Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, April 28, 2017.
- Kim Foxx’s office drafts legislation allowing a second review of fatal police shootings
Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx’s office has “drafted legislation to allow the state’s appellate prosecutor’s office to do a second review” of police-involved fatal shootings, according to the Sun-Times. Under the current Special Prosecutor Act, Cook County is prohibited from designating the Office of the State Appellate Prosecutor as special prosecutor in cases where a police officer fatally shoots a civilian. Foxx’s measure would change this “in an effort to another layer of accountablity to the handling of police shootings” after the Laquan McDonald case. Under the proposed legislation, if the “state’s attorney’s office decides not to charge an officer criminally, the State Appellate Prosecutor would be tasked with reviewing that investigation and making its own recommendation about whether charges were appropriate,” the newspaper reported. [Sun-Times]
- Rahm slams Trump’s corporate and personal tax-cut plan
Mayor Rahm Emanuel slammed President Donald Trump’s new plan to cut corporate and personal taxes. “Part of what is in that proposal is the elimination of the deduction of state and local taxes,” Emanuel, a former member of the House Ways and Means committee, said. “And that would penalize Illinois and Chicago residents dramatically. So on that level, I’m opposed to it.” But despite his criticism, the mayor discounted taxes as a principal factor in the decisions of people and corporations about whether to locate in Chicago. The city’s strengths, he said, are instead “the best-trained, educated workforce with a university and higher-education system to back that up, one of the best transportation systems and an aviation system that allows every one of the sales reps and operations people to get on a plane and get to where they need to go that day.” [Sun-Times]
- Chicago Teachers Union planning May Day rally Monday
The Chicago Teachers Union will call for more education funding during a rally and march on May 1, International Workers’ Day, where they’ll join labor and immigrants rights activists. Union members had previously considered striking on May Day, but ultimately opted against it. All the same, CPS requested an injunction that blocks the union from “promoting a work stoppage, or encouraging members to use personal or sick days to take part in May 1 activities,” and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board voted in favor of the school district on Wednesday. On its website the CTU says it “vigorously defends the right of any member” to use personal or unpaid days in order to participate, but advises that “using a sick day for a non-designated purpose can be grounds for discipline.” [Sun-Times] [New York Times]
- United Airlines and passenger dragged from plane reach a settlement
United Airlines made headlines around the world when passenger Dr. David Dao, 69, was dragged from an overbooked plane at O’Hare International Airport. Dao, who had numerous injuries as a result of the dragging, has reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount with United Airlines. “[United CEO Oscar Munoz] said he was going to do the right thing, and he has,” Dao’s Chicago-based attorney, Thomas Demetrio, said. “In addition, United has taken full responsibility for what happened on Flight 3411, without attempting to blame others, including the city of Chicago. For this acceptance of corporate accountability, United is to be applauded.” The airline has announced plans to establish a new check-in system that would allow passengers to voluntarily give up their seats in exchange for compensation, the limit of which has now been increased from $1,350 to $10,000, according to the New York Times. [Tribune] [New York Times]
- Black promoters are fighting racism by creating their own nightlife spaces
Segregation in Chicago has a huge effect on its nightlife scene. People of color “venturing to North Side venues are often met with resistance, as was the case in the late aughts and early part of this decade, when black queer youth from the South and West sides of the city said they faced racial epithets or felt racially profiled when they spent nights in Boystown, a traditionally gay neighborhood,” according to Vice’s electronic music and culture site, Thump. In order to fight the racism, black promoters such as VAM Studio founder Vincent Martell are creating their own spaces. Described as “an experimental events and creative studio often focused on underground artists of color,” VAM is disrupting the scene. “I think we forget in Chicago that we can manipulate the system,” Martell said. “It just takes more work.” [Thump]
- The chefs behind Giant will open a new restaurant in the Ace Hotel
The new restaurant in the Ace Hotel, set to open in the Fulton Market District this fall, will be helmed by the team behind the popular Logan Square restaurant Giant. Jason Vincent and Ben Lustbader (both formerly of Lula Cafe and Nightwood) will be the chefs in charge of the restaurant’s food, in-room dining, and events, and Giant beverage director Josh Perlman will be in charge of drinks. [DNAinfo Chicago]