Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
- Weather: Humid, with thunderstorms possible
Wednesday’s weather won’t be pleasant, with humidity and a high of 88 and a low of 74. Thunderstorms are possible during the day and evening. [AccuWeather]
- CPD chief Eddie Johnson expresses support for tougher gun laws
After a violent July, top cop Eddie Johnson is calling for stricter gun laws that would keep repeat gun offenders in prison longer. “We’re doing a good job of arresting people and recovering these weapons,” he said. “But we absolutely drop the ball when it comes to holding people accountable.” [Chicago Tonight]
- Rahm considers raising utility taxes to help pay for pension fund
Instead of raising property taxes yet again, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is weighing the possibility of raising utility taxes to pay for one of the city’s employee pension funds. The fund in question needs $250-$300 million in revenue, which a utility tax hike could help raise. [Sun-Times]
- The Vista Tower gets closer to reality
The site for Studio Gang’s Vista Tower—which will be the city’s third-tallest skyscraper behind the Willis and Trump Towers—is being prepared for three and a half to four years of construction. Street closures on Wacker Drive could start soon, and crews will be working for 12 hours a day on the 93-story hotel and condominium building. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Arrests and citations down at Lolla, 268 people taken to the hospital
Only 12 people were arrested and 16 people were issued citations during the four-day Lollapalooza weekend. Those numbers are down from the 2015 three-day festival, which had 34 arrests and 61 citations. Slightly more people were taken to the hospital—268 this year compared to 238 in 2015. [Tribune]
- The oddest things lost and found at Lollapalooza
Did you lose your stuffed sloth at Lollapalooza? It’s been found thanks to a Crowdfind page with nearly 800 found items. There are lots of keys, phones, and wallets on the site, but some of the items are more interesting, such as a skirt, an EpiPen, a portable speaker, a hairbrush, and more. [DNAinfo Chicago]