Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Monday, August 22, 2016.
- Weather: A perfect day
It will be beautiful Monday, with a high of 75 and a low of 63. It will be mostly sunny. [AccuWeather]
- Improving sexual assault investigation and support for survivors is the goal of a new Illinois law
A newly passed Illinois law aims to improve the investigation process for sexual assault and the support available for survivors. Legislators, law enforcement officials, and sexual assault activists worked together on the law, “which includes mandates for training first responders and new rules aimed at clearing up the state’s backlog of rape kits,” according to Chicago Tonight. [WTTW-Chicago Tonight]
- Chicago police arrest 100 people in gang raids
The Chicago Police Department arrested 100 people in “high-precision” gang raids in 15 of the city’s 22 police districts Friday, according to DNAinfo Chicago. “These initiatives are meant to put repeat offenders, who have a complete disregard for the law, that CPD will not let their actions go without consequence,” police superintendent Eddie Johnson said about the raids during a press conference. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Father Pfleger: 2016 is the most violent year he’s experienced in Chicago
Father Michael Pfleger has been crusading against violence in his south-side community for more than 40 years, and he says that the violence in 2016 is the worst he’s ever seen. He’s working with his parishioners from Saint Sabina Catholic Church and community activists to “occupy” blocks and neighborhoods. “Our children live in war zones, so if they’re not processing that, it either has them living in fear or being overwhelmed or living in denial,” he told NBC News. [NBC News]
- Despite controversy, Kanye’s Northbrook mall pop-up shop was a hit
When Kanye West announced that his highly anticipated Pablo pop-up shop would be located in Northbrook instead of the city, fans expressed their outrage on social media. Based on the lines to get in the Northbrook Court store over the weekend, though, the location didn’t stop fans from the city and suburbs from waiting in line for hours to buy $105 hoodies and $325 military jackets. “I’m surprised I’m standing in a suburban mall right now,” Logan Square resident Tony Esposito told the Tribune. West wasn’t the only musician with a pop-up shop in the suburbs this weekend: Frank Ocean opened a pop-up store in Evanston to sell his new album Blonde. [Tribune]
- The great (but mostly forgotten) Chicago Loop flood of 1992
An underground flood in the Loop shut down the then-Sears Tower, the Art Institute, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and many businesses. The flood is mostly forgotten now. WBEZ explores what caused the flood and why it’s “the most Chicago story ever.” There’s plenty classic Chicago elements involved in the story: corruption, clout, neglected infrastructure, and incompetence, according to WBEZ. [WBEZ]