Twice?

Probably should have eliminated him the first time:

• For most people, getting shot by a Chicago police officer is something that never happens. Prosecutors say Cordero Ramey has now experienced it twice.

  The 26-year-old, who was first wounded by Chicago police in 2020, was shot again on May 11 after he allegedly opened fire on two officers in South Chicago. Until Wednesday, he had been hospitalized recovering from his wounds since that night. Now he’s detained by order of Cook County Judge John Hock on charges including attempted murder of police officers.

  Around 10:30 p.m. on May 11, CPD received a call that a man had pointed a gun at someone near the 3100 block of East 83rd Street, Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara told the judge. Two officers in an unmarked car spotted Ramey matching the suspect’s description, pulled over, and ordered him to keep his hands visible. Pekara said Ramey raised his hands and then dropped them toward his waist. When the officers stepped out of the SUV, Pekara said, he ran.

  As officers gave chase, Ramey turned, extended his arm and fired “numerous shots” at them, Pekara said. Both officers returned fire. They both escaped injury. Ramey crossed the street during the exchange, threw his gun to the ground, and fell, according to Pekara. The cops caught up with him and called for an ambulance, allegedly recovering 25 bags of suspected heroin from his possession.

Third time - as they say - is the charm. Hopefully, it's the Police who are charmed and not this waste of carbon.

Vigilantes Spotted!

Locally this time:

• A man accused of shoving a woman onto CTA tracks at the Cicero Blue Line station ended up on a stretcher himself after outraged bystanders allegedly jumped him, threw him onto the tracks, and beat him before police arrived, according to court records and a Chicago police report.

  Prosecutors said 44-year-old Robert Rhodes-Chambers attacked a 43-year-old woman on the platform around 11:30 p.m. on May 10. He allegedly punched her in the back of the neck and shoulder with his fists before pushing her onto the tracks.

  A CPD report said the attack was captured on CTA security cameras. The woman suffered pain to her knee, ankle, right shoulder, and head, according to the report.

  But before officers could get to the station, two witnesses allegedly turned on Rhodes-Chambers.

The offender was himself tossed onto the tracks, then beaten by the "witnesses."

No where in the article does it give a description of the "witnesses" and no where does it say anyone is in custody....and we certainly hope it remains that way. No one should be looking too hard for these "witnesses."

And in the unlikely event anyone sees any "Seeking Information...." posters around the Blue Line, remember to properly dispose of said garbage, kind of like these "witnesses" disposed of their garbage.

UPDATE: Is word filtering down to the crooked judges to start holding CTA criminals accountable?

• A menace who brutally attacked women on the CTA trains across the city for several months in 2024 received a nine-year prison sentence on Tuesday, according to court records. Darryl Alexander, 35, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal damage to government property in exchange for the sentence from Judge Anjana Hansen.

  Prosecutors charged Alexander with attacking five women on the city’s transit system between August 1 and October 8, 2024, crimes he allegedly committed while on probation for attempting to rob another woman on a train downtown.

But...but...we can't "jail" our way out of this situation!

Except that Darryl won't be attacking women on the train for at least three years now. Too bad he won't run into a few of these "witnesses" for some even more effective justice. 

Shots Fired at Police

No hits, no runs, no errors:

• A man was taken into custody on Tuesday evening after police say he allegedly fired a shot at officers in South Chicago.

  According to police, the alleged shooting unfolded just before 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 8600 block of South Marquett Avenue.

  Officers were first called to the scene following a report of shots fired in the area, and when they arrived, they encountered the suspect, a 34-year-old man.

  While on the scene, officers said the suspects allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a shot in the direction of the officers.

  Following the shooting, the suspect allegedly fled the scene and ran into a residence in the area, where he was taken into custody without further incident.

Stay alert Officers.

Question

Since it seems Larritorious is on the way out, we were wondering:

• has he let the D-unit officially close the White Sox Park shooting incident?

You remember, the one where:

• a bullet fired from over a mile away, 
• traveled in an arc that rose above the walls of the stadium, 
• then dropped at an angle that ignored ballistic trajectory modeling, 
• and retained enough force to wound a fan, 
• all while ignoring a rather obese CPS employee seated twenty feet away with second-and-third-degree scorch marks on her fat folds?

And the location of the ShotSpotter hit (timestamped) never exactly lined up with the time of injury for some reason - a bullet traveling around 1,200 feet-per-second would have covered that mile in four seconds or so, not the minutes the "investigation" tried to wish away.

Not that anyone in the media ever bothered to ask these discrepancies be explained. 

Cultural Enrichment

Remember a few years back, all those ILLEGAL ALIENS were piled into parks and Police Stations, bringing with them all manner of illness and infestations for months on end? It took months for our nasal passages to heal.

Seems a few might still be hanging around:

• The mother of an 18-year-old man got a terrifying call from Venezuela: the caller said her son was kidnapped and told her where he was. On Tuesday night police found his body, according to a Chicago police report.

  In a statement, police said they responded to a well being check about 9 p.m. Tuesday inside an apartment in the 6800 block of South Perry Avenue, where Cristian Jose Rojas Barrios, who suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and leg, was found and pronounced dead on the scene.

  According to a police report, Rojas Barrios’ mother got a phone call from a person from Venezuela who she does not know. The caller told her that her son had been kidnapped about 3 p.m. Monday near a basketball court in the 7100 block of South King Drive and he could be found “inside an apartment” at the Perry Avenue address. Rojas Barrios was found lying face down in a bathtub with his hands tied behind his back, the report said. Three nine-millimeter shell casings were found near his body.

Why would Mom get a call from Venezuela about her son, kidnapped and executed in Chicago?

At least Conehead spared the Caracas Police Department another unsolved murder!

This Should be Fun

Depositions and discovery are going to be lit!

• A former high-ranking Chicago cop has sued the city, police Supt. Larry Snelling and other officials alleging he was added to the city’s do-not-hire list based on bogus information about his disciplinary record.

  Michael Barz, who rose to the rank of deputy chief, filed the defamation lawsuit last month in federal court in Chicago, claiming the move tarnished his reputation and contributed to the “loss of the professional dignity earned through nearly thirty years of decorated service.”

  The lawsuit highlights a memo sent to Snelling on April 26, 2025, by Joy Brown, another defendant in the case who serves as director of human resources for the city’s Office of Public Safety Administration. The memo recommended that Barz be added to the do-not-hire list, focusing on two disciplinary investigations that purportedly led to recommendations for 15-day suspensions.

  However, Barz never faced a sustained disciplinary complaint over his career, including in those two cases, the suit holds. And those suspensions weren’t imposed.

Correct us if we're mistaken, but "weren't imposed" usually means you beat the charges to the door. The case remains in what is pretty much "suspended animation" since the City can't discipline you if you aren't employed by them any more. But in the unlikely scenario that you returned to work for the CPD, the suspension findings would move forward.

In any event, the alleged "quota" system over traffic stops appears to be the main bone of contention. It's probably going to come down to interpretations of what was said and what was written down and what was "understood."

