Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, September 16, 2016.
- Weather: Cloudy with thunderstorms possible
There’s a decent chance of rain and/or thunderstorms Friday during the day and evening. Expect a high of 78 and a low of 69. [AccuWeather]
- Family of Sandra Bland gets $1.9 million in settlement
The family of Sandra Bland has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Waller County in Texas and the Texas Department of Public Safety for $1.9 million. Bland, who grew up in Naperville, was found dead in her jail cell days after being pulled over by a cop in Prairie View, Texas. The case became a national news story and sparked numerous Black Lives Matter protests across the country. [Sun-Times]
- Following the deaths of boyfriend and cousin to gun violence, 21-year-old decides to join CPD
Trishaun Coleman, 21, lost her boyfriend and cousin to gun violence in the city. Now, despite becoming well-known for singing at funerals, the south-side resident has decided to become a Chicago Police Department officer. In an interview with WBEZ, she explains how she plans to make a difference by joining the force. [WBEZ]
- Rahm was not happy when a WGN Radio host called him on air at two in the morning
WGN Radio host Patti Vasquez decided to call Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s home phone number live on her show around 2 AM on September 2. He answered the phone and they spoke very briefly, but he was not pleased—an Emanuel aide called the station the next day to say so. The audio of the call was deleted from WGN’s site, and Vasquez and her producer were suspended for a day. [Robert Feder]
- Construction starts on highly anticipated trauma center at University of Chicago Medical Center
The ground was broken on what will be the first trauma center on the south side Thursday. After years of protests, University of Chicago Medical Center finally agreed to open a trauma center, which will help treat victims of gunshot wounds, car accidents, and other events requiring emergency treatment. The center, which is expected to open in 2018, should create about 1,000 permanent jobs and treat about 2,700 patients a year. “We have just very, very discouraging levels of violence in many communities on the south side, a lot of blunt force trauma, and as a result this facility will be heavily used, I’m afraid,” Cook County Board president Toni Preckwinkle said at the groundbreaking. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- South-side lakefront golf course project draws interest from Tiger Woods
Golfer Tiger Woods is reportedly interested in designing an affordable yet challenging golf course that would combine the existing Jackson Park and South Shore courses. With 18 holes for play and with well-known golf resort owner Mike Kesier as an adviser, it could host PGA Tour championships and other events just feet away from the future Obama presidential library. Woods has toured the property within in the last month, and although he hasn’t officially been hired, an announcement could come later in September, according to the Tribune. [Tribune]