Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Tuesday, December 6, 2016.
- Weather: Cloudy
It will remain cool Tuesday, with a high of 38 and a low of 24. There will be thick clouds during the day. [AccuWeather]
- President-elect Trump called Mayor Emanuel to discuss transition
Mayor Rahm Emanuel revealed Monday that president-elect Donald Trump had called him within the past two weeks to discuss the White House transition. Emanuel, former White House chief of staff under President Barack Obama as well as a staffer in the Clinton White House, said that they also discussed immigration issues, including Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city. “We talked about a range of things he was interested in, and a range of things that I wanted to be clear about that I think we all believe in, care about, because this is a great city,” Emanuel told reporters. “And as you know, he’s an investor in this city. He’s an investor in this city that is also, let me be clear, a sanctuary city. And there’s a reason it’s a sanctuary city.” [Sun-Times] [Tribune]
- Billionaire Democrat J.B. Pritzker considering self-funded campaign for governor
Billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker is considering a self-funded run for governor against Governor Bruce Rauner in 2018, according to Politico. The Democrat has reportedly been calling party leaders to gauge their support and is very concerned about the ongoing state budget impasse. “He’s deeply connected to the community and deeply concerned about what’s going on right now,” a close source told Politico. “What really motivates him is that little people are getting screwed.” [Politico]
- Judge rules against food truck industry, upholds city regulations
The food truck industry was dealt a blow Monday by a Cook County judge. Judge Anna Helen Demacopoulos upheld city regulations including a law preventing trucks from parking within 200 feet of a restaurant. [Eater Chicago]
- Aurora man memorializing everyone murdered in Chicago this year with 700-plus crosses, vigil
Aurora resident Greg Zanis is known for building crosses to commemorate victims of mass shootings, including the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. He’s currently working on a huge project: building a cross to memorialize every homicide victim in Chicago in 2016. “We all know the numbers,” he told the Aurora Beacon-News, referring to the 700-plus people killed so far this year. “It’s horrific. It is a war zone. . . . This is my way of doing something.” Zanis is placing the crosses at an open lot at 5539 S. Bishop, and plans to hold a vigil New Year’s Eve. [Aurora Beacon-News]
- Author Veronica Roth releasing a Divergent epilogue
The Divergent series, set in a postapocalyptic Chicago, made waves in the publishing industry and Hollywood, and made local author Veronica Roth famous. Roth realized that some elements of the story were left untold, and has now written about them in an epilogue, We Can Be Mended. The final chapter, focusing on character Tobias “Four” Eaton, will be available in her new novel Carve the Mark in January. [Tribune]