■ … and Stephenson says the company’s head lobbyist—the guy who hired Cohen—is “retiring.”
■ … spelling an end to the AT&T career of one of the biggest opponents of net neutrality.
Russia’s black fixation. Congress’ release of 3,500 Russian government-funded Facebook political ads reveals a focus on African-American voters.
■ … including an attempt to foment conflict between Beyoncé fans and critics.
■ The Guardian interviews an anti-police brutality activist jailed under a secretive U.S. surveillance effort to track so-called “black identity extremists.”
Oxymoronic. The National Rifle Association’s incoming president, Oliver North, accuses gun-regulation activists who’ve targeted the NRA of “civil terrorism.”
■ The grieving father of a girl killed in the Parkland, Florida, massacre responds to North on Twitter: “We will end your reign of terror and we will pass common sense gun safety in this country.”
■ Parkland survivor David Hogg’s tweet back at North: “You would know about terrorism, wouldn’t you?”
■ 30 years after a shooting spree in a Winnetka second-grade classroom, one of the students wounded then has posted a more-than-15,000-word autobiographical essay on his blog, sharing the emotional price he paid.
■ Cubs co-owner and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts encouraged NRA members to “go out and vote” but “not the Chicago way.”
■ The Tribune’s Ryan Ori says “The 78,” as developer Related Midwest calls it, could become “a city within the city.” (Rendering: Related Midwest.)
■ In the push for an Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park, a debate over whether to close or narrow Cornell Drive.
■ Expansion of Rosemont’s Fashion Outlets mall may spell the end for the nearby Rosemont Theatre.
‘7 men, 2 women. 6 black, 3 white. 1 openly gay.’ Mary Schmich runs down the roster of challengers to Mayor Emanuel and finds “enough for a baseball team.”
■ The latest to enter the race, Lori Lightfoot: “We must do better than letting 80 percent of homicides go unsolved.”
Raise your hand if you thought he was still/already in jail. Convicted and sentenced to prison for a third time, former Chicago Congressman Mel Reynolds says that, when he gets out this time, “I’m done with America.”
■ Chicago’s police superintendent reacts to the federal indictment of two gang cops accused of stealing cash and drugs from places they raided: “If substantiated, these allegations are a disgrace to what I and every member of the Chicago Police Department have dedicated our lives to.”
■ Illinois’ self-styled “blogger laureate,” John Ruberry, says that would fulfill a prophetic Saturday Night Live skit.
■ A Trib editorial condemns a notorious Chicago company: “Lincoln Towing should get the hook.”
Gotta go? Starbucks’ new policy on bathrooms: Open to anyone, paying customer or not.
■ After days of criticism that Google’s new Duplex artificial intelligence technology is “horrifying,” the company’s pledging the AI voice will disclose itself as nonhuman when placing calls and making appointments for real people.
WBEZ changes. An overhauled program lineup is aimed at displaying a “greater commitment … to fact-based, independent journalism.”
■ A new Fox Television series, Proven Innocent, will make it five filming in Chicago.
■ Have questions for Jeff Mauro? Suggest them by email: Qs@ChicagoPublicSquare.com.
■ Come on out Tuesday, and save $5 by paying now.
■ And here’s something you can do with that $5.