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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Today in Chicago History: Federal officials take control of the Chicago Housing Authority
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 30, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 93 degrees (1953) Low temperature: 35 degrees (1873) Precipitation: 1.49 inches (2004) Snowfall: None 1923: Nannette Anderson became Chicago's 'first lady speeder sentenced to jail.' She received a $50 fine and a one-day jail sentence. She stayed locked up for an extra five hours because her husband showed up late with the payment. 1924: A week after 14-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered and his body was discovered adjacent to Wolf Lake, investigators were still trying to piece together who might be responsible for the crime. Then, a slip of the tongue pointed all eyes on Nathan Leopold. He admitted to owning a similar pair of the rare, expensive glasses as those discovered near Franks' body — and losing them at the same spot while supposedly birdwatching a few days earlier. Further questioning connected him as owner of the typewriter on which a ransom letter was typed. When Leopold could not produce either item, he became a suspect. His friend Richard Loeb was also questioned by police. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Leopold and Loeb Both men claimed they took a Leopold family car for a joyride that night, but their alibi fell apart when the family's chauffeur said the vehicle was in the garage the day of Franks' murder. The 'perfect murder' Leopold and Loeb thought they had constructed actually left investigators with no other suspects but them. With the retrieval of Leopold's typewriter from a harbor in Jackson Park, the chain of evidence that connected the two young men to the crime was complete. Both confessed to killing Franks. 1937: Striking workers clashed with police on Memorial Day at the Republic Steel plant on the South Side — the only one in the Chicago area that had stayed open during a bitter nationwide showdown between a number of steel companies and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, which was trying to unionize the plants. Flashback: Chicago's place at the forefront of labor history Ten demonstrators were killed and 60 were injured, as were 60 police officers. Shortly after Memorial Day, the strike folded as workers streamed back to their jobs in Chicago and elsewhere. Ultimately, however, the union won its contract. 1995: In the largest takeover of its kind, federal housing officials took control of the Chicago Housing Authority four days after its chairman, Vince Lane, and the CHA board resigned under a cloud of mismanagement. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo removed CHA from its list of troubled public housing authorities on Aug. 1, 1998, and returned control of the agency to the city of Chicago on May 1, 1999. 2020: A Chicago protest, in response to George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis, became violent and looting took place around the city for the next three days. 5 years after killing of George Floyd, protest in Chicago decries Trump directive to empower police Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@ and mmather@
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Federal officials take control of the Chicago Housing Authority
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on May 30, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1923: Nannette Anderson became Chicago's 'first lady speeder sentenced to jail.' She received a $50 fine and a one-day jail sentence. She stayed locked up for an extra five hours because her husband showed up late with the payment. 1924: A week after 14-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered and his body was discovered adjacent to Wolf Lake, investigators were still trying to piece together who might be responsible for the crime. Then, a slip of the tongue pointed all eyes on Nathan Leopold. He admitted to owning a similar pair of the rare, expensive glasses as those discovered near Franks' body — and losing them at the same spot while supposedly birdwatching a few days earlier. Further questioning connected him as owner of the typewriter on which a ransom letter was typed. When Leopold could not produce either item, he became a suspect. His friend Richard Loeb was also questioned by police. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Leopold and LoebBoth men claimed they took a Leopold family car for a joyride that night, but their alibi fell apart when the family's chauffeur said the vehicle was in the garage the day of Franks' murder. The 'perfect murder' Leopold and Loeb thought they had constructed actually left investigators with no other suspects but them. With the retrieval of Leopold's typewriter from a harbor in Jackson Park, the chain of evidence that connected the two young men to the crime was complete. Both confessed to killing Franks. 