It's going to be a source of entertainment to see some white shirts on the hot seat for policies they implemented in the furtherance of their careers while hanging the blue shirts out to dry. 

Recognize These Faces

These are the "progressive" democrats who tried to outlaw Facial Recognition software because it actually helped Police do their jobs - which is capturing violent criminals:

Picture from CWB - and exactly how we imagined they'd all look....DEI all day long:

• A group of Illinois lawmakers is ending their effort to pass legislation that would have prohibited state and local police agencies from using facial recognition to develop leads in criminal investigations.

  The Illinois Biometric Surveillance Act, pushed by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who represents most of Rogers Park and Edgewater in Springfield, picked up three co-sponsors along the way. But the lawmakers failed to gather enough support among their colleagues as news reports highlighted the technology’s role in solving difficult, random violent crimes.

  Now, Capitol News Illinois reports that Cassidy is “not looking to move the measure this legislative session” because they are “wary of debates happening in the wake of major news events, which can emphasize the technology’s role in investigations over its risks, including misidentification of individuals and expanded surveillance.”

And remember, they couldn't cite a single instance of anyone being imprisoned for mis-identification in the entire country. There was a single instance in Detroit, years ago, where a man was detained temporarily after what was essentially a beta-test version of facial recognition, but he wasn't tried or convicted and even the ACLU (All Criminals Love Us) doesn't bring it up when asked.

Stop voting for people who love criminals. That blue haired screeching Karen represents the neighborhood where Sheridan Gorman was executed and Facial Recognition led to the arrest of the ILLEGAL ALIEN killer. 

More Money Gone

This wold be the second time the meters have been sold.

• The owner of Chicago’s parking meters is seeking to sell the asset to a New York investment firm — but the deal requires approval from City Council.

  Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office on Monday confirmed the tentative agreement between Chicago Parking Meters LLC and New York-based Stonepeak Partners.

  The deal, which would change ownership of the meters and who collects their profits, now sits before City Council, which could seek concessions in favor of the city before approving it.

  The tentative sale is the most recent development in the fight for parking assets. 

The first sale was Shortshanks underwhelming sale to the Abu Dhabi people that was found to have been priced $974 MILLION less than what Chicago would have collected in meter fees. For a mere $1.15 billion, the buyers made back their money PLUS $500 million between 2008 and 2023, and there were still 60 YEARS left on the deal.

But these people aren't idiots - they see that Groot and Conehead destroyed downtown and anything within ten miles of downtown. Less people than ever are using the meters, so the rate of return on their investment has fallen off a cliff, which is why they're looking to unload. Conehead made noise about buying it all back, but couldn't scrape together the estimated $3 billion needed (thank god). 

But the fact that this "deal" is being estimated at $3 billion and Chicago won't see much (if any) of it, ought to be remembered every time your property taxes go up or some Machine democrat whines about money needed for some useless social program. You had this money generator and you pissed it away to outsiders.

Shades of Yummy

You bring too much heat, you're going to get burned, this time in Texas:

• A teenage fugitive being hunted for the September murder of a 17-year-old girl has been found shot dead in his bullet-riddled car.

  Deshawn Suggs, 18, was the sole suspect in the murder of Alianna Ujueta, 17, who was shot in the head while leaving a house party in San Antonio, Texas, nearly four months ago.

  A warrant was issued for Suggs’ arrest in November — but he was not found until early Saturday, when he was found dead in a car on San Antonio’s Far West Side.

Texas might have convicted him, perhaps even executed him in the future, but this way is much more .... efficient (?) for all involved.

Let's see if it catches on. 

Is This a Joke?

 It's already at the point where it's difficult to tell:

We know there's a basketball court at the Sparklefart Center, so it could be true. 

We also know there will be a permanent fixed post at the location for the next couple of years AND anyone who serves there regularly will automatically be given a "merit" spot. 

Another Crooked DEI Judge

Many judicial careers need to come to an end - here's another one:

• When prosecutors ask a judge to detain someone during their first appearance on a new felony charge at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, the judge will side with prosecutors nearly 7 out of 10 times. That is, unless prosecutors are asking Judge D’Anthony Thedford.

  Thedford, who began hearing pretrial cases at 26th Street on February 5, sides with defendants more than half the time. And in recent weeks, he has sided with defendants nearly six out of 10 times, court records show.

  Appointed to the bench in 2024, Thedford started in the Traffic Division, but Cook County’s new Chief Judge, Charles Beach, reassigned him to the Pretrial Division in January, and Thedford began hearing cases on February 5.

Ah yes, another one of judge Bitch's Beach's completely qualified picks.

• The primary difference between Thedford and the other nine judges who actively hear cases in the 26th Street Pretrial Division is that Thedford is far more likely to release people facing firearms possession charges, even if they are convicted felons.

  Another difference: For most judges in the Pretrial Division, being accused of committing a violent crime on the CTA qualifies defendants for detention as a public safety threat. For Thedford, that line is not so clearly drawn.

CWB has a whole series of cases where he just lets people go on the 100% effective Electronic Monitoring program, even for repeat gun felons and especially for CTA crimes - almost like he wants the CTA to become completely unrideable. 

Hopefully, the CWB blog is keeping a list of incompetent judges and a couple of examples of their incompetence that we can help publicize closer to Election Day. 

Porkulous Ends Conehead?

The dem party in Illinois is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fata$$ International - he bought it, he funds it, he even funds part of Bailey's campaign so he can pick his own opponent.

And he just told the Machine that Conehead has outlived his uselessness:

• Mayor Brandon Johnson has “no plan” to keep the Bears in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday, declaring Johnson’s long-shot hope for city control over the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority “typical” for a mayor he says has accomplished little in Springfield.

  The governor’s remarks about the way the rookie mayor does business with the Illinois General Assembly revive early tensions between Pritzker and Johnson that the two men had seemingly tried to downplay in recent months.

  “He has no plan. He’s come up with no plan at all about how the Bears would end up in the city of Chicago. So that’s problematic. I’d love them to be in the city, but we are three years in now, and he still has no plan,” Pritzker told reporters at an unrelated event in Chicago. “This is kind of typical in fact. ... The mayor has shown up every spring at the end of session to pronounce what he would like to see happen.”

And just to put another nail in the Conehead's political coffin:

• Despite Mayor Brandon Johnson’s top adviser insisting Friday there’s still a chance the Bears build a stadium in the city, the team still considers Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana, the only two viable sites.

  The Bears will reiterate that point Tuesday when they update the 31 other NFL teams on the status of the Arlington Heights and Hammond sites — and nowhere else. The briefing will take place at the NFL’s quarterly meeting in Orlando, a source said Monday.

We still think Hammond is the head-fake and Springfield will force the tax-break issue on Arlington Heights shortly, ending the Bears association with Chicago in everything aside from the name.

Hey Judge Bitch

Sorry....we meant Beach. 

How's that EM working out for Cook County taxpayers?

• A Chicago man on electronic monitoring for a pending Cook County gun case is now charged with selling five guns to undercover federal informants while he was wearing his ankle monitor.

