Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Wednesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

There most likely will be a column today. Sorting through a bunch of things – the departure of managing editor Craig Newman from the Sun-Times, the return of the NFL draft to Chicago, layoffs at Kraft-Heinz . . . and the usual suspects: CPS, Homan Square, Governor Raunervich. If not today, I’ll blast a bunch of stuff out tomorrow.
In the meantime:


More Bricks In Tribune Tower Walls
Another Beachwood Special Report.
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I’m not going to oversell it. It’s mildly amusing, with a couple of really good ones and some average ones. A lot of times the concept is better than the execution. But I do think it’s worth your while.
Fantasy Fix Draft Guide: RBs
How high should you draft Matt Forte? This high.
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BeachBook
* McDonald’s Plans To Shrink By 50 U.S. Locations This Year.
More McRib for the rest of us?
To those who want to tell me that McRib isn’t real food, let me tell you that every ingredient comes from material found in the universe. How is that not natural? (Not that there is anything inherently superior or healthy about nature; much of it kills. A big part – maybe the only part – of the human project is to overcome the lousy hand of nature we’ve been dealt. McRib, in its own small way, does that.)
* Toby Keith’s Suburban Chicago Bar Faces Closure Due To Pending Lawsuit.
The human project, working itself out.
* John Brennan Admits To Lying About Working With Human Rights Abusers.
In a world of better journalism, this would be “front-page” news across America – and the world. Instead, we have to read about it on (the formidable) emptywheel. If only Toby Keith worked for the CIA.
I’m not so sure he doesn’t, by the way. Think about it.
* Patrick Kane And The Blind Loyalty Of Sports Fans.
The latest from Evan F. Moore, and don’t let the headline lull you into thinking you don’t need to read another story like this; you do.
* Horse Racing Is Dying In America. So Why Is Minnesota’s Canterbury Park Thriving?
“With Prairie Meadows in Des Moines struggling and Chicago’s venerable Arlington Park down to three racing days a week, Canterbury has become a prime Midwest racing destination.”
Find and how and why and consider if there are any lessons for Illinois to learn. FYI: It’s not mentioned in the article, but my understanding is that the agreement forged between gambling and racing interests there was at the behest of a forthright governor who picked up the phone and ordered the top dogs of each industry to get it done.
The source for that is my dad, but he’s on top of these things, as a frequent blackjack player at the casino in question and a reliable newspaper reader with sources of his own.
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Maybe they could play Chicago Fire games in the infield during the racing. Or hold year-round Draft Town.
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TweetWood
A sampling.


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The Beachwood Tip Line: Unsealed.

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Posted on August 12, 2015