The [Thursday] Papers

"Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday would not say why he didn't reveal the extent of Chicago Public Schools' money woes sooner, instead blaming state government for the problem," the Tribune reports.

If only the state didn't sew my mouth shut, I could have alerted everybody!

"The mayor's attempted blame-shifting came a day after Chicago Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown told reporters CPS is owed $467 million in state school aid held up by the budget impasse. That's on top of $215 million in state pension assistance Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed late last year."

Four hundred sixty-seven million here, $215 there, and pretty soon we're talking real money.

"The Emanuel administration has twice canceled briefings with aldermen to say how he'll make good on a pledge to keep classrooms open through the end of the school year June 20. On Wednesday, the mayor said the city would 'do its part' to keep CPS open, without elaborating on where the money would come from."

Just post-date the checks, that's what the rest of us do.

"When asked why his administration waited until so late in the school year to discuss the shortfall, Emanuel pivoted to a familiar attack on the ways the state has failed to meet its obligations."

His pivot was an attempt to change the narrative to create a new frame with better optics. In other words, he refused to answer the question.

"Emanuel also did not take the head tax off the table Wednesday, though he would be hard-pressed to reverse himself on that given how often he touts getting rid of the $4-per-month tax on each employee during his first term.

"'Everything's on the table, and when you have a state that's over $460 million behind on paying its bills, you have to look at everything,' the mayor said. 'I am proud of the fact we eliminated the head tax. I'm also proud of the fact that our graduation rate for high school' has been going up."

Nice pivot.

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To be fair, the mayor did sort of answer the question, according to the Sun-Times:

"The bills kept climbing and growing and, in every aspect, they said they were gonna get current with it."

In other words, he took the state - whether that means Gov. Bruce Rauner or whoever - at their word. If you want to believe that.

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"Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) was incensed by the $596 million shortfall and the hide-the-ball strategy at CPS and the mayor's office.

"I don't know why they think solving a problem everybody knows they have in the dark is gonna make it better," Brookins said Wednesday. "My committee and aldermen have no authority over CPS. But they're gonna look to our committee to solve the problem and it's a much bigger problem than we thought."

In case you're wondering, because the Sun-Times left it out, Brookins chairs the council's committee on education and child development. One might ask where he and his committee have been this whole time, authority or no.

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"CPS is in a bind for a second straight year after balancing its budget by counting on state money that had strings attached or didn't come in on time because of Springfield's budget standoff," the Sun-Times concludes.

Let's be clear: CPS is in a bind for a second straight year because Rahm balanced its budget by counting on state money that wasn't likely to ever arrive. He wears the jacket.

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The Problem With Rahm's Predictive Policing
Hint: Despite the media's unquestioned love for it, it's badly flawed, racist and essentially doesn't work.

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Women + Sports Chicago
'Wouldn't You Rather Bring Home The Trophy Than Be The Trophy?'

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Open Books' Awesome Literacy Program
"Open Books' award-winning social enterprise model combines book donations, a retail bookstore, e-commerce, and volunteers to help support our literacy programs."

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Comey: Local Angle

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How James Comey was partially responsible for Patrick Fitzgerald getting the US Attorney's job here: https://t.co/MjkcUfVZQp pic.twitter.com/pQW4zH6JEU

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 10, 2017

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BeachBook

Sears CEO Blasts Media, Says It Has Enough Customers.

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TweetWood
A sampling.

"My father would womanize, he would drink, he would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark." https://t.co/f3u2C195Z9

— Almaqah (@_Almaqah) May 11, 2017

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Follow @BraddJaffy and @ddale8 for the daily headspinning lies of the President of the United States. Particularly today. A nation in peril.

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 11, 2017

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What will a Pence presidency look like? Assignment Desk, activate! https://t.co/P7ku7HyUQ2

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 10, 2017

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Cities can fight against inequality if they insist on every local employer adopting a Silicon Valley ethos of experimentation (1/232)

— Dick Florida (@Dick_Florida) May 11, 2017

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'Grandpa Rossy Crunch' cereal coming to Chicago area Jewel stores https://t.co/8VyYvQhDpe MAKE IT STOP

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 11, 2017

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The Beachwood Tronc Line: Make it stop.

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