PLASTIC PLANET. New research recounted in The Guardian finds billions of people around the world are drinking water contaminated by plastic particles—partly from fibers shed by everyday wear and tear on clothes and carpets, and by clothes dryers venting into the open air. Highest contamination rates? Right here in the U.S., including Congress buildings, EPA headquarters, and New York’s Trump Tower.
■ Also contaminated: German bottled beer, sugar and honey samples.
■ Newsweek: At President Trump’s EPA, thousands of environmental projects are in jeopardy.
■ Mayor Emanuel is proposing a tenfold increase in fines for those who dump waste on private property.
BEHOLD IRMA. Developing: The strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever recorded is still headed this way.
■ A Florida Keys woman who hasn’t evacuated in 51 years tells CBS: “I’m not staying for Irma. No, not happening.”
■ … And the Federal Emergency Management Agency is almost out of money.
IT’S GOOD TO BE THE PRESIDENT. A USA Today investigation finds golfing CEOs and lobbyists are paying Trump’s companies millions for membership in his private clubs—meaning that, “for the first time in U.S. history, wealthy people with interests before the government have a chance for close and confidential access to the president as a result of payments that enrich him personally.”
■ The Daily Beast: Saudi Arabia gave Trump “insane gifts.”
■ PolitiFact corrects the president: For the third time, the U.S. is not the “highest taxed nation in the world.” (Clarification(Clarification, 11:05 a.m.: This link dates to May 2016.)
HILLARY CLINTON: NOT DONE YET. CNN—which found and bought a copy of her new book, What Happened, before the official release date—says she pledges therein she’ll return to public life.
■ The publisher of a book of inspirational writings Clinton’s pastor sent her during the campaign has withdrawn it and will destroy copies, citing plagiarism.
CHICAGO RESISTS. Hundreds turned out downtown last night to protest the Trump administration’s decision to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protects immigrants illegally brought to the U.S. as children.
■ Mayor Emanuel told Chicago schoolkids: “Our city … will be a Trump-free zone,” and he’s pressing Gov. Rauner to do the same for all Illinois.
■ Neil Steinberg: “The president is doing the wrong thing in a clever fashion.”
■ Regardless of a bewilderingly conciliatory tweet from the president last night, the government has already begun winding down DACA.
■ Apple and Microsoft promise legal help to their employees affected.
■ Why those young immigrants are called DREAMers.
THE GOOD NEWS ON CRIME—EXCEPT … Data from the 30 largest U.S. cities suggests 2017 is on track for the second-lowest violent crime rate of any year since 1990. But Chicago and Baltimore haven’t been playing along.
■ DNAinfo: Trip Advisor’s top-rated Chicago bed and breakfast, a historic mansion in Bronzeville, is closing because the owner says it’s too hard to persuade people to stay in the neighborhood.
PRITZKER’S GENEROSITY. The Tribune notes that gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker’s $100,000 donation in 2006 to now-disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was followed four days later—a week before Blagojevich was re-elected—by Blagojevich’s announcement of a $1 million state grant to a charity for which Pritzker was chief fundraiser.
SHELVED. The Downers Grove Village Council has voted to remove a library board member who allegedly suggested staff should protect children from exposure to homosexuals and homosexual lifestyles.
■ A mayoral candidate in Charlotte, N. Carolina., has yanked a Facebook post touting herself as “Republican and smart, white, traditional.”
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE HISTORY. Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications will host an exhibit of more than 500 artifacts from the show’s run. (Screenshot: “Saturday Night Live: The Experience.”)
■ Northlight Theatre plans a “spectacular” new home in Evanston.
■ Chicago’s celebrated Tru restaurant is closing after 18 years.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
■ Square reader Susan Stein noted a preposition missing in yesterday’s item about Sue the Tyrannosaurus rex.
■ Yesterday’s issue also got wrong the election year that was the subject of a Republican Party “autopsy.” It was 2012.
■ If you’re first to spot an error in Square, no matter how trivial—we love trivial—email Oops@ChicagoPublicSquare.com and see your name hyperlinked in glory right here.
■ Tonight’s big event (below)—in which your Square proprietor interrogates a former senior adviser to President Obama—is almost sold out. Jump on that discount now, before it’s too late.
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