Welcome to the Reader‘s weekday news briefing.
- Jamie Kalven won’t be forced to identify his Laquan McDonald story sources
Independent journalist Jamie Kalven will not be forced to reveal the sources behind his reporting on the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. Cook County judge Vincent Gaughan rejected a subpoena of Kalven from accused murderer and Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke’s legal team. “To uphold the subpoena of Jamie Kalven would be nothing more than a fishing expedition in search of information that the timeline of events, discovery documents and testimony suggest simply does not exist,” Gaughan wrote. Kalven would have chosen jail over revealing his sources. “I think it’s part of the job description to uphold a covenant with sources,” he said. “The real hero in this case is a source within law enforcement who provided information . . . that enabled me and others to report on it. We have kind of a sacred trust with sources.” [Tribune]
- Judge bans Dennis Hastert from unsupervised contact with minors, porn
Former U.S. House speaker Dennis Hastert can no longer use sex chat lines, possess pornorgraphy, or have “any contact with minors except in the presence of an adult who is aware of his sexual abuse of boys decades ago,” according to the Tribune. U.S. district judge Thomas Durkin imposed the new restrictions on Hastert, who has been undergoing sex offender evaluation, after a probation report was turned in Monday. [Tribune]
- Data shows dramatic rise in Blue Line commuters
The number of riders taking CTA Blue Line O’Hare branch trains during morning rush hour has increased significantly since 2002. The California/Milwaukee Blue Line stop has seen a 109 percent increase in ridership between July 2002 and July 2017 during morning rush hour, the largest increase of any CTA station. The Logan Square Blue Line stop has seen a 64 percent growth in riders, the second-largest increase in the CTA, during the same time period. [Chicago Magazine]
- Investigation: 13 deaths in three years from Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home
Legionnaires’ disease has left 13 people dead and more than 61 veterans and staff members sick since 2015 at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, and 11 of the 13 families are now suing the state for negligence, according to an investigation by WBEZ. Despite the tragedy, “the state has failed to stop the outbreaks and other cases despite investing millions of taxpayer dollars,” WBEZ reported. “When’s it going to stop?” said Jana Casper, daughter of a World War II veteran Gerald Kuhn, who was killed in the outbreak. “How many more people are going to have to die before they can get to the bottom of what’s causing it?” Senator Dick Durbin is calling for the home to be closed unless the water system can be fixed. “This has progressed from a disastrous situation, where veterans of the state of Illinois have lost their lives because of contamination in the water supply at the veterans’ home in Quincy, to a scandal. I just don’t think there’s any other word to describe it,” Durbin told WBEZ. [WBEZ]
- Rauner not answering questions about departure of general counsel
Governor Bruce Rauner is declining to answer questions about the quick departure of general counsel Dennis Murashko just hours after Rauner told other staff members to ignore rumors about Murashko’s exit. Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner J.B. Pritzker’s campaign is pushing Rauner for answers, saying “until we know why Murashko resigned, questions will continue to swirl.” Rauner denies that there’s anything more to the story. “A gentleman resigned, it happens in government from time to time,” he said Tuesday. “There’s no there there.” [Tribune] [h/t Politico Illinois Playbook]
- Lettuce Entertain You brings Beatrix Market to DePaul’s Loop campus
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is bringing a Beatrix Market to DePaul University’s Loop campus. Among other features, the market will offer deep-dish pizza by the slice. It’s planning a spring opening in the former Pazzo’s Bar & Grill location at 23 E. Jackson. [Eater Chicago]