‘I’ll be with you … until I’m not.’ That’s the grim note at the bottom of Tribune columnist* Eric Zorn’s weekly email to readers following the purchase of parent company Tribune Publishing by the ax-inclined Alden Global Capital.
■ Among the first cuts: Tribune Publishing’s CEO, Terry Jimenez—the only Tribune board member to oppose the deal.
■ His replacement: This sexy beast, who The Wall Street Journal says contends cuts are essential to saving newspapers.
■ The Journal’s Lukas Alpert reports that, to close the deal, Alden borrowed $278 million—debt it’s dumping on Tribune’s books, ratcheting up the pressure for layoffs.
■ Media writer Tom Jones: “Now journalists … hold their collective breath.”
Regulatory relief. At today’s City Council meeting, Mayor Lightfoot planned to roll out post-pandemic reforms to make life easier for consumers, restaurants and other businesses …
■ … including permanent legalization of cocktails-to-go.
■ Also on the agenda: A vote on renaming Lake Shore Drive in honor of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable …
■ … and another step toward the sale and possible demolition of the state’s iconic Thompson Center.
■ See the aldermen in action live here.
■ The mayor’s released a funny video to announce that city beaches reopen Friday for the first time since September 2019.
Free rides. Get vaccinated against COVID-19—free—at Chicago-run sites and get up to five free Six Flags tickets.
■ A Chicago alderman is pushing an ordinance to limit surge pricing by rideshare companies.
‘How we wish that were true.’ A year after the murder death of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, columnist Dahleen Glanton reflects: “Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter thought his murder would change the world. It didn’t.”
■ Floyd’s sister yesterday boycotted a family meeting with President Biden, complaining he “broke a promise” to sign federal police reforms before yesterday’s anniversary.
■ A Sun-Times editorial is more upbeat: “Any way you cut it … real police reform is coming to Chicago.”
■ Chicago’s beloved 122-year-old Central Camera, which went up in flames during last year’s protests of Floyd’s death, is still boarded up—but also still in business.
■ The family of Adam Toledo, who’d have turned 14 today had he not been shot and killed by a Chicago cop, is creating a rural sanctuary for kids at risk.
■ The Conversation details police body cameras’ downside for citizens.
‘Greene is fixated on Jews.’ Sun-Times Washington bureau chief Lynn Sweet says House Republicans need to discipline “noxious” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
■ The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake doesn’t expect Greene to fade away: “It’s only a matter of time before there’s something else. And that something also will in all likelihood … be worse.”
‘The message stinks.’ Trib columnist Heidi Stevens lays into a Florida public high school “whose faculty yearbook coordinator edited at least 80 girls’ photos to cover up any tiny hint of the chests they had the audacity to grow.”
■ Ex- Self-described diasporan Chicagoan Mike Gold notes sarcastically: “Cleavage is bad and must be exorcised, at least at Bartram Trail High School in St. John’s Florida, where Principal Chris Phelps can be reached at (904) 547-8340.”
■ Columnist Clarence Page: “Let’s talk about hair.”**
■ The New Yorker sees “The Beginning of the End of the American Pandemic.”
Prime Bond. Amazon has a deal to buy MGM—including the James Bond movie franchise …
■ … but not The Wizard of Oz.
■ Variety reviews Disney’s new movie Cruella: “A deliciously dark, unexpectedly empowering origin story.”
About halfway in … The month-long #SaveChicagoMedia campaign by the 43 organizations that constitute the Chicago Independent Media Alliance—including Chicago Public Square—has been bringing in about $1,000 a day. That’s about 33% below expectations. You can help them all, or just pick your favorites, here.
■ Hey, this is happening tonight:
Chicago Public Square supports the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
Thanks to Pam Spiegel for making this edition better.
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* And Square supporter.
** Your Square columnist hates dress codes.