By Steve Rhodes
I suppose there’s still time for this to happen.
But probably not. Let’s take a look a look around, shall we?
The End Of Secret Pond Hockey: “Every winter for many years, a patch of Grant Park has undergone a nightly transformation,” Barbara Brotman writes for the Tribune.
“After the Daley Bicentennial Plaza ice rink closed at 9 p.m., it turned into something that resembled a frozen pond in Canada.
“Hockey lovers from across the city – college students, middle-age fathers, women – converged on the rink to play pickup hockey for hours, sometimes until early in the morning.
“There were no nets – just a pair of shoes at each end of the ice. No referees. No organized teams or leagues.
“The outdoor hockey party went on, participants said, for some 25 years. But now, it is apparently over.
“As part of a redesign of Daley Bicentennial Plaza – Daley Bi for short – the Chicago Park District will replace the rectangular ice rink with a skating ribbon that will wind through landscape and trees. Construction is to begin in the fall, with completion set for 2015.”
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Go read the whole thing – it’s a wonderfully written story about losing one of those secret charms of what really makes life important; an all-too familiar story – and watch the video. Just hearing the sounds of hockey makes my heart jump. And then reading the story makes it break for these fine folks and brothers-and-sisters-in-skates. I didn’t play in these games, but I sure wish I had.
Davis Awards Scholarships Outside Her District: “The state’s controversial ‘legislative scholarship’ program carries a simple rule for Illinois lawmakers: They may award tuition waivers for state-sponsored schools only to students who reside in the lawmaker’s respective districts,” the Better Government Association reports in the pages of the Sun-Times.
“But since 1999, state Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) has awarded taxpayer-funded scholarships to at least 10 students who records show lived outside of her Far South Side district at the time they received free tuition, the Better Government Association has found.”
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Over the weekend, the Tribune reported that “Officials routinely described their involvement as providing a constituent service, however the Tribune found many applicants did not live in the lawmakers’ districts.”
For more on the Tribune’s report, see The University of Clout, where I give their extensive reporting separate treatment.
Now back to the BGA/Sun-Times.
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“Davis, who has served in the Legislature for 25 years, didn’t return calls on this subject or a related BGA finding that her political supporters were among those to benefit from free tuition.
Maybe she couldn’t make it to the phone because she was outside listening to the rustling of leaves and the chirping of a bird.
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“Davis awarded freebie scholarships to two students who lived in the 7100 block of South Dobson – almost three miles outside of her district, records show.
“The students – Cornel McKay Jr. and James McKay – collectively received three years of free tuition at Illinois State University, according to records obtained from the State Board of Education. The total cost to taxpayers: nearly $40,000, records show.
“Neither McKay could be reached for comment, but a man who answered the phone at the Dobson Avenue home and identified himself as Cornel McKay Sr. said: ‘You’re talking about very personal matters and a politician that I know personally, and I’m not sure if I care to answer any questions.'”
We paid for his kids’ tuition, but it’s personal and none of our business.
Go read the rest of it and then come back and join me for more of today’s news. I’ll wait for you.
Chicago Churches Getting Soaked By Water Meter Installation Expenses: Would be cheaper to just buy wine in its final form.
Big Speech, Tiny Minds: About that Romney speech . . .
The Mounting Minuses At Google+: There’s a lot to admire about Google as a company but they seem utterly unable to expand beyond their core business – which is advertising, by the way, not search.
The one thing I wish they would do with all their cash though is something they’ve rejected time and again, to the relief of stupid media companies: Go into the news business. Why not? They have both the sophisticated digital skills to complete the revolution and the money to fund quality journalism while they do it.
Show Trial: Puppets Act Out Corruption Case: “I don’t know what’s more ridiculous, the puppets or the people they are supposed to be.”
Bending The Tax Code And Lifting A.I.G.’s Profit: “A.I.G. is unlikely to pay a cent of taxes this year, thanks to a rule that the Treasury Department bent in 2008.”
And the IRS is busting my chops? Makes you want to Occupy.
McD Plans To Increase Franchise Outlets In China: Would you like fries with your prison labor?
Chicago Vintage Guitar Expo: Nice gear, y’all.
A 1975 News Break: Same politics, different set.
Giving Goose His Due: A Globetrotter for the ages.
The Video Of Spike Lee’s Appearance At Chicago State University He Inexplicably Doesn’t Want You To See: Doing the dumb thing.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: The right thing.
Posted on February 27, 2012