We’re back after a few days off. And that hiatus seems not to have hurt too much. Can you match your Chicago Public Square columnist’s 100% score on this week’s news quiz, devised by past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel?
And now, the news:
College sports’ biggest scandal ever? One of the attorneys suing Northwestern over the hazing of student athletes says that the abuse may have been even worse among female athletes—and that the total claims may “far exceed that of any academic institutional case that we’ve seen in the history of the United States.”
■ Northwestern fans are canceling their tickets and seeking refunds.
■ Sun-Times columnist Rick Morrissey: “With names and faces now attached to the hazing allegations, life just got harder for Northwestern.”
■ Score another one for college journalism: The downfall of Stanford University’s president, triggered by a freshman reporter’s expose.
‘He will not win a single primary.’ In an unusually personal monologue, MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell ripped into Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his former Harvard classmate.
■ Public Notice: Republicans love RFK Jr. because his conspiracy theories are theirs.
■ Pod Save America host and former Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer analyzes the effectiveness of a Biden campaign ad trolling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green: “To say people went bananas for this … would be a huge understatement.”
■ Former Illinois Republican and Trump administration ambassador Ron Gidwitz is backing ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for president: “The only candidate … who seems to have the courage to call out Donald Trump.”
‘Ron DeSantis’s Florida will teach kids there were upsides to being enslaved.’ Vanity Fair’s Bess Levin: “No, that’s not a joke.”
■ Popular Information: Right-wing activists are trying to ban Arthur’s Birthday from Florida school libraries.
■ The newsletter Literary Activism is tracking censorship news weekly.
■ Politico: Republicans are struggling as college towns’ growing populations fuel huge Democratic gains.
‘A spokesperson for Sen. Bernie Sanders declined to comment.’ Politico surveyed the U.S. Senate about which—if either—movie they expect to see this weekend: Oppenheimer or Barbie.
■ WTTW explores Chicago’s role in the Oppenheimer story.
■ Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about Beyoncé’s Chicago concerts this weekend.
‘Alternative CTA service will likely be the best option.’ Email to riders about reconstruction of the Blue Line Forest Park branch beginning Sunday brings less than upbeat news for those boarding west of the Illinois Medical District station.
■ [Update/clarification, July 23] But also half-price fares at and free bus rides to nearby Green and Pink Line stations.
‘We must never accept … threats of death.’ Ex-Mayor Lightfoot attended a hearing yesterday for a man accused of threatening to shoot her.
■ Citing rising crime and city regulations, celebrated Bella Notte restaurant is abandoning Chicago for the suburbs.
■ A 14-year-old boy has died after a Jeep crashed into the Hinsdale sub shop where he was eating Monday.
‘These tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting.’ So a Google spokeswoman says after the company demonstrated an artificial intelligence tool capable of writing news stories.
■ The company’s promising to “watermark” stuff created via AI.
■ Politico: The advance of brain-implant chips to treat diseases poses a threat to human rights.
■ Instagram’s agreed to pay millions of Illinoisans $68.5 million in settlement of a privacy lawsuit …
■ … and you can file your claim here before Sept. 27.
What you missed. Here’s a sample of what those who follow Chicago Public Square on Facebook—you don’t have to be a Facebook member to check in—saw that you didn’t:
■ Columnist Eric Zorn: “Horrible things will happen after Illinois eliminates cash bail … but horrible things are already happening. Let’s give the new law a chance.”
■ Block Club: Here’s how it’ll work.
■ The Better Government Association celebrates reforms in Chicago’s inspector general selection process.
■ The Conversation: Three things to know about target letters, which the Justice Department uses to alert suspects such as Donald Trump ahead of possible charges.
■ Journalism watchdog Margaret Sullivan: “Despite that $787 million settlement, Fox News is still allowing Trump’s election lies to spread.”
■ Politico: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made Trump a secret promise.
■ The University of Chicago’s student radio station is in a bind.
■ The transmitter site of WGN Radio—former employer of your Square columnist—is getting pickleball courts.
Thanks. The roll-call of Chicago Public Squarians—without whose support this service would disappear—continues, with Christine Hauri, Jim Peterson, Maureen Kelly, Ron Castan, Elaine Soloway, Janet Grimes, Rebecca Ewan, Clifton Wilson, Sandra Slater, Jeff Weissglass, John Evans, Michael Weiland, Tom Pritchett, Joanne Rosenbush, Gail Frost, Mark Thurow, Tom Mulcahy, Mike Gold, Jen Purrenhage, Nile Wendorf, Mary Dedinsky, Becky Brofman, Mary Bunker, Richard M. Bendix Jr., Ann Spittle, JoBeth Halpin, Thomas Gradel, Christa Velbel, Don Moseley, Jo Patton, Lisa Krimen, Jim Grimes, Richard Milne … and the late Ralph Sherman and G C Bien, R.I.P.
■ Your help keeping Square coming is always welcome.