News RoundUp • Mikkey Halsted Opens Hyde Park Restaurant, Hannibal Hosts #JusticeForFlint & More
Mikkey Halsted Opens Restaurant
They often say that the best second act for those in the public sphere is the service sector and it looks like local rapper Mikkey Halsted heard the same advice, opening a new restaurant named 'Mikkey's Retro Grill' in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the place appears to be a true multifaceted property that will stay open until 4 AM as 'Hyde Park's Newest Late Night Spot'.
Located just off the corner of 53rd St. and Hyde Park Ave and offers an array of options across the board from chicken and waffles in the morning to several organic and health-conscious options for later in the day. Lunch and dinner won't break the bank with sandwiches, wings and an assortment of diner food at a nice low price point of between $5.99-7.99.
The announcement of the restaurant comes after forays into management following a successful but somewhat frustrating hip-hop career that was a foundational shift for many of the eyes that eventually found big names around the city and is a further investment in the Hyde Park community.
Hannibal Buress Will Host A #JusticeForFlint Benefit
Chicago's own Hannibal Burress has been enjoying a newfound notoriety over the last year or so and will use that name recognition for good this week, announcing that he will host a #JusticeForFlint Benefit that will air opposite the Academy Awards.
In a sort of about face for African-American actors and entertainers pushed to the side by the academy this year, the benefit will feature a handful of black actors, directors, producers and the like will join the Blackout for Human Rights organizers at Flint’s Whiting Auditorium which will be livestreamed by Revolt.tv. Ryan Coogler, director for Creed and Ava DuVernay, director of Selma will be in the building, seeing as they were also passed over for nominations this year.
The benefit is a nice way for those who may be choosing to skip the Oscars to support an issue that has grown into a national argument. In a statement to Buzzfeed, Coogler said, “With the #JUSTICEFORFLINT benefit event we will give a voice to the members of the community who were the victims of the choices of people in power who are paid to protect them, as well as provide them with a night of entertainment, unity, and emotional healing. Through the live stream we will also give a chance for people around the world to participate, and to donate funds to programs for Flint’s youth.”
Red Light Cameras Deemed Illegal
A Cook County Judge ruled this week that Chicago's infamous red light cameras violated motorist's due process rights in dismissing a lawsuit from the City. The decision keeps alive a lawsuit to have the city refund the fines from the tickets which were classified as 'VOID' after the judge's ruling.
The cameras have racked up hundreds in millions of dollars in fines since they were implemented in 2003 and have been a consistent source of negativity from citizens to city hall. The lawsuit which is approaching class action status "argued the city violated a requirement to issue a second notice of violation before a determination of liability was issued against motorists."
The City, of course is pushing for no refunds on the tickets.
Apple Protest Interrupted by Laquan McDonald Protest
The people of Chicago have a message for Apple CEO Tim Cook: we have bigger problems.
That seemed to be the underlying message Tuesday as crowds of people who turned to the streets to protest in favor of the tech giant's unwillingness to create a skeleton key for their iPhone technology were overwhelmed by the continued protests against Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State's Attorney Anita Alvarez for their role in the Laquan McDonald cover up. Continuing a trend that began following the release of the dash cam videos of officer Jason Van Dyke emptying all of his sixteen bullets into the lifeless body of the 16-year-old McDonald, protestors continued to make sure that their message was pushed ahead of issues that have a larger stake in national conversation and daily lives.
The rally outside the downtown flagship store was planned by Fight for the Future, an organization that advocates for privacy for Internet users and opposes Web censorship. The rally was organized in response to Cook's recent open letter opposing government efforts to have the Cupertino-based company to create a back door to their security features to access the cell phone of a shooting suspect in the San Bernadino killings late last year.
A group of protestors marching from the Thompson Center to Michigan Avenue allegedly saw the media cameras covering the Apple rally and interrupted, demanding the attention for their cause.
