Sneed: Lucas may be close to locating his museum in San Francisco

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“Star Wars” creator George Lucas. | Sun-Times file photo

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Is California dreamin’ . . . steamin’?Pssst!

Sneed’s exclusive tip June 10 that a large cadre of the Friends of the Parks board wanted to push a restart button in the contentious battle to place the Lucas Museum on the city’s lakefront — may have caused an uproar.

But all but the shouting may be over soon.

Sneed hears rumbles San Francisco, the home of “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, may have a bigger reason to smile if there is no movement by week’s end showing the Friends of the Parks are planning to drop their lawsuit claiming the Lucas project is a violation of the public trust doctrine — and tarnishes the city’s lakefront.

Woo Wookiee!

OPINION

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The police blotter . . .

Is a revolt brewing at the Chicago Police Board?

Sneed hears the agency’s door has been swinging outward big time.

Not only did two of the agency’s nine board members, Melissa Ballate and Claudia Valenzuela, exit recently — but Wednesday, the exit door swung again with the resignation of Bill Conlon, who Sneed hears was willing to accept the role of drafting a new ordinance last week, abruptly resigned.

“It’s not a revolt,” said board chief Lori Lightfoot, a highly respected jurist appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to head an agency charged with setting police policies and policing cops — whose fierce independence frustrates hizzoner.

“But it’s been a hard year for everybody,” she told Sneed — adding they had just added a new board member.

“We went through a long process to identify three candidates for police superintendent that got rejected. That started people thinking about whether they wanted to serve,” said Lightfoot.

“It’s a very hard job. You have to have a strong constitution to be in the front lines. It’s isn’t unusual to be yelled and screamed at during our hearings. You can’t be faint of heart. It goes with the territory.”

“And there are people who believe if you are associated with the mayor, you have no legitimacy,” she said.

“It’s ultimately a thankless job and you can’t be distracted. If your passion isn’t there, it doesn’t make sense to do it.”

Is Lightfoot faint of heart?

“Well, I come from tough stock; my parents grew up in the segregated South who had nothing. They believe in hard work.

“So do I.”

Pass the mustard . . . 

No ketchup, please!

Sneed hears actor Donnie “Blue Bloods” Wahlberg, and his chef brother, Paul, filmed scenes for their reality show, “Wahlburgers” at Portillo’s South Loop location recently — ordering the chili dog and two hot dogs with mustard and giardiniera.

Donnie, who lives with reality star wife Jenny McCarthy, in St. Charles, claims he frequents his local Portillo’s.

Sneedlings . . .

I spy: Singer Bobby Brown, ex-husband of the late singer Whitney Houston, spotted at Hugo’s Frog Bar in Naperville last Friday after his book-signing of “Every Little Step.”. . . The entire Colombian soccer team at lunch at Gibsons Steakhouse on Sunday. The soccer stars were in town for Wednesday’s Copa America semifinals match at Soldier Field. . . . Former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster at Harry Caray’s 7th Inning Stretch on Tuesday afternoon for lunch. . . Country singer Jana Kramer dining at Ocean Cut last Thursday after her Lake Shake Musical Festival performance. . . . Congrats to Tom Gavin and wife Linea, celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. . . . Today’s birthdays: Lionel Messi, 29; Mindy Kaling, 37, and Mo’ne Davis, 15.

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