Good afternoon! All Chicago beaches have banned swimming today because of potentially life-threatening waves. Here’s what else you need to know today.
1. Twenty years after that disgusting Dave Matthews Band incident, victims can laugh about it
Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of what’s popularly known as The Dave Matthews Band Incident.
On that sunny Sunday afternoon in 2004, a bus driver for the rock group passed over the Chicago River and discharged 800 pounds of liquid waste from the vehicle’s septic tank that passed through the steel grating of the Kinzie Street Bridge and showered dozens of passengers who were enjoying an architectural boat cruise.
A number of lawsuits were filed, including by several passengers and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who ultimately dropped the suit in exchange for the band agreeing to donate $200,000 to state environmental programs.
Tracy Dangott and his then-wife and two friends were on the part of the boat that got hit the worst, my colleague Mitch Dudek reports for the Chicago Sun-Times. He was 29, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and had a motorcycle helmet in his lap that acted like a soup bowl.
“It took me a good solid year before I could laugh at it. I was just angry and disgusted for the first six months,” said Dangott, who expects a flood of the usual texts from friends on the anniversary of the incident. [Chicago Sun-Times]
My Rundown podcast colleague Erin Allen interviewed a guest who gave a firsthand account of what it was like to be on the boat, including the crowd’s transition from “stunned silence” to “pandemonium.” [WBEZ]
2. Before the gunfight with Dexter Reed, Chicago cops made 50 traffic stops in just three days
In the days and hours before a deadly shootout with Reed, tactical police officers conducted dozens of uneventful traffic stops on Chicago’s West Side — none of which appear to have generated so much as a ticket, Tom Schuba, Andy Grimm and Matthew Hendrickson report for the Chicago Sun-Times.
As the Civilian Office of Police Accountability continues to investigate the March 21 shooting and the traffic stop that sparked it, the oversight agency has also launched an investigation to determine whether those other stops were “unjustified,” records show.
In the wake of the shooting, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling has pushed to overhaul the department’s controversial traffic stop practices under an ongoing federal consent decree.
But advocates argue the court-ordered reform is too slow to address a pressing issue that was brought into sharp focus when Reed was fatally shot. Many have called on the department to immediately disband its tactical units and to stop using traffic stops as an excuse to conduct searches. [Chicago Sun-Times]
The laborers allege in a lawsuit that they were soliciting homeowners and contractors for jobs outside a Home Depot when Chicago Police officers moonlighting as security guards handcuffed and beat them.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five Venezuelan and Colombian laborers and Latino Union of Chicago. It names two Chicago Police officers who work second jobs as security guards for the home-improvement store at 4555 S. Western Blvd.
“We seek justice for those who have been exploited and mistreated while trying to earn an honest living,” Miguel Alvelo-Rivera, executive director of Latino Union of Chicago, told reporters during a rally. “We are coming forward to demand compensation for damages, protection for seeking work and accountability from those who have perpetrated this violence.”
A police department spokesperson said the department does not comment on ongoing litigation. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is currently investigating the incidents, a spokesperson said. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. Greyhound will be booted from its West Loop station by mid-September — and the city hasn’t offered a viable alternative
The chief executive of the American bus giant says Chicago could face a major service disruption in the coming weeks — when the lease at the current station expires — if the city does not intervene, my colleague David Struett reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The bus lines’ mostly low-income riders may soon find themselves waiting outdoors with their belongings and without restrooms or protection from harsh weather if a location with indoor accommodations isn’t offered, CEO Kai Boysan told the newspaper.
Greyhound has been losing its stations one by one since 2021, when its parent company sold the company and its stations to separate buyers. As a result, Greyhound is being evicted from stations across the country. [Chicago Sun-Times]
5. Christkindlmarket will not open in Wrigleyville this year
The location at Wrigley Field will not open because of the NHL Winter Classic, but the downtown Chicago and Aurora locations will still operate.
The markets in Chicago and Aurora kick off Nov. 22, according to officials at German-American Events. The market will open for its 28th season at Daley Plaza in Chicago and its third year at RiverEdge Park in Aurora. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Meanwhile, the Polar Express train rides at Union Station were also canceled this year because of “extensive city street reconstruction” above the station, Block Club reports.
Similar Polar Express rides, which bring the book and movie of the same name to life, will still be held across the country. [Block Club Chicago]
Here’s what else is happening
- Here are five takeaways from Tim Walz’s introduction to the election. [NPR]
- Hamas has a new leader. How will that affect the war in Gaza and cease-fire efforts? [AP]
- American Cole Hocker scored a major upset in the 1,500-meter final and set an Olympic record. [NPR]
- Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ are about to get more expensive. [CNBC]
Oh, and one more thing …
A Red Orchid Theatre’s Turret and Mercury Theater Chicago’s Young Frankenstein tied for nine Equity Jeff Award nominations — the most for a single production, Erica Thompson reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
For 56 years, the awards have been recognizing excellence in Chicago’s Equity theater productions. This year, 193 artists were nominated across 34 categories for shows by 36 companies.
The Goodman Theatre leads the pack with 20 nominations for nine productions. Mercury Theater Chicago garnered 18 nominations, while Marriott Theatre received 17 nods. Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Drury Lane productions tied for 14 nominations. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Tell me something good …
This summer has been packed with great concerts, and there are a bunch more this month. So I’m wondering, what was your favorite show, whether it’s an all-time favorite or a recent highlight?
Nancy writes:
“I almost hesitate to write this, but my favorite all time concert was seeing John Denver at the Rosemont Horizon many, many years ago. It was all music without the trappings of a “show.” Great instrumental talent, clear vocals and a positive message.”
Feel free to email me, and your response may be included in the newsletter this week.
