Daywatch: Chicago government’s is due for tech upgrade, consultant tells City Council

Good morning, Chicago.

An IT consultant hired by City Hall to diagnose Chicago’s wide array of technological woes urged aldermen yesterday to drastically revamp its software and up its investments in information technology infrastructure after years of city neglect and cost inefficiencies.

From Chicago residents being unable to easily use city websites on smartphones to a confusing system that makes it difficult for home and business owners to challenge high water bills, Nitesh Dixit, senior managing partner at Gartner Consulting, said the city’s menu of websites are not serving Chicagoans well.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Alice Yin.

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Number of Labor Day rescue and recovery efforts makes it one of the deadliest for Chicago’s lakefront in recent history, safety expert says

After a hot and muggy Labor Day drew thousands of beachgoers and boaters to Lake Michigan Monday, safety experts are calling the holiday one of the deadliest for Chicago’s lakefront in recent history as emergency responders worked double time in rescue and recovery missions over a 24-hour time period.

Ryan Institute launches at Northwestern, looking to break new ground in the application of artificial intelligence on business

Funded by a $25 million donation from the Ryan Family Foundation, the new academic initiative was announced this morning — the same day the proposed Ryan Field redevelopment is scheduled to go before the Evanston Land Use Committee. Both are drawn from a record-setting $480 million gift from the Ryan family.

Wisconsin city to begin pulling millions of gallons a day from Lake Michigan

After years of seeking approval, a Milwaukee suburb is finally set to start pulling millions of gallons of water a day from Lake Michigan to replace its polluted water supply.

Illinois nature lovers and scientists warn of population declines among native bees and other pollinators

While population sizes fluctuate year to year, research shows that there has been a dramatic decrease in the abundance of insects worldwide, specifically pollinators such as bees, flies, butterflies and beetles. Experts attribute some of the declines to habitat loss or pesticide use but warn that climate change poses new risks.

New book details frictions between Barack Obama and Joe Biden

A new book about Joe Biden portrays the president as someone whose middle-class upbringing helped foster a resentment of intellectual elitism that shaped his political career and sometimes caused strain with his onetime boss, Harvard-educated Barack Obama.

Connor Bedard takes another step toward making his NHL debut with the Blackhawks

The first pick in the draft got his latest welcome-to-the-NHL moment Tuesday, skating around on the ice in the Chicago Blackhawks’ home red jersey and his new team’s full gear for the first time at the Players’ Association’s rookie showcase. From the draft through development camp and signing his entry-level contract on his birthday, the event was Connor Bedard’s latest step toward making his pro debut.

Die-hard Chicago Bears fans give their takes on the state of the team

For Chicago Bears fans, it has been three decades of ups and downs. They’ve been faithful to the navy and orange for as long as they can remember, digging deep for hope even when the future looks bleak, writes Shakeia Taylor.

Chicagoland museums to offer mix of historic, spooky and mouthwatering offerings

Here are our picks for must-see museum exhibits this season. Among them: Open House Chicago.

One of the city’s most celebrated harbingers of fall returns with more than 170 sites across 20-plus neighborhoods, presented by the Chicago Architecture Center. Peek into a mix of Open House favorites — such as the Pullman House Museum and Riviera Theater — and buildings rarely open to the public, like the Edgewater Beach Apartments and The Forum in Bronzeville, once a legendary cultural venue. Also worth flagging: the National Cambodian Heritage Museum in Lincoln Square and Walt Disney’s birth house in Hermosa, both included on this year’s list of official site partners.

Your primer on the big classical music concerts, names and happenings this fall

The Chicago Symphony season is such a trove that it’s hard to pick a few programs, writes music critic Hannah Edgar.