Chicago Leads Multistate Supreme Court Brief Backing Firearms Ban as O'Hare Pours Concrete for $250M ORDNext Cooling Plant

City of Chicago Leads Multijurisdictional Supreme Court Amicus Brief Defending Assault Weapons Regulations

CHICAGO, Illinois — Championing municipal gun violence prevention on October 29–30, 2026, the City of Chicago Corporation Counsel led a nationwide coalition of major municipalities and county governments in filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States. The brief forcefully defends Cook County’s statutory restrictions on high-capacity assault weapons, providing detailed empirical evidence on public safety risks ahead of anticipated high-court oral arguments in December.

City attorneys emphasized that assault weapon bans remain constitutionally sound and indispensable to protecting frontline first responders, schoolchildren, and neighborhood commercial districts from mass casualty tragedies.

O'Hare International Airport Pours Concrete for $250 Million ORDNext Midfield Cooling Plant

At O'Hare International Airport, the Chicago Department of Aviation reached a vital structural milestone under the multi-billion-dollar ORDNext terminal modernization program. Construction teams completed structural concrete pours and began erecting massive precast tilt-up walls for the $250 million Midfield Cooling Plant. Once commissioned, the cutting-edge facility will circulate millions of gallons of chilled water through subterranean piping to air-condition O'Hare's upcoming Global Terminal and satellite concourses by 2028.

Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee noted that investing in heavy mechanical infrastructure behind the scenes ensures world-class energy efficiency, passenger comfort, and operational resilience across one of the globe's busiest aviation hubs.

Over 14,000 Healthcare Professionals Convene at McCormick Place for National ANCC Magnet Conference

In healthcare and major convention activity, McCormick Place welcomed more than 14,000 registered nurses, hospital administrators, and clinical researchers for the 2026 ANCC National Magnet & Pathway to Excellence Conference. The three-day convention showcases clinical advancements in nurse retention, artificial intelligence diagnostics, and bedside patient care innovation.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) issued traffic safety cordons for a packed weekend schedule featuring the Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade and Sunday's annual Hot Chocolate 15k Run through Grant Park.