‘Fort Myers Beach is, quite simply, destroyed.’ The Associated Press surveys Hurricane Ian’s impact on southwest Florida and sees its effects everywhere.
■ A North Fort Myers survivor: “I literally watched my house disappear with everything in it.”
■ CNN’s Bill Weir—who worked for WGN-TV in the ’90s—accompanied a Florida homeowner as she waded into what was left of her home.
■ Thousands were trapped in flooded homes.
■ Orlando’s theme parks didn’t escape the devastation …
■ … but they were planning phased reopenings beginning today.
■ Other businesses face years of rebuilding—if not oblivion.
■ Ian spotlights health care facilities’ vulnerability in a climate change-afflicted world.
■ A quick-turnaround Lawrence Berkeley National Lab study concludes climate change boosted Ian’s rainfall by 10%.
■ Journalists and other first responders now face the real challenge of survivor’s guilt.
■ Politico’s Jack Shafer: Ian “seems to have temporarily tamed” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
■ Oil industry analysts tell ABC News they don’t see gas prices spiking because of the hurricane. (Cartoon: Niccolo Pizarro at The Nib.)
■ Meanwhile, Chicago’s seeking a disaster declaration for the Sept. 11 “supercell” storm that ravaged the North and Northwest Sides.
Well, it’s an upgrade from ‘hellhole.’ Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey tells the Tribune editorial board he thinks of Chicago as Illinois’ “unruly child.”
■ Gov. Pritzker refused to show for the endorsement session, complaining the board has “consistently” been unfair to him.
■ A Chicago aldermanic candidate condemns as “a horrible prank” eviction notices served to homeless people in Rogers Park—a scam confessed to by a student with ties to him.
Early voting’s on. If you’re the sort of Illinoisan who doesn’t like to wait for last-minute scandals or candidate dropouts, you can now cast your ballot in the November election.
■ Among the first round of endorsements out of the gate: The snarky and influential (link revised) Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide …
■ … whose author appeared in an August Chicago Public Square podcast.
■ The updated Square voter guide’s ready, too.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is a Chicago Public Square advertiser.
■ … that she minimized last month as “about the price of an Al’s Italian Beef—hot, dipped, with extra cheese—for a family of four.”
■ A new report from the city’s inspector general concludes the city blew about $250 million in police-related settlements from 2018 to 2020.
■ A woman headed to work was killed early yesterday when carjacking suspects fleeing police crashed into her car.
■ A federal grand jury’s indicted an ex-Chicago cop on charges he kidnapped and sexually abused … someone.
■ A Chicago officer faces firing for having sex with a woman after he investigated a burglary at her home.
■ Resolving a suit filed after the May 2020 protests, the police department’s pledged to give people who’ve been arrested access to a phone within three hours.
‘Unsustainable caseloads.’ The Center for Public Integrity reports that a flood of labor union requests has overwhelmed the National Labor Relations Board.
Oops. Vice President Harris goofed yesterday as she visited the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, praising the U.S. alliance “with the Republic of North Korea.”
■ Hours after she left, North Korea fired a couple of missiles into the sea.
Reuse-a-Palooza. Gather up all that useful stuff that doesn’t lend itself to recycling—like books, bicycles, crayons, gym shoes, jars, keys and eyeglasses—and take it to The Plant farm and food production facility in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Sunday.
■ Here’s a full list of what they’ll take.
Morning Brew is a Chicago Public Square advertiser.
Square gets paid if you just click on the ad. Even if you don’t sign up. So click away (once per reader)!
Flutes in the news.
■ Men Yell at Me proprietor Lyz Lenz bestows her “Dingus of the Week” honor on President James Madison, who she says “must be turning in his tiny grave this week after the musical artist Lizzo played his crystal flute.”
■ Columnist Rex Huppke mocks the benighted—including one of Donald Trump’s ex-campaign lawyers—enraged by Lizzo’s toots: “How dare a Black woman who doesn’t conform to our Barbie-doll-inspired standards of beauty play an instrument owned by one of the Founding Fathers?”
‘If I owe you money, I’ll still pay you.’ But Trevor Noah says he’s leaving The Daily Show.
■ Slate: Wikipedia has a Fox News problem.
News quiz, new prize! If it’s Friday, it’s time for a new Chicago Public Square news quiz, courtesy of our friends at The Conversation.
■ This week, something special: Be first to get all the questions right on your first try—no do-overs!—and email Quiz@ChicagoPublicSquare.com a screenshot of that perfect score to get one of these stylish Conversation tote bags.
■ Square scored a deplorable 63%.
‘One of my favorite animated movies of the year.’ Critic Richard Roeper awards 3 1/2 stars to Netflix’s Entergalactic, about a street artist with a major deal to turn his graffiti creation into comic books.
■ Chicago’s newest gas station, The Roux, boasts a convenience store—and a literacy center.
Thanks. Readers Joe Hass and Janean Bowersmith made this edition better.