The Evening Rush for Monday, Aug. 19, 2013

The must-read news stories for Monday, Aug. 19, 2013

Demolition crews dismantling the fieldhouse behind Whittier Elementary in Chicago on Saturday, August 17, 2013. | Chandler West / Sun-Times Media

Whittier’s demolition

One of the big stories from over the weekend was the demolition of the fieldhouse at Whittier Elementary School that took parents and community members by surprise when the CPS’ demo crews showed up to start work around 6 p.m. Friday. Now we know why: CPS bypassed the traditional demolition permit, and instead procured an administrative order from City Hall that allows buildings to be demolished “on an emergency basis” without a demolition permit. The building’s demolition caused an uproar for the Whittier community especially because school parents had worked so hard — staging a protest in 2010 — to save the building. Activists have compared the Friday evening attempt to demolish the fieldhouse to the Meigs Field demolition, while the CPS has defended the action, citing safety concerns. [Sun-Times, Previously, Updates as it unfolded]

Mubarak to be freed?

A judicial order has commanded the release of former President Hosni Mubarak who has been held since he was ousted from power by the uprising in 2011. [N.Y. Times]

Person of interest

Police are questioning a person of interest in last night’s shooting that wounded a 7-year-old in West Garfield Park. [Sun-Times]

Strange holding

National security officials in the UK held and questioned the partner of Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian journalist who helped break Edward Snowden’s NSA whistleblowing story, under that country’s Terrorism Act. [The Guardian]

Raises for some

While adjuncts and tutors face pay cuts at the City Colleges of Chicago, school presidents got a raise. [Sun-Times]

Manning revisited

Prosecutors are seeking a 60-year sentence for Bradley Manning. [CBS News]

High flying

While some high-profile aircraft weren’t at this year’s Air & Water Show, attendance didn’t dip too much. [Sun-Times]

Need for speed

Gov. Quinn is raising the speed limit on four-lane highways outside of Chicago to 70 mph. [Sun-Times]

High-speed rail

Speaking of speed, Crain’s looks at the long, slow path to get high-speed rail to Illinois. [Crain’s]

The One Who Knocks

As always, catch up with “Breaking Bad” through Lori Rackl’s recap. [Sun-Times]

Bail to the Chief

NPR is out yet another CEO. [WaPo]

The Braun Identity

Oh, Ryan Braun. The suspended Brewers slugger who villainized the man who collected his urine sample that tested positive for PEDs in 2011 also allegedly reached out to other players for support during his 2012 appeal, telling them said collector was an anti-semitic Cubs fan. [Sun-Times]

Stockpiling

The Bears added some depth at QB by signing vet Trent Edwards. [ESPN]

Adios, DeJesus

At least he just has to cross the field tonight: The Cubs traded David DeJesus to the Washington Nationals. [Sun-Times]

Indictment

Runner Oscar Pistorious has been indicted in the murder of his girlfriend and will stand trial in March 2014. [USA Today]

The Bright One

The Watchdogs dig into the case of CPD officer Steven E. Lesner, who is still under investigation by Internal Affairs in connection with the death of a Northwest Side woman four years ago. [Sun-Times]

Commute

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

And finally

Add this to Italy’s list of historic artifacts: the first discovered sample of fossilized whale poop. [NBC News]