By Steve Rhodes
“Dead men play prominently in the Burge trial, each side using their own,” John Conroy reports for Vocalo this morning.
More significantly, Conroy reports that on Friday “Judge Lefkow ruled that former assistant state’s attorney Larry Hyman and retired police officers Michael Hoke, Thomas McKenna, Ronald Boffo, James Pienta, John Paladino, Dave Dioguardi, and Leonard Bajenski could indeed claim the Fifth. As the judge’s order is sealed and the grilling on the question took place behind closed doors, I can’t explain her rationale here. On Monday, the attorneys for those men will appear in the courtroom at 12:30 to discuss what portions of the order should remain sealed. In any event, the jury will not see the eight men at all, not even to take the stand and decline to testify.”
The Tribune reports on page 6 that “Dead Cop Killer’s Testimony Read To Jury In Burge Case“; page 5 was filled with “No Sign Yet Of Peterson Body”; “City May Add Bike Racks As Street Art”; and “A Silly Routine? Nah, Fans Say.”
The Sun-Times reports on page 11 that “Prosecutors Plan To Wrap Up Burge Case This Week.” Forgive Sun-Times readers for asking, What case?
On page 10 of the Sun-Times: “Still No Trace Of Peterson.” Page 9: “It’s Showtime For Blago Prosecutor.” Page 8: “Game 6 Tickets Reach $3,000.”
Mayor Greenwash
“Aldermen from across the city on Monday demanded to know why Chicago remains a city of ‘haves and have-nots’ when it comes to recycling, while other cities have bankrolled programs for decades,” the Sun-Times reports.
But I thought we had the world’s greenest mayor?
. . . other cities have bankrolled programs for decades.
Yeah, but do they have a cruddy rooftop garden on their City Hall?
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“Things [in bicycling] have been happening in other cities, like Minneapolis and New York, that really made strides we’re not even coming close to,” Rob Sadowsky, the outgoing director of the Active Transportation Alliance says (see Item 3).
See, that doesn’t square with the mayor’s image either.
Maybe what we have is the world’s greenest press corps.
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“Decorative Bike Racks To Rival Cows On Parade,” the Sun-Times reports declaratively, a few pages before barely noticing the Jon Burge trial.
“The City Council’s Transportation Committee on Monday authorized an innovative public art program that could someday rival the wildly-popular Cows on Parade,” Fran Spielman “reports.”
Could!
I wonder if she came up with that comparison on her own, though. Or if it was, you know, fed to her. I’m not sure which would be worse.
“Artists will be asked to design decorative bike racks that double as pieces of public art wherever chambers of commerce, neighborhood groups or a so-called ‘special services area’ bankrolled by local businesses comes up with the money to pay for them.”
See, that’s because replacing parking meters with pay boxes has rid the city of public places to lock up bikes. Now businesses will have to pay for private pieces of “public art” so folks have something to lock their bikes to. Nice!
“Decorative bike racks are already being installed in a host of cities, including Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville and San Antonio, according to Nathan Mason, curator of special projects for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs.
“They could become every bit as popular in Chicago, adding a whimsical boost to the city’s inventory of 10,000 mundane bike racks that encourages cycling.”
They could!
“Mason said the project is likely to begin with a design competition wherever the money is found.”
So, you know. Whenever.
“The new public art program will force the city to be more flexible. And bike riding will benefit.”
So says Fran.
Hyatt Hijinks
“Hyatt Hotels Corp. said Monday that the hotel chain’s first annual meeting as a public company is closed to the media,” the Tribune reports.
“‘Since we are a newly public company, this meeting is only open to stockholders, which is not an uncommon practice,’ said Farley Kern, spokeswoman for Chicago-based Hyatt.”
Oh, okay.
“Corporate governance experts said while restrictions are commonly placed on media, an outright ban is rare for a publicly traded company.”
Oh.
Farley Kern, you are Today’s Worst Person In Chicago.
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Farley Kern on LinkedIn.
Blago Goat Gate
In Beachwood Op-Art.
Dadgum Duck Snorts
“The team reports that Hawkeroo will be saluted by a number of special guests,’ although it is anyone’s guess as to who these special guests may be,” our very own Andrew Reilly writes in today’s White Sox Report. “Perhaps any number of luminaries from the squad Harrelson assembled during his historic run as general manager, in which true baseball genius fully flexed itself, a lifetime of folksy wisdom come to life as the team that won an unprecedented 72 games in a single season.
“I don’t know, and I never will; not just because I would have problems celebrating my least-favorite element of a franchise that has so many times gone out of its way to make it tough to cheer for, but because going to Hawk Night means going to a Sox game and that, right now, is about the worst way I can think of to spend a Tuesday night.”
The Cub Factor
Like BP, Jim Hendry cannot contain this spreading disaster.
Doing Division
More music video from the Do Division street festival.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Do us.
Posted on June 8, 2010