Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Happy Halloween!
- Chicagoan, former Trump aide pleads guilty to making false statements to the FBI
Chicago native and former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, 30, has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Papadopoulos allegedly tried to set up meetings between Russian leaders and the presidential campaign staffers. The charges against the DePaul University alumnus come from Department of Justice special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign’s alleged ties and collusion with Russia. Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his aide Rick Gates were also charged; both men pleaded not guilty Monday. Papadopoulos has been living in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, where neighbors say he mostly keeps to himself, according to the Tribune. [Tribune] [Daily Beast]
- Gun violence is keeping the new chief of Chicago’s FBI field office awake at night
Jeffrey Sallet, the new head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Chicago field office, is losing sleep at night over the city’s gun violence problem, and he doesn’t officially start the job until November 6. “I’m doing my homework and making sure that I am engaged on that issue from the moment I hit the ground in Chicago,” he told the Sun-Times. The city must be prepared for the new normal of mass shootings like the October 1 massacre in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and more than 500 wounded. “I’m certainly going to be working with the Chicago Police and all of our law enforcement partners,” Sallet said. [Sun-Times]
- TV filming, street closures getting on the nerves of Chicagoans: aldermen
Chicago residents are getting tired of constant street closures and inconveniences from the filming of TV shows such as Empire, Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med, according to several alderman. “If you guys do not stop putting parking restrictions in the South Loop one or two days before you’re going to film, I’m going to have to ban you all out of the South Loop by ordinance,” alderman Pat Dowell said during the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events budget hearing Monday. “Because you all are interrupting residential permit parking, parking on commercial for commercial store owners, and it’s not enough time.” Supporters of the filming argue that the shows create many jobs and bring the city much-needed tax revenue. [Tribune]
- Police: Human remains found in Lincoln Park lagoon might be missing suburban woman
A body found in the Lincoln Park lagoon Saturday might belong to a missing Elgin woman, 76-year-old Gail Peck. Peck was last seen Friday night walking her dog. The Cook County medical examiner’s office has conducted an autopsy and is working on DNA testing to confirm the identification. “We are investigating this as a criminal investigation and are working with the Chicago Police Department on the possibility that the body that was found near Lincoln Park may be part of this case,” Elgin assistant police chief Bill Wolf said. [Tribune] [WGN]
- Bears player Zach Miller seriously injured in game, surgeons save his leg from amputation
Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller underwent a successful emergency surgery Sunday night to save his left leg after suffering a horrific injury in the Bears-New Orleans Saints game, according to ESPN. Miller dislocated a knee and damaged an artery, which left him in danger of losing the leg. [ESPN] [Sun-Times]
- Lakeview restaurant closes five days after grand opening
FireFin Poke Shop, at 802 W. Belmont in Lakeview, has closed only five days after its grand opening, shuttered along with the four other FireFin Poke locations. [DNAinfo Chicago]