'Clown' wince / Catholic lurch / 'Magnificent'

[Chicago Public Square will take a few days off. Back Tuesday.]

‘Clown’ wince. Mayor Lightfoot has expressed regret for insulting a Chicago police union vice president … “out loud.”
Watch the moment in question and her kind-of apology.
Damn angry,” the mayor has ordered police to stop running criminal background checks on people who speak at meetings of the Police Board …
 … a practice for which the department has apologized.
University of Chicago researchers have landed a $1.2 million grant to study police shootings.

Lightfoot’s ‘huge victory.’ Politico’s Shia Kapos says the mayor’s “hot mic” moment overshadowed a landmark overhaul of the City Council’s ethics rules …
 … which, among other things, gives indicted Ald. Ed Burke 90 days to choose between remaining an alderman and maintaining his lucrative law practice, where he has long represented clients appealing their tax burdens.
The council also delivered on a two-year campaign to require businesses give workers advance notice of their work schedules—with financial penalties for last-minute changes.

‘World’s least cooperative audiobook.’ That’s The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, assessing yesterday’s House testimony by special counsel Robert Mueller—during which Mueller repeatedly referred lawmakers to his report: “‘Chapter 1— You know what? You know how to read. Go get the book. Read it yourself.’”
In questioning by Chicago Congressman Mike Quigley, Mueller said of Donald Trump’s support for Wikileaks: “Problematic is an understatement.”
In Chicago, presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand said Mueller made a case for impeachment hearings.
The AP looks ahead to what’s next: Investigations, lawsuits and more.
Trump—and Bill Clinton—pal Jeffrey Epstein was found hurt in the cell where he awaits trial on sex-trafficking charges, and so has been placed on suicide watch.
The Justice Department plans to restart capital punishment with five executions.

Catholic lurch. A Tribune investigation finds Chicago’s Catholic Archdiocese faces myriad financial pressures—including priest misconduct settlements—that bode poorly for the future of “a faith that was once nearly synonymous with the identity of Chicago.”
An aging building stock spells more parish and school closures ahead.
The Chicago School Board’s watchdog reports receiving an average of three sexual misconduct complaints about adults per school day.
The board—which for some reason keeps holding meetings the same day as the City Council, guaranteeing less coverage—has launched several reforms, including streaming proceedings live online, offering Spanish translations for those in attendance and moving the public comment period closer to the start of its marathon sessions.

Lollapa-lost. Chicago’s begun closing some streets around Grant Park ahead of next week’s Lollapalooza music fest.
Chicago reports no arrests during last week’s Pitchfork Music Festival.

‘Magnificent.’ The Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper previews tonight’s airing on Ch. 11 of the documentary Eastland: Chicago’s Deadliest Disaster.
Three years in the making, it includes a dramatic re-enactment. (Photo: Eastland Disaster Historical Society.)
Outside magazine puts Chicago atop a list of “America’s new adventure capitals,” the 12 best places to live in 2019.

‘Very disappointed.’ U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky has joined the roster of listeners protesting WBEZ’s plans to cancel its Worldview show about global affairs.
Veteran columnist Mary Mitchell is scaling back her contributions to the Sun-Times.
 [Update] A consortium led by the Getty Trust is buying Ebony’s archives of more than 4 million historic images depicting African American life.

Does Chicago Public Square make you a better person?
What’s that worth to ya? Help Square grow by chipping in as little as $5. That’s what discerning readers, including a mass of mortals whose monickers begin with M—specifically, Marc Magliari, Maria Garvy, Maria Mooshil, Marianne Matthews, Marjorie Halperin, Mark Mueller, Mark Wukas, Martha Intrieri, Martin Berg, Marty Winefield, Mary Kensik, Matt Baron, Maureen Gannon, Meghan Strubel, Mena Boulanger, Michael Collins, Michael Esposito, Michael Johnson, Michael Kelly, Michael Romain, Michael Weiland, Michele Kurlander, Mike Cramer, Mike Dessimoz, Mike Gold and Mike Janowski—have done. Learn more here.

Subscribe to Square.