Hey there! It’s Friday, and I’ve got a family-sized bottle of tequila, a freezer full of taquitos and a husband who’ll be thrilled to find me watching all three John Wick movies to kick off Pride weekend. Here’s what you need to know today.

(By the way, if you’d like this emailed to your inbox, you can sign up here.)

1. Chicago’s gun violence remains high even after last year’s spike, analysis finds

Last year saw a 50% surge in homicides and shootings in Chicago compared to 2019, and gun violence has continued to slightly increase so far this year, according to an analysis from the Chicago Tribune.

The newspaper found the city has reported 316 homicides as of June 23, up nearly 3% from the 308 reported this time last year.

Crime experts say it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reasons for the rise in violence, which range from an increase in gun sales during the pandemic to widespread unemployment to a demoralized police force.

“I do understand Chicago is Chicago and it just has such a dark past, and there’s so much hate and misunderstanding,” Terrance Henderson, who supervises violence prevention for the Chicago CRED community group, told the Trib. [Chicago Tribune]

2. The City Council is poised to vote on renaming Lake Shore Drive

Aldermen could take a vote today on renaming the most iconic street in Chicago after Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, but it’s not clear if supporters have the 26 votes needed to approve the plan.

Supporters are pushing a compromise in the hopes of avoiding a veto from Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This compromise calls for the hybrid name of Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

But this being the City Council, anything could happen. If the mayor issues a veto, the council would need 34 votes to override her. And some backers of the renaming effort say they don’t know if they have those votes. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, some South Side residents say they wished the City Council would focus on other things that directly affect their lives.

“What’s that supposed to do for us? All that money can go to giving something for the kids to do over here, man,” said one resident. [TRiiBE]

3. Justice Department sues Georgia over its new voting restrictions

Attorney General Merrick Garland today announced the Justice Department will take a major step in confronting state-level voting restrictions that have been enacted since last year’s presidential election.

Garland said the department is suing the state of Georgia over a new voting law, alleging it discriminates against Black Americans.

The Georgia law was passed in March by the Republican-led state legislature and signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. The law imposes new limits on the use of absentee ballots and halves the amount of time for voters to request a mail-in ballot. It also adds new voter identification mandates and criminalizes passing out food or drinks to voters waiting in line. [NPR]

4. Chicago drivers seek class-action lawsuit against company that owns the city’s parking meters

Three Chicago drivers are pursuing a class-action lawsuit against Chicago Parking Meters, saying the company’s exclusive contract to operate the city’s parking meters amounts to a “75-year monopoly,” reports the Chicago Tribune.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago this week, alleges the deal has caused higher parking rates, created too many meters and led to restrictions on alternative forms of transportation, like bicycles.

The decision to privatize the city’s parking meters was spearheaded by then-Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2009 as his administration faced massive budget shortfalls. The unpopular deal allowed Chicago Parking Meters to oversee parking meters for 75 years in exchange for an upfront payment of $1.16 billion. [Chicago Tribune]

5. Socialism’s appeal grows in the U.S., poll finds

About 41% of Americans have a positive view of socialism, up from 39% in 2019, according to a new Axios/Momentive poll that suggests the pandemic may have caused a realignment of political and economic views.

Breaking down the numbers, larger percentages of Black Americans and women had positive views, with 60% and 45% respectively.

The rise in socialism’s appeal coincides with decreasing views of capitalism during the pandemic, the poll found. About 49% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 reacted positively to capitalism, down from 58% in 2019.

That downward trend is also seen in Republicans in that same age group. In 2019, 81% of Republican and GOP-leaners ages 18-34 had a positive view of capitalism. That’s now down to 66%. [Axios]

Here’s what else is happening

• Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. [AP]
• Here’s what is known about the condition of a Florida condo building before it collapsed this week. [NPR]
• An unprecedented heat wave is hitting the Pacific Northwest. [Axios]
• An iconic mural in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood is being restored to carry on the legacy of a slain peace activist. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

I got a news alert on my phone today that scientists discovered “Dragon Man,” and I immediately thought, “The age of superheroes is finally here. I must now put my plans in motion to recruit a team to take down the menace that is gender reveal parties!”

Turns out Dragon Man isn’t a man with dragon-like powers.

It’s a fossilized skull of a new human species that’s believed to be at least 140,000 years old. And this monumental discovery was made by some random laborer in China who found it in a well that had been abandoned for 85 years.

Researchers nicknamed the skull after the Dragon River region of northeast China where the skull was discovered, The New York Times reports. The skull belonged to “a mature male who had a huge brain, massive brow ridges, deep set eyes and a bulbous nose,” according to the newspaper. [NYT]

Sooooo, the Dragon Man looked like this?

Tell me something good …

It’s officially summer now, and I’d like to know: What are your summer plans?

Janie writes:

“Seeing life happen in smiles, playing children and laughter nearly takes my breath away now. This summer our family WILL MEET UP AGAIN, AND WE WILL FINALLY TALK TOGETHER of our loss of first sibling of seven to leave thru the long, cold, silent winter. My brother, 81, drove the oldest brother to chemo for most of a year, and then was given COVID by a healthcare worker giving him therapy at home. A family of seven children ranging from 75 to 90 now. We will hear the laughter of children and eat his favorite pie. Watching summer happen again would be his favorite summer observance, as he liked to sit back and observe. Listening closely and asking for seconds.”

Thanks for all the responses this week! I’m sorry I couldn’t share everyone’s reply, but it was nice hearing from y’all! 

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