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The [Fourth of July] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“An Indiana man will be hard to miss when he kicks off the Fourth of July Children’s Parade for the Chicago History Museum,” AP reports.
“Frank Birdsall is riding his unicycle in Thursday’s 54th annual parade. The LaPorte County resident has been a one-wheeled entertainer for more than three decades and has won championships for his unicycle tricks.”
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“Back in the early ’80s, Birdsall worked at a bike shop too, Al Smith’s Cycling in the Chicago area,” the LaPorte Herald Argus reports. “But that was before his entertainment job became too lucrative.”

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Posted on July 4, 2013

The [Wednesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“When the leaders of the global aerospace industry met late last month at the 50th anniversary staging of the Paris Air Show, one word predominated: exports. With military budgets leveling off or declining in the United States and Europe, arms companies are looking to deals in the Middle East and Asia to bolster their bottom lines,” William Hartung writes for Foreign Policy.
“Nowhere has this strategy been more successful than in the United States, where an export-friendly Obama administration has presided over the largest arms-export boom in history. In 2011, the most recent year for which full statistics are available, the United States entered into arms sales agreements worth over $66 billion – an astounding 78 percent of the world market.

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Posted on July 3, 2013

The [Tuesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Ahead of Gov. Pat Quinn’s anticipated rewrite today of a measure regulating the carrying of concealed firearms, challenger Bill Daley released a video endorsement from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg,” the Tribune reports.
“By touting the Bloomberg endorsement, Daley, the son and brother of two Chicago mayors, may be ceding any chance of gaining widespread support among Downstate Democrats who generally support gun-owner rights.”
Or maybe it’s a wash.

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Posted on July 2, 2013

The [Monday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Cheered on by Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the United Neighborhood Organization celebrated the opening of its new $22 million charter school on the Northwest Side last September with a laser light show and fireworks display.
“The cost? More than $143,000, according to records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Now, more than nine months after the grand opening of the UNO Galewood Charter School, 10 contractors say the politically well-connected charter-school operator stiffed them out of more than $1.3 million they’re owed for work on the school at 2050 N. Natchez.”

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Posted on July 1, 2013

The [Thursday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“The Better Government Association on Wednesday threw its support behind a proposed ordinance that would provide closer oversight of city privatization deals, hoping to help free it from committee,” DNAinfo Chicago reports.
“Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th) proposed the ordinance last November. Calling it ‘a simple, sensible idea,’ Sawyer said Wednesday it would simply call for City Council oversight of any deal privatizing city property or services.
“‘Here we are, seven months later, and we still cannot get this initiative out of the Rules Committee,’ Sawyer said. ‘I think that’s wrong.'”
Even more so given that the ordinance is co-sponsored by 32 aldermen – meaning it would pass the council if brought up for a vote.
So what’s the problem?

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Posted on June 27, 2013

The [Wednesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing an increase city fines for gun offenses in and around schools and in ‘safe passage zones’ in neighborhoods near schools,” the Tribune reports.
“The ordinance, which will be introduced today to the City Council, would raise penalties for certain gun offenses near schools to $1,000 to $5,000 and 30 days in jail for a first offense, $5,000 to $15,000 and 90 days to six months in jail for a second offense, and $10,000 to $20,000 and at least six months in jail for a third offense.”
Why not just cover the whole city with these penalties? And raise them all by $10,000? And even longer jail time? In other words, why not max out?

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Posted on June 26, 2013

The [Tuesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“The Detroit Red Wings regularly draw criticism for having more skill than size or toughness, which is why the Chicago Blackhawks’ championship Monday night should be viewed as immensely positive,” Helene St. James writes for the Detroit Free Press.
“The Blackhawks embody skill, top to bottom. Like the Wings with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, they are headlined up front by a pair of superbly talented players in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Chicago’s defense is anchored by Duncan Keith, whose style is in the mold of Nicklas Lidstrom.
“Right on down through the fourth line – populated by the likes of Andrew Shaw, Michael Frolik, Marcus Kruger and Viktor Stalberg – the Blackhawks fielded players who belong in the NHL, not bubble players doing little but killing time while the top lines get some rest.
“The Blackhawks’ run – which also included dispatching the big Los Angeles Kings – is good for hockey.”

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Posted on June 25, 2013

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