A Chicago firefighter is organizing an effort to collect 1,500 cases of water for the folks in Flint, MI. Eric Washington says that the stories out of Flint remind him of growing up on the south side and being short on resources.
A couple of tent cities have popped up under overpasses in the city. A group is actually raising money to buy tents and basic supplies for homeless people. Some people are saying they are doing valuable work, helping those in need. On the other hand, they aren’t actually helping make the situation better, they’re just giving them tents to live in.
Chicago Public Schools plans to announce a long-anticipated round of job cuts Friday that the district says will affect “central office and administrative staff,” not teachers. This of course happens the same week that Republicans in Springfield unveiled a plan for a state takeover for CPS. 890 WLS City Hall Reporter Bill Cameron joined John to recap the busy week in state and local politics. (Listen here)
For the first time in more than a decade, you have the rare opportunity to spot five planets in the night sky at the same time. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are the planets in our solar system that are visible with the naked eye. Plus, this week astronomers announced that it is very likely that there is a 9th planet in the solar system. It hasn’t been observed yet, but the math indicates it’s there. Michelle Nichols, the Master Educator at the Adler Planetarium joined John to explain both celestial events. (Listen here)
John Howell has long been on a crusade against the tradition of “Dibs” in Chicago, and it looks like he has finally found a kindred spirit. Jonathan Pool joined John to talk about his Kickstarter campaign that aims to put an end to the practice once and for all. (Listen here)
Barry Shabaka Henley is playing Louis Armstrong in “Satchmo At The Waldorf” at the Court Theater at the University of Chicago. He joined John to talk about Armstrong’s life, career and continued impact on music and pop culture. (Listen here)
Marco Rubio showed up on Jimmy Fallon’s show last night. Among other things, he said that if he isn’t elected President, a good fallback job would be NFL Commissioner.
A Florida man tried to go back into his burning house to rescue his dogs against firefighters orders. The firefighters tackled him and then sheriffs deputies arrested him for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for disobeying their orders. Would you risk arrest to go rescue your dog?
A Connecticut high school student has been pulled out of classes and reported to police for substituting “ISIS” for the “United States of America” during the Pledge of Allegiance. He hasn’t been charged with any sort of a crime, but the case has been turned over to the Department of Homeland Security. An attorney representing the school and Board of Education says the boy’s dismissal was “out of an abundance of caution.” The boy’s mother says the decision was “irrational.”
A new documentary might be Hillary Clinton’s least favorite movie of 2016. It follows Anthony Weiner’s attempted comeback in the New York City mayoral race. It was supposed to be a redemption tale of Weiner’s comeback bid after he resigned his congressional seat two years earlier in a sexting scandal. Weiner’s wife is Clinton’s top aide.
