‘This ain’t Nazi f***ing Germany.’ Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara unleashed an obscenity-filled objection to Mayor Lightfoot’s plan to require COVID-19 vaccination for all city employees by Oct. 15.
■ Tribune columnist Rex Huppke: “The anti-mandate/pro-knucklehead side is about to lose, badly.” (Cartoon: Keith J. Taylor.)
■ Gov. Pritzker was poised today to announce the return of a statewide mask mandate …
■ … but Chicago Public Schools planned to abandon some of the safety measures in effect last school year—including daily temp checks and three feet of social distancing.
■ Illinois Senate President Don Harmon reports, “I am fully recovered from my breakthrough COVID-19 case and feeling 100% well.”
Help for the mentally ill. Pritzker’s signed legislation making Illinois only the nation’s third state to require insurance coverage for mental health disorders.
■ Also: All the state’s municipalities will have to coordinate 911 calls to the cops with the 988 hotline for suicide prevention.
■ In a contentious exchange at that news conference, Pritzker slammed WIND-AM personality—and discredited ex-TV reporter (February link)—Amy Jacobson for “spreading misinformation” about the pandemic.
False. PolitiFact debunks President Biden’s assertion that Al-Qaida is “gone” from Afghanistan.
■ Columnist Steve Chapman: “The sudden, complete disintegration of the government revealed that it was no more viable than a brain-dead patient on life support. All Biden did was pull the plug.”
■ Updating coverage: An explosion at Kabul’s airport—where thousands have been trying to flee the Taliban takeover—reportedly left several dead or wounded.
■ ProPublica founder Dick Tofel: “Yes, it is awful that it ended this way. … But the press needs to assume its own share of responsibility for all of that.”
■ The Conversation: The Taliban’s history is crucial in understanding what might happen next.
Tahoe tension. With hundreds of homes near Lake Tahoe already gutted, crews have been struggling to control a Northern California fire fueled by climate change.
■ An energy researcher shares three technologies that can help solve the challenge of moving to 100% renewable electricity.
‘Something is out of whack.’ A Trib editorial calls on Chicago to dial back those draconian speed camera fines.
■ Indicted on bribery charges, Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin has quit a City Council chairmanship—but not her seat on the council.
Divvy desperadoes. Police have sounded a warning about young suspects who made off with victims’ rented Divvy bikes downtown.
■ A personal biking memory from 45 years ago today: “You’ve never looked fear in the eye until you’ve bicycled toward side-by-side cars zooming at you 55 miles an hour on a curving, two-lane highway.”
Including ‘a study of rat friendship which really has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.’ Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications will host John Oliver’s eclectic gallery of bizarre art in October …
‘Traditional gotcha! horror moments and … Chicago at its most beautiful.’ Critic Richard Roeper gives the new Jordan Peele-written Candyman three-and-a-half stars.
■ Newly “certified dark,” the Palos Preserves in the southwest suburbs is officially now the world’s largest “Urban Night Sky Place” and, with the Adler Planetarium, will host stargazing nights—offering visitors the chance to see four times as many stars as one can see in Chicago.