Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Wednesday, May 4, 2016.
- Weather: Wednesday will be chilly and cloudy
Tuesday was beautiful, but the temperature will drop a bit on Wednesday. A high of 51 and a low of 42, clouds, and wind are expected. [AccuWeather]
- Friends of the Parks continues battle over proposed Lucas Museum sites
George Lucas’s wife, Melody Hobson, issued a statement Tuesday evening saying that the couple were now “seriously pursuing locations outside of Chicago” for its museum. That’s because although Friends of the Parks has for the time being suspended its lawsuit against the first proposed Lucas Museum site near Soldier Field, it’s not giving up the fight yet. The organization says it’s also opposed to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed McCormick Place site and any other lakefront site. Juanita Irizarry, the group’s executive director, told reporters she’s hoping for a third option, but City Hall and Lucas have previously rejected Friends of the Parks’ suggested locations, including sites near McCormick Place that are west of Lake Shore Drive. [Tribune]
- Transgender CPS students can use bathroom matching their gender identity
As cities and states around the country debate normal bathroom access for transgender people, Chicago Public Schools has announced that all students and teachers should use the bathroom that matches their gender identities, citing the desire for “an environment of complete tolerance and respect.” Anyone who identifies as female can use the women’s bathroom and locker room, and anyone who identifies as male can use the men’s bathroom and locker room. [Sun-Times]
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Report: Fire Department’s equipment is so old it puts everyone at risk
The Chicago Fire Department is working with some extremely outdated—and in some cases obsolete—equipment, according to an investigative report. Two retired CFD battalion chiefs told ABC 7 Chicago that the “antique” equipment at one firehouse puts the lives of the public and the firefighters at risk and slows down response times. Forty percent of CFD’s engines and ladder trucks are reportedly too dated for “safe front-line use.” [ABC 7 Chicago]
- Wealthy white people dominate Chicago’s political donor class
In the 2015 mayoral race, more than 92 percent of donations to candidates were for $1,000 or more and 88 percent of the donors were white, according to a new study by the New York-based liberal think tank Demos. A surprising 94 percent of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s donors and 61 percent of Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s donors were white. [Salon via Alternet]
- Taped With Rabbi Doug is a local cable gem
For more than 20 years, West Ridge rabbi Doug Zelden has interviewed big names like Ted Cruz and hosted musical guests like REO Speedwagon on his CAN-TV cable access show Taped With Rabbi Doug. The show has made him famous enough in Chicago’s Jewish community that fans ask him to officiate at weddings and funerals. [DNAinfo Chicago]