Did you know that the Latino population in Illinois rose by a half-million in the past decade, but only about 30,000 of those new Latinos were Chicagoans? It all reflects the radical shifts in our population, including the more than 180,000 African-Americans and 60,000 white residents who left Chicago for various reasons over the same period.

Two people whose particular expertise covers Latino issues and population trends join us this week. Sylvia Puente heads the Latino Policy Forum, and Chip Mitchell reports from WBEZ’s Humboldt Park Bureau.

The struggle to find an equitable redistricting map for the City Council in light of these new realities,  Chicago lands the G8 and NATO summit, then learns they’ll be at the same time as the Restaurant Show, and do you believe in “clean coal”? If yes, PQ has a big plant he wants to put in your back yard. That and more on this week’s Chicago Newsroom.

A mid-summer slower week in the news.  Who knew that some union city workers get paid time-and-a-half for “prepping their vehicles” before beginning the day’s work? Mayor Emanuel says quit those and other expensive practices and maybe we can eliminate furlough days.  But CPS may have to pay $75 million in back fees to compensate the police for the cops in Chicago high  schools. That just happens to be the amount the schools planned to save by skirting teacher raises. So could that contractually-agreed-to money go instead into the City budget? Art Golab (Sun-Times)  says some critics think it’s balancing the city budget on the backs of teachers.

Journalist Charlie Meyerson and We The People Media’s Ethan Michaeli also join the panel for talk about the CHA’s realignment (Critics ask why the CHA continues to tear down low-density developments like Leclaire Courts when there’s such desperate need for housing), along with the future of Taste and other festivals. And lots more.

“Shall we talk about the Blago verdict?” the host implores at the show’s open. “No”, snaps the panel. Cara Jepsen (Illinois Entertainer), Justin Kaufman (WBEZ) and Neil Tesser (CNC) have come to the Newsroom to talk media, and they don’t disappoint.   The new, fatter Tribune, Randy Michaels’ purchase of Q101 and The Loop, the surprising survival of Chicago’s print media. Spoiler Alert: This show is not Fair and Balanced.

We discuss the real, underlying causes of the “massing” crimes in touristy areas on this week’s show. Salim Muwakkil (In These Times, WVON) says there’s an air of desperation in some impoverished communities, and changes in the gang structures have led some young people to be more brazen and visible in their crimes.

Tribune columnist/blogger Eric Zorn’s also on the panel this week, along with Chicago Magazine’s Whet Moser. We explore what’s taking so long for a Blago verdict, what the recent revisions to the CHA’s drug policies will mean for residents, Ed Burke’s security detail, and much more.

This week in The Newsroom – Tough guy in a suit. Rahm Emanuel implies that he could treat unions like Scott Walker does, but he doesn’t want to. He’s kinder and gentler. But 48 hours after his state legislation limited teacher strikes, his hand-picked Board rescinded the teachers’ contractual 4% raise. We talk about the political machinations that led to this week’s vote.

Details, schmetails.  The Sun-Times’ Kate Grossman comments on our new Mayor’s tendency to glide over details, often getting things just plain wrong. She should report what the Mayor means, not what he says.

The NRA’s on one side, the gun abolitionists on the other. But Garry McCarthy says he wants to steer a center course, which he believes more accurately reflects Chicago’s values. He wouldn’t have said that if Mayor Daley was still around.

Joing Kate Grossman this week is the Reader’s Mick Dumke.

We called in two veteran Chicago observer/activists for today’s show for a “big-picture” discussion about our new mayor, the new redistricting maps, and just what it is we actually expect our governments to do and be.

Cindi Canary is immediate past president of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. She and her organization have led years-long battles for changes in campaign finance law and for a more rational approach to drawing district boundaries. Chris Robling is a Republican political strategist and commentator, and a past Chicago Board of Elections Commissioner.

Chris and the host engage in some spirited debate about the old adage that the government that governs best is that which governs least.

Our thanks to Alden Loury of the Chicago Reporter for filling in this week as host. Ken’s jury trial is wrapping up, and he’ll be back next week.

We expand our horizons well beyond Chicago this week – all the way to the Mississippi, in fact.  Carol Felsenthal (Chicago Magazine) and Chip Mitchell (WBEZ Radio) dissect the Democrats’  new redistricting maps and try to figure out who’s being forced to run against whom. It’s not a big shock to learn that the Republicans don’t do well under this new plan.  The State budget will affect many Illinoisans in many ways, but early childhood programs will take a big hit, according to Mitchell. The education cuts have Governor Quinn so perplexed, Felsenthal says, that he might actually take a stand against them.

The big winner, they tell Alden, is Mayor Emanuel. Riding the phone lines, the mayor appears to have won at least five legislators over to the pro-casino column, and with all the other “sweeteners”, including suburban and downstate casinos, it seems certain to become law. All in all, enough news to fill a half-hour – with barely a mention of Rod Blagojevich.

No show this week. Ken was called to jury duty, and we had to cancel the show at the last minute.

Two of Chicago’s most seasoned political observers visit the Newsroom this week.  It’s an all-Rahm Emanuel show, as Bruce DuMont (Beyond the Beltway, Museum of Broadcast Communications) and Ben Joravsky (Chicago Reader) share their reactions to the inaugural ceremony, the Mayor’s first city council meeting, and his approach to budgeting, education and public safety.