Daywatch: What we know about the Nashville school shooter
Good morning, Chicago.
The suspect in a Nashville school shooting on Monday had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance before killing three students and three adults in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.
The suspect, who was killed by police, is believed to be a former student at The Covenant School in Nashville, where the shooting took place.
The shooter was armed with two “assault-style” weapons — a rifle and a pistol — as well as a handgun, authorities said. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area. Three children — 9-year-old students — and three adults, including the head of the school, were killed.
Following a news conference Monday, a Highland Park parade survivor commandeered the microphones. “Aren’t you guys tired of covering this?” Ashbey Beasley said.
Beasley had stopped in Nashville on her way back from her 12th trip to Washington since the July Fourth Highland Park tragedy, where she was on a no-holds-barred mission to convince members of Congress one by one to pass a federal assault weapons ban. She was about to meet a friend when she heard of the latest mass shooting.
“I have met with over 130 lawmakers,” she said. “How is this still happening? How are our children still dying, and why are we failing them?”
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Tornadoes touching down in new areas; season is starting sooner and lasting longer, experts say
Although the role of climate change in tornadoes is not fully understood, researchers say locations are shifting, the season is lengthening and the number of tornadoes in a single event is increasing.
Victor Gensini, an associate professor in the Earth, Atmosphere and Environment Department at Northern Illinois University, said the biggest impact of climate change is on the location of tornadoes throughout the United States. He said the number of tornadoes in Plains states is trending down while the Midwest and mid-South are seeing an increase.
Feds’ star witness takes stand in ‘ComEd Four’ trial
More than four years after the FBI knocked on his door, former ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez finally began his long-awaited turn on a federal witness stand Monday, testifying about his role in an elaborate scheme to lavish associates of Michael Madigan with do-nothing contracts to win the powerful speaker’s influence.
Appearing relaxed and speaking in a direct, firm voice, Marquez took the jury to the heart of the allegations in the “ComEd Four” case, explaining the push to get in Madigan’s good graces, the legislative wins that followed, as well as his understanding that the hiring orders were coming directly from the speaker himself.
Indiana House passes bill banning gender-affirming care for minors
An Indiana bill banning medical transition procedures for the state’s transgender youth is just one step away from becoming law after the House of Representatives voted to pass it on Thursday.
Rep. Joanna King, who sponsored the legislation, framed the ban as a means of protecting the state’s children. House Democrats excoriated the bill as an attack on some of the state’s most marginalized residents.
What’s in a name? The stories behind 7 Chicago restaurants named for women
Ask the city’s top chefs about the story behind their success, and they will likely acknowledge the mothers, grandmothers and aunts who helped get them there.
In honor of Women’s History Month, these Chicago chefs shine a light on the leading ladies in their lives — and their kitchens.
Going to a Chicago Cubs game? Here’s what to know if you’re headed to Wrigley Field this season.
Welcome back to another Chicago Cubs season at Wrigley Field. The roster has a lot of new faces, but a lot around the ballpark hasn’t changed, except maybe the size of the bag you can bring in.
And remember: You can leave the long underwear at home, but bring a poncho when the Cubs face the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday. More on the forecast here.
Non-Equity Jeff Awards: ‘Sweeney Todd’ a big winner, plus 2 ensemble prizes to Theo Ubique
Kokandy Productions enjoyed a victorious night as its hit staging of “Sweeney Todd,” which played the basement of the Chopin Theatre, snagged a total of six Jeffs, including honors for best production of a musical or revue, and for its two stars, Caitlin Jackson and Kevin Webb.
The traditionally prestigious and Chicago-style Jeffs for best ensembles were awarded to “Refuge,” produced by Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre and categorized as a play, as well as a second Theo Ubique show, “8-Track: The Sounds of the ‘70s” and to the short-run production of “Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes” by The Story Theatre.
