'Still out there' / Amazon frenzy / Zombie coyotes

‘THAT GUY IS PROBABLY STILL OUT THERE. AND HE MIGHT WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.’ A man who survived a push onto CTA Blue Line tracks last month tells the Tribune he’s surprised Chicago police didn’t issue a public warning.
An aldermanic proposal to limit surge pricing by ride-hailing services has stalled in the City Council.

‘THE POTENTIAL IS FAR WORSE IF PARTICIPANTS CONTINUE TO CARRY GUNS.’ Citing the calamitous conflicts between demonstrators in Charlottesville, two influential aldermen are proposing to ban firearms and weapons from Chicago protests and rallies.
Next-gen artificial intelligence can ID protesters, even if they’re disguised with a hat, scarf, sunglasses or a beard.
Now you can rent Daley Plaza for weddings and stuff.

‘IT’S HARD TO BE THE MASTER OF THE ART OF THE DEAL AND NEVER MAKE ANY.’ Obama adviser David Axelrod told an audience at Dominican University last night President Trump may have cut a hurricane-relief and debt-ceiling compromise with Democrats because he was desperate for some deal—any deal. (The Axelrod interview will be a podcast. Watch this space.)
One Republican source tells CNN Trump’s decision “shell-shocked” Republican leaders of the House and the Senate.
In another head-spinning tweet, the president this morning assured immigrants concerned about their status for the next six months: “You have nothing to worry about - No action!
Former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon: “Catholic bishops … have an economic interest in … unlimited illegal immigration.”
Tribune columnist Steve Chapman: “You don’t have to be a white racist to be satisfied with Trump’s presidency. But it certainly helps.”
Ta-Nehisi Coates in The Atlantic: Trump “is a white man who would not be president were it not for this fact.” (Photo: Alexa Rogals, Wednesday Journal.)

‘IF KID ROCK FOR SENATE HAS GOT FOLKS IN DISARRAY, WAIT ’TIL THEY HEAR KID ROCK FOR PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A.!’ Political watchdogs, who’ve accused Kid Rock of violating election law, won’t be happy with what he did at a concert last night in Grand Rapids(Photo: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth.)
A candidate for Illinois governor has dumped his running mate, a Chicago alderman, after just six days—because of the alderman’s position on policy related to Israel.
Media watchdog Robert Feder: A WFLD-Channel 32 editorial used station employees to pose as Illinois citizens outraged over high taxes and government workers’ pensions.

AMAZON FRENZY. The company’s generated nationwide buzz with its announcement it’s planning a second North American headquarters—one fully equal to its Seattle operation—and inviting cities to make their pitches. Its criteria include a population of more than 1 million and a “stable and business-friendly environment” with “urban or suburban locations … to attract and retain strong technical talent.”
In Florida’s run-up to Hurricane Irma, Amazon faces charges of price-gouging for bottled water.
Amazon is opening stores inside Kohl’s.
Toys R Us may go bankrupt.

UM, DID AMAZON SAY ‘STABLE’? Chicago’s public school students are disappearing. WBEZ’s Linda Lutton reports that, by the first day of class, fewer than 10 freshmen had enrolled at one high school, and only 119 showed up for all grades at another.
A new Illinois law requires schools accommodate students nursing babies.

AIRBNB BAN. Two Chicago aldermen are now backing a plan to declare the Midway Airport area off-limits to home-sharing.
The City Council has OK’d the right to unionize and a $13.45-an-hour minimum wage for contract workers at Midway and O’Hare.

‘THAT’S REALLY STRANGE.’ One of the experts often featured on Shark Week says Hurricane Irma may be responsible for a parade of baby nurse sharks, a large green moray eel and plenty of fish, sting rays and crabs swimming along a popular Florida beach shoreline in water just inches deep.
Updating: Irma looks increasingly likely to rip into South Florida early Sunday.
 Florida transplants from the Chicago area debate: Should I stay or should I go?
USA Today explains why hurricanes exist.
Houston techies who built apps to help Hurricane Harvey victims are setting their sights on Irma.
The biggest solar flare in a decade blacked out radio communication early today.

ZOMBIE COYOTES. They’re a thing, and Chicago-area police are warning you to stay away.
But: Not a single human has been reported harmed by them.

MOVIE HISTORY FOR SALE. The contents of a 1925 suburban theater facing demolition are on the block.
Apple and Amazon are bidding for the rights to the next round of James Bond movies.

AVOCADO CRISIS. The shortage and resulting high prices have put Chicago-area restaurants in a pickle.
The cost of a stamp could jump to 60 cents.

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CLARIFICATIONS.
 Attentive reader Jerry Role noted that a link to PolitiFact in yesterday’s Square wasn’t clearly marked as dating back to 2016.
And the ceaselessly alert Mike Braden, who holds the record for Square flaw-spotting, suggested improved wording for yesterday’s Bronzeville bed-and-breakfast item.

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