Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Wednesday, June 28, 2017.
- Three Chicago police officers indicted in connection with Laquan McDonald shooting
Three Chicago police officers have been indicted “on felony charges, including conspiracy, obstruction and misconduct” in connection with the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald by former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, according to DNAinfo Chicago. Detective David March, 48 and officers Joseph Walsh, 48, and Thomas Gaffney, 43, were all charged with the alleged cover-up Tuesday. “The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial ‘code of silence,’ rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth,” the investigation’s appointed special prosecutor, Patricia Brown Holmes, said. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Elon Musk pitches high-speed train from downtown to O’Hare
Entrepreneur Elon Musk and his Boring Co. are interested in building a 125-mph train between downtown and O’Hare International Airport and have pitched the idea to Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The founder of Tesla and SpaceX met in California with deputy mayor Steve Koch, who said he was “intrigued” with the idea. [MarketWatch]
- Illinois house Democrats propose budget plan that includes property tax freeze
Illinois house Democrats have agreed to a four-year property tax freeze as part of a budget plan. Governor Bruce Rauner has insisted that he will not sign a deal that raises taxes without a property tax freeze, according to Springfield’s State Journal-Register. The house Democrats’ proposal also “contains a number of exemptions that Rauner has previously said he opposes,” but legislators say the four-year property tax freeze is a huge compromise. “I would describe this as having gone way more than halfway down the football field,” house majority leader Barbara Flynn Currie said. “This is a very tight, very restricting freeze.” [State Journal-Register]
- “The occasional glass of chardonnay” is helping Hillary Clinton deal with her loss to Donald Trump
Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton admitted in Chicago Tuesday that “the occasional glass of chardonnay” is helping her recover from losing the 2016 election to President Donald Trump. Clinton was the closing speaker at the American Library Association conference at McCormick Place. [Tribune]
- Lawsuit filed in last-minute attempt to block Cook County soda tax
A lawsuit attempting to block the penny-per-ounce soda tax was filed Tuesday by a merchant group and store owners, according to DNAinfo Chicago. The tax goes into effect in Cook County on Saturday. A rally against it was held in front of the Thompson Center Tuesday morning. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Lurie Children’s, University of Chicago Comer Children’s make list of best children’s hospitals in the U.S.
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital were named as two of the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Lurie, Â ranked as the seventh-best children’s hospital overall, was the only Illinois hospital to land in the top ten nationwide. [Crain’s Chicago Business]