‘Toxic’ turmoil. The Tribune scrutinizes the challenges faced by one of the Chicago area’s biggest churches, Harvest Bible Chapel, as donations have plummeted with exposure of the institution’s self-described “toxic leadership environment.”
■ Slate: The pope’s refusal to let people kiss his ring spotlights Catholicism’s culture wars.
‘Jussie has paid enough.’ Lawyers for Jussie Smollett have indicated they have no intention of honoring Chicago’s demand for $130,106.15 to compensate the city for its investigation of a hate crime police say he concocted.
■ Read the city’s letter to Smollett (PDF download).
■ Mayor Emanuel: Smollett and President Trump are part of the same “vicious, toxic cycle.”
■ Trib columnist John Kass: “Who knows who Rahm’s real target in all of this is? Only fools and small children take him at his word.”
■ Trib columnist Eric Zorn: “Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx probably will and arguably should lose her job next year over her office’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case.”
■ Darcel Rockett in the Trib: “To … citizens … who have lost faith in a justice system they thought they understood—I say, welcome.”
■ The Trib’s Dahleen Glanton: “What if prosecutors saw that despite the evidence that he made the whole thing up, Smollett didn’t deserve to go to jail?”
■ When mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle—now the Cook County Board president—laid off hundreds in 2017, the Trib reports, one politically well-connected worker was spared.
■ The Trib recaps six key moments in TV debates between Preckwinkle and Lori Lightfoot.
■ Maya Dukmasova outlines the issues in another contested Chicago race: “What the hell does the treasurer even do?“
Measles misgivings. The Cook County Public Health Department has issued a detailed alert identifying spots in Chicago and the suburbs where a person confirmed to have measles was between March 17 and 23 …
■ … and the owners of businesses listed are dealing with the fallout.
■ A new campaign in Illinois is pressing Wendy’s to join McDonald’s, phasing out antibiotics in the beef supply.
The 737 MAX ‘scandal.’ Vox: It’s worse than just bad software.
■ Ars Technica: But it was partly software.
Lights down, Chicago. To mark the annual Earth Hour environmental awareness event, downtown will be darker than usual Saturday night.
■ What you can do.
■ President Trump has been lying (again) about wind energy …
■ … and about healthcare, the Russia investigation and the 2016 election.
Meet the new boss(es). The Chicago Sun-Times is getting a new ownership lineup—courtesy of the Blackhawks’ owner and a Mayor Emanuel pal.
■ The Tow Center for Digital Journalism: News outlets are doing a lousy job of saving their digital work.
An honor just to be nominated as a finalist. Square is up for two prizes in this year’s Chicago Headline Club Peter Lisagor Awards—including best podcast. That wouldn’t be happening without the support of readers like you.
