By Steve Rhodes

“Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Monday that the father of a 6-month-old girl slain last week on the South Side was not changing his daughter’s diaper when she was fatally shot, contrary to what police told the news media on the day of the shooting,” the Tribune reports.
Also:
“McCarthy said the baby was shot once, not multiple times as published in some reports.”
What the Tribune doesn’t tell you is that the original account led to speculation (this post made it into a DNAinfo Chicago article, for example) that the baby’s father had used her as a human shield as he tried to evade gunfire.
Also missing from this new account is a simple explanation for the police department’s misinformation.

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Posted on March 19, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“For two years, Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios has insisted in the face of nepotism allegations that county ethics rules don’t apply to his office,” the Sun-Times reports.
“Now, county ethics officials have hired a former City Hall inspector general to go to court and prove him wrong,
“A judge recently approved the Cook County Ethics Board’s request and appointed David Hoffman a special state’s attorney in the Berrios case.”
It gets even more galling.

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Posted on March 18, 2013

By Natasha Julius

Thank goodness CPS is looking to protect its students from graphic depictions of violence.
Market Update
Progress had a lackluster showing this week, as its gains were shown to lag far behind reality.

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Posted on March 16, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“As Sunshine Week comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on the state of open government in Illinois, nearly four years after lawmakers and Attorney General Lisa Madigan rewrote the Freedom of Information Act,” the Springfield State Journal-Register editorial board writes.
“Madigan and other legislative leaders, including Senate President John Cullerton, touted the rewrite as an antidote to both the former Gov. Rod Blagojevich scandals and Illinois’ culture of government secrecy.
“This page supported the rewrite, although as with every piece of legislation, there were parts of it that were unsatisfactory.
“Even the parts that seemed like they would work have not, and it’s time once again to revisit the law.”
I’ll say.

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Posted on March 15, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“People in Calumet Heights may now have to go somewhere else to find bootlegged DVDs,” DNAinfo Chicago reports.
“Arthur Roy, 47, of the 8800 block of South Constance Avenue, was held on $60,000 bond Wednesday after police allegedly found about 10,000 bootlegged DVDs at his home.”
It was the fake popcorn where he really made his money, though.

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Posted on March 14, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

I’m not ignoring the Jonylah Watkins tragedy, I just don’t have anything original to say about it at this point.
And there’s no good way to segue out of that into the rest of the column, but I trust you can handle the jarring transition.

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Posted on March 13, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

First, a programming note: I’ll be on WBEZ’s Afternoon Shift today.
Second, a programming note: A Papers column is not likely today. If I do produce one later and you miss it, I’ll link to it tomorrow.
Third, a programming note: We do have a few new posts elsewhere on the site today for your enjoyment, as follows.

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Posted on March 12, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

News you can abuse.
1. “The U.S. government, led by the Pentagon and CIA, censored or withheld for reasons of national security the files that the public requested last year under the Freedom of Information Act more often than at any time since President Barack Obama took office, according to a new analysis by The Associated Press.”
Four more years.

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Posted on March 11, 2013

By The Weekend Desk B Team

Natasha Julius is taking the day off to attend to maternal matters. She promises to return next week.
“The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t about to mourn the end of their streak,” AP reports.

“We’re proud of it, but it’ll be nice to move on now,” defenseman Duncan Keith said after the Blackhawks’ 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.
The loss was Chicago’s first in regulation this season and ended a remarkable run in which they earned at least one point in their first 24 games, an NHL record.
“It’s hockey. We’ve lost games before in our lives. It’s not like we’re going to sit here and cry,” Keith said.

Well put.
There is something worth crying about in the hockey world, though.

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Posted on March 9, 2013

By Steve Rhodes

“Anybody who paid a fine from a red-light camera ticket in Jefferson Parish may get a refund, if one council member gets his way,” Fox8 in New Orleans reports.
“For three years, cameras were stationed around Jefferson Parish, catching people who ran red lights. $20 million was collected from violators.
“Councilman Chris Roberts wants to refund money to ticket payers because the company that owned the cameras, Redflex, is being investigated for a bribery scheme in Chicago involving a former city official who oversaw their camera program.”
I don’t have to live in Jefferson Parish to know that’s not going to happen, but I appreciate the sentiment.

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Posted on March 8, 2013