In the Loop

A Cook County Forest Preserve District police officer resigned this week after he was caught on video ignoring a woman’s calls for help. The Justice Department told Congress it is reinvestigating Emmett Till’s 1955 slaying after receiving “new information.” Meanwhile, State Rep. Christian Mitchell was named the Interim Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Those are just a few of the criminal justice and politics stories the Morning Shift breaks down in this week’s Friday News Roundup.

Lester Rey makes music he calls the “Reinvention of Latin Soul.” His music, lyrics, and general aesthetic draw on everything from Reggaeton to Rumba, Chillout to Hip Hop, anime to fashion. His heroes include salsa legend Hector Lavoe and the politically outspoken rap duo Calle 13. As part of our summer music series, Lester Rey joins us to talk about everything from his upbringing in the Pentecostal Church to his groundbreaking video with trans rapper Lila Star.

Lester Rey makes music he calls the “Reinvention of Latin Soul.” His music, lyrics, and general aesthetic draw on everything from Reggaeton to Rumba, Chillout to Hip Hop, anime to fashion. His heroes include salsa legend Hector Lavoe and the politically outspoken rap duo Calle 13. As part of our summer music series, Lester Rey joins us to talk about everything from his upbringing in the Pentecostal Church to his groundbreaking video with trans rapper Lila Star.

There’s a new front in the Straw Wars and it’s taking place at the world’s most popular coffee house chain. This week, Starbucks announced it will phase out its disposable plastic straws in all its 28,000 stores around the world by 2020. The move follows Seattle’s total ban on plastic straws and utensils amid growing concern and awareness about how these little plastic drinking tubes are wreaking havoc on the environment- specifically our water world.

There’s a new front in the Straw Wars and it’s taking place at the world’s most popular coffee house chain. This week, Starbucks announced it will phase out its disposable plastic straws in all its 28,000 stores around the world by 2020. The move follows Seattle’s total ban on plastic straws and utensils amid growing concern and awareness about how these little plastic drinking tubes are wreaking havoc on the environment- specifically our water world.

How a US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Could Impact the Nation's High Court.

How a US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Could Impact the Nation's High Court.

Advocates Stake Out Gun-Violence ‘Hot Spots’ On South, West Sides with camp outs.

Advocates Stake Out Gun-Violence ‘Hot Spots’ On South, West Sides with camp outs.

Illinois businesses are getting hit by tariffs as more countries retaliate over moves by the Trump administration. Even though bloodshed is down overall, more than 60 kids under the age of 15 have been shot in Chicago this year. Meanwhile, a new investigation shows additional concerns about a star pediatric psychiatrist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Those are just a few of the stories the Morning Shift digs into in its Friday News Roundup this week.