Daywatch: Another $24M proposed to settle police misconduct lawsuits
Good morning, Chicago.
Chicago taxpayers could be on the hook for another $24 million to settle lawsuits alleging police misconduct.
The city's Law Department is recommending a series of settlements in three wrongful conviction cases tied to infamous members of the Chicago Police Department. The City Council's Finance Committee will vote on the settlements Monday, setting them up for a final vote Wednesday.
If approved, the settlements will continue to hike the soaring cost of police lawsuit payouts. Chicago taxpayers have already approved $145.3 million to settle police lawsuits this year, a record amount far above the city's $82.6 million budget that through May already towers above such spending in past years.
Read the full story from the Tribune's Jake Sheridan.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: what Gov. JB Pritzker said yesterday in a House hearing, the latest on Israel's attack on Iran and
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Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker defended Illinois' sanctuary laws for immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission before a House committee yesterday and pointed at congressional Republicans and Democrats for using the issue to try to score political points rather than enacting comprehensive immigration reform.
Protests continued yesterday in Chicago as part of demonstrations across the country against President Donald Trump's deployment of troops in Los Angeles amid his immigration crackdown.
The crowd at the day's second protest grew to about 400 people by 4 p.m., as demonstrators held red signs and shouted their support for immigrants at Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledged to carry on with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown despite waves of unrest across the U.S.
Hours after her comment yesterday, a judge directed the president to return control to California over National Guard troops he deployed after protests erupted over the immigration crackdown, but an appeals court quickly put the brakes on that and temporarily blocked the order that was to go into effect today.
Israel attacked Iran early today in strikes that took out top military officers and hit nuclear and missile sites, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.
President Donald Trump's trade war is affecting Americans everywhere from the grocery store to their electric bill, with the cost of bananas, ground beef and electricity surging to all-time highs, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here's a closer look at how the price of everyday goods is changing under the second Trump administration.
A veteran Chicago police officer will no longer carry a badge as part of a plea agreement in which he admitted that he struck an eighth grade boy while making an off-duty visit to a South Side elementary school two years ago.
Craig Lancaster, 56, was placed on 18 months' supervision and ordered to undergo eight hours of anger management as part of a plea deal in which prosecutors reduced the original felony charge of aggravated battery to misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
For the Chicago Cubs front office, revamping the bullpen was a top offseason priority.
The return on investment over the last month has been apparent. Entering play Wednesday ahead of a 7-2 loss in Philadelphia, the Cubs bullpen's 0.82 earned-run average was MLB's best dating to May 14 — a stretch of 24 games.
Edward Gorski Jr.'s Purple Heart medal was returned by the Illinois treasurer's office to the World War II veteran's grandson, Shawn. An Army veteran himself, Shawn said receiving it was an emotional experience.
'It just shows that everything he went through, we're able to, you know, tell those stories,' he said. 'Ultimately, our teachings and his legacy will live on.'
A 4-day-old bottlenose dolphin born last weekend at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago died suddenly Wednesday. The male calf was the first dolphin born at the west suburban zoo in more than a decade.
