Don’t touch that dial. A final Senate vote could come today on President Trump’s plan to cut federal funding for public radio and TV stations across the country—a move that could force some stations off the air.
■ CNN’s Brian Stelter says it’s “the moment PBS and NPR leaders have always feared, but have never faced until now.”
■ Historian Heather Cox Richardson: “This … would put Congress’s stamp of approval on those cuts, even though they change what Congress originally agreed to.”
■ Media watcher Simon Owens: The Daily Show’s relevant again.
■ Former Chicago TV news executive Jennifer Schulze: “All of us could pay the price for Paramount’s absurd capitulation to Trump.”
‘We want a special counsel.’ Columnist and law professor Joyce Vance says that’s what the death of Trump pal and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein demands.
■ Wired: Supposedly “raw” video footage of Epstein’s cell door in the hours before he was found dead is missing nearly three minutes.
■ Add Trump’s ally, House Speaker Johnson, to the growing list of those pressing for more “transparency” from the White House on the Epstein scandal.
■ The Bulwark’s Bill Kristol offers “A Guide for the Perplexed” in the Epstein case.
■ Jimmy Fallon: “Today, Trump was, like, ‘A dog ate the Epstein files, then people in Ohio ate the dog.’”
‘Environmental Protection Agency retaliates against employees protecting the environment.’ The American Prospect says the Trump administration’s targeting workers who signed a letter demanding that EPA administrator Lee Zeldin “affirm his oath and his commitment to EPA’s mission.”
■ The Washington Post (gift link, thanks to supporters of Chicago Public Square): As Trump moves to replace federal workers with AI, keep your eye on these six agencies.
Judge not. More than 75 former judges are urging the Senate to turn thumbs down on judicial nominee—and Trump’s former personal lawyer—Emil Bove.
■ Even as the Trump administration pushes ahead with mass deportations, it’s fired at least 17 immigration court judges—in Illinois and nine other states.
■ The Intercept: ICE lawyers are hiding their names in immigration court.
Chicago in the spotlight. Organizers of Thursday’s “Good Trouble” protests have declared the city the “flagship” for more than 1,600 observances nationwide.
■ Patch has links to more information and sign-ups for some of the Chicago-area demonstrations.
Hail, grannies! Headed to the full Chicago City Council today: A long-debated ordinance allowing the construction of so-called “granny flat” living spaces—including coach houses and basement apartments.
■ It’s not just the old folk who need those spaces: Columnist and former U.S. Rep. Marie Newman—with kids in their 20s—says politicians have failed to bridge the “affordability chasm” of Gen Z not being able to afford their lives.
Driving while not-white. WBEZ’s analysis finds that, while Chicago police traffic stops plummeted last year, the percentage of those stops involving Black and Latino drivers skyrocketed.
■ Popular Information directs your attention to Baltimore, which last month saw fewer homicides than in any month in the last 55 years.
‘You don’t get to work for the government and defraud the government.’ Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s latest quarterly report spotlights a couple of city workers—an assistant housing commissioner and a Chicago cop—who faked their way into Payroll Protection Program funds designed to help businesses endure the pandemic.
■ Read the full report here.
‘Miserable.’ That’s NBC Chicago meteorologist Alicia Roman’s assessment of the air quality and humidity in store for the region today.
■ And, yeah: Then storms.
Solar surge. With a federal tax credit set to expire at the end of the year, Illinoisans are rushing to install home solar panels really quick.
■ Capitol News: “Illinois bet on solar to meet its climate goals. Trump has the industry in his crosshairs.”
■ Just forward that mail to scan@snitcher.space.
■ Yesterday’s Chicago Public Square scored a not-bad 90%.
■ The Lever: Google has ruined Android phones.
Yes, chef. The Chicago-set TV series The Bear has 13 nominations for this year’s Emmys.
■ Other Chicago nods include Shrinking’s Harrison Ford and The Studio’s Ike Barinholtz for best supporting actor and White Lotus’ Carrie Coon for best supporting actress.
■ Here’s the full list of nominees.
■ Even just $1, just once.
