News Net Aldermen approve legislation cracking down on protests pre-G8 summit

Since sifting through dull newspapers, hyperbolic blogs, and overflowing RSS feeds for meaningful news can be an arduous process, News Net catches and compiles both the amusing and the significant reports that were overlooked throughout the week. Here are some things to think about as the weekend begins.

• As expected, the City Council overwhelmingly approved two ordinances Mayor Emanuel introduced to crack down on protests expected during the upcoming NATO and G8 summits. The first ordinance, which aimed to tighten rules for parade organizers, was approved 45-4, while a second ordinance raising the fine for protesters accused of resisting arrest and giving the mayor blanket spending authority was approved 41-5. The ordinances also give Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy the power to deputize trained law enforcement from other states to help with security and the closing of public parks two hours longer than usual each day of the summit. Both critics and advocates of the ordinances certainly have valid points, but allowing the police and essentially one man (Rahm) to garner such an amount of power is unsettling, to say the least. One might observe that depriving people of their liberties and 1st Amendment rights to secure order will more than likely have the polar opposite effect. Traditionally progressive Alderman Joe Moreno explained why he voted yes on the ordinances, saying he doesn’t believe that the particulars of the ordinance significantly curtail 1st Amendment rights.

• Rumors abound that skinny jean enthusiast and legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen will play Wrigley Field in September. The Boss will be touring at that time to promote his upcoming album, Wrecking Ball. The ticket scalping service Empire Tickets already has a Sep. 8 date for the Boss’ rumored concert listed, but tickets are not yet on sale. If Springsteen does in fact play Wrigley, it would be the second major show scheduled to hit the Friendly Confines this year. Roger Waters previously announced he would bring a tour of the The Wall to town in June. One can only hope the rumors are true, because while the bandana may be retired, dude can still bring it.

• After weeks of disagreements and finger-pointing and loud noises, the City Council approved a new map for Chicago’s 50 wards by a vote of 41-8. However, there are still some who expect dissidents of the new ward map to sue the city, costing taxpayers millions. Freshman Ald. Nicholas Sposato (36th) said “there’s no doubt in my mind the city’s going to be sued over this and we’re gonna have to be spending money we don’t have to defend a lawsuit.” Sposato also called the new map “borderline criminal” and “an embarrassment.” Sposato and Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) planned to delay the vote but were blocked by uber-influential Ald. Ed Burke (14th), who was able to force the vote without a delay. Fioretti’s 2nd Ward was hit the hardest by the remap. With the new map the 2nd Ward is moved from the Near South and West sides to the North side—including parts of Lincoln Park, East Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Avondale, and Logan Square. Fioretti believes the map shows a lack of sensitivity with “neighborhoods being cut up and divided up, parishes being divided up and cut up.” Much of Lincoln Park was originally set to be divided but many of those changes were reversed and the majority of the area will stay in the 43rd Ward. The remap also shifts the northeastern-most parts of Lakeview from the 46th Ward with Uptown to the north, joining the 44th Ward with most of the rest of Lakeview. After all of this, the new map will not go into effect for another three years. 

• Streeterville resident and aspiring wave shredder Rex Flodstrom, 40, was busted by cops for illegally catching some gnarly Lake Michigan waves this past week. Flodstrom was ripping some rare winter swells off the Oak Street Beach before returning to shore, where he was greeted by some totally square police officers who locked him in some “pretty tight handcuffs,” confiscated his board, and said “pretty hostile stuff” about sending him to Cook County jail where he would likely get abused, Flodstrom said. Police held him in custody for more than four hours and charged Flodstrom with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and violating a park district ordinance for being at a closed beach. Oak Street Beach is not one of the four beaches that legally allows surfing during the winter. The painter, poet, and online tea company employee is training to pursue a professional surfing career and said he plans to plead not guilty. Flodstrom hopes Chicago will change the city’s surfing rules, believing in a world like so many of us hope will one day exist where “surfers are free to surf everywhere when there are waves.”

• Mayor Rahm Emanuel is among more than 75 mayors across the United States that have pledged full support for same-sex marriage. As mayors converged upon Washington today for the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the group announced the launch of “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry,” a bipartisan coalition in support of marriage for gay and lesbian couples. “Marriage is a recognition of love, and the state should not be in the business of discriminating,” Emanuel told reporters Thursday. Rahm said he believes it’s the “right thing and it’s consistent with our values.”

• While everyone else was busy blacking out Wednesday, Rob Lowe decided to fuck with Peyton Manning. Lowe took to Twitter, posting, “Hearing my fave, #18 Peyton Manning will not return to #NFL. Wow. #Colts.” Colts owner Jim Irsay one-upped Lowe with his own faux rumor, tweeting, “My sources tell me Rob will star in an epic remake of Deep Throat with aging porn stars and four fingered circus clowns!” Also, did we mention the première of Rob Lowe as Drew Peterson finally arrives this Saturday night? Drew Peterson himself may even be watching from his jail cell. DVR engage!

• As recommended by a City Council committee Tuesday, the family of an autistic teen who say their son was beaten by police could receive a $525,000 settlement. On April 22, 2009 Oscar Guzman, then 16, was struck in the head with a retractable baton after police followed the teen into his family’s Little Village restaurant. The blow caused a four-centimeter laceration and had to be closed up with staples. This reportedly occurred despite efforts by the family and Oscar himself to explain he had special needs. The officers claimed Guzman had reached towards his waistband before entering the restaurant, suggesting he might have had a weapon, and that he was struck “inadvertently” after pushing an officer. Ald. Ray Suarez said this a “clear, clear, clear case of abuse” and suggested the payment wasn’t adequate.