The size of the Chicago Police Department is essentially unchanged since Mayor Brandon Johnson took office 100 days ago. There are 12,363 employees, including 11,722 sworn officers.

Cooling centers and splash pads are open to help people cope with oppressive heat that will feel like 115 degrees.

What the city is paying out in repeated police misconduct settlements. A tutoring shortage hits Chicago. And the head of the Chicago Teachers Union on how schools will cope with the coming heat wave.

A local screen printer is sharing his life’s work in an exhibit at the Hyde Park Art Center. “Multiples and Multitudes” showcases artist William Estrada’s multidisciplinary work spanning the last nearly two decades.

Chicago Public Schools’ first day of school saw a wave of new Spanish-speaking students who arrived in Chicago after seeking asylum in the United States. Those migrant students are dealing with both trauma and language barriers.

Chicago students are still struggling to make up for COVID-era learning losses, and a local tutoring organization is trying to help students close that gap.

Chicago spent $197.7 million to resolve lawsuits alleging more than 1,000 Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Of that total, $91.3 million came from settlements involving 116 officers whose conduct led to multiple payouts.

In Illinois, the chamber estimates more than $2 billion worth of goods were stolen from retailers in 2021, but it says the cost to Illinois businesses was more than double that when other factors are taken into account.

The latest in our series WTTW News: A Safer City highlights the sharp rise in vehicle thefts — and how to protect your car. Efforts to get kids to school safely. And the impact retail theft has on local businesses.

There’s been an increase in carjackings nationwide, but Chicago is reporting more incidents than any other city in the U.S.

As students return, so to do the Safe Passage workers who are tasked with making sure students make it and from school safely.

Adding to the problem, the Chicago Police Department has linked several recent robbery sprees to stolen vehicles. That comes as carmakers Kia and Hyundai face scrutiny for failing to provide adequate security systems for their cars.

Larry Snelling gets Mayor Johnson’s nod to lead the Chicago Police Department. Illinois Democrats and Republicans call each other out at the state fair. And the playoff-contending Cubs walk all over the bottom-feeding Sox.