‘Horrific detail.’ Politico Illinois reviews Round One of congressional hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection …
■ … including Illinois Republican Adam Kinzinger’s emotion-choked statement …
■ … in which he took aim at his fellow Republicans for “the outrage and the conspiracies that fueled the violence and division in this country.”
■ Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn recounted the racial epithets he endured that day: “You hear that, guys? This n***** voted for Joe Biden!”
■ One officer compared the scene to a “medieval battlefield.”
■ A Sun-Times editorial: “Cops put the lie to Republican claims of non-violent ‘patriots.’”
■ Slate: Banning Republican Jim Jordan from the committee “saved the investigation.”
■ Chicago-born journalist and documentary filmmaker Jonathan Alter: “I’ve watched congressional hearings as far back as the 1970s and can’t remember any others as moving, historic and tight.”
■ Media writer Tom Jones: “You couldn’t help but be shaken as if it was all happening for the first time.”
■ Esquire’s Charlie Pierce: Donald Trump “has to testify now.”
■ NPR offers four takeaways from the proceedings.
■ See it all here.
To mask or not to mask? The Sun-Times breaks down what new federal pandemic guidance means for the Chicago area—notably, one suburban county.
■ The Conversation: Why the CDC recommends masks indoors even for the fully vaccinated.
■ The state of Illinois calls for everyone to wear masks inside schools.
■ Got your shots? England bids you welcome.
■ Columnist Phil Kadner: “The disease is being spread today by Americans who just don’t give a damn.”
■ The Onion: “‘Why Did I Get Vaccinated Then?’ Screams Burning Woman After Realizing She Can Still Catch Fire.”
‘I just need to … focus on myself.’ Olympic champ Simone Biles won’t defend her all-around title but the International Gymnastics Federation says she’ll be evaluated daily for possible participation in next week’s individual events.
■ Veteran TV news anchor turned high school teacher and blogger Matt Rodewald: Biles’ decision is “NBC’s nightmare.”
■ The Wall Street Journal looks back eight years, to when “Biles had to be forced off the competition floor by her then-coach over her mental state.”
■ CNN’s Brian Stelter: “The common thread between all of Tuesday’s top stories was mental health.”
■ The AP: “Biles might … have redefined the mental health discussion … coursing through sports for the past year.”
■ Ex-Tribune columnist Mary Schmich is writing on Facebook—this week about her younger sister, who “wound up in special ed classes that didn’t fit her needs or nourish her talents.”
Protect your phone. The National Security Agency recommends frustrating would-be hackers simply by turning it off and back on at least once a week …
■ … which brings to mind an old joke.
■ Gizmodo: “If you own an iPad, iPhone, or a Mac … update your device right now.”
Beatles + the Bard. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s planning in-person shows again—including As You Like It set to music of the Fab Four.
■ Berwyn-born actor Bob Odenkirk has been hospitalized after collapsing on the set of Better Call Saul.
■ Netflix in September will unleash an animated show based on comedian Chris Witaske’s parody Twitter account, Chicago Party Aunt.
Cryo genesis. Tedium explores the origins of the Slurpee and the ICEE.
Flashback. Most-clicked link in yesterday’s Chicago Public Square? This one.
■ Thanks to reader Pam Spiegel for making this edition better.