What’s a convicted elected official to do?
By Sidney Madden | @sidney_madden_
🏛️ SHIFTING POWER DYNAMICS
Hot off the high-profile tax fraud conviction of former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson and the indictment of ex–Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, we’re looking at proposed laws that would change politicians’ power.
State Rep. Curtis Tarver II of the Southeast Side proposed that any elected officials convicted of a crime — at any government level — would be barred from running for office again, according to Politico Illinois.
Convicted state officials can currently be on the ballot so long as they didn’t commit election fraud, and convicted city and county officials can still run for state office.
The bill is in the Rules Committee.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas of the 36th Ward proposed an ordinance that would ban the city from doing business with anyone who has been charged or convicted of treason, sedition, or related offenses — which could affect former President Donald Trump’s River North hotel, according to The Daily Line.
Trump was impeached for his incitement of the U.S. Capitol insurrection last year.
Villegas also proposed adding a clause barring city business with people who committed hate crimes.
The proposed ordinance was approved unanimously by a City Council committee Monday.
🎨 ZOOM ART
The Chicago Academy for the Arts is not like all schools. Students are really immersed in their art, whether it’s theater, dance, or visual arts. It gives them a special connection with their teachers because they spend three hours each day with the teacher in their chosen art.
Student Lea Gassner and teacher Margy Stover tell us about that connection, and how remote learning affected them.
📰 NEWSFEED
▪️ Unvaccinated city workers — including more than 2,500 Police Department employees — have not yet been disciplined after the city deadline passed Sunday. [Block Club Chicago]
▪️ Versa Fest, the new woman-led fest in Lincoln Park, is off. This comes after the city shut down Goose Island’s 312 Day over the weekend due to problems with permits. [Eater Chicago]
▪️ Need help filling out your March Madness bracket? [Chicago Tribune]
▪️ Funds from today’s “Immersive Shevchenko” show and Wednesday’s Chicago chefs for Ukraine event will go toward helping Ukrainians in Chicago and abroad.
▪️ Local schools can request AAPI titles through Friday with One Book One World’s book drive.
▪️ Record your walk through the city’s underground pedway system, and help create a soundwalk. Go on a guided tour this month!
🌍 COVID THEN & NOW
Hyde Park resident Nura had been living in Guinea, West Africa, for four months as part of the Peace Corps when COVID-19 struck and corps members were evacuated worldwide — the first global evacuation in the program’s history.
“The world was shut down, and we didn’t know what was going on,” Nura said.
❓ What was the last normal thing you did when COVID-19 shutdowns struck two years ago? Email chicago@citycast.fm, or call or text (773) 780-0246.
🎂 CITY CAST CHI BDAY
We’re coming up on our first birthday Thursday, and producer Carrie Shepherd shares her favorite episode in City Cast Chicago’s first 365 days:
“I’m choosing a two-parter for my favorite episode(s). I am fascinated by Sullivan High School, also known as Refugee High, in Rogers Park. More than 40 languages are spoken at the school, with students from hundreds of countries. Some young people arrived in Chicago not speaking English, forced to leave their homes, and sometimes families, because of war and political unrest.
We sat down with journalist Elly Fishman who wrote “Refugee High: Coming of Age in America,” and her description of walking the halls seeing flags from all the students’ home countries and hearing all the different languages took me right there and gave me chills.
Jacoby also talked to beloved Sullivan teacher Sarah Quintenz, aka Ms. Q, and one of her former students. Listening to how Ms. Q embraces her students, giving them a safe space, guiding them through teenage life in a foreign place, reminds me that teachers are the heartbeat of our city.”