This is the final 2018 edition of Chicago Public Square. More Square in the air Jan. 2. Meanwhile, catch news updates for the next couple of weeks via the Square Facebook and Twitter accounts. And, remember: If you want to keep Square growing in 2019, it’s never too late to give a subscription as a gift or to join The Legion of Chicago Public Squarians yourself. And now, the news:
‘Disgusting.’ Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the Catholic church in Illinois has dramatically underreported the number of priests accused of sexual misconduct.
■ “At every opportunity … to … not do an investigation, they took it.”
‘Donald is right.’ Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, likes President Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria …
■ … but U.S. allies in Syria says say Trump’s plan would leave Syria’s people “between the claws of enemy forces.”
‘A legacy of empty words.’ Vox’s Matthew Yglesias: House Speaker Paul Ryan’s farewell address “contained a blaze of nonsense about poverty.”
■ PolitiFact’s Trump-O-Meter assesses the president’s record on campaign promises.
■ The Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet has the inside story on how Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin won Trump administration support for that historic federal prison sentencing overhaul.
Criminal, um, Empire revelation. In a landmark drug-trafficking trial, a government witness told the court that when he set up cell phones for the operation’s Chicago crews to use in cocaine delivery, he’d dial a number well-known across the city: 312-588-2300.
■ Police say four carjackers attacked a Chicago man with a hammer before getting away.
‘Stupid’ fallout. A political organizer who insulted the police officers who were struck and killed by a train while hunting a gunman has lost his role with a progressive group.
■ Police say they’ve nabbed the man the cops were chasing.
■ Surprise: Chicago wards whose populations are heavy with police and
‘All the answers, none of the bulls__t.’ The Reader filters mayoral candidates’ forum remarks for you.
■ One candidate, mayoral son and brother Bill Daley, is pushing for TV debates.
■ The Tribune’s John Kass: Candidates who entered the mayoral race after Rahm Emanuel announced his retirement—including Daley—should “just take a walk and go. Shoo. Scat.”
■ A Sun-Times Watchdog report concludes most of the volunteers who got signatures for fed-raided Ald. Ed Burke can’t vote for him.
Oh, say, can you see? Chicago’s in line to become only the second U.S. city with three high-rise observatories …
■ … which may make it easier to see where all those people leaving Illinois are going.
■ For the first time in four years, the Chicago Housing Authority is opening its waitlist to people seeking public housing.
Bikers’ and hikers’ holiday gift. Chicago today opens a couple of long-awaited lakefront bypasses for pedestrians and bicyclists.
■ In the works: A federal database revealing how well airlines handle wheelchairs.
White Christmas? AccuWeather has updated odds for at least an inch of snow on the ground across the country Dec. 25.
■ Storms could disrupt pre-Christmas travel for some regions.
Merry/Happy. Holiday reading and listening from the archives:
■ The appeal of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” explained.
■ Daddy and the Santa Claus dilemma.
■ How I foreshadowed “The War on Christmas.”
■ The late Mayor Harold Washington reads “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”
Peace on Earth, good will to all. And thanks.