  Donald Dailey, 32, is charged with possessing a firearm while under indictment for a felony. He was arrested on May 14 shortly after completing his fifth sale to an undercover informant in the 7300 block of South Maryland Avenue, according to a federal complaint filed by an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

  [...] The pending state case that had him on the ankle monitor stems from an arrest last May by Chicago police, who charged him with possessing a stolen firearm and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was placed on electronic monitoring following that arrest, court records and the federal complaint show. The ATF agent alleged that Dailey was wearing the monitor during the gun sales.

We don't think there's E.M ankle bracelets when the ATF has you on video and wiretaps illegally selling guns.

CFD Services

For the Firefighter who passed away at training:

 RIP Sir.

Changes Incoming?

Rumor mill kicking into gear:

• DC Stevens to Acting Chief BOP (until approved by the Hall).
  
  Cmdr Watson (BOP) to DC BOP
  
  DC A/4 Parham to DC OCD
  
  Cmdr Tate (011) to A/4 DC
  
  Cmdr Branch (003) to A/2 DC
  
  Captain Forbes (019) to Cmdr 012

That first one is disturbing in the extreme.

Vallas Being Drafted?

Kass notices something our readers have been speculating about for a year now:

• The 2027 Chicago mayoral campaign is rushing up at the city, like an angry thug scrambling out of the shadows to smash your head in and take your money and assault your wife, complete with a chorus of high pitched screamers on the street keening out their rage like a murder of female crows. If you have a smartphone you’ve seen it. And if you ignore it and hope to avoid it all, that won’t work.

  [...] So far, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias,  U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley are among those who have declared their intent to run for mayor. But several more are expected to get in. Among state elected officials, Comptroller Susana Mendoza and State Rep. Kam Buckner are mulling bids. Former mayor Rahm Emanuel is hanging off to the side like the other hyenas using his media contacts to help grab a leg bone.

  [...] So why, more than two years after the last mayoral election, are Democrats trying to anger Paul Vallas and push him into the 2027 mayoral campaign? They’ve put out “ethics reports” accusing Vallas of accepting $202, 000 in “excessive contributions” from 11 concerns firms doing business with the city, in violation of city law that prohibits contributions in excess of $1,500.  This, according to the mysterious Chicago Board of Ethics, an oxymoron if there ever was one. It was fed to the liberal Chicago media and dutifully reported, but most forgot to mention that the Chicago Teacher’s Union dropped at least $5 million on Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The most obvious answer is they're looking to split the voting blocs into smaller and smaller segments so as to exercise control over who makes it to the runoff - no one is going to get 50%-plus-one at this point. The best bet is to fracture the totals among the different ethnic groups. Vallas could draw from a couple different groups based on name-recognition alone and sink Conehead.

Who this benefits is anyone's guess, but it could hamstring Giannoulias (the money leader at this point) and Quigley and open up an avenue to Mendoza (the Hispanic bloc's push for finally getting the BIG prize.) 

Time will tell, but the smart play for Vallas might be to play Kingmaker (or Queenmaker) to circumvent the Machine. 

Scumbag democrats

Even years after the failed "Defund the Police" movement, these scumbag democrats are still embracing criminals over law and order:

• House Democrats split over a resolution backing law enforcement as assaults on officers surged last year.

  Just 29 House Democrats on Wednesday voted for a GOP-authored measure paying tribute to the "extraordinary sacrifice" law enforcement officers make and criticizing the defund the police movement for jeopardizing public safety.

  Meanwhile, 173 Democrats voted with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., against the resolution, while every GOP lawmaker present supported it.

  "We want to take that best practice of respecting law enforcement in Iowa to the nation's capital, and I was thrilled that we got bipartisan support," Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who introduced the measure, said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

This wasn't some measure backing a politically controversial shooting or some manufactured outrage over perfectly legal street and/or traffic stops. It was merely an acknowledgement of the sacrifices Police Officers of all backgrounds make while serving the public.

That's it. Nothing controversial at all.

But democrats couldn't even set that aside for a moment. 

Keep that in mind when voting this November - especially these particular assholes from Illinois:

• Johnathon Jackson (IL-1)
• Robin Kelly (IL-2)
• Delia Ramirez (IL-3)
• Chuy Garcia (IL-4)
• Mike Quigley (IL-5) who might be running for mayor of Chicago 
• Sean Casten (IL-6)
• Danny Davis (IL-7) no surprise here 
• Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8)
• Jan Schakommunisty (IL-9)
• Brad Schneider (IL-10)
• Bill Foster (IL-11) 
• Nikki Budzinski (IL-13)
• Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
• Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

Remember - they're supposed to be representing YOU. If you love crime, embrace criminals, cry with joy when children get shot, smile when your wife and daughters get sexually assaulted and you manage to catch a bullet while dope dealers go free and shooters are released by Judge Lyke to commit more and more crime, maybe they do represent you. 

But then, you're probably an asshole like they are. 

So Many "Isolated" Incidents

Remember, these are "isolated" incidents that happen on average about two or three times a week:

• A gunman shot two women during an armed robbery in the West Loop overnight, police said.

  The two victims were standing in the 600 block of West Randolph Street around 12:50 a.m. when the gunman exited a white SUV and approached them, according to a CPD media statement. He demanded their property, took a purse from one woman, then opened fire, striking both women, police said.

  A 21-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to the knee and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition. A 33-year-old woman was taken to Rush Hospital with a graze wound to her hip, CPD said.

Too bad we don't have the old "decoy" guys like J. F. or the Second Deputy who would be undercover playing the part of the unaware victim and then "neutralizing" the offender.They would have put a dent in some of these crime numbers.

Takeover Posters

Conehead was seen praying for rain:

Should be a fun time.

This one was also sent to us, but we're told it's not real:

It's not date specific and just appears to be a generalized "one size fits all" poke at non-demonized yutes.

What isn't generalized is the recent Day Off Canceled notifications covering the entire first week of June. We were told that wasn't happening any more, but it seems someone lied to us.

Heiniken Leaving - Who's Next?

John "I never said don't assist ICE" Hein is leaving at the end of the month: 

• Hein is a 30-year veteran of the department and was first appointed to chief of patrol back in 2024, where he oversees CPD’s largest bureau, including all 22 police districts across the city.

  When Hein was appointed to the post, CPD Supt. Larry Snelling commended his leadership and extensive experience in the department.

  It was unclear why Hein was leaving the post.

Part of his leaving could be he just sick of all the BS.

Or maybe he's sad at having to cancel everyone's RDOs again after so many promises not to. 

Or it could be he can't be trusted to work with Federal partners in enforcing actual Law.

Or maybe someone who's been covering for him the past couple of years is leaving, too:

• Snelling is due to address the City Club this Wednesday 20 May. Many big political announcements have been made at City Club meetings, like Crimesha declining to run again.

Is Larritorious going to announce he's leaving? 

Or is he running for office? 

