The Evening Rush for Thursday, August 1, 2013

The must-read news stories for Thursday, August 1, 2013

James Wolcott, aka James St. James, in 1967 after the murder of his mother, father, and sister. (via The Georgetown Advocate)

Revelations spark controversy for Downstate professor

James St. James is a professor of psychology and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Millikin University in Decatur. But he’s harbored a secret that, now revealed, has the school in a tizzy: his connection to the 1967 murders of his mother, father, and sister in Georgetown, Texas. The Georgetown Advocate went looking for James Wolcott, who allegedly confessed to the murders when he was 15 only to be found not guilty by reason of insanity. They found Wolcott had changed his name and moved to Illinois, where he’s been teaching at Millikin for 27 years. While the school has issued a statement that seems to support St. James, others have called for his resignation in light of the revelation. When reached at his home in Decatur, St. James refused to comment. [Sun-Times, Georgetown Advocate]

Snowden asylum

Edward Snowden was granted one year of asylum in Russia, which led U.S. officials to say they were “disappointed” in the decision, perhaps the biggest understatement by the country in this whole affair. [WaPo]

Need for weed

Gov. Quinn signed into law a bill that makes Illinois the 20th state in the country to have legalized medicinal marijuana. [Sun-Times]

Castro sentenced

Ariel Castro, the man who kidnapped, raped, and held three women captive, among other crimes, was sentenced to life without parole plus 1,000 years in jail for his actions. [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]

Gang summit

Community leaders are hoping they’ll be able to persuade gang members from the city to attend a summit in late September to help curb violence. [Sun-Times]

Strike for $15

A look at the protests around the country by fast food workers in an effort to have their wages raised to at least $15 an hour. [N.Y. Times]

Behind the code

Yesterday, a judge dismissed a lawsuit to keep 10 schools planned for closure open, so Lauren Fitzpatrick takes a deeper look at the part of the school code that was at the center of the ruling. [Sun-Times]

Government peeping

A woman Googled “pressure cookers.” Her husband, in a completely unrelated search, Googled “backpacks.” Agents then paid them a visit. But how did they know what was Googled? [The Atlantic]

Doomsday ’83

Not only did the Queen of England have a speech prepared for the possibility of nuclear apocalypse in 1983, you can now read it. [BBC]

Another headache

Because it hasn’t messed up enough, the city’s parking meter lease could get a new wrinkle from driverless cars. [Sun-Times]

Baby on board

A baby was born at a D.C. Metro station today. The station? L’Enfant Plaza, of course. [DCist]

Robin’s safe

Ignore the awful record and current skid; the White Sox GM says Robin Ventura’s job as manager is safe. [ESPN]

Starting off high

Notre Dame will open the football season at No. 11 on the Coaches poll. [Sun-Times]

The Bright One

The latest video report from Homicide Watch, looking at the shooting death of a man after an argument with an ex-girlfriend over custody rights escalated. [Homicide Watch]

Commute

Sudoku; Weather; Traffic; CTA; Metra; Flight delays

And finally

The best way for a sports radio caller rant to end: falcon attack. [Deadspin]