Good morning, Chicago.
Less than two weeks after AT&T Illinois’ bill to end mandated landline service became law in 2017, the utility’s then-president, Paul La Schiazza, allegedly received a request from a relative of House Speaker Michael Madigan to sponsor a nonprofit event.
The unidentified relative said the idea came “at the suggestion of our good friend, Mike McClain,” a former lobbyist and Madigan’s longtime confidant, according to a new prosecution filing. La Schiazza forwarded the request to a colleague in the legislative affairs department on July 12, 2017, writing “this will be endless,” according to the filing.
“I suspect the ‘thank you’ opportunities will be plentiful,’” the colleague allegedly emailed back, referring to the recent passage of AT&T’s coveted landline legislation expected to save to company millions of dollars.
“Yep,” La Schiazza allegedly responded. “We are on the friends and family plan now.”
The email exchange, which was disclosed for the first time in a recent court filing, gets to the heart of the bribery case against La Schiazza, who is set to go on trial in September on charges he approved a scheme to funnel payments to a Madigan associate in exchange for the speaker’s help passing legislation important to the company.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Ray Long.
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City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, a candidate for U.S. Congress in the 7th District, greets people on primary Election Day, on March 19, 2024, at Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen in the South Loop. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Treasurer faces additional $10,000 fine; ethics leaders chastise Johnson
The Chicago Board of Ethics issued an additional $10,000 fine to city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Monday for the firing of two top aides who alleged she misused taxpayer resources and pressured government workers to help her political allies.
The fine follows an inspector general investigation and a November probable cause finding from the board, which Conyears-Ervin was given the opportunity to rebut in the interim. In line with board policy, Conyears-Ervin was not named. A spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.
People outside the House Chamber while legislators are in session on Feb. 20, 2024, at the Illinois State Capitol. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Illinois legislators try again on statewide public defender legislation
Illinois lawmakers plan to make a second push to create a statewide office to help under-resourced public defenders after a previous effort fizzled amid questions over whether the office would remain independent of the judiciary.
The Wadsworth Elementary School migrant shelter on Oct. 18, 2023, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
City closes migrant shelter in former school on South Side
All shelter residents have been moved to neighboring shelters or to permanent housing, officials said Monday as the city announced it had “recently decompressed” the migrant shelter at the former Wadsworth Elementary School in the Woodlawn neighborhood.
Colorful toy cars, superhero figures, toys, flowers and flags adorn the gravestone of 5-year-old Andrew “AJ” Freund at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum on Dec. 5, 2019 in Palatine. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
Prosecutor opposes bill to help moms whose babies are born with drugs in system
A proposal to change the way Illinois handles new mothers with drug-use disorders is meant to prioritize treatment, but it has prompted “grave concerns” from a prosecutor who oversaw one infamous case.
A bill in Springfield would end the requirement that prosecutors be notified when a baby is born with controlled substances in his or her system and would no longer necessarily consider that evidence of child abuse.
The hope is that by taking away the threat of losing custody of a baby, mothers would be more likely to seek treatment.
Torpedo Hockey Club player, Anton Silayev seen in action during a game against SKA Saint Petersburg on March 9, 2024. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket)
Who will the Blackhawks draft with the No. 2 pick? A closer look at 5 potential options.
When the Chicago Bears held the No. 1 NFL draft pick in 2023, the phone lines were buzzing before the Bears jumped at the best offer from the Carolina Panthers. It was a different story when the Blackhawks had the No. 1 pick in last year’s NHL draft.
“Yeah, I really didn’t hear from a lot of teams,” general manager Kyle Davidson said.
Two words: Connor Bedard. Why bother?
This year’s draft on June 28-29 in Las Vegas is a different matter.
Wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) watches teammates work out during Bears rookie minicamp at Halas Hall, May 11, 2024, in Lake Forest. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
5 things we heard from Bears assistant coaches, including Caleb Williams’ drive to learn and Rome Odunze’s new mentors
After the Chicago Bears wrapped up their second practice of rookie minicamp Saturday at Halas Hall, assistant coaches met with reporters to talk about their position groups.
The interview sessions included several new coaches under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron: passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph, wide receivers coach Chris Beatty and running backs coach Chad Morton.
Here are five things we heard from the coaches.
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya and pitcher Shota Imanaga walk in from the bullpen before Imanaga’s start against the Padres at Wrigley Field on May 7, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Roku will carry MLB games on Sundays beginning this week — and viewers can watch for free without one of the devices
Roku will carry Major League Baseball games on Sundays beginning this week, and viewers will be able to watch for free and not be required to use a Roku device, the streaming service announced Monday.
Roku secured multiyear rights for MLB Sunday Leadoff games beginning with the Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals this Sunday. The telecasts will be produced in collaboration with local broadcast teams.
Stuart Rosenberg played with music groups including Rogues, the Laketown Buskers and The Otters. (Chip Covington)
In memoriam: Musician Stuart Rosenberg turned the world from ‘black and white to Technicolor’
In an area rich with musical talents and inspiring people, few combined those qualities as compellingly as did Stuart J. Rosenberg, a man of Promethean skills and accomplishments, and let us not forget an infectious good cheer.
Jessica Sedgwick and Dan Ochwat with their son Selden, at West Ridge Nature Park on May 6, 2024. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
Hiking for hops: Chicago couple’s new book uses nature and beer to explore Chicagoland
Inside the book’s pages, 30 hiking areas and breweries in the city and the surrounding suburbs come alive thanks to Dan Ochwat and Jessica Sedgwick’s helpful descriptions. More travelog than serious trail guide, the book’s prose adds color and charm to each ramble, plus tons of information about the brewhouse of the day. They share, for example, that Black Horizon Brewery in Willowbrook is one of just four Black-owned breweries in the Chicago area — and is a must-visit after a 10-mile hike and dip at nearby Waterfall Glen.
A second piping plover, in addition to Imani and wearing a green dot leg band, wades along the lake’s edge on May 13, 2024, at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
A second piping plover has joined Imani at Montrose Beach. But he’s no wingman.
The only known surviving chick of Chicago’s famous piping plover pair, Monty and Rose, has a new rival.
A second piping plover — unofficially known as Green Dot — has joined the city’s favorite avian bachelor, Imani, at the North Side’s Montrose Beach.
The newcomer, believed to be male, has been seen walking next to Imani, along a parallel path. And while that may look like wingman behavior to humans, among piping plovers, the message is different.