1937: Striking workers clashed with police on Memorial Day at the Republic Steel plant on the South Side — the only one in the Chicago area that had stayed open during a bitter nationwide showdown between a number of steel companies and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee, which was trying to unionize the plants. Flashback: Chicago's place at the forefront of labor historyTen demonstrators were killed and 60 were injured, as were 60 police officers. Shortly after Memorial Day, the strike folded as workers streamed back to their jobs in Chicago and elsewhere. Ultimately, however, the union won its contract. 1995: In the largest takeover of its kind, federal housing officials took control of the Chicago Housing Authority four days after its chairman, Vince Lane, and the CHA board resigned under a cloud of mismanagement. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo removed CHA from its list of troubled public housing authorities on Aug. 1, 1998, and returned control of the agency to the city of Chicago on May 1, 1999. 2020: A Chicago protest, in response to George Floyd's killing by police in Minneapolis, became violent and looting took place around the city for the next three days. 5 years after killing of George Floyd, protest in Chicago decries Trump directive to empower policeSubscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Newsroom
14-05-2025
- Newsroom
Herald withdraws ‘scoop' finalist from awards after Tipene Funerals complaint
Leading news media firm NZME has withdrawn a journalist from the finalist list for Scoop of the Year at the national media awards after a legal complaint over coverage of Tipene Funerals. New Zealand Herald reporter Raphael Franks had been one of three finalists for the award to be announced at Friday night's Voyager Media Awards, but his name and entry covering the 'Tipene Funerals Scandal' is now deleted from the event's website. At the same time, 20 stories on the issue on the website have correction paragraphs added at the top, setting out changes made to the stories. The withdrawal of a journalism finalist from the media awards is rare, if unprecedented, particularly when linked to legal issues. The lateness of the withdrawal could indicate NZME recognised ongoing sensitivities if it had actually won the top prize. While Franks' personal entry has been withdrawn, his work on such a legally challenging story as the inquiry into a Tipene Funerals staff member's behaviour would have been guided, edited and vetted at higher levels of the Herald newsroom. It is likely the scoop of the year entry was submitted for judges' consideration before the belated legal complaint from the funeral home had been resolved. The Herald's corrections to the stories published between August 2024 and April this year relate to earlier wording about the actions of funeral home staffer Fiona Bakulich, convicted in April of interfering with human remains and obtaining by deception. She was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail. It's understood the legal complaint over the Herald coverage was from the firm, Tipene Funerals, rather than Bakulich. The Tipene Funerals Facebook page issued a statement to its followers after the sentencing saying, in part: 'We are grateful to our legal counsel who, after reviewing the article published by NZ Herald on 11 April 2025, formally responded to correct several serious inaccuracies. We share this clarification not to place blame, but to ensure the truth is known, especially for the grieving whānau whose stories are being spoken about.' It continues: 'The repeated use of the phrase 'wrapped in plastic instead of coffins' is completely false and deeply upsetting. It wrongly suggests that multiple tūpāpaku were not placed in coffins at all, which is simply not true. The judge has since instructed media to stop using this language, recognising the unnecessary pain it has caused. In truth, one tūpāpaku was in a body bag, which was inside in a wooden coffin, (a standard and appropriate practice in our profession), but was missing the metal liner coffin. This detail matters, especially for grieving families. 'The matter first came to light after the storm, when both Waikumete Cemetery staff and the immediate whānau of a loved one identified an issue with one interment. The concern was that a metal liner, required for mausoleum burial, was missing. Tipene Funerals responded immediately with deep regret, took full responsibility, and ensured that a metal liner was provided as soon as the issue came to our attention. 'Fiona Bakulich faced 13 charges. Of these, 12 related to financial dishonesty involving unauthorised cash payments and misleading whānau over costs. Only one charge involved the missing metal liner coffin, and another charge was withdrawn. These are important distinctions that were not clearly reflected in the NZ Herald article. 'It was Tipene Funerals who reported this matter to police. While the media may have played a role in drawing further attention. It is not accurate to suggest the offending was uncovered by NZ Herald.' Herald editor in chief Murray Kirkness said on Wednesday night: 'The Herald has made amendments to articles clarifying matters relating to Fiona Bakulich's offending and sentencing. We contacted the NPA [organisers of the awards] to remove a Voyager Media Awards entry. 'There were inaccuracies in our reporting and we have written to Tipene Funerals to apologise. Importantly, following the Herald's investigation and extensive coverage on this matter, a criminal investigation led to charges being laid.'