At this year's Tony Awards, a delightfully quirky little musical called 'Maybe Happy Ending' beat out big competitors and walked off with the big prize. Although it's about family dynamics rather than robotic romance, 'Kimberly Akimbo,' a similarly small and unusual show that won best musical in 2023, paved its way writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marines have moved into Los Angeles to guard a federal building after a week of protests against immigration raids, while communities across the country are preparing for demonstrations against President Donald Trump's polices this weekend. The Marines wearing combat gear and carrying rifles are taking over some posts from National Guard members who were deployed to the city after the protests erupted last week . Those protests sparked dozens more over several days around the country, with some leading to clashes with police and hundreds of arrests. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the troop deployment a 'serious breach of state sovereignty' and a power grab by Trump, and he has gone to court to stop it. The president has cited a legal provision that allows him to mobilize federal service members when there is 'a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.' ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
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The Army is set to celebrate 250 years with a parade that coincides with Trump's birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The massive military parade that President Donald Trump has long wanted is set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday evening, with tanks, bands and thousands of troops. And the biggest question marks are whether it will be overshadowed or delayed by either the weather in Washington or planned protests elsewhere around the country. Falling on Trump's 79th birthday, the parade was added just a few weeks ago to the Army's long-planned 250th anniversary celebration . It has triggered criticism for its price tag of up to $45 million and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates down along the route. The daylong display of America's Army comes as Trump has shown his willingness to use his fighting forces in ways other U.S. presidents have typically avoided, inviting an array of lawsuits and accusations that he is politicizing the military. He has deployed the California National Guard and U.S. Marines to provide security during Los Angeles protests tied to immigration raids. It marks the first time in 60 years that a president activated the National Guard on federal orders inside a state without a governor's permission, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit to stop the deployments. Earlier in the week, Trump raised eyebrows during a speech at Fort Bragg when members of the 82nd Airborne Division were directed to stand behind Trump and they booed and cheered during his incendiary remarks , including condemnation of his predecessor, Joe Biden. There also was a pop-up 'Make America Great Again' merchandise stand nearby selling souvenirs to troops in uniform. The Defense Department has a doctrine that prohibits troops from participating in political activity while in uniform. Members of Congress and military leaders have expressed concerns about the political displays during the speech at Fort Bragg. Trump so far has shrugged off concerns about the parade cost, the rainy forecast and the potential for protests. 'What a day it will be!!!' Trump wrote on his social media site, adding later that he hoped the weather would cooperate but that if it doesn't, 'that brings you good luck. That's OK too. Doesn't matter. Doesn't affect the tanks at all. Doesn't affect the soldiers. They're used to it. They're tough. Smart.' As for the protests, he warned that 'they will be met with very big force.' The 'No Kings' rallies planned in hundreds of cities nationwide are meant to counter what organizers say are Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. No protests are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., however, and officials have said they so far have no indication of any security threat. About 6 in 10 Americans say Saturday's parade is 'not a good use' of government money, including the vast majority of people, 78%, who neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research . The parade will wind down Constitution Avenue, which is already lined with security fencing and barriers. Army helicopters and aircraft will fly above, and the march will be capped off by a parachute jump, a concert featuring 'God Bless the U.S.A.' singer Lee Greenwood and fireworks. With rain expected, there is a chance the parade could be interrupted by thunderstorms. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly has said the march will go on rain or shine. But it could be delayed if there is lightning, with authorities quick to empty the expansive National Mall if it happens during major events. The parade fulfills Trump's expressed desire for a big parade that he tried to get done in his first presidential term after seeing one in France on Bastille Day in 2017. Trump said that after watching the two-hour procession along the famed Champs-Élysées, he wanted an even grander one on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend the festival and parade. The festival will begin around 9:30 a.m. EDT and feature fitness competitions, demonstrations, equipment displays, music and a cake-cutting ceremony. The parade is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT, but parts of it — including the horse-drawn caissons and other units — start at the Pentagon, head over a bridge and meet up with some of the heavier tanks and equipment. Officials did not want the more-than-60-ton M1A1 Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles crossing the bridge. Timed down to the minute, the march will be divided into sections by history — with equipment and troops in full dress from each period. It will include a total of 6,169 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, while 62 aircraft fly overhead. At the end of the parade, Trump will swear in 250 new or reenlisting troops, and the Army's Golden Knights parachute team will jump onto the Mall. That will be followed by the concert and fireworks. ____ Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Tara Copp contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
