Afternoon Briefing: New casino set to open earlier than expected

Good afternoon, Chicago.
For nearly five years, the Chicago Transit Authority paid a small group of employees to stay home and not work at least two days a week, a state watchdog found.
The employees in question worked in the agency's 'vault operations' unit, which is responsible for processing money taken from CTA fareboxes. Those workers could not actually perform any of their assigned duties from home, but were nevertheless assigned to work remotely at least two days a week since the beginning of the pandemic, continuing to do so even after the agency-wide return to office date in May 2022, according to a report from the Office of Executive Inspector General.
A total of 10 employees were paid just under $1.13 million for days they spent not working since the start of the pandemic, the OEIG found.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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A bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk is aimed at protecting local restaurants from third-party vendors that buy and resell reservations, which proponents say can lead to costly no-shows and consumer fraud. Read more here.
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Hollywood Casino Joliet, which is leaving its longtime riverboat home, announced today it is planning to move into its new land-based facility on Aug. 11, pending regulatory approval. Read more here.
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Now more than ever, Cubs fans seem to be video board watching, giving their undivided attention to the left field video board erected 10 years ago during the Project 1060 renovation. Read more here.
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Local bars and restaurants are preparing for the warmer weather too, as many have already opened their patios for the season. Here, we dive into patios across the city that are worth exploring. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Elon Musk criticized President Donald Trump's sprawling One Big Beautiful BIll as wasteful in a new interview amid signs the epic bromance between the man in the White House and the world's richest man is fading. Read more here.
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