 

A. I. Political Ads

If you've been following the Los Angeles mayoral race, you are aware that Artificial Intelligent ads are taking a oversized role in the campaigns with the Republican candidate actually gaining name recognition and polling at a competitive level. The fact that the current mayor is about the worst candidate ever certainly helps, too.

Speaking of an "oversized role," this is trending here, too:

Will it work here? Who knows - Illinois is more than corrupt enough to swing an election (and certianly has on numerous occasions), but it might be fun to watch.

Place Your Bets

Dems love criminals.

Dems especially love criminals that might garner them a few extra votes.

Porkulous is weighing (pun intended) the benefits of pardoning this asshole:

• The Illinois Prisoner Review Board’s recommendation about whether to free Larry Hoover is now on Gov. Pritzker’s desk. The board held a clemency hearing April 7 for the former Gangster Disciples leader and confirmed this week that its confidential recommendation had been sent to Pritzker, who doesn’t have a deadline to review it.

  The Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Church, and ex-mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green say they’ve asked the governor to grant clemency for a murder conviction, though sources say state lawmakers aren’t actively lobbying. Last year, President Donald Trump granted Hoover clemency for a separate federal drug conspiracy conviction for running a $100 million a year narcotics business in Chicago, which resulted in Hoover being transferred from federal to state custody.

  Hoover is imprisoned by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a sentence of 150 to 200 years for a 1973 murder, but it’s unclear where he’s being held. His clemency petition poses potential political costs and benefits for Pritzker as he seeks reelection this year and mulls a possible run for the presidency in 2028.

A "confidential recommendation" so that they don't have to face any political repercussions. And now even pfather pfleger wants a murderer freed - a murderer who directly and indirectly contributed to the deaths of how many minority people (and folks) along with countless million of dollars directed away from assisting those communities to line the pockets of criminal enterprises?

On the bright side, you can bet that there are more than a few political ads being drafted right now in order to Dukakis the shit out of Fata$$ if he embraces the criminal element. 

Dukakis got buried by paroling a murderer to go out and commit a rape - Fata$$ will get painted with the same brush on the national stage in short order.

Warm Weekend on Tap

Some rain maybe, but a couple "teen takeovers" by the non-demonized are also planned:

• Chicago police and parents are on alert for so-called "teen takeovers" planned for the coming days.

  Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Police Department said those takeovers are expected to take place at North Avenue Beach.

  It comes as the issue of teen takeovers continues to prompt concern in Chicago and other major cities.

See the post a couple spots below about a concerted effort to put a dent in these things.

Scarecrow Policing Fail

Even a visible police presence isn't a deterrent any longer:

• A Chicago police officer jumped into action after witnessing a shooting outside the Howard CTA station in Rogers Park on Thursday afternoon and it was all caught on video.

  The footage shows the cop, posted in a squad car just across the street from the shooting scene, spring out of his car and work his way across the traffic lanes of Howard Street with his gun drawn to help the gunshot victim while calling for help on his radio. Other officers located the gunman nearby and charges were pending on Friday morning.

  The video begins with CTA patrons on the overhead platform at Howard Street and the officer sitting in a marked squad car on the corner of Paulina and Howard around 3:41 p.m. A local resident says the officer was there at the urging of the community following a series of shootings at and near the intersection over recent years, including in February.

  “Police have been stationed all day and night lately as we had a meeting with police,” she said.

  In the video, a gunshot is heard and the squad car begins rolling forward. People are seen running around the corner under the viaduct as two more shots are heard.

Sometimes, you just happen to be in the area of a shooting. We can recall almost a dozen instances of being on patrol, driving around corners or sneaking through alleys, stumbling into shootings completely by accident. Once, we heard shots and had a guy almost run into the side of our squad car with a pistol still in his hand - we were both surprised as Hell (he got away).

But being parked in a fixed location due to ongoing concerns and the offender doesn't even care that the police are there....wow.

Be careful out there. 

This Might Work

It'll never happen in a blue state blue city shithole, but it's a workable solution:

• Washington, DC's solution: Officials said a focal point of the summer surge will be crushing the "teen takeovers" that have terrorized D.C. neighborhoods and shut down local businesses.

  Blasting the D.C. Council for "refusing to deal with the problem, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced a zero-tolerance policy that shifts the legal burden onto the parents of delinquent youth.

  Starting immediately, federal prosecutors will charge parents under a D.C. statute for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Parents who drop their kids off, fail to supervise them or allow them to skip school to participate in the chaos will face fines, court-mandated classes and up to six months in jail.

And if you tie the arrests to a denial of Federal benefits, it would disappear overnight.

News coverage here. 

The Chief Judge said What???

This is fucking disgusting:

• The decision to release a five-time felon with four pending felony cases, including two violent robberies, on electronic monitoring was not a mistake, Cook County’s chief judge says, even though that man is now accused of going on to murder a Chicago police officer and gravely wounding the fallen officer’s partner.

  “I wouldn’t call it a mistake,” Judge Charles Beach told WGN’s Ben Bradley in an interview on Wednesday. “The judge made the best decision with what was in front of them at the time, right? Unfortunately, you know, we’ll go back to that concept: How do you predict what another human being is going to do?”

Well you ignorant dumbfucking DEI hire, you look at his history, his past behavior, maybe his FUCKING CRIMINAL RECORD??? It doesn't take that much effort, even for an intellectual midget like you Beach. 

• Court records show Judge John Lyke released Alphonso Talley in December just eight months after Talley — while on electronic monitoring for two other cases — allegedly got a gun, used it to carjack a woman, and then used it again to rob a man minutes later.

He was on EM....TWICE, kind of like "double secret probation" except that was a satirical comedy from forty years ago.

If we suggested, even in jest, what we are thinking right this very moment, there would be a concerted political effort to take down the blog and ban it forever. 

The fact that an asshole judge can say thing like this without any fear of political (or other) repercussions is truly a crying shame.

And this after he admitted that fully 8% of EM felons aren't even accounted for:

• Cook County court officials now say that 8% of the people on the chief judge’s electronic monitoring program are missing, marking the first major disclosure in what Chief Judge Charles Beach described as a renewed transparency effort following the killing of an on-duty Chicago police officer and the critical wounding of his partner last month, allegedly by a seven-time felon who had escaped the ankle monitor program.

  With 3,048 participants currently on electronic monitoring, an 8% AWOL rate means 244 people with pending criminal cases, most likely felony charges, are unaccounted for.

  “Transparency is not optional. It is a core obligation of this office,” Beach said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “The public has a right to know how this program operates, what the data shows and what we are doing every day to make it stronger.”

  “We are releasing this information because that is what accountability looks like,” Beach added. His office said escape reports will now be issued regularly, with the next report scheduled for May 26.

Cook County "accountability" now comes with a body count....and this time it was a Chicago Police Office who paid the price.

CFD Training Death

Not much information except that it occurred during training:

• A Chicago Fire Department member died during a training exercise on the city's North Side, CFD said Thursday.

  "The Chicago Fire Department mourns the loss of a 30-year member who died today during a training exercise," a statement read. "A procession to the Medical Examiner's Office is pending."

