chicago
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Kanye's Homecoming Tour Continues—With a Very Poignant Stop in Chicago
As a native Chicagoan (of Kanye’s generation), I’ve admittedly been skeptical about his reunion with his home city—despite my own, within the last two years. Why? Likely because the parts of my life filled with Donald Trump, MAGA, Kardashians, and Kalifornia generally end around 6 p.m. each workday, and often require sage after the fact…
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Officer Jason Van Dyke Is Accused of Murder, But Laquan McDonald Is on Trial
While we see it with far more frequency, it’s still not often that a cop goes on trial for an officer-involved shooting, and rarer still for that officer to receive a murder charge. In the cases when it does happen—particularly if the victim is black—the playbook for the defense is simple: put the victim on…
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Trial Begins Today for Chicago Officer Who Shot and Killed Laquan McDonald
Nearly four years after Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke unloaded 16 bullets into Laquan McDonald, his murder trial is set to begin in earnest. The long-awaited trial will start with opening arguments on Monday, but first, Judge Vincent Gaughan will make a decision on the defense’s request to move the trial out of Cook…
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Chicago Police Will Have to Notify Dispatchers Whenever They Point a Gun at Someone: Report
Within the next year, any Chicago police officer who points a gun at an individual during an arrest or a street stop will have to radio in dispatchers about the incident. According to the Chicago Tribune, the decision was made after a deal was introduced between Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration and Illinois Attorney General Lisa…
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Jury Finds Getaway Driver Guilty in Chicago Teen Hadiya Pendleton's Murder
It took a Cook County, Ill., jury less than three hours to find Kenneth Williams guilty on all charges related to the 2013 killing of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton, a King College Prep High School student who performed as a majorette for Barack Obama’s second inauguration. According to the Chicago Tribune, Williams was convicted on one…
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Chance the Rapper Buys Influential Chicago News Site
You can now add media mogul to Chance’s formidable resume. In a new track (one of four released at midnight on Thursday), Chance The Rapper dropped word of a major new acquisition: The Chicagoist, an online media outlet that specializes in local reporting on the Windy City. Chance announced the media move in the song,…
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The Ida B. Wells Monument in Chicago Is 1 Major Step Closer to Becoming a Reality
Thanks to a recent push on social media, the organizers of a monument to trailblazing journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells have raised enough money—$300,000—to build the memorial. The push was fueled in part by the anniversary of Wells’ birth this week, and fundraisers hosted by author and educator Mariama Kaba and New…
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‘Coupon Carl’ Calls Cops on Black Woman at CVS for Allegedly Using a Forged Coupon, But Was Busted Himself for Forgery Less Than 2 Years Ago
Yes, this is yet another story of a sorry white person calling the police on a black person for something trivial —his moniker? “Coupon Carl”—but it’s also a cautionary tale of the blowback of such actions; or, as my mama says, “When you point a finger, there are three pointing back at you.” Morry Matson,…
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Chicago Neighborhood Explodes After Officer Kills Popular Black Barber; Police Say He Was ‘Exhibiting Characteristics’ of an Armed Person
A South Side Chicago neighborhood was the site of violent clashes between police and residents of a community where an officer fatally shot an African-American man on Saturday evening. Chicago activists have identified the man as Harith Augustus, better known as “Snoop,” a popular barber and proud father who worked in the South Shore community.…