The must-read news stories for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013
US Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill on September 3, 2013 in Washington. AFP PHOTO/Brendan Smialowski
Support (sorta) grows for Syria action
President Obama got some key support today for his planned course of action in Syria from Congressional heavy-hitters, including House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. That said, the path to enough votes in Congress to authorize action isn’t a clear one yet, as Lynn Sweet outlines 10 different factions who could determine how the vote turns out. Still, there’s the issue of public support — not that past presidents have really given a damn about that — and according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll, nearly 60 percent of those questioned oppose military action; Democrats and Republicans came in at pretty much equal numbers but a much higher rating of Independents oppose action. But, again, that matters little. In fact, the U.S. and Israel have already conducted a joint test of missiles in the Mediterranean. So there’s this to look forward to… [Sun-Times, Lynn Sweet, WaPo Poll, N.Y. Times]
First Amendment, Schmirst Amendment
Once again, a judge is steamrolling right over Freedom of the Press and trying to squeeze a Joliet journalist into giving up a source who leaked to him a police report of a double murder earlier this year. [Sun-Times]
What it’s like
Ever wondered what it’s like to teach high school in one of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods? [The Guardian]
Preventable deaths
The CDC is reporting that at least 200,000 deaths from heart disease and stroke were preventable. [Sun-Times]
Heavy hitters
Another edition of Who’s Who in Chicago Business, another year I’ve been snubbed. [Crain’s]
Inspector General
Joe Ferguson is being brought back as the city’s Inspector General — for a time, anyway — despite disagreements with Mayor Emanuel (because a watchdog should agree with the people he’s keeping an eye on?), a move that’s being applauded. [Sun-Times, Sun-Times]
Minnesota nice
The mayor of Minneapolis thinks it’s a bummer and silly that same-sex couples can’t get married in Chicago (which, well, it is) so why not come on over and get hitched in the Twin Cities? [DNA Info]
And Nero fiddles…
Budget crunch? Pension crisis? Nah, let’s give the state capitol a $50 million makeover because screw it! [Sun-Times]
Not AAA rated
There’s a site called “Ghetto Tracker” that tells you what neighborhoods in cities are allegedly unsafe or not and there are only a million different offensive things about this. [GhettoTracker]
Hot stuff
Someone in Britain claims a building melted their car. It kinda makes sense when you read it. [Sun-Times]
Bear down!
It’s Opening Week for the Bears so it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. [Sun-Times]
Swimtacular
More from Diana Nyad a day after she completed her historic swim. [L.A. Times]
The Bright One
A special one for today: Singer-songwriter Neko Case, whose new LP is out today and is wonderful in a million different ways, talks to the legendary Mavis Staples for the Chicago Reader. [The Reader]
Commute
Sudoku; Weather; Traffic; CTA; Metra; Flight delays
And finally
Oh, like YOU have never had to deal with a drunk moose preventing you from entering your house. [N.Y. Daily News]
