Topspin Just weeks after Mayor Rahm Emanuel's massive O'Hare International Airport construction plan was greeted with anger by American Airlines and warnings from minority aldermen, the overhaul is set to get a big boost Wednesday with a series of City Council votes. The council will consider approving an oversight commission to include black, Latino and female aldermen tasked with trying to make sure contractors on the $8.5 billion O'Hare project give work to enough minorities and women. Latino Caucus Chairman Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, said the City Council could move to withhold paying for the airport expansion if the commission deems compliance in those areas inadequate. But the council is also set Wednesday to give the city power to issue up to $4 billion in bonds to get the airport construction project going, and it's unclear whether aldermen would have the authority or stomach to stop funding after that. More likely, the commission will be able to apply political pressure to the Emanuel administration to give contracts and jobs to minorities, at least as long as he is running for re-election in 2019 and trying to mend relationships with Chicago's black and Latino electorates. By endorsing the idea of the commission, Emanuel might avoid more pointed complaints from the council black and Latino caucuses. Also on the docket Wednesday is an ordinance allowing for new lease and use agreements for the gates at O'Hare to generate the airport fees to pay for the eight-year project, which Emanuel has said will include no cost to Chicago taxpayers. The deal is significant in large part because it came together with the cooperation of American Airlines, which had spent weeks opposing the airport overhaul on the grounds rival United Airlines was getting a better gate deal. Aldermen also will vote on a measure to give police and animal control officers authority to break car windows to rescue animals if it's hot or cold outside. They will consider allowing owners of the Merchandise Mart to project videos and artwork on the side of the building at night. And they will vote on an ordinance to limit the release of condominium owners' private email addresses and phone numbers to their neighbors. (John Byrne) What's on tap *Mayor Emanuel will preside over the City Council meeting. *Gov. Bruce Rauner will attend a Women's History Month event in East Peoria. *The Illinois Chamber of Commerce will have a downtown news conference about poor road conditions. Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski will be on hand, coming off his narrow primary victory last week. From the notebook *Boykin concedes: Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin has conceded to challenger Brandon Johnson in the Democratic primary, after determining he couldn't count on remaining mail-in ballots to put him over the top. Boykin said Tuesday that he called Johnson, a Chicago Teachers Union organizer, and "pledged my support." Johnson is unopposed in the November general election. As of Tuesday, Johnson led by 436 votes out of 49,094 cast in the 1st District, which straddles the West Side of the city and west suburbs. That put Johnson eight-tenths of a percentage point ahead. Boykin has often been a thorn in the side of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, particularly when it came to the now-repealed pop tax. Boykin was the most outspoken Democratic opponent of that tax. Preckwinkle backed Johnson in the race on an election day that boosted her status as a political force in county politics. (Hal Dardick) *Quick spin: The City Council Budget Committee on Tuesday voted to add another $6 million to the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, which funnels downtown-area development fees into projects in struggling neighborhoods, bringing this year's allocation to $12.5 million. ... The Illinois State Board of Elections will hold five public hearings about the new automatic voter registration law that takes effect July 1. The first will be April 3 in Quincy. What we're writing *Garry McCarthy's top campaign donor: Lawyer with a checkered past. *Chicago top cop rejects watchdog agency recommendation that he fire officer in 2015 fatal shooting. *Panel taps law enforcement veteran to lead Chicago police watchdog agency. *Bans on body armor, bump stocks move forward in Chicago.
*Many Chicago businesses would have to offer sexual harassment training under alderman's plan. *Emanuel wants signs about smoking dangers posted outside tobacco stores. What we're reading *She went to the ER for a rape exam. Her nurse didn't know how to do one. *Apple draws tech world's eyes to Chicago's Lane Tech with launch event for new school-focused iPad.
*Craft beer industry sees record openings — and closings — in 2017. Follow the money *A week after his primary defeat, Democratic state Sen. Ira Silverstein reported $25,500 in contributions, including $10,000 from Senate President John Cullerton. *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Trump wants military to pay for border wall. *North Korean nuclear reactor could be coming online. *Census to ask about citizenship. *Brexit movement used Facebook data. | 
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