  The training was taking place in in the 6600-block of North Kedzie Avenue, CFD said.

  The CFD member was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where the member died, Chicago fire officials said.

It's been a rough spring for Chicago First Responders this year.

Deepest condolences to the family and the CFD. 

Another Non-Demonized Yute

Summer vacation hasn't started yet, right? So this non-demonized creature should have been in school?

• A 14-year-old boy violently carjacked a 75-year-old woman downtown on Tuesday afternoon, only to be caught about an hour later by Chicago police.

  The victim was in a parking lot in the 500 block of West Taylor Street when the boy pushed her to the ground, battered her, and stole her silver Ford Escape around 2:15 p.m., according to a preliminary CPD report. EMS transported the woman to Stroger Hospital for treatment.

  Meanwhile, CPD began tracking her car using the city’s network of license plate readers and caught up with the carjacker in the 1400 block of South Central Park Avenue shortly after 3:30 p.m., according to police. He reportedly had the woman’s car keys in his possession when officers took him into custody.

What kind of community teaches (either directly or by omission) that brutally attacking the elderly is ever appropriate?

Fundraiser

 

And speaking of Officer Crespo:

• Chicago Police Officer Nelson Crespo's family says he is still in the ICU, but the good news is that he is able to breathe on his own for several hours at a time, according to his doctors.

  Now, the family is focusing on raising money to help support the injured officer. For Officer Crespo, the path to recovery may be long. But the support surrounding him is far from short.

  "He just makes friends wherever he goes. He's just he's just a great guy," said Nancy Crespo, the officer's sister.

  Nancy said doctors told their family that her brother is showing progress.

Any progress is good news.

Safety Day Upcoming

The most important tool in your arsenal - make sure it's operating correctly (click for larger view):

 

Doesn't cost you a dime.

About Damn Time

And long overdue:

• The Agenda Review Committee for the Chicago School Board held a meeting Wednesday after Chicago Public Schools announced a plan this week to cut jobs and increase class sizes for the 2026-27 school year, citing a $732.5 million budget deficit as it closes out this school year.

  In a letter sent to families and staff Monday, CPS leaders outlined what they describe as a major budget deficit caused by declining enrollment, rising operational costs and inadequate state and federal funding.

  During a news conference prior to Wednesday’s meeting, School Board members expressed frustration with the budget deficit and the impact it’ll have on CPS schools and students.

How has it gotten so out of control?

• Since 2019, CPS added more than 9,700 staff positions. At the same time, it has seen a decline of 45,000 students.

So for every five students that left, CPS hired one person?

How the Hell does that work? 

They should have been reducing staff every year. 

But here comes Indiana's very own communist property tax cheater Stacy Davis Gates:

• The Chicago Teachers Union, meanwhile, is blaming state lawmakers for failing to fully fund schools, saying that CPS is only funded at 73% of what the state considers adequate.

  Stacy Davis Gates, head of the Chicago Teachers Union, is calling for the district to lobby Springfield, saying there are not enough job cuts to make up for a lack of state funding. The union said CPS is funded at 73% of what the state considers adequate.

Not enough job cuts? We can see 9,700 that shouldn't even exist for starters.

Combine that with schools that operate at under 10% of capacity while fully staffed....there's PLENTY of room for cuts. You just need to sharpen the axe. 

Shots Fired

South side:

• Chicago police officers exchanged gunfire with a man while responding to a “person with a gun” call in the South Chicago neighborhood Monday night, according to CPD. No officers were injured, but the suspect is in serious condition with gunshot wounds, police said.

  At about 10:35 p.m., a 911 caller reported that a strange man wearing a colorful hoodie walked up to their home with a gun in the 8200 block of South Shore Drive, according to dispatch audio.

  Within two minutes, officers responding to the call reported that a suspect was running and, moments later, those officers requested an ambulance for the man, saying he had been shot by police. CPD said the officers had tried to conduct an investigatory stop and directed the man to keep his hands visible before the shooting.

  An officer said shots were fired by both the man and the police. A firearm was located at the scene, according to a CPD statement.

Well done Officers, removing the threat to yourselves and citizens without harm to either....only the bad guy.

It Wasn't Even That Warm

This doesn't bode well for the summer:

• Twenty-three people were shot across Chicago this weekend, four of them fatally, according to preliminary information released by the Chicago Police Department. The weekend total marked an increase from the same weekend last year, when 20 people were shot.

  Saturday was particularly violent, with 16 people shot, making it the city’s highest single-day total of shooting victims so far this year, according to HeyJackass.com, which independently compiles and analyzes Chicago crime data. Sunday was much calmer, though, with only one shooting reported.

You know that feeling you get when everything just seems a bit off? A combination of factors that triggers a sense of caution? We've been feeling that since the start of the year. 

It feels like The Summer of the Assholes is upon us.

Anyone else getting that vibe? 

HANTAVIRUS!!!!!

Panic!!!! Lock it all down!!!

• The Illinois Department of Public Health said Tuesday it is investigating a possible hantavirus case in a resident that is not believed to be connected to a widespread outbreak on a cruise ship that has raised concerns worldwide.

  In a statement, IDPH said the individual, a Winnebago County resident, hasn’t traveled internationally or had contact with passengers of the MV Hondius cruise ship.

  Health officials said the person may have been exposed to the North American strain of the virus while cleaning a home where rodent droppings were present. The cruise ship outbreak involves the Andes strain of the virus, which is carried by a rodent species not found in the United States. The Andes virus can spread from person to person through close contact - in rare cases.

Oh, this is (likely) the non-transmissible version, not the Andes strain. But that hasn't stopped the usual lunatics on the left from calling for lockdowns, masking, and vaccines (which barely exist). 

Be smarter than last time - start lining up your religious objections early.

UPDATE: And get a haircut....the chances of you getting elected mayor and being able to go to your local hair salon like Groot are minimal at best. 

Officers Injured

A traffic accident:

• Two Chicago police officers, a 26-year-old woman and 9-month-old baby were taken to local hospitals after a rollover crash on Chicago's South Side Tuesday morning.

  A marked CPD squad car was traveling north on State Street after 11:15 a.m. in Chatham, when it collided with the vehicle with the woman and child, who were traveling east on 87th Street, CPD said.

  The two officers were taken to a local hospital in good condition for observation. The woman was taken to University of Chicago Hospital in good condition for observation and the baby was taken to Comer Children's Hospital in good condition for observation, police said.

No indications or reports of a pursuit - just an accident.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to all involved. 

How Far Society Has Fallen (UPDATE)

Our post the other day about the Downtown Takeover where someone used a car as a push broom against a marked squad car was mostly to point out (A) how bad the disrespect has gotten and (B) how hesitant Police are in general to take action in the face of overt law breaking.

It's far worse than we thought: 

• Hey SCC. Thought you should know, there have been numerous reports and documented RDs pulled regarding officers, on duty, in uniform having guns pointed at them.
  
