Afternoon Briefing: Jury in ex-Ald. Ed Burke trial hears tape featuring Chicago pol Gery Chico discussing fundraising
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Good afternoon, Chicago.
A federal jury on Friday heard wiretapped calls between then-Ald. Edward Burke and former mayoral candidate Gery Chico where the two longtime Democratic heavyweights talked about a 2017 fundraiser and a local builder apparently slow to get on the Burke bandwagon.
The calls were played by prosecutors in Burke’s corruption trial to underscore the then-powerful alderman’s alleged use of his official duties to try to squeeze private benefits for himself.
On June 6, 2017, Chico, a former chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley and onetime CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, called Burke to talk about the fundraiser that night at RADA architects on North Michigan Avenue.
“Hey Ed, how you doin’?” Chico said at the outset of the call. Burke responded, “Good Gery, welcome back to, uh, action.”
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/breaking and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy
Chronic fatigue syndrome is more common than some past studies suggest, CDC says
Health officials on Friday released the first nationally representative estimate of how many U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome: 3.3 million.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s number is larger than previous studies have suggested, and is likely boosted by some of the patients with long COVID. The condition clearly “is not a rare illness,” said the CDC’s Dr. Elizabeth Unger, one of the report’s co-authors. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Ride-share driver stabbed by customer overnight on Michigan Avenue, cops say
Caretaker gets 55-year sentence in stabbing deaths of elderly couple in Algonquin
University of Chicago buys Hyde Park mansion once owned by late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia for $3.4M
Built around 1900, the 5,112-square-foot brick house, at 5725 S. Woodlawn Ave., was designed by the Rapp & Rapp architectural firm, which was widely known for designing movie palaces. The mansion was built for Cora Howland, the daughter of onetime Chicago Mayor John A. Roche, and her husband, lawyer and professor George C. Howland, who was part of U. of C.’s original teaching staff and who also wrote editorials for a time for the Tribune, according to Susan O’Connor Davis’ book “Chicago’s Historic Hyde Park.” Read more here.
More top business stories:
Once upon a time, Naperville was home to the largest furniture-manufacturing company in the US
Closure of Celebrate Senior Living in South Holland: ‘We could never make ends meet’
Chicago Bears Week 14 storylines: Kevin Warren’s influence, the downfield passing attack and a College Football Playoff firestorm
Three weeks after suffering one of their most crushing losses of the season in Detroit, the Chicago Bears will welcome the Lions to Soldier Field for a rematch. The Lions rallied from 12 points down in the final four minutes at Ford Field in Week 11 and stole a 31-26 victory. The Bears haven’t forgotten. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Review: ‘Promises, Promises’ by Blank Theatre is a fun, retro night out with Burt Bacharach
What do you get when you fall in love? If you’re thinking pins, troubles and burst bubbles, then you likely have affection for the late Burt Bacharach, maestro of the high-glass melody, the chromatic harmony, the brushed snare drum and a groovy Hammond organ sound bespeaking of highballs, Cinzano and key parties. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Hanukkah celebrations ‘add light to the world’ for Jews amid darkness of war, antisemitism
In preparation for Hanukkah, Rabbi Mendy Weg drove around the campus of Northwestern University in his “HannuKart” — a golf cart outfitted with a large menorah on a flatbed in the back — to deliver dreidels and chocolate gelt coins to students.
The menorah, which lights up, is a very public display of Weg’s Jewish faith at a time when antisemitic incidents have spiked nationwide and internationally amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Some Jews around the country have reported a fear of lighting menorahs in their home windows this holiday season or wearing items that might identify them by their faith, such as a Star of David or yarmulke, due to concerns over backlash. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
