‘Little microphones … almost sent him to prison for life.’ An AP/Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting investigation spotlights the case of a Chicago man caught up in police’s flawed reliance on the artificial-intelligence-driven ShotSpotter gunfire detection service.
■ Before prosecutors conceded they had insufficient evidence against him, Michael Williams spent almost a year behind bars accused of murder: “Every day in this place was a nightmare.”
Rush-hour CTA shooting. A man was shot and killed on a CTA Red Line train at the Garfield stop yesterday afternoon.
■ Five people—four of them police officers—were overcome by heat as they stood outside the church where thousands gathered for a funeral honoring slain Officer Ella French.
Out of Jeopardy! Amid cascading scandalous reports, the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards—who nominally led the search for Alex Trebek’s replacement—is out as the new host.
■ Before the announcement, The Ringer exhumed fresh skeletons from Richards’ closet …
■ … and the Anti-Defamation League had called for an investigation into his “disparaging remarks about Jews, women and Asians.”
■ So now the parade of guest hosts resumes.
Mask task. Today marks the return of Chicago’s pandemic mandate for mouth-and-nose coverings in most indoor public settings.
■ There are a few exceptions.
■ A Sun-Times letter-writer complains the CTA is doing a crappy job of enforcing mask rules.
■ Ten of Chicago’s 12 least-vaccinated ZIP codes are on the South Side.
■ Did you get the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine? Stay tuned for counsel on a booster shot.
‘Outright whitewash.’ The No. 2 guy in the Chicago Park District inspector general’s office says he was yanked off the job a week ago—to, in his words, “impede and obstruct” an investigation into “widespread sexual assault, sexual harassment and physical abuse” of lifeguards.
■ Read his statement: “Mysterious … officials” ordered his unpaid suspension.
■ Block Club: A Chicago Public Schools staffer accused of inappropriate touching is getting his job back—and parents aren’t happy about it.
Disaster prep. Consumer Reports rounds up tips for surviving storms and enduring power outages …
■ … including what to feed the fam while the electricity’s off …
■ … and a reminder that flooded roads are more dangerous than they appear.
■ As Illinois lawmakers remain deadlocked on energy reforms, the Sun-Times reports that a solar energy incentive program has run out of cash, demand has plunged and companies are laying off workers.
■ Live and free on the web Saturday afternoon: The (In)Justice For All Film Festival shows the 2019 documentary about Chicago’s disastrous 1995 heatwave, Cooked: Survival by ZIP Code.
‘An embarrassment of dingii.’ Men Yell at Me columnist Lyz Lenz had a tough time selecting her latest Dingus of the Week before settling on “Facebook, who has caused and made worse the disinformation and harassment problems plaguing our culture.”
■ The Federal Trade Commission is taking another stab at breaking up the company.
