Month: June 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney, Kim Foxx, got into a “mutual verbal confrontation” with a driver while on her daily walk through her leafy suburban enclave Friday Morning. The driver yelled for her to get off the road. Foxx “flipped” the driver off. The driver threw a cup filled with soda at Foxx. Those are just the basics.

The driver, William Swetz, was arrested later and charged with two felonies, Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Assault. Foxx has refused to charge violent criminals for felonies. There were shootouts where she claimed “mutual combat” was the reason she refused to charge the shooters.

If you read the story linked above, you will realize that this ridiculous case only rises to the level of Foxx and Swetz taking part in mutual anger management through restorative justice and sitting at a Peace Circle. The same things she advocates for actual crime victims. Her heart bleeds for the violent criminals in Chicago. But now she is a victim, ready, willing, and able to prosecute (persecute?) over a cup of soda.

It appears only she and she alone can be the victim of a “crime” and only she can approve felony charges for herself. Real crime victims be damned. Foxx only cares about herself. She does not care about the victims of violent crime or their surviving families.

This case should be assigned to a Special Prosecutor, as Foxx and her office have a blatant conflict of interest. Better, it should be dropped. Both Foxx and Swetz mutually publicly embarrassed themselves and provided the public with much needed humor at her expense. Maybe after she leaves office, she can go on the comedy circuit or become a circus clown. She has plenty of contacts in the entertainment industry.

In other news, former alderman, Ed Burke, the “Dean of the City Council”, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $2 million dollar fine over his conviction on corruption charges. He could have faced anywhere between 61/2 to 8 years per sentencing guidelines. Burke must report to prison in September.

Noted Chicago philanthropist, Ann Lurie passed away at age 79. “Ann was the president of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation in Chicago that provides funding for medical treatment, research, education and prevention.” (Fox 32) Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (former Children’s Memorial) is named after her and her late husband because of the $100 million dollar contribution the foundation made to help build the hospital.

The list of charities and non-profits the foundation she ran is too long to list here. She and her late husband did great things for the people of this city. Ann Lurie was a remarkable woman and Chicago is a better place because of her and her late husband.

“We need to stop listening to all of these activists… where White progressives are making a whole bunch of money to tell Black people what to do in their community and telling them to stop things like car stops in order to get guns and drugs off the street.” (Ald. David Moore/Fox 32)

17^th Ward Alderman David Moore camped in a tent for two days in his ward. He wanted to draw attention to open an air drug market in his ward. After gunshots rang out near his tent, the Chicago Police Department dissuaded him from camping out. Instead, they promised to work with him on a plan to remove the drug market.

Under the Johnson administration, street crimes and drug markets have increased. It is a pity a council member had to pull a political stunt, endangering his own life, to drive that point home. Moore is one of the most outspoken alders in the City Council and is not afraid to back down.

Moore is advocating for taking the handcuffs off the police and using technology, like Shot Spotter, to decrease violence in the city. Moore also lashed out at White progressive activists- whatever that means- who put the mayor in office and do not know how to make changes in Black communities. Moore accused the White progressive activists of “profiting from poverty” while pushing their supposed reform agendas.

3000 police officers are being trained to handle protests during the Democratic Convention. That is 3000 police officers who will not be on patrol. The city is still short of officers to patrol the streets. It is going to be interesting to see what happens in the city, especially the highest crime areas and downtown during the convention.

Latino alders are demanding Mayor Brandon Johnson stop evicting migrants from shelters. In a letter sent Monday, the City Council’s Latino Caucus demanded the 60 day evictions should end.

“We believe that since the City has the capacity to house new arrivals, it should do so with the budget allocations we agreed upon without subjecting them, especially families with kids, to the humiliating and traumatizing experience of repeated evictions,” the letter said. (Chicago Tribune)

Managing the migrants has been a failure, starting with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and getting worse under Johnson. Instead of contacting organizations and NGOs with experience in handling masses of people, they relied on agencies with no experience and high price tags. Johnson commandeered substandard buildings, like the shelter in Pilsen, to house migrants. There were complaints about staff abuse, including inferior medical care. Under Johnson, the migrant crisis went from incompetent to inhumane. Now he is worsening the inhumanity through evictions.

Just some stats from HeyJackass as of June 17th, 2024:

Year To Date
Shot & Killed: 214
Shot & Wounded: 1053
Total Shot: 1267
Total Homicides: 248

June to Date
Shot & Killed: 28
Shot & Wounded: 186
Total Shot: 214
Total Homicides: 30

Last Week: 6/9 – 6/15 (vs WoW)
Shot & Killed: 10 (-9%)
Shot & Wounded: 83 (+36%)
Total Shot: 93 (+29%)
Total Homicides: 11 (-8%)

A person is shot every 3:15 minutes

A person is murdered every 16 hours:24 minutes

“Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren reiterates city’s “need” for a new stadium.” (CBS Chicago)

Chicago Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren pitched his snake oil about a lakefront stadium to the Lincoln Forum at the Union League Club. Chicago does not need a new lakefront stadium for the McCaskeys and their miserable team.

The Bears could have had a new stadium anytime over the past five decades. George Halas and his cheapskate and chiseling grandkids would not put up the financing to make it happen. Now, since the team is worth billions, they want to despoil the lakefront and rob the taxpayers.

It is time to tell the McCaskeys hell no. We want our lakefront open and free. We want to be able to navigate DuSable Drive on Sundays without all the traffic the games create, before and after. We want to enjoy the lakefront without the nuisances the games create.