  Just the other night it happened in 003, POs had an offender in custody, car pulled up next to them and two offenders pointed guns at them and drove off.
  
  Couple weeks ago, same instance happened but no one was in custody. POs pulled a car over, offender pointed a gun at a PO and drove off. Probably 3 cases of similar accounts in southside districts within a month.
  
  This isn’t being spoken about and it seems it’s not being documented anywhere besides a case report and an overlooked AMC message. I don’t know if you want to classify this as officer safety, or maybe CWB can get wind of it since ya know, CPD has so many “excessive force complaints”. Having a gun pointed at you and you respond with nothing seems a bit odd. Stay frosty kids. 

Pointing a gun at Police used to be an invitation to being shot. But now?

Well, the in-car camera is pointed straight ahead. The body cam may or may not be running (depending on the situation) and....it's pointed straight ahead. We aren't about to advocate driving around with your pistol in your hand, but if you've ever tried to draw a pistol while seated in the tight quarters of a car, wearing a vest, it isn't getting out in a hurry. 

Tie that into the Department not allowing you to chase....you see where we're going with this.

Although you'd be 100% justified in lighting up someone who pulled up next to your squad car and pointed a gun at you, tactically, you're in a bad spot. The end result isn't anything you'd want to experience more than once. 

Solutions? 

UPDATE: If you reward bad behavior, you're going to get more of it....a LOT MORE of it:

• Happened in 018 not too long ago. Sgt on-views an armed robbery in progress, chases the vehicle , giving out the info and states on the air the rear passenger is pointing a gun at him as he’s pursuing the offending vehicle occupied 3 times with armed offenders. He asks if helicopter is up ……..and immediately 1899 LT JF (Lt tight sleeves ) gets on the air and yells terminate immediately. The Sgt gets on the radio and says “they’re actively pointing a gun at me” and 1899 repeats terminate, I want his location now . It’s overpromoted , coward bosses exactly like him that continue to make our jobs even more unsafe. Listening to the LT try and justify it at roll call the next day was ridiculous .

Not pursuing IS the reward.

Chicago Death Spiral Resumes

After a three-month stutter, Conehead's reign resumes it's resemblance to a toilet flush:

• Chicago-area business activity contracted in April, resuming a long-term decline after three months of expansion, according to the Chicago Business Barometer.

  The metro area scored 49.2 for the month, down from 52.8 in March. A score below 50 indicates decline.

  The return to business activity contraction is particularly worrying because after 25 consecutive months of contraction from December 2023 to December 2025, the baseline for achieving an overall expansionary score is much lower.

Keep in mind the businesses associated with a large business leaving town....say a sport franchise worth a few billion dollars:

• sales taxes on ticket sales; concessions and souvenir sales; parking fees;
• people staying in hotels, patronizing restaurants and bars;
• all the other people who operate or work for those associated businesses

That type of contraction leaves a short-term unfillable gap in tax revenues....and maybe a permanent one, kind of like all those conventions leaving McCormick Place for either Florida or Vegas.

Now imagine two sport franchises leaving within a couple years of each other - one to either the burbs or Indiana and another to Tennessee.

"Death Spiral" barely describes what's underway.

How Much Did Walgreens Lose?

Walgreens is shutting down their Chatham location and the "community" is upset. The aldercreature made one of the dumbest statements ever about "first degree corporate abandonment" which no one seems able to define.

But it seems that this was purely a business decision as revealed at a "town hall" meeting with Walgreens:

• Walgreens executives revealed at the town hall that the location lost over $1 million last year amid softening prescription sales and significant levels of theft, which resulted in the decision to close the store on June 4.

  Johnson said that "theft at this store is 16%," which is "four times above the company average," which contributed to losses at the store.

  The company said that it took measures to counteract theft at the store, but was unable to put an end to the issues at the location.

  "Lock boxes help us protect the merchandise in the store. A lot of the time, those lock boxes were getting destroyed. And that's at a great cost to the company," said Walgreens district manager Jason Vasquez, according to Fox 32's report.

Here's an idea....someone notify Eric Holder (Sparklefart's Attorney General who said America wasn't ready to have a racial discussion) and see if he can chime in here:

• there are currently 14 black billionaires in the United States - successful business persons across a wide variety of fields - entertainment, media, information and infrastructure fields. They're also active philanthropists, giving back to society.
• there are hundreds more worth multiple millions, probably looking to make more as most successful people do. Eric Holder is worth $8 million on his own, Sparklefarts over $70 million.
• is there any reason they wouldn't invest in a Chatham pharmacy to prevent a pharmaceutical desert from devastating this "under-served" community?

Oh yeah....because they aren't in theo business of LOSING money, which is what would happen if they invested in Chatham. 

Maybe the aldercreature could discuss that with Holder and Sparklefarts and a few of those billionaires.

Hey, Look - a Tax Increase

Porkulous strikes again!

• On July 1 the state tax will hit almost 50 cents a gallon. Lawmakers made automatic annual hikes.

  Illinois drivers will see another gas tax increase July 1.

  The state tax will rise to 49.6 cents per gallon because of the automatic annual inflation increase built into the 2019 “Rebuild Illinois” infrastructure program signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

How does this keep happening?

• When Pritzker doubled the state gas tax from 19 cents to 38 cents in 2019, lawmakers also ensured Illinoisans would face automatic inflation-linked increases every year without another recorded vote.

Ah yes....the "automatic" increases so no politician has to answer for it.

A handy chart in case you were interested:

 

But if you're a trust fund billionaire who rides around in a taxpayer funded and fueled automobile, this doesn't affect you at all.

Rule #4

We don't know who need to see this, but it's happening more and more.

Review the Rules on the right-hand side of the main page. Read them all, but especially #4:

• RULE #4: We reserve the right to delete novels. If you have that much to say, start a blog. Same goes for off topic stuff. Also, multiple "hard returns" making blank space.

We've been very lenient since reactivating the site, but it's getting out of hand. Someone or someones (with a couple good points to make) are ending their posts with five, six, seven hard returns for some reason. 

Sure, it's easy to type, but it messes with our comment moderation, so we're just deleting them all without reading them. In fact, we've been doing it for a week or more now. 

(comments closed here - informational post only) 

This Fata$$ Hypocrite

An unmitigated disaster and an a$$hole to boot:

• Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is speaking out following the death of Loyola student Sheridan Gorman, saying her family deserves justice.

  In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for the governor says Gorman’s family "remains in Governor Pritzker’s thoughts."

  "The family of Sheridan Gorman remains in Governor Pritzker’s thoughts as they grieve and navigate the unimaginable loss of their daughter," the statement said. "He believes the person responsible for their daughter’s death needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and with the entire weight and urgency of our justice system that her family deserves."

Well, gee whiz guv, let's start with a list of people directly responsible, shall we?

