‘A nightmare.’ That’s how Michigan State University’s interim deputy police chief describes the rampage of a gunman who killed at least three people and critically injured at least five others on campus last night …
■ … leaving no immediate clues to his motive. (Photo: Branislav Ondrasik.)
■ The news comes on the 15th anniversary of a gunman’s assault that left five dead and 21 injured on the Northern Illinois University campus.
■ The Onion, sadly timelessly: “‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.”
■ Columnist Matt Yglesias: “Don’t give up on police reform. Catching and punishing cops who break the rules is possible and important.”
‘I don’t give a single, solitary rip about Paul Vallas’ legal residence.’ Columnist Eric Zorn dismisses questions about whether the Chicago mayoral candidate’s primary residence is in Chicago or Palos Heights.
■ In a remarkable Block Club interview yesterday, Vallas elaborated on his arrangement with his wife, who lives in Palos Heights, contending that he spends “100% of the time” at his Chicago apartment, going to see her only for “Sunday coffee—but actually not since the campaign really kicked in.”
■ Candidate Brandon Johnson took the brunt of criticism in last night’s mayoral forum focusing on issues facing Chicago’s Black community …
■ … but Politico says all the candidates “attacked each other with abandon.”
■ Who’s funding whom? A Block Club tool lets you search donations made to the city’s mayoral candidates.
■ Chicago’s mail-in balloting is running at record levels.
■ Ready to decide? The Chicago Public Square voter guide is ready, willing and able to help.
Ride, ride, ride. Beginning next week, daily and multi-day passes bought through either CTA and the suburban Pace bus system will work on both …
■ … but only if they’ve been bought or activated after Feb. 19.
‘This attack on reproductive freedom is brought to you by corporate America.’ Popular Information takes you inside the push for a nationwide ban on abortion medication.
■ Across the U.S., a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report has found, teenage girls are experiencing record levels of violence, sadness and suicide risk.
‘No indication of aliens.’ Yeah, that’s what the White House press secretary said yesterday about U.S. fighter jets’ downing of three unidentified aerial objects in three days …
■ … but that hasn’t contained wild speculation.
‘The College Board lied.’ Los Angeles Times reporter Michael Hiltzik has evidence that, despite the board’s claims to the contrary, it had discussions with likely presidential contender and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration as far back as January 2022 about watering down its Advanced Placement course on African American studies.
■ Reminder: The College Board’s leadership includes three Illinois educators.
■ Donald Trump’s former UN ambassador, Nikki Haley, has become his first major challenger for the Republican presidential nomination.
■ Ex-VP Mike Pence—also a potential candidate—is reportedly planning to fight a subpoena from the special counsel investigating Trump on grounds that Pence was president of the Senate.
‘We recommend installing all these updates immediately.’ The Apple-centric website TidBITS flags new operating system software for iPhones, Macintoshes, iPads, Watches and more.
■ AT&T’s cutting off 411 and other operator services for all but its wired line customers.
The [Nowhere-in-Particular] Tribune. Tribune Publishing—what’s left of a corporate giant that once owned radio and TV stations, the Chicago Cubs and a national network of newspapers—has been ordered to depart its four-decade-old Chicago printing plant, to make room for a casino.
■ Plans for a New York casino are hung up over display of the name Trump on a nearby golf course.
Company’s coming. “Tina Fey & Amy Poehler: Restless Leg Tour” will bring the Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation alumnae to the Chicago Theatre in May.
■ Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
■ Bruce Springsteen’s coming to Wrigley Field in August.
‘Dangerously misleading.’ Reader Phil Vettel takes issue with a WTTW story linked from Friday’s Square—about why you can’t buy a car on Sundays in Illinois. He objects to “its implication that religious considerations played any role in the law. What happened is that the big auto dealers needed to give their sales staff a weekend day off, but couldn’t risk other dealerships remaining open. So they pushed for this anti-competition, anti-consumer law, and Springfield went along with it.”
■ WTTW News has declined the opportunity to respond.
■ Things learned while investigating something else Tuesday: About 46% of Square’s subscribers use Gmail addresses; about 10% use Yahoo; 6% use AOL; 5% each use Comcast and SBCGlobal; and 0.1% are hanging on to Prodigy accounts.