How is everyone’s weekend going? Thanks for spending a portion of it with the Six.
Today we share articles on state lawmakers and the vaccine mandate debate; the famous dollar menu, when fast food cost only $1, may be retired for good; former Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen can’t stop burning