• first and foremost, the trigger puller. An ILLEGAL ALIEN who should have (and could have) been deported months ago if ICE had been free to do their jobs without interference from an entire list of anti-American, anti-Law-and-Order democrats;
• the previous administration who allowed the ILLEGAL ALIEN into the country, apprehended him a few times, and released him to offend again;
• the judges who released him in spite of a number of arrests and bail violations that should have kept him in custody pending a deportation; 

Not to mention Conehead and Porkulous who encouraged disobedience to Federal Law once a proper Administration was installed by the voters. 

Oh, and the "fullest extent" of accountability might involve something looking like a Death Penalty so as to ensure consequences for actions. 

No Tax Money for Bears!

Look!!! Over there!!! The Bears want taxpayer money for infrastructure improvements while they build a stadium with their own money that will be an economic powerhouse wherever they land!

In the meantime:

• When the Obama Presidential Center opens next month, and its funders are honored and congratulated, there are two major financial contributors worthy of a bow or two: Chicago and Illinois taxpayers.

  The Chicago Department of Transportation said it has spent $123.3 million since 2022 on capital projects aimed at remaking the roadways and green space in Jackson Park and around the center.

  And there’s still more work to be done. The final public infrastructure costs are likely to approach $200 million.

  The costs are not part of the presidential center’s privately-funded $850 million price tag.

Wait, what?

Things that make you go, "Hmmmmm." 

The Center isn't open yet, but the Grift Gift Shop is. You can buy Sparklefart souvenirs, some cheap bling, a $400 wind powered generator kit, and:

• You can even buy a copy of (Saul Alinsky's) Rules for Radicals – The book liberals denied had any connection to Obama or his policies.

You can get it for half the price over on Amazon though.

Well Said Mr. Brooks

For some reason, the local media aren't giving this guy a platform:

• As I recover from foot surgery in Chicago, my break from the Walk Across America has given me time to do more than reflect. I’ve seen so many things on my walk so far through small towns, big cities, ghettos, suburbs, open-air drug markets, posh farmers markets and even the occasional country market. Throughout it all, I’ve seen Americans of so many stripes, and they’re all moving forward, moving with a sense of purpose in their work and in their belief in God.

  And when I returned home to the South Side of Chicago, I was struck by the stillness I felt here.

  It pains me to say this, but it was as if I had never left. The same problems remained. People complained about the same issues they complained about the year before, and the year before that, not recognizing that fateful pattern of doom. Although my team has greatly reduced violence in our immediate community, it remains high on the surrounding blocks. Herds of teens continue to raid the Loop, wreaking havoc and destroying what others have built.

  The pattern is obvious and undeniable. On my Walk Across America, I saw people moving toward something better, no matter if it was one step a day or 20,000. They moved forward in the faith of a good life and an eternal reward.

  Here on the South Side, while many do struggle toward something better, the current moves overwhelmingly in the wrong direction.

And he states that this community is moving toward dysfunction and that dependence on the government is not the correct direction. In fact:

• I want to be honest about something that no politician in this city will say out loud. Unlike Mayor Brandon Johnson’s belief, white supremacy does not run these streets. I saw the KKK march in the streets of Kenton, Tennessee, when I was a boy, but I’ve never seen them march since then, and never in Chicago. 

  There is no external force orchestrating our destruction from the shadows. If there is any racism holding us back today, it is the soft bigotry of low expectations, the quiet condescension of voices that tell us we are permanent victims who need government programs instead of God, family and hard work. They peddle a lie that feels like comfort: It’s not your fault, the system is rigged, just vote the right way and everything will change. And while they are saying it, another generation slips away.

So Conehead is wrong, low expectations are wrong, expecting a community to vote solely based on what the plantation masters have been (wrongly) telling you for multiple generations is wrong....

Why isn't this guy running for mayor?

Gee, I Should Have Cooperated

Regret is a terrible thing....so is being a moron in the first place:

• A New York woman who refused to cooperate with prosecutors after a mental patient attacked her on the subway weeks before he pushed a retired NYC teacher to his death appears to have some serious regrets.

  “Maybe a part of me was just like, I don’t want to put another black man in jail,” the unidentified 23-year-old told the New York Post over the weekend.

  Now, however, she is saying, “I regret it 100 percent and feel really bad that a man lost his life.”

Obviously a liberal retard, brainwashed by years of left wing ideologues, typical of blue-city clue-state shitholes where consequences are not applied to actions. 

We've had local stories like this for years, dating back to when Mope-rah (remember her stupid ass?) refused to help prosecute a car thief caught red-handed in her car, all the way up to last year when ABC's Leah Hope was carjacked and beaten to the point she couldn't be on the air for six weeks....AND SHE BLAMED THE SYSTEM, not the guy who almost broke her jaw in half.

Not much sympathy for those who embrace the narrative and expect us to do the same. 

More Dems Loving Criminals

This time revealed in North Carolina during COVID:

• A New York Post investigation has revealed that nearly half of the convicts sprung from North Carolina prisons under then-Democrat Governor Roy Cooper during the COVID-19 pandemic have already been charged with new crimes, including a staggering 18 murder offenses.

  According to the Post’s review of state records, at least 3,500 dangerous criminals were released in February 2021 as part of a little-known settlement between Cooper’s administration and radical civil rights groups, including the ACLU and NAACP.

  These groups sued to force the early release of inmates, claiming the pandemic posed too great a risk to keep them locked up.

  The results? Predictable carnage on North Carolina streets.

Over 600 of the released felons committed....MORE FELONIES! 

Fully 48% committed more crimes in all categories.

Beware the hantavirus cruise infections being used to political ends at some point. 

Takeover Downtown

We're told Friday night into Saturday, a large crowd of non-demonized yutes took over a number of locations downtown.

We're also told there is footage of them using a vehicle as a battering ram to push an occupied squad car backwards down the street?  

Can anyone confirm? 

And if confirmed, isn't the car being used as a weapon? 

A potentially Deadly Weapon? 

And Deadly Weapons are legally met with....

Let's confirm the footage first - our source says a 10-1 was called, so there's that. 

UPDATE: Footage confirmed via the Contrarian X link. (it plays without a social media account)

This is allowed now? 

Another Court Failure

Another judge to vote "No" on:

• A Cook County judge on Friday found a Chicago man not guilty by reason of insanity on all charges stemming from a 2022 home invasion in which he held a woman at knifepoint before stabbing a police officer who came to rescue her. The officer shot him.

  Romaine Heath, 45, remains in custody and is expected to be ordered into treatment at a secure mental health facility. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for June 18 before Judge Nastosha Toller, who conducted the trial.

The story is hairy enough, but something is missing in the coverage again - any mention of medical examinations that determined the insanity.

We mention this only because we are reminded of the case where crooked and corrupt DEI "judge" Tyria Walton found Whitley Temple not guilty by reason of insanity and there isn't a single mention in the media of a medical examination by qualified experts determining the insanity.

Has this become a thing now? Someone claims insanity and no one checks with a doctor? Judges are now the doctors? 

Burn it All Down

Conehead taking a stand earlier this week:

• Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday mounted the legislative equivalent of a goal-line stand against the Bears’ quest for the property tax break needed to pave the way for a domed stadium in Arlington Heights.

