Mrs. Trump’s jacket. Why did Melania Trump, on her way to meet migrant children separated from parents at the Texas border, wear big words on her back: “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?”* The BBC offers five possible rationales.
■ A Chicago writer is using the first lady’s jacket to raise money to help immigrants.
■ BuzzFeed News documents “The Heartbreaking Case Of The Three-Year-Old Boy In Immigration Court”: “What is your name?” the judge asked. “Es un avion! [It’s a plane],” Roger responded.
■ Kids who’ve memorized phone numbers have a better chance of being reunited with their parents.
■ Parents trying to reunite with their separated kids confront chaos.
■ A New York Times map shows where those children are being held across the country.
■ Speaking of not caring: Here’s Fox and Friends’ Brian Kilmeade this morning: “These aren’t our kids. … It’s not like he is doing this to the people of Idaho or Texas. These are people from another country.”
■ In a tweet this morning, Trump reversed course: “Republicans should stop wasting their time on Immigration until after we elect more Senators and Congressmen/women in November.”
‘A shocking absence of elementary decency.’ That’s conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer on Trump two years ago.
■ Krauthammer, employed by both The Washington Post and Fox News, died yesterday at 68.
■ … a little less than two weeks after publishing a note in which he said farewell to readers.
Cell phone privacy win. Developing coverage: In an unusually-split decision, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the court’s Democratic appointees to require police (clarification:) generally
■ The Sun-Times: A study finds Chicago’s parking ticketing practices unfairly burden poor and minority communities.
■ Tribune columnist Eric Zorn: “Badges? Aldermen don’t need no stinkin’ badges!”
Oct. 1. That’s when Illinois will be ready to collect—and you should be ready to pay—state tax on online sales regardless of the seller’s location.
‘Nowhere in Illinois can a full-time minimum-wage worker afford rent.’ A new study concludes the statewide average price for rent and utilities on a two-bedroom apartment requires a “housing wage” of $20.34 an hour.
■ A Tribune investigation finds fees developers have been paying under Mayor Emanuel’s “affordable housing” plan are mostly being steered away from neighborhoods where new development is displacing residents.
On the WGNs, ‘odd bedfellows.’ Two activist groups often at odds are both opposing acquisition of Chicago’s WGN-TV and Radio by the reactionary Sinclair Broadcast Group.
■ The FCC is taking public comment on the proposed deal through July 12.
Skokie vs. Evanston. The twin cities of Chicago’s northern suburbs are going at it in court: Skokie says Evanston is violating civil rights by charging too much for Lake Michigan water.
■ Trump has killed Obama-era rules designed to protect the Great Lakes.
NOseanne. ABC is bringing back Roseanne Barr’s TV show without her—as The Conners.
■ And she says she’s going along with the plan, reluctantly.
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* Yeah, you could argue another question mark should follow that quotation mark, but that would be overkill, don’t you think?