Good afternoon! Lollapalooza dropped its official schedule (spoiler: We still don’t know when Skrillex will be playing). Here’s what you need to know today.
1. Republicans in Congress grill Northwestern President Michael Schill about pro-Palestinian protesters
Schill today defended his decision to negotiate with activists to peacefully bring down an encampment on the school’s Evanston campus. Some members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce blasted the deal as a capitulation to what they allege are antisemitic activists, my colleague Lisa Kurian Philip reports.
Schill, who is Jewish, defended the agreement as part of his commitment to protecting students’ safety and fostering dialogue across different perspectives.
“We made the decision to talk to our students to model the behavior that we want to be engaged in: dialogue rather than force,” Schill said during the Washington hearing. “And we had a de-escalation. The tents came down right after the agreement was struck. The entire protest is now in conformity with the university rules.”
Schill was one of three university leaders called before the Congressional committee today, the latest in a round of hearings organized by the GOP dedicated to “stopping antisemitic college chaos.” [WBEZ]
2. The Chicago Board of Education and Illinois Legislature could hold dueling votes on police in schools
State lawmakers are advancing a bill this week that would leave the decision on cops in CPS to local school councils, potentially upending the Board of Education’s plan to vote today to remove officers from 39 high schools that still have them, Nader Issa reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Illinois Senate is also expected to vote today on a bill extending a ban on school closings and limiting the school board’s authority to make budgetary and admissions changes affecting selective enrollment schools.
Supporters of the bills have criticized the mayor’s administration for attempting to implement major changes at CPS before the city’s school board becomes fully elected. The Chicago Teachers Union, which Johnson used to work for, pushed for years to create an elected school board to give parents a bigger voice. [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Chicago City Council pushes to keep ShotSpotter despite Mayor Johnson’s effort to get rid of it
Johnson was dismissive of the stunning rebuke of his authority after the council passed a measure yesterday aimed at saving the gunshot detection technology, my colleagues Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg report.
The mayor argued the measure lacks clarity and doesn’t overturn his decision to end the city’s contract with SoundThinking, formerly known as ShotSpotter.
“This particular measure that was voted on today did nothing,” Johnson said. “This City Council, the legislative body, does not have executive authority.”
Johnson campaigned on getting rid of ShotSpotter, but a coalition of some of the council’s more conservative members, along with some members whose wards have long been plagued by gun violence, have led the charge for keeping the technology. [WBEZ]
4. As cicadas emerge, nature lovers travel thousands of miles to converge on Illinois
The state has become a hotbed for cicada tourism as the weather warms up and the two breeding groups coincide for the first time since 1803, my colleagues Dorothy Hernandez and Mary Norkol report for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The 17-year cicadas will mainly cover the northern half of the state while the 13-year cicadas are centered mostly in the southern part, and the two are set to meet near Springfield.
My colleagues spoke with families visiting from as far as Montreal, California and Texas.
Maxim André Goddard, 47, even entertained the idea of his 1-year-old daughter coming back to the area when she’s 18 to see the cicadas’ next emergence.
“That would be amazing, if she could be there again for that occurrence,” he said. “When she’s older … that would just be phenomenal.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
5. There’s a new piping plover in town — and she may be a match for Chicago’s most eligible bird
Imani the piping plover, son of the Monty-and-Rose duo that captured our hearts a few years ago, has been spotted hanging out with a new female bird at Montrose Beach, Block Club reports.
The female, Sea Rocket, landed at the beach yesterday, and Chicago birders hope she and Imani could be mates.
But two other male plovers were also seen at the beach this morning, so it’s not a sure thing Sea Rocket and Imani will choose each other.
Experts urge fans and beachgoers to give the birds plenty of space for their safety. [Block Club Chicago]
Here’s what else is happening
- The U.S. Supreme Court sided with Republicans in South Carolina’s gerrymandering case. [NPR]
- The Department of Justice joined 30 states in the anti-monopoly lawsuit against Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment. [NPR]
- NCAA officials voted to accept a $2.8 billion settlement that could bring sweeping changes to college sports. [AP]
- COVID vaccines may no longer be free as a federal program ends this year. [USA Today]
Oh, and one more thing …
Indie extraordinaire Andrew Bird credits morning jaunts to the Green Mill in Uptown and two WBEZ programs — Steve Cushing’s “Blues Before Sunrise,” and “Jazz with Dick Buckley” — as foundational to his musical education. As vast as the singer-songwriter and violinist’s discography is, though, he’s never put out an album that can rightly be called “jazz.”
That changes this Friday with the release of Sunday Morning Put-On (Loma Vista Recordings). The album is an about-face for Bird, consisting entirely, with one exception, of jazz standards.
He’s joined by regular collaborators — drummer Ted Poor and bassist Alan Hampton — and not-so-regular ones: guitarist Jeff Parker and pianist Larry Goldings. All have deep jazz bona fides, giving the album the feel of a small-combo session. Even the release show is intimate: Bird and his trio come home, literally and spiritually, to the Green Mill on May 29. (Unfortunately, the ticket lottery closed last month.) [WBEZ]
Tell me something good …
What was one of your favorite jobs?
Bonnie writes:
“I just retired for the second time from my favorite job. I worked at Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook as their accountant/ HR administrator. The job was rarely easy but very gratifying. My co workers and volunteers are the nicest and kindest people doing very important work in the social services field. I miss them already!”
And Cindy writes:
“Back in the ‘80s I spent a few years as working on the sales floor at Rose Records on Wabash Avenue. It was a treat to be able to go there every day and be a part of what was, at the time, a Chicago institution. Even though the pay was terrible, it was worth it to be able to get to know so many knowledgeable, interesting, and really nice co-workers. The hours were reasonable, our customers were top-notch, and occasionally someone famous would walk in to check out the selection. And the Rosenblooms were good people to work for. I’ve had a lot of good jobs since then, but that one is still up near the top of my list.”
Feel free to email us, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.