Leave the lakefront alone. Find some place else in the city or move to Arlington Heights.

“Video evidence and three eyewitnesses have been presented” to prosecutors, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) said on Twitter after prosecutors rejected the case. He continued: “This family deserves justice as well as the hundreds of families who have unsolved murders pending #pleasedoyourjob.” (CWB Chicago)

One again, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx refused to do her job, prosecuting murders. It took the Feds to charge gang members with the murder of 19-yea- old National Guard member Chrys Carvajal.

Foxx’s two terms as State’s Attorney have been an epic failure. She failed the victims and families of crime victims. She failed the citizens of this county. It might be a good idea to turn over any major felony cases Foxx’s office refuses to prosecute to the Feds. November cannot come soon enough to elect a new State’s Attorney. Hopefully that person will end Foxx’s practices of non-prosecution.

“Riot Fest to leave Douglass Park following years of community tension, founder says. “(Chicago Tribune)

It is about time. Having Riot Fest in Douglas Park was a huge mistake from the first year. The residents and Mt. Sinai Hospital have complained about the park being used as a concert venue since day one. It appears the Chicago Park District had enough of the complaining and refused to issue the necessary permit(s). The park once again can be used by neighborhood people. Douglass Park, despite its size, is a neighborhood park.

Mike Petryshyn, owner, and co-founder of the fest is moving the event to Bridgeview. He and his fest will not be missed. It is good to see the people win for a change. Buh-bye Petryshyn. The community can enjoy their park and neighborhood.

Petryshyng gave an “exclusive” whiny toddler account of his reasons for moving the fest.
He blames everyone but himself and his greed. These fests are not about music,
the “community” or anything else. They are about the money. Losing Riot Fest is
no great loss for Chicago. Petryshyn, don’t let the door kick you in the arse
on the way to Bridgeview.  You and your fest will not be missed.

Joey Chestnut, the hot dog devouring champion was banned from competition over his receiving an endorsement from Impossible Foods to promote their meatless hot dog. What was he thinking?

Impossible Foods Company Spokesperson: “It’s OK to experiment with a new dog. Meat eaters shouldn’t have to be exclusive to just one wiener.” (NPR)

Major League Eating (MLE), the organization that oversees professional competitive eating events (including but not limited to hot dogs), said in a statement that Chestnut had “chosen to represent a rival brand” rather than compete in its storied Coney Island contest.

First the good news. Controversial and much reviled umpire, Angel Hernandez, is retiring. Hernandez is known for making some of the worst calls in baseball during his three decades plus career. LASIK, the eye surgery company, threw shade on Hernandez on X. “We tried to give Angel free LASIK, but he missed the call.” According to Sports Illustrated, Hernandez blew 161 calls in 2023 out of ten games (He was out for a while because of a back injury. Hernandez was the MLB lowest ranked umpire per Umpire Auditor.

Now the bad news. Forty-one people were shot, nine murdered over the Memorial Day weekend. One of the murder victims was a five-year-old child. This month, 304 people were shot and 51 killed. Year to date there were 1056 people shot with 186 killed. (Figures per HeyJackass! As of 6/1)

Save-A-Lot (Yellow Banana) received millions in city subsidies to remodel and open its closed stores in Southside neighborhoods described as food deserts. Not one store has been reopened. Where did the money go? Inquiring minds want to know.

Embattled CTA President Dorval Carter showed up to his quarterly City Council meeting loaded for Bear. He was defiant over the 29 Alders, who demanded his ouster in a resolution. Many were supporters of Mayor Brandon Johnson, including Blacks and Hispanics. “As an African American man, this city has a history of attacking and trying to bring down their African American leaders.” He played the only card he had, the Race Card. Many Alders, including some who opposed the resolution, fired back at his inappropriate attitude.

Carter should have been fired during the Lightfoot administration. His incompetence became worse during the current administration. Instead of listing any accomplishments for correcting the problems the CTA is facing, he complained he is being treated unfairly because he is Black. He refuses to be held accountable and responsible for his failures. He just angrily complained he was being treated unfairly. It is time for Johnson to fire Carter.

Did Brandon Johnson lie to Illinois Senate leader, Don Harmon, or was there a “misunderstanding?” When politicians lie it is usually thought to be a misunderstanding. In politics the two words mean the same thing. Johnson sent a letter to Harmon saying that no selective schools would be defunded or considered for closure until the elected school board takes office in 2007. Yet selective schools were reduced while under enrolled schools received more funding and staff. One example is LaSalle Language Academy in Old Town. They are losing several language instructors. Douglas High School in Austin has a total enrollment of 35 students. They are getting nine new staff members, to bring the total staff to 31. Two Southside high-performing schools, Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep and Poe Elementary had their budgets cut.

The long game plan of Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union is to close or repurpose selective enrollment and high-performing schools. They want all schools to be the same. They are also against school choice. They want students to go to neighborhood schools. Except if you are Mayor Johnson and CTU President, Stacy Davis Gates. They sent their children to schools outside of their neighborhoods. It is the same old privilege game. What’s good for them is not good for the rest of us.

Maybe someone should tell those two that parents get to make choices for their children’s education, not bureaucrats, unions, and politicians. Parents want the best for their children, especially if they are gifted. If Chicago Public Schools and the CTU demand parents only send children to neighborhood schools, the city should pass an ordinance, or the state should pass a law enacting school choice.