29 minutes ago
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US military parade has global counterparts in democracies, monarchies and totalitarian regimes
The military parade to mark the Army's 250th anniversary and its convergence with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday are combining to create a peacetime outlier in U.S. history. Yet it still reflects global traditions that serve a range of political and cultural purposes. Variations on the theme have surfaced among longtime NATO allies in Europe, one-party and authoritarian states and history's darkest regimes. France: Bastille Day and Trump's idée inspirée The oldest democratic ally of the U.S. holds a military parade each July 14 to commemorate one of the seminal moments of the French Revolution. It inspired — or at least stoked — Trump's idea for a Washington version. On July 14, 1789, French insurgents stormed the Bastille, which housed prisoners of Louis XVI's government. Revolutionaries commenced a Fête de la Fédération as a day of national unity and pride the following year, even with the First French Republic still more than two years from being established. The Bastille Day parade has rolled annually since 1880. Now, it proceeds down an iconic Parisian route, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It passes the Arc de Triomphe — a memorial with tributes to the French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars and World War I — and eventually in front of the French president, government ministers and invited foreign guests. Trump attended in 2017 , early in his first presidency, as U.S. troops marched as guests . The spectacle left him openly envious. 'It was one of the greatest parades I've ever seen,' Trump told French President Emanuel Macron. 'It was military might, and I think a tremendous thing for France and for the spirit of France. We're going to have to try and top it.' The British set modern ceremonial standards In the United Kingdom, King Charles III serves as ceremonial (though not practical) head of U.K. armed forces. Unlike in France and the U.S., where elected presidents wear civilian dress even at military events, Charles dons elaborate dress uniforms — medals, sash, sword, sometimes even a bearskin hat and chin strap. He does it most famously at Trooping the Colour , a parade and troop inspection to mark the British monarch's official birthday , regardless of their actual birthdate. (The U.S. Army has said it has no specific plans to recognize Trump's birthday on Saturday.) In 2023, Charles' first full year as king, he rode on horseback to inspect 1,400 representatives of the most prestigious U.K. regiments. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II , used a carriage over the last three decades of her 70-year reign. The British trace Trooping the Colour back to King Charles II, who reigned from 1660-1685. It became an annual event under King George III, described in the American colonists' Declaration of Independence as a figure of 'absolute Despotism (and) Tyranny.' Authoritarians flaunt military assets Grandiose military pomp is common under modern authoritarians, especially those who have seized power via coups. It sometimes serves as a show of force meant to ward off would-be challengers — and to seek legitimacy and respect from other countries. Cuba's Fidel Castro, who wore military garb routinely, held parades to commemorate the revolution he led on Dec. 2, 1959. In 2017, then-President Raúl Castro refashioned the event into a Fidel tribute shortly after his brother's death . Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, known as 'Comandante Chávez,' presided over frequent parades until his 2013 death. His successor, Nicolás Maduro, has worn military dress at similar events . North Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, who famously bonded with Trump in a 2018 summit, used a 2023 military parade to show off his daughter and potential successor, along with pieces of his isolated country's nuclear arsenal. The event in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square — named for Kim's grandfather — marked the North Korean Army's 75th birthday. Kim watched from a viewing stand as missiles other weaponry moved by and goose-stepping soldiers marched past him chanting, 'Defend with your life, Paektu Bloodline' — referring to the Kim family's biological ancestry. In China, Beijing's one-party government stages its National Day Parade every 10 years to project civic unity and military might. The most recent events, held in 2009 and 2019, involved trucks carrying nuclear missiles designed to evade U.S. defenses, as well as other weaponry. Legions of troops, along with those hard assets, streamed past President Xi Jinping and other leaders gathered in Tiananmen Square in 2019 as spectators waved Chinese flags and fighter jets flew above. Earlier this spring, Xi joined Russian President Vladimir Putin — another strongman leader Trump has occasionally praised — in Moscow's Red Square for the annual 'Victory Day' parade. The May 9 event commemorates the Soviet Union's role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II — a global conflict in which China and the Soviet Union, despite not being democracies, joined the Allied Powers in fighting the Axis Powers led by Germany and Japan. A birthday parade for Hitler Large civic-military displays were, of course, a feature in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy before and during World War II. Chilling footage of such events lives on as a reminder of the dangers of authoritarian extremism. Among those frequent occasions: a parade capping Germany's multiday observance of Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday in 1939. (Some far-right extremists in Europe still mark the anniversary of Hitler's birth.) The four-hour march through Berlin on April 20, 1939, included more than 40,000 personnel across the Army, Navy, Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Schutzstaffel (commonly known as the 'SS.') Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the streets. The Führer's invited guests numbered 20,000. On a street-level platform, Hitler was front and center. Alone. ___ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
