Good afternoon! In another sign that summer is racing by, the city unveiled the full lineup for this year’s Air and Water Show. Here’s what else you need to know today.
The former president said his speech will be different from what he had originally planned, focusing more on unity than on President Joe Biden’s policies, NPR reports. Live coverage will be available on 91.5 FM and on wbez.org. [NPR]
Trump’s likely appearance on the convention stage in Milwaukee comes just two days after the attempt on his life.
U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle issued a statement saying security has been beefed up.
The convention held two sessions today. The afternoon gathering was to approve the party platform. No speakers have been announced for the evening session. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Meanwhile, Democrats paused their counter-messaging — including an appearance by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — during the convention in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. Instead of daily press conferences and negative advertising, the party is letting Biden lead the response through TV appearances, including an interview tonight on NBC. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Three of the city’s busiest hospitals are about a 20-minute walk from the United Center, where tens of thousands of people are expected to convene for the Democratic National Convention next month.
As my colleague Kristen Schorsch reports, Rush University Medical Center, Cook County’s John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital and UI Health have spent months preparing for potential situations, from an explosion to a mass shooting or dozens of people getting pepper sprayed.
Some of the scenarios include quickly decontaminating people injured in a chemical attack or setting up a triage area for a mass casualty event.
Hospitals will have incident command centers with people keeping an eye on staffing and finances, but also for other situations, such as dozens of migrants who are bused to Chicago and need medical care.
These hospitals are also making sure their doors are open to all patients during the convention, such as women in labor, people scheduled for surgery or those in car crashes. Patients who can shift to telehealth visits or see their doctors at another clinic away from downtown are asked to do so. [WBEZ]
3. More severe thunderstorms may hit the Chicago area tonight
Today’s hot, muggy weather could turn into heavy rain and winds this evening, according to the National Weather Service.
And once again a tornado is possible, David King, a meteorologist with the weather service, told Block Club Chicago.
Cooling centers, along with Park District field houses, public libraries, police district stations, city colleges and Salvation Army locations are available.
Last night’s storms brought an inch of rain and strong winds that took down some power lines and trees. [Block Club Chicago]
4. Schools are taking stricter measures to limit cell phone use in class. Will they work?
Many Chicago-area schools have policies to limit phone use in classes, such as storing them at classroom entrances — all to avoid distraction, encourage students to be social during breaks and curb bullying, Anna Savchenko reports for WBEZ.
These policies come amid a bipartisan, nationwide debate about whether smartphones are contributing to an ongoing youth mental health crisis.
While some states like neighboring Indiana already have issued their own bans, Illinois has not, and a spokesman for Gov. JB Pritzker said there are no plans to consider a statewide policy to dramatically restrict phone use during the school day.
Despite the growing evidence about the negative impact of cell phone use on mental health, the decision to ban cell phones from classrooms raises lots of questions, including from parents who want access to their kids in an emergency. [WBEZ]
5. A third piping plover chick has died at Montrose Beach
Only one of this year’s four hatchlings remains, Violet Miller and Emmanuel Camarillo report for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago Piping Plovers, an organization dedicated to protecting the endangered plovers, said in a statement that observers saw the bird that died “lethargic and struggling” late Saturday. After being cleared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the chick was collected and taken to Lincoln Park Zoo for observation.
Despite no signs of external or internal injuries, the chick died overnight after being given warmth, fluids and oxygen.
The death of the first chick was announced Wednesday after it was found dead on the beach with a growth on its neck and taken to Lincoln Park Zoo for a necropsy. The next death was announced Friday after an almost identical string of events led to a chick dying at the zoo overnight. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Here’s what else is happening
- A federal judge dismissed the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. [AP]
- Here’s a look at the history of presidential assassination attempts in America. [AP]
- Postage stamp prices rose for the second time in a year. [CNN]
- A 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck DeKalb County. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Oh, and one more thing …
In Chicago’s early days, Irish pubs were part cultural center and part social service agency. Today, many are the product of marketing genius, Jessica Pupovac reports for WBEZ’s Curious City.
The pub in Irish culture serves as a community center of sorts — a place to share news, hold meetings, celebrate baptisms and mourn losses. Irish immigrants brought this pub culture with them, but in their new country, it became even more central to their survival.
The pub became a kind of social service agency — a place where a recent arrival could find a job, housing and get plugged into a community of people who shared their language, traditions and culture. [WBEZ]
Tell me something good …
The Major League Baseball all-star game is this week, and in true Chicago fashion both the Cubs and Sox are in last place. I admittedly am not a huge sports fan — I only somewhat follow hockey, and only because of my hometown team the Vegas Golden Knights’ amazing first season during an emotional time for the city.
So I’m wondering, what’s it like being a sports fan in Chicago? Do you have any memories of especially fun games or seasons?
Feel free to email me, and your response may be included in the newsletter this week.
