King Charles. Now that Queen Elizabeth II has died, her son—the oldest person ever to ascend to the U.K. throne—addresses the nation in a recorded address at noon Chicago time.
■ It was to appear online in a number of places.
■ The Associated Press: The question of whether Charles can be beloved by his subjects “has overshadowed his entire life.”
‘This ridiculous institution needs to go.’ Journalist Will Self in The Daily Beast: “The British monarchy should die with the queen.”
■ A Boston University history professor calls Elizabeth’s legacy “deliciously disruptive.”
■ Columnist Robert Reich: “Britain’s infatuation with its own may have some social utility.”
■ Time: Elizabeth’s death could fuel countries’ drive for independence from Britain.
■ Yeah, yeah, yeah, Chicago: We know she visited you once …
■ … including a stop at a dentist for a filling replacement.
■ Australian satire site The Shovel: “Queen reunited with 80,000 of her former corgis.”
■ Columnist Lyz Lenz declares a Dingus of the Week moratorium—and instead rounds up “some of the best jokes about the queen, which I found on Meghan Markle’s internet.”
Who’s next? The line of succession after Charles begins with Prince William.
■ The Onion reviews the reign of “Elizabeth II, Britain’s First Girl King.”
■ The Onion reviews the reign of “Elizabeth II, Britain’s First Girl King.”
‘It’s disgusting.’ Gov. Pritzker is condemning as racist a series of political mailings disguised as newspapers …
■ … generated by the political operative, ex-gubernatorial candidate and Chicago radio host (from Naples, Florida) responsible for a string of “pink slime” websites (June 5 link) …
■ … that slimed Oak Park and River Forest High School earlier this year.
■ Another thing the governor calls “disgusting”: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s dispatch of busloads of immigrants to Chicago and elsewhere—in Pritzker’s words, “treating them like cattle.”
Another one down. An Elk Grove Village man Thursday became the latest Illinoisan to plead guilty in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
■ Donald Trump enabler Steve Bannon—pardoned by Trump on federal charges—after pleading not guilty to New York state charges of duping saps who gave him money to build a border wall: “They will never shut me up.”
Chicago abortion protections. A City Council committee is sending the full council an ordinance that would forbid police and other local agencies from cooperating in investigations that aim to criminalize reproductive care.
■ President Biden to the Democratic faithful yesterday: “Republicans don’t have a clue about the power of women. … They’re about to find out.”
Killer video. Chicago police have released footage of two men sought in the Tuesday night stabbing death of a robbery victim downtown.
■ A man is dead and a woman wounded after their car was shot at from another car in a chase that ended downtown.
‘The Schumer-Manchin climate bomb.’ Environmental groups say pipeline legislation pending in the Senate would intensify the global ecological crisis.
■ A new study finds the planet close to triggering four major climate tipping points—even if the world’s nations manage to limit global warming to the strictest goals.
Train bargains. Metra is extending its bargain $100-a-month “Super Saver” monthly pass offer ($70 for kids and seniors) through the end of the year.
■ The Onion again: “CTA Increases Police Presence With Armored SWAT Vehicles On Each Train.”
Doctors’ house calls are back. Vox says CVS’ $8 billion deal to buy Signify Health is a big bet that aging baby boomers will need more and more care at home.
■ Insider tracks the rise and fall of Bed Bath and Beyond.
Radio’s pain. Chicago media watcher Rick Kaempfer flags the business’ “honest-to-goodness financial crisis” …
■ … and former WTMX-FM host Melissa McGurren’s abandonment of her $10 million defamation suit against the station for her dismissal after she accused her colleague Eric Ferguson of harassment.
Thanks. Chris Koenig and Mike Braden made this edition better.