  Johnson questioned why any lawmaker from Chicago would even think about providing a massive tax break for a professional sports team valued at nearly $9 billion, while ignoring the need for what he calls progressive revenue to increase school funding and help working people struggling to make ends meet.

  [...] Hours before joining fellow Chicago-area mayors in Springfield, where he has had little success, Johnson made it clear that he would use whatever political muscle he has to block the so-called megaprojects bill now before the Illinois Senate after clearing the Illinois House on April 22.

  Though Chicago is no longer part of the conversation to build a domed stadium needed to keep the Bears in Illinois and stave off a move to Northwest Indiana, Johnson is still holding out hope to keep the Bears in the city.

  “I’m building things in this city. I want to build more things in this city. Why is that important? Because it creates opportunities for Chicagoans,” Johnson said. “Why would I advocate for something that wouldn’t benefit the people of Chicago? I don’t know why any Chicago legislator would vote for anything that doesn’t benefit the people that they represent.”

Conehead is building nothing and has almost no political muscle. He has no background in construction or economics and no allies in Springfield. His administration is presiding over the smallest number of permits issued to tower cranes in decades - under ten for all of 2026 - and that doesn't sound like a building boom. 

And don't even get us started on the plywood forests of the formerly thriving downtown storefronts. Prickwrinkle should be undercutting Conehead at every turn, seeing as how Arlington Heights would still be in her sphere of influence. 

An intelligent politician would be looking at what Soldier Field could be repurposed as, seeing as how there might be opportunities to exploit instead of whining about the perfectly logical move away from a failing city only looking to line its threadbare pockets.

How Bad Is It? (Washington)

This bad:

• Washington just became the first state in U.S. history to terminate a public employee pension plan.

  The plan belongs to retired police officers and firefighters. LEOFF Plan 1 was 160% funded as of June 2024 per the state's own actuarial valuation. It had not required a single contribution in 25 years. By 2029 it was projected to reach 200% funded with a $4.3 billion surplus.

  The legislature terminated the plan, swept $3.9 billion, and is using $880 million of it to refill a rainy day fund it already drained to cover a deficit it created.

  Days ago, retired first responders including former Congressman Dave Reichert sued the state to stop it. The bill passed the House 55-39 and was advanced out of Appropriations without a public hearing. Every yes vote was a Democrat. The governor signed it in April.

Our pension never hit anything near 100%. We think (think) it may have been funded at or near 75% back around 2000, but then Shortshanks invented pension "holidays," refused to follow actuarial funding recommendations, and redirected spending toward pet projects to buy votes, thereby leading to the current crises. 

In Washington, they're just stealing the surplus instead of going through the actuarial recommendations, which will most likely lead to a funding shortfall within a few years.

Funeral Coverage

Assorted media outlets:

• Sun Times
• Channel 2
• Channel 5
• Channel 7
• Channel 9
• Channel 32

Everything Tribune is paywalled.

A truly depressing day. 

We haven't heard any updates in a while about the wounded Officer. Is there any public info available?

Nice CTA Conehead

Anyone know why this is walking around free?

• A Chicago man with more than 60 arrests and a history of violence against transit workers is facing new charges after prosecutors said he stabbed a good Samaritan who came to a CTA employee’s defense at a Blue Line station.

  Eduardo De Jesus, 48, was arrested April 23 at the Addison Red Line station after officers posted there recognized him by his neck tattoos and took him into custody.

  According to prosecutors, the incident unfolded on March 31 at the Western Blue Line station in Bucktown. De Jesus got into an argument with a CTA employee and a 30-year-old man who did not know De Jesus stepped in to help the worker, prosecutors said.

  De Jesus allegedly struck the victim in the face, and as the confrontation spilled outside the station, he pulled out a weapon. When the victim raised his hand to protect himself, prosecutors say, De Jesus stabbed him in the palm. The victim was taken to a hospital and received stitches for the puncture wound.

Sixty arrests and free as a bird.

Along with Hammer Guy, someone who really really needs to run into a Concealed Carrier who didn't see the CTA signs....completely by accident of course. 

How Bad Is It? (Los Angeles)

This bad:

• As of today, LAPD is not allowed to pull anyone over for: 
• - Expired tags 
• - Non-functioning tail lights 
• - Cracked windshield 
• - Broken sideview mirrors 
• - Illegal tint
• - Loud exhaust 
• - Missing license plate 
• Because it "disproportionately affects Black and Brown people."

Exactly what the democrats are trying to do here.

At least there's a list that LAPD can refer to so as to determine which Laws the "oppressed" people don't have to obey. 

In the meantime, we'd be taking suspension time for more than a couple of these violations.

Settlement in Progress?

After Crimesha's amazing sworn testimony the other day where despite believing an offender was guilty as charged (and convicted), she refused to defend the jury finding, it turns out that the (former) offender already has a settlement offer from the City and it's big enough that it's before the City Council at this very moment:

• A man exonerated in a brutal double murder in Bucktown who later obtained a certificate of innocence after the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office under Kim Foxx did not oppose his petition — even though Foxx now says she believed him to be guilty — has reached a settlement in principle to resolve his 8-year-old wrongful conviction lawsuit against the city and the detective whose investigation put him in prison, federal court records show.

  Attorneys representing Arturo DeLeon-Reyes, the city, and former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara informed the court Wednesday that they had reached the basic outline of a settlement. A final pre-trial conference scheduled before a trial set to begin Monday was canceled, according to docket entries. Details of the proposed settlement have not been disclosed.

  [...] Last week, attorneys for Solache reached a separate settlement with the city that is now awaiting City Council approval, according to WTTW. The exact figure has not been disclosed, but City Council sign-off is required for any settlement exceeding $100,000.

Has anyone filed an ARDC complaint against Crimesha yet? 

Maybe an Official Misconduct charge?

Another Shotspotter Miss

Only a critical wounding at this time:

• A jogger found a man shot and critically injured in Hyde Park on Thursday morning, but the victim may have gone undiscovered for more than 45 minutes because the mayor disconnected the local ShotSpotter network in 2024, and the only call about gunfire in the area was not precise enough for police to locate him.

  At about 4:06 a.m., a 911 caller reported hearing three shots fired near 55th Street and Cornell Avenue and seeing a car speeding away eastbound on 55th Street, according to CPD dispatch records. Officers responded and searched near the intersection, but did not find anything unusual.

  More than 45 minutes later, at 4:54 a.m., police were sent to investigate a person shot call in the 5400 block of South Cornell Avenue after a jogger discovered a 31-year-old man shot near Cornell Park. Officers found the victim with two gunshot wounds to his chest, one to his back, and one to his arm. CPD said he was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in critical condition.

  Police located three shell casings in the grass next to the street, near where the man was found. That detail suggests ShotSpotter would have pinpointed the location for first responders had the system not been deactivated by the mayor.

It seems the victim was a CCL holder, which is too bad. We're convinced the only way crime is going to go down significantly is with citizens doing the job that police aren't allowed to do any more - removing criminals from circulation.