Chicago’s
‘I don’t respond to kids.’ Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson’s diss of candidate Ja’Mal Green gives you a sense of how contentious last night’s WGN-TV candidate forum was.
■ Wilson caught flak for suggesting police should hunt suspects “like rabbits.”
■ Mayor Lightfoot caught it from many directions.
■ See the broadcast here.
■ As you map your vote, check the Chicago Public Square voter guide.
Too long and too fast? Lightfoot faces opposition in her push for a 15-year deal between the city and ComEd.
■ The Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman says Lightfoot yesterday “basked in the glow of an O’Hare Airport modernization project she helped to shape, but did not conceive.”
Cop (allegedly) gone bad. Prosecutors say an ex-Chicago police officer dodged more than $3,000 in tickets through perjury and forgery committed before he resigned.
■ Part of the scam, CWB Chicago explains—with video to illustrate: He falsely reported that “his girlfriend had stolen his car 44 different times.”
■ Newly released video shows a Chicago cop in 2019 repeatedly punching a man already in a holding cell …
■ … and the man’s demanding an apology.
■ Axios: A Chicago company’s AI software is designed to scan police bodycam footage for officer encounters both good and bad.
■ Memphis prepared today to lay police beating victim Tyre Nichols to rest …
■ … as his fate brings new scrutiny for “elite” police units nationwide.
■ The Onion: “U.S. Officials Call For Correct Amount Of Violence.”
■ At The Nib, cartoonist Mattie Lubchansky shares “A Message From Your Local Police,” beginning with these panels …
Like president, like governor. Following President Biden’s lead, Gov. Pritzker’s announced an end to Illinois’ state of pandemic emergency on May 11 …
■ … which NBC’s Seth Meyers says “means that everyone can finally stop wearing their mask a year ago.”
‘The Chief Justice’s spouse may have leveraged the prestige of judicial office to meaningfully raise their household income.’ A complaint submitted to Congress and the Justice Department accuses John Roberts of failing to acknowledge the full extent of his wife’s work in his ethical disclosures.
■ MIT Technology Review: “The Supreme Court ruling on Section 230 could end Reddit as we know it.”
■ Elsewhere in Washington, Politico’s Jesús Rodríguez spent 16 hours—and 27,000 steps—with Rep. George Santos (R-LiesLiesLies) so you don’t have to.
■ CNN’s Oliver Darcy slams news media for giving oxygen to Donald Trump’s trivial legal stunt.
■ Republicans may have at least two choices for president in 2024: Ex-South Carolina governor Nikki Haley’s planning to run.
■ Florida’s education commissioner is attacking Popular Information for its reporting on the state’s 1984ish assault on classroom libraries.
■ The Onion again: “Whites Ousted From Role As Master Race After Racist Past Comes To Light.”
■ More from The Nib’s Jen Sorensen:
A wealth canyon. A new study finds Black residents of Cook County four times more likely than whites to have trouble paying bills or saving money.
■ Columnist Irv Leavitt hails Skokie’s move toward creating more affordable housing.
Company’s coming. Beyoncé’s announced a tour schedule that will bring her to Chicago’s Soldier Field July 22 …
■ … and that Rolling Stone predicts will trigger another Ticketmaster war.
■ Fall Out Boy will launch its tour at Wrigley Field June 21.
■ The Onion again, again: “Ticketmaster To Require Purchase Of Round-Trip Concert Tickets For Exiting Venue After Show.”
SquareActionLine. A reader writes: “As the de-facto ‘CFO’ for my parents (87 and 90) … after many attempts to get an airbag recall serviced for their car, I’m at my wit’s end with their car dealer. … It’s like the dealer is playing out the clock by offering non-responses each time we contact them. (A BBB complaint garnered a non-response, too.) Since I started keeping a closer eye on mom and dad, I’ve seen enough to know that older people are targets. Dissembling to avoid replacing a defective airbag is some next-level stuff. Any thoughts or advice you have would be great.”
■ The response from your Square columnist—who loves this stuff: I’ve waged some of my personal best consumer wars (2013 link) through social media. I wouldn’t be shy about tweeting about your problem and tagging the manufacturer and the dealer. Also: Don’t forget that once you’ve bought the car, you’re not tied to a specific dealer. You can go to any of the brand’s dealerships. And some of them are more responsive than others, as I’ve learned firsthand (also 2013). Other channels include the NHTSA (although that’s probably a long shot) and the Illinois attorney general’s office. Hope that helps. Keep us posted?
■ The Square mailbag’s always open.
Forget us not. Time’s running short to cast a vote or two for Chicago Public Square in the Reader’s Best of Chicago poll.
■ The Reader has a new publisher …
■ … and the departing one wishes him well.
■ Gawker is shutting down—again.
Thanks. Eric Zorn made this edition better.
Martin Berg is a Square advertiser.
