Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, March 3, 2017.
- Kim Foxx might release some nonviolent offenders who can’t afford bond
Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx has launched a program that would help nonviolent offenders who can’t post bond get out of jail. “One person was in for retail theft and couldn’t pay the $300 they needed to walk. . . . Another person broke into their friend’s house and stole some shoes,” she told the Sun-Times. “An alternative to jail makes sense.” The offices of the state’s attorney and public defender identified “inmates who would be better served outside jail,” according to the paper. Most of the inmates who qualify are in Cook County Jail for drug-related charges, retail theft, or property crimes. Foxx’s plan would reportedly save taxpayers money, because it costs $163 a day to keep an inmate in jail, according to Foxx. [Sun-Times]
- Chance the Rapper meeting with Bruce Rauner rescheduled for Friday
Chance the Rapper and Governor Bruce Rauner will meet Friday to discuss education funding in Chicago. The Grammy Award-winning rapper was supposed to meet with the governor Wednesday at the Thompson Center, but that meeting was canceled and then rescheduled after Rauner visited parts of the state hit by serious tornadoes. “He is meeting with families who lost their homes and thanking first responders for their service,” Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis told DNAinfo Chicago. “He looks forward to hearing from Chance.” [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Local Women’s March organizers are going to use their platform for more activism, organizing
Approximately 250,000 people gathered in the Loop January 21 for the Women’s March on Chicago. Now event organizers are working to hold on to the momentum, so it’s not a one-off event. During a meeting Wednesday evening, the event’s organizers discussed three key ways to stay active: information, education, and advocacy, according to Chicago Tonight. “People definitely want information about what to do,” cochair Liz Radford said. “We want to provide information to people to choose how they can get involved.” [WTTW-Chicago Tonight]
- Tony nominee Daniel Breaker will replace Wayne Brady in Hamilton
Tony Award-nominated actor Daniel Breaker is joining the Chicago production of Hamilton starting April 11. He will replace Wayne Brady in the role of Aaron Burr. His most recent Broadway appearance was in The Book of Mormon. [Playbill]