According to a new poll, 70% of people in the city say Chicago police officers do not treat all citizens fairly. Broken down by race, 53-percent of whites have that opinion. 85% of black and 69% of Hispanics say all citizens are not treated fairly. When asked about cover-ups and a code of silence within the police department, 64% said it was a widespread problem. 26% said it involved a handful of officers, and only three percent said it wasn’t a problem at all.
Several Illinois lawmakers want to declare President Barack Obama’s birthday, Aug. 4, a state holiday. The move comes ahead of Obama’s address to the Illinois General Assembly next week in Springfield. Illinois, where Obama started his political career, is the birthplace of former President Ronald Reagan. But the state does not commemorate his Feb. 6 birthday with a state holiday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday updated its Zika virus guidance for pregnant women, after a case originated in Texas. They are advising them to protect themselves if their male sexual partner has traveled to or lives in an area where Zika virus is circulating. How worried show we be about Zika? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joined John with expert analysis. (Listen here)
Rand Paul and Rick Santorum knew their campaigns were done after they failed to make any impact at in Iowa. Jeb Bush may have learned his campaign was over when he gave a speech in New Hampshire on Tuesday and had to beg the audience to clap. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders faced off in a townhall meeting in New Hampshire. Sean Trende the Senior Elections Analyst for Real Clear Politics joined John with reaction to Iowa and predictions for the rest the 2016 race. (Listen here)
Will people in Illinois be able to enhance their enjoyment of the Big Game by playing on fantasy sports sites? The Illinois General Assembly will consider regulation of fantasy sports in their 2016 spring session. State Rep. Mike Zalewski has introduced legislation dealing with the issue. Peter Schoenke with the Fantasy Sports Trade Association joined John to talk about the issue. (Listen here)
Jeff Shapiro from Real Urban BBQ joined John to share some recipes for the Big Game this weekend. (Listen here)
A caller who made a bomb threat to the Wisconsin sheriff’s office at the center of the popular Netflix series “Making a Murderer” mentioned “getting justice for Steven.” Bomb sniffing K-9 units went over the office and the parking lot and all locations have been cleared. No devices have been found, but the investigation is still on-going.
A Lincoln Park man turned himself in to police after firing nine shots off the roof of his building this weekend. Prosecutors on Wednesday offered no motive for the shooting, which resulted in a SWAT-team response near Pine Grove and Wrightwood avenues Sunday afternoon.
The Washington D.C. District Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a bill that includes a proposal to pay residents a stipend not to commit crimes. City officials would identify up to 200 people a year who are considered at risk of either committing or becoming victims of violent crime. Those people would be directed to participate in behavioral therapy and other programs. If they fulfill those obligations and stay out of trouble, they would be paid. The bill doesn’t say how much people would be paid, but it’s modeled after a program in California that pays $9,000 per year.