Axios
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Maricopa Democrats mailer case ends with Franks fulfilling plea deal terms
The case against a local political activist and Democratic operative charged with forgery in a dispute over unsent mailers from the 2022 election is over after Bruce Franks Jr. completed a diversion program as part of a plea deal. State of play: Under the terms of a deal Franks entered into in November, the case would be dismissed upon the completion of the diversion program he entered into. Franks fulfilled the terms of the plea deal, and the Pinal County Attorney's Office requested that the case be dismissed, which a judge granted in April. Franks pleaded guilty last November to one class 6 felony charge of theft and was placed on supervised probation. He'd also been charged with nine counts of forgery, charges that were dismissed as part of his plea deal. Catch up quick: The Maricopa County Democratic Party paid $24,480 to Tempe-based consulting firm Agave Strategy for about 100,000 mailers in October 2022. Agave subcontracted through Franks' company, Blaque Printing Enterprise. Agave Strategy CEO Dawn Penich told Axios last year that Franks gave her documents purporting to show the mailers were sent through a sub-vendor. Democratic party officials, upon learning the mailers never went out, questioned the authenticity of the documents, later determined to be forgeries, according to reports from the sheriff's office. The party asked for a refund, which it received the following January. Zoom in: Franks' theft count stemmed from a separate incident in which Agave Strategy said it paid him about $2,400 for 10,000 school board candidate mailers that were never sent. He agreed to repay the money as part of his plea deal. The intrigue: The incident prompted the resignations of the MCDP's chair and executive director. MCDP enacted a conflict-of-interest policy in September 2022 requiring employees to disclose financial conflicts to its executive board and recuse themselves while the board decides on the transactions or arrangements. Franks and executive director Ne'Lexia Galloway, then his fiancée, asked Agave Strategy to use Blaque Printing for the mailer job but requested that the firm keep the arrangement secret, Penich said. What they're saying: Franks' attorney, Steve Benedetto, said in a statement to Axios his client took the plea deal not because he was guilty but because "like many before him, he knew what he was up against if he chose to proceed in the criminal justice system." Per Benedetto, Franks decided "to protect his future, his family and his peace. He is grateful that this matter has been dismissed, and looking forward to closing this chapter." MCDP chair Patti O'Neil said the case shows the need for the party to vet the people it hires and elects, calling the ordeal a "lesson learned."
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
Pregnant woman, husband robbed at gunpoint inside of Bronx home: NYPD
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – Frank, who is not his real name, and his pregnant wife returned to their home in the Bronx last Wednesday night after a peaceful outing. Their surveillance video showed the moment an armed robber sneaked up behind them – and forced them inside. Once inside, the masked suspect put a gun to the back of Frank's head and demanded he hand over his cell phone and what police confirm to be worth nearly $150,0000 in jewelry, given to him by his late father. More Local News 'Which was the scariest part because as I was taking my jewelry off, the only thing crossing my mind is the gun could accidentally go off. And then, as he takes everything off, he shoves me and my pregnant wife, who's 5 months pregnant – down to the ground. And from there, he hits me in the back of the head with the pistol. Traumatizing.' Frank says his wife was shaken up but is hanging in there. One of Franks' neighbors – stunned and equally outraged. 'He looks very visible in the video. He should be identified. This is horrible. In this neighborhood, mostly, there are kids. Today, it's just a robbery. Tomorrow, it could be a violent robbery – a more violent crime,' said Muhammad. Frank says detectives told him they believe he was followed home. 'The police said these people – this is not the first time they've done this. It's ongoing. So they most likely have an idea who they are,' said Frank. The armed suspect is still on the loose. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
