‘Someone should have called a cab.’ For What It’s Worth law blogger Jack Leyhane tackles a question raised by the (waaaay) most-tapped item in the April 19 Chicago Public Square: Whether a judge who was a passenger in her own car broke the law by not cooperating with cops who charged the driver—another judge—with driving under the influence.
■ Leyhane surveys the consequences for other judges charged over the last half-century with driving while impaired.
Lightfoot sequel? The mayor says she’s almost ready to announce her candidacy for reelection.
■ U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley says he won’t run.
A ‘middle finger’ to the U.N. That’s what the mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine, calls Russia’s bombardment of the city during a visit by the United Nations’ secretary-general.
■ CNN’s Stephen Collinson: “The strategic broadening of the war was accompanied by … alarming nuclear rhetoric from Moscow.”
■ A Wayne State University psych professor offers tips on how to protect your family from horrific news images—and still stay informed.
‘Local law enforcement is policing … making fart noises with your armpits.’ Esquire’s Charlie Pierce takes a poke at Illinois in his occasional roundup, “What Is Wrong With These People?”
■ Politico: Conservative Republicans who built their political brands—in Illinois and elsewhere—on challenging party leaders are starting to struggle with problems of their own.
‘Extremely disturbing.’ A Connecticut congresswoman is calling for a full investigation of a whistleblower’s report that he was fired after flagging safety problems and faked records at Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan plant months before two babies died from infections traced to formula made there.
■ Bed Bath & Beyond is recalling woven bunny baskets sold since March—because they pose a choking hazard for little kids.
Last flavor standing. The FDA’s moving to outlaw menthol cigarettes.
■ NPR: The tobacco industry used menthol to target Black Americans.
Rainbow Cone heads north. Chicago’s iconic South Side ice creamery next month opens an outpost in Skokie.
■ Chicago gets a fresh taste of warm weather this weekend, but it may be wet.
■ A lifeguard shortage compounded by the pandemic means at least one suburban pool—and maybe others—won’t open this summer.
■ Illinois’ daily COVID-19 case count has reached its highest point since Feb. 11.
‘Something special, five days a week.’ For this, the 25th anniversary of Chicago columnist Mike Royko’s death at the age of 64, the still-anonymous author of the Mike Royko 50 Years Ago Today feature celebrates Royko’s legacy.
■ The Tribune rounds up some of the most memorable columns by and about Royko. (Photo: The back cover of a personal copy of Royko’s Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago—featuring a portrait shot by Leo Cummings.)
■ Saturday at 2 p.m., the Edgewater Historical Society hosts a panel discussion about Royko, and you can watch via Facebook Live.
■ Three months before he passed on, Royko schooled your Square columnist in “Chiconics” (third letter in column).
‘It doesn’t end well for humanity in the books.’ A University of Arizona astronomy professor takes a critical look at plans to broadcast Earth’s location into space in the hope of connecting with extraterrestrial intelligences.
■ 2016: Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking thought it was a bad idea.
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