Good afternoon, Chicago.
Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered a public message today to aldermen who are threatening an imminent vote on their own 2026 budget plan: Bring it on.
Speaking at a City Hall news conference, the mayor castigated the slim City Council majority and said that if those 26 aldermen are so confident in their counterproposal to his $16.6 billion spending plan for next year, then prove it.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Miscanthus grass grows at AEC Supply’s farm in Minooka on Nov. 25, 2025. AEC Supply has a program for erosion control and a greenhouse program that both use miscanthus fiber as an input. The crop won’t be harvested until around March. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois researchers say versatile grass could be used for sustainable fuel, building materials and more
Similar to soybean cultivation in the last century, annual production of miscanthus — mostly grown on tens of thousands of acres in the eastern U.S. — is projected to skyrocket to millions of acres by 2050. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss questions how Trump-Northwestern deal impacts protests and campus oversight
Woman ejected from car and killed after overnight crash in Avondale
Dan Rowan exits a Waymo vehicle after arriving at San Jose Mineta International Airport, Nov. 12, 2025, in San Jose, California. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP)
Waymo wants to bring self-driving taxis to Illinois. Does the Land of Lincoln want them?
The company has been advertising in Illinois for some time, urging residents to contact their legislators to encourage them to bring Waymo here. Read more here.
More top business stories:
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle buys $1M Kenwood home
Paramount goes hostile in bid for Warner Bros., challenging a $72 billion bid by Netflix
Bulls center Zach Collins grabs a rebound in the third quarter against the Warriors on Dec. 7, 2025, at the United Center. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
3 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls’ 7th straight loss — their longest skid since February 2020
Coach Billy Donovan sent in the end-of-the-bench players with 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in Sunday’s 123-91 loss to the Golden State Warriors at the United Center. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Will they acquire a top-of-the-rotation arm? 3 questions facing the Chicago Cubs ahead of the winter meetings.
Will any familiar faces be on the move? 3 questions facing the Chicago White Sox ahead of the winter meetings.
Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.” (Warner Bros.)
‘One Battle After Another’ leads Golden Globe nominations, while ‘Wicked: For Good’ falters
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” scored a leading nine nominations to the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on Monday, adding to the Oscar favorite’s momentum and handing Warner Bros. a victory amid Netflix’s acquisition deal. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Review: In its 10th year, the Joffrey Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ is the best version of itself
Trump hosts Kennedy Center Honors recognizing Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor and others
President Donald Trump walks the red carpet before the 48th Kennedy Center Honors, Dec. 7, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
President Donald Trump is proposing a $12B aid package for farmers hit hard by his trade war with China
Farmers have backed Trump politically, but his aggressive trade policies and frequently changing tariff rates have come under increasing scrutiny because of the impact on the agricultural sector and because of broader consumer worries. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
Magnitude 7.6 quake triggers a tsunami on Japan’s northern coast
President Donald Trump says Zelenskyy ‘hasn’t read’ a US-authored proposal to end Russia-Ukraine war
