The [Wednesday] Papers

Today is the big day, sort of. The city council is scheduled to vote on the Chicago Children's Museum's horrible proposal to move to Grant Park. Predictions are already arriving here at Beachwood HQ.

The Beachwood Sportsbook currently has the Over/Under at 30 votes in favor.

That's Richie
The Boy Mayor has another gem in the Tribune today:

"The way you portray it, no one wants any Children's Museum and Millennium Park and all the other things."

Challenge to Daley: Name a single person in this fight who just plain doesn't want the Children's Museum anywhere.

"That's part of leadership."

What, lying? Or stupidity?

"You know, I will fight for children more than your newspaper will."

Yes, you care way more about children than everybody else. That's why you let them live in buildings inspected by teenagers.

"I really believe in children."

Did David Axelrod write that line for you? Or did it just pop into your head?

Every Law You Break
We keep crying Daley, Daley please . . .

Top Chef
The Trib has an inteview with former Bucktown chef Stephanie Izzard (one "z" or two?), who competes in the Top Chef finale tonight. She'll take questions in an online chat Thursday at 1 p.m.

New Story
Now that taxpayers won't be asked to foot the bill and Tribune Company is looking to unload Wrigley Field on a private party, the field is suddenly looking mahvelous. "If we didn't put a penny into the stadium it would be fine for 20 years," a "source" tells the Sun-Times. (Not knowing who's playing who, you should at least tell readers where the source's sympathies lie, or what their loose association is.)

I tend to think the need for renovation was overblown as a way to build an excuse for the state taking over (and/or to justify a heinous naming-rights deal); certainly the story keeps changing.

"After Tribune Co. rejected the authority's latest proposal as creative but unworkable, sources said that the media conglomerate is privately indicating it might hold off selling the ballclub if the inevitable need for costly repairs at the antiquated ballpark significantly discounts the bids it fields for the team," the Tribune reported last month. (Boldface mine.)

"It is estimated that structural repairs can be delayed no more than 10 to 15 years, and there is considerable financial incentive to modernize the ballpark's high-priced suites as soon as possible to put it on a par with similar moneymakers in other professional sports facilities . . .

"Sources involved in the bidding process said word is filtering back to those potential buyers that Tribune Co. is saying it will hold onto the team rather than sell at distressed prices if would-be buyers drop their prices too steeply in anticipation of having to pay for Wrigley Field renovations themselves."

Tribune Company - with an assist from Jim Thompson - might have tied itself in knots on this one,

"How the renovation of Wrigley Field will be funded is still yet unknown. The cost to repair Wrigley is estimated to be approx. $450 million," The Biz of Baseball reports.

That's about half of what the team is expected to fetch in the first place. It's hard to reel in a meme these days.

Torture Tale
"Retired detectives named in a decades-old Chicago Police torture scandal have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury - a clear sign a criminal investigation into former Cmdr. Jon Burge and others is ramping up," Carol Marin and Frank Main report.

"Five to 10 detectives received subpoenas last week to appear June 19 before the grand jury. The probe is headed by Sergio Acosta, civil rights coordinator in the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago."

Daley had no comment because he was too busy caring about the children.

Impeachment Imbroglio
If only Mike Madigan was the Speaker of the U.S. House . . .

But seriously, Madigan's office claims its impeachment memo is merely a set of talking points for Democratic candidates facing reporters' questions, but the Sun-Times reports that "Madigan confirmed his chief legal counsel had done extensive research of impeachment."

It could also just be a tactic to gain leverage in budget negotiations - or other back-room dealings. But still, this is kind of a big deal.

*

My favorite part: "The memo discourages candidates from discussing the speaker's daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, or her 'future political plans.'"

Memo to the Madigans: The less you connect Lisa to Mike, the better her chances of becoming governor.

United We Merge
We've got new merger partners for United Airlines! It's maybe not our best work, but it's pretty funny.

We HEART The Dells
So this makes us sad.

"For 55 years, acrobatic water-skiers forming human pyramids and waving American flags thrilled crowds at the Tommy Bartlett Show on these scenic shores," E. A. Torriero writes in the Tribune.

"But when the shows resume Thursday, the skiers will be no more, and gone too will be the backdrop of the tranquil lake.

"After the lake was virtually drained this week, the Bartlett audience will only watch comics and jugglers on unicycles on a stage fronting a muddy moonscape."

Noah's Ark is open, though.

The Beachwood Tip Line: Don't look at it, Miriam.