Stay updated with breaking news from Erin Harkey. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
While the Chicago mayor has placed experienced city workers in charge of agencies, senior leaders in his inner circle lack government experience.
Clinée Hedspeth, president of the board of the Hyde Park Historical Society, is the new commissioner of the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).
When Mayor Brandon Johnson took office last May, he was praised for his notion of bringing “the people” into City Hall. But progress has been rocky as Johnson must contend with the realities of legislating with 50 different aldermen.
Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Erin Harkey was appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2021 when the pandemic had shut down theater, live-music and Chicago’s myriad festivals and special events. She slowly brought those events back to life with the annual Blues Fest returning last summer. Matthew Beaudet was the city's building commissioner since 2020.
And American defense companies racked up $81 billion in new foreign military sales last year.