Dan Hinkel

Keeping an Eye on the People Who Shape Your Rights Trusted reporting and powerful local voices revealing what’s happening in America’s statehouses — and how people can take action to strengthen democracy.

📻 Tune in to WCPT 820 AM today at 4 p.m. CT to hear Investigative Project on Race and Equity reporter Emeline Posner discuss their recent reporting for "Taken by Taxes," our joint project on property tax foreclosure in Cook County. buff.ly/KUDMpSt

We had all manner of Bosstones and Goldfinger et al but somehow Save Ferris stopped at the state line.

A Notorious Pitchfork Reviewer Was My Biggest Musical Influence | Defector I do not know much about music. I had no music education. An ex-girlfriend told me my karaoke version of “Wonderwall” was the worst thing she’d ever heard. I cannot find the beat; my wife laughs at my...

Glad Defector is playing Dan McQuade's hits after his death because I love his stroll through the 90s internet and music fandom. I lived through it but didn't know what Save Ferris sounded like. I won't say I'm better off knowing, but I'm also not worse off. RIP to Dan and many things described here

The Garden State Parkway's Jon Bon Jovi Rest Stop Is Playing Fast And Loose With Famous Quotes | Defector CHEESEQUAKE, N.J. — Have you ever scored a touchdown? I never played real football, so my own experiences have been pretty low-key, but man, did they feel great. I think I remember almost all of them—...

McQuade personally used the power of the press to get the Jon Bon Jovi Rest Stop to take down the "Acting is like scoring a touchdown" quote erroneously attributed to Ed Harris. What have you ever done?
defector.com/the-garden-s...

Dan McQuade, 1983–2026 | Defector Dan McQuade, our friend and colleague, died this week at the age of 43. He is survived by his wife and young son. At the end of 2024, Dan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. The news of his diag...

Rest in peace to one of the great bloggers and the de facto mayor of Philadelphia. It was my honor and pleasure to work with him. defector.com/dan-mcquade-...

“The Menswear Guy can be tedious, but he knows his stuff—he had some really nice things to say about Jimmy Sweatpants last week,” I say to my wife as she quickly puts on headphones

‘CBS Evening News’: Tony Dokoupil Under Fire for Interviewing His Own Mom Viewers accuse CBS News of 'dumbing down.'

Tuesday morning:
New CBS boss promises “huge emphasis on scoops.”

Tuesday evening:
CBS Evening News anchor interviews his mom.

www.yahoo.com/entertainmen...

Porter wrote to the Cook Co. Conviction Integrity Unit -- prosecutors tasked with freeing the innocent -- in 2013. They rejected him. 13 years later, a judge tossed his case, and he's free pending retrial. This shares similarities with many cases detailed in my @injusticewatch.org series on the CIU.

We're still taking applications! Let me know if you have any questions.

These Chicago chefs and restaurants won 2026 Banchet Awards, the top local food honors The annual event recognizes the best in Chicago’s local culinary scene. Top honors went to Indienne in River North and chef John Manion of El Che and Brasero.

Congratulations to Little Clown Pizza for winning every single one of these awards again.

Please pitch us! - Bolts If you have a story pitch that would fit Bolts, we would love to hear from you.

Bolts is always looking to work with freelancers to report on critical voting rights and criminal justice stories across the United States.

If you have a story that you think would fit Bolts, here is how to pitch us:

announcer voice:

fran leeeeebowiiiiiiiiiiitz

Paula Poundstone, ladies and gentlemen

Worth noting that one reason you’re benefitting so fully from the Star-Tribune’s timely, extensive coverage of unfolding events is that it’s a metro newspaper that hasn’t been systematically starved to further enrich shareholders and executives.

BREAKING: The Tribune confirmed on Instagram that the man shot has died, according to two sources with knowledge of the incident.

ICE attempted to order local police from the scene, but Chief Brian O'Hara refused, sources also told the Tribune. O'Hara instructed his officers to preserve the scene.

Detained by ICE, two women became first responders during agent’s seizure The women say they guided agents through the emergency, later raising concerns about medical protocols, weapons safety and accountability.

Two women trained as first responders were abducted by three ICE agents. One of the agents starts seizing. The other two don’t know what to do. The women jump into action and save the agent’s life, only to be re-handcuffed and processed.

www.startribune.com/detained-by-...

8 weeks under siege in Minnesota • Minnesota Reformer Frank has a hard time explaining to his 8-year-old daughter why they rarely leave their home in the Twin Cities. Why she can’t go to school, and why he can’t work. “The only thing we tell her is that ...

"In St. Paul, at least one-fourth of students from Spanish-speaking homes have missed every day of school since Dec. 12."

Thirty-one known defendants have been charged in Chicago with non-immigration crimes tied to “Operation Midway Blitz.”

With today’s acquittal, 15 of them have been cleared.

No one has been convicted.

As an addendum, the feds are now 0 - 15 (by my count) in prosecutions deriving from Operation Midway Blitz.

You can read more about how they keep losing here:

Took a federal jury about three hours to acquit.

#BREAKING: Federal jury finds Chicago man NOT GUILTY of offering $10K for the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino.

The trial of Juan Espinoza Martinez was the first to result from “Operation Midway Blitz”: chicago.suntimes.com/live/closing...

Ed Reed consoling Malachi Toney in a big funny hat

Absolutely dying at the idea of suffering a devastating loss and being consoled by a guy in a big funny novelty hat

Boban.

oh yeah, not sure about the brand but I've sent a number of chairs in that style to hell. To be fair, I'm a special challenge to patio furniture.

Chicago police brass had rejected troubled cop's move to elite unit before he fatally shot partner Chief of Patrol Jon Hein ultimately approved Officer Carlos Baker’s transfer despite having denied his request for the move less than a year earlier because of “discipline" problems.

Before CPD Officer Carlos Baker fatally shot his tactical team partner Krystal Rivera, Patrol Chief Jon Hein blocked his bid to join the team because of his disciplinary record.

Hein later reversed course a few months before the shooting.

chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...

this is by the Post reporter whose house was just searched by the FBI www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/u...

We’re hiring an editor in chief to execute a strategy for scrutinizing the Cook County court system, provide direction and supervision to our editorial team, and work across departments to maintain a standard of excellence that aligns with our mission. buff.ly/m2ySFTD

Defense attorneys today challenging attempts by the feds to link their client to the Latin Kings through his "affinity" for the gang:

"Counsel has an 'affinity' for the Chicago Bears, lives in Chicago, and even wears Bears' colors, but alas, is not a member of the Chicago Bears."

It has been remarkable to see the historical echoes between the Democratic response to Renee Good’s killing and the cycle of reform touched off by Laquan McDonald’s murder in Chicago. I see we are now knee-deep in the Training Discourse.

abcnews.go.com/amp/US/chica...