Baby step. Scrambling to undo chaos wrought by Republicans on the Alabama Supreme Court, the state’s Republican governor has signed a bill passed by Republican lawmakers shielding doctors from legal liability for in vitro fertilization …
■ … but the legislation fails to address the central question of embryos’ personhood, and critics say it may also protect providers from claims of regular old malpractice.
■ The guest list for President Biden’s State of the Union address tonight includes an infertility specialist invited by Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, whose two daughters were born through IVF.
‘Biden will never mention Trump’s name.’ But columnist and former senior adviser to President Obama Dan Pfeiffer predicts that the address will mark the kickoff of the general election campaign for president.
■ Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan offers the president seven unsolicited tips.
■ Stephen Colbert will air his show live after the president’s speech.
‘Haley and her voters still have a chance to be heroes.’ USA Today columnist Rex Huppke says they need to vote Democratic.
■ MSNBC host Rachel Maddow’s pissed her network carried Donald Trump’s bullshit live Tuesday night. (That’s a New York Times gift link, paid for with your support for Chicago Public Square.)
Home again. A state appeals court has brought the “Bring Chicago Home” referendum back to life for the March 19 primary …
■ … meaning that, at least pending an appeal of the appeal, votes already cast will count.
■ Read the decision here: “A question wisely entrusted not to judges but to the people of the city of Chicago.”
■ WBEZ explained the referendum in February: “It boils down to … Do you want to allow the Chicago City Council to raise a tax when properties valued above $1 million are sold, and lower it for properties sold under that amount?”
■ Ready to make your call? Check the Chicago Public Square Voter Guide Guide.
■ Illinois kids over 16 now can pre-register to vote when they turn 18.
Corporations fueling hate. Popular Information says major corporations—hi, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google’s parent), CVS, Amazon, Coca-Cola, Deloitte and more—are funding the campaign of the racist, sexist, Hitler-quoting, Black Panther-hating guy that Republicans have nominated to become North Carolina’s governor.
■ The Lever documents the corporate cash accepted by a Democratic senator whose staff then “quietly drafted legislation that would gut federal antitrust enforcers’ budget.”
‘Be very frightened.’ Sun-Times columnist Rick Morrissey says the notion of a taxpayer handout to the Bears and the White Sox for a new stadium “is almost too much to bear” …
■ … but State Rep.—and unsuccessful Chicago mayoral candidate—Kam Buckner wants the city to think even bigger.
Endangered in Chicago. Preservation Chicago’s out with its annual list of the city’s imminently threatened historic buildings and public assets …
■ … including the formerly fragrant home of Butternut Bread.
Don’t wait for complaints. Chicago’s inspector general says the city should stop relying so much on citizen gripes for deciding when, where and to whom to provide services.
■ Block Club Chicago: The CTA’s board of directors is filled with political insiders, not transit experts—and the mayor and governor won’t explain how they pick those people.
‘Grocery sales taxes are looking like toast.’ A Tribune editorial is down with Gov. Pritzker’s desire to kill the state’s 1% surcharge—with a caveat or two.
■ Heated: Big Meat’s been lying about its environmental impact.
Roku rage. Users of the company’s streaming gadgets have been angered by a legal ultimatum showing up on their screens: Agree to new dispute resolution terms or see your Roku thing rendered unusable.
■ You can opt out, but you’ll need to do it quickly—with a stamp, an envelope … and a lot of squinting at the back of your devices. (Clarification, 5:01 p.m.: If you have an online Roku account, you can find an index of your registered Roku products by scrolling down this page.)
Blues news. Chicago’s rolled out the full lineup for June’s Blues Festival …
■ … including what may be one of the final shows by the legendary Buddy Guy.
‘I will not dance on TikTok. Or will I?’ Columnist Eric Zorn’s survey of his Picayune Sentinel audience has him wondering how to get more young(er) readers.
■ But people seem to like his weekly sampling of Chicago Public Square links.
Like Square? Your support—in any amount, as little as $1, once—helps keep this service coming.
■ Fewer than one in five of Square’s subscribers have chipped in to keep it free for all.