 48 hours after he left Game 4 early with a hamstring injury. But the left-handed slugger was available off the bench and immediately made an impact despite still being clearly hobbled.
In the top of the fifth inning, Trey Sweeney drew a leadoff walk and Carpenter subbed in for leadoff hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy to face right-handed reliever Andrew Walters. Carpenter still had his same lightning-quick swing and connected with a Walters fastball in a 3-1 count. He drove it 370 feet to the wall in right-center field to plate Sweeney from first and briefly put the Tigers ahead, 1-0.
Kwan’t get out
Steven Kwan earned a reputation as an absolute thorn in the Tigers’ sides for all five games. He came into Game 5 batting .500 (8-for-16) in the series and finished with a third straight three-hit game to finish 11-for-21 (.523) in the series. He set a Guardians franchise record with three straight three-hit games and for most hits in a Division Series with 11. Kwan kicked off the fifth inning rally with an opposite-field single off Skubal that snuck under Matt Vierling’s glove at third.
Kwan finished Game 5 with three hits in five appearances and two runs scored, while Thomas went 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
Kwan along with Thomas would be up for series MVP if it existed for the ALDS. Thomas had the game-winning hits in Games 1 and 5, both on massive home runs to left with runners on base, while Kwan reached base 13 times in just five games.
Couldn’t convert early
The Tigers had traffic on the basepaths in the first two innings, but couldn’t get a run across the plate against former Tiger Matthew Boyd. Justyn-Henry Malloy was hit by the first pitch of the game, and Riley Greene walked to put two runners on with one out in the first inning. But Boyd struck out Andy Ibáñez and Wenceel Pérez to end the threat.
Parker Meadows hit a one-out double the opposite way down the line and then stole third to get a runner 90 feet away with one out, but Rogers popped out and Sweeney struck out to keep it scoreless. Boyd was pulled after the two scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Cade Smith replaced Boyd and pitched into the fourth inning, where the Tigers created another threat. Spencer Torkelson ripped a two-out double to chase Smith and Meadows walked the next at-bat, but Rogers grounded out.
The Tigers finished the series 5-for-46 (.108) with runners in scoring position, including 1-for-12 in Game 5.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city’s professional teams, the state’s two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22, and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Heath Department hosts free vaccine clinic
MILWAUKEE – Health experts say vaccinations have decreased in recent years, and the Milwaukee Health Department wants to turn things around.
People poured out the doors of the Southside Health Center on Saturday morning, Oct. 21.
Families faced a long line and busy waiting room for one thing.
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“Due to COVID we got a little behind on some vaccinations. We just had to get back up to date for her to go to school,” said Jamil Bradley, who brought his daughter to the Milwaukee Health Department’s special vaccination clinic.
“Vaccinations are the kind of thing you don’t want to wait on. You got to do what you got to do,” added Bradley.
The Milwaukee Health Department says the event is to help families update their children’s school required vaccinations.
That’s why Henry Ahlers brought his son.
“It seems like he is needing the last one of the five,” said Ahlers.
The health department says vaccination rates among school-aged children have declined in recent years.
Only 75% of Milwaukee children meet the minimum immunization requirements.
“Vaccines are there to fight off a number of different things,” Ahlers added.
Health leaders say vaccinations required for school attendance are crucial for preventing the spread of highly contagious diseases.
Kids received vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, and more.
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All participating families will be entered to win free tickets to the Milwaukee County Zoo or the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Minneapolis, MN
Help needed to locate missing man with dementia
The Minneapolis Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 74-year-old man.
Sylvester Hudson was last seen Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m. in Minneapolis at Millers Landing Senior Living at 155 Fifth Avenue South, wearing a black hat, jeans and socks.
He is described as being six feet tall, with grey hair and brown eyes, and no longer has a beard.
Police say Hudson may appear confused or disoriented and walks with a limp.
Anyone who sees him is asked to contact 911 immediately. If you may have information on his whereabouts, please contact Minneapolis police at 612-673-5845.
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