Not so committed. Popular Information shreds pledges—from corporations such as Citi, Walmart and Kellogg—to “end child hunger” by assessing what they did to fuel lobbying ending the government’s expansion of the child tax credit …
■ … a development that New York Times columnist Jessica Grose says positions America “to fall off a ‘child care cliff’” (gift link, courtesy of Chicago Public Square supporters).
■ Kraft is recalling 83,000 cases of Kraft Singles American cheese contaminated with plastic film that could choke eaters.
■ Here’s how to check your cheese.
Undisclosed personal relationships. The chairman of Cboe Global Markets—you may remember it as the Chicago Board Options Exchange—is out after an investigation found his behavior with colleagues “in stark contrast to the company’s values.”
■ He’s just the latest high-profile CEO ousted by such revelations …
■ … including a Harvard Law School prodigy turned technology entrepreneur whose abrupt resignation last week The Wall Street Journal attributes to a complaint of groping.
A ‘500-year event.’ That’s how a south suburb’s chief engineer describes the “incredible amount of rain” that fell over “an extremely small area” Sunday, overwhelming the city’s aging sewer system and flooding streets and basements.
■ Google it: Those “500-year” events aren’t waiting 500 years anymore.
■ Esquire’s Charlie Pierce: “The climate crisis is introducing a staunch Republican county in Kansas to being part of the Third World.”
‘A Batman researcher said gay in a talk to schoolkids. When asked to censor himself, he quit.’ The Associated Press shares a tale of academic censorship and rebellion in Georgia.
■ The American Library Association: Book bans and book-ban attempts are hitting record highs.
■ Mayor Johnson condemns bomb threats against Chicago-area libraries as “an attack on our democracy.”
■ Mayor Johnson condemns bomb threats against Chicago-area libraries as “an attack on our democracy.”
■ One suburban library director: “We’re all really relieved that these threats have turned out to be false, but … they’re still threats.”
Chicago giveth, Chicago taketh.
■ Grant Park has 16 new pickleball courts.
■ The iconic pagoda over the CTA’s Argyle Street L stop on the Red Line has been removed for renovation—with no clear plans for its future.
This means war. Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth is condemning a couple of Republican senators for blocking confirmation of Chicago’s next U.S. attorney.
■ A Tribune editorial condemns them for “reckless grandstanding” (another gift link).
‘I’m convinced. Elon Musk is trying to drive everyone off.’ Poynter media writer Tom Jones is flummoxed by Musk’s suggestion that he might charge everyone for the right to use Twitter X.
■ Neil Steinberg at the Sun-Times: “I still use Twitter … for the same reason I kept being an American when Donald Trump was president.”
■ Donald Trump Jr.’s account was allegedly hacked …
■ … by someone who claimed Trump Sr. was dead.
■ Former Chicago and network TV reporter Jim Avila on his former colleague Kristen Welker’s flop debut at Meet the Press: “I’ve never seen Kristen … utter a harsh word, but when interviewing Donald Trump, being nice does not cut it.”
‘Shame on all of you for selfishly demanding things that mathematically and morally make sense.’ Columnist Rex Huppke shares a letter to striking auto workers from (ha) “a rich guy.”
■ The UAW’s threatening to add strike targets if it doesn’t see progress by Friday.
iPhone upgrade ‘mess.’ Hot to get a new one? Advisorator Jared Newman’s done the hard work, creating one chart showing what you can get based on carrier, plan and phone.
■ Google’s Bard AI chatbot can now dive into your Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs files—if you let it.
Tick, tock. NASA says a major asteroid could ram Earth in 159 years …
■ … with the energy of roughly 22 atomic bombs.
Happy anniversary! Axios Chicago turns two today.
■ Two of its proprietors sat down for a Square podcast a year ago.
A Square public service announcement
■ Square columnist Charlie Meyerson will be one of the evening’s storytellers.
■ SPECIAL OFFER: Email your ticket purchase receipt to Farther@ChicagoPublicSquare.com and get a free Square cap or T-shirt (a $20 value!) that night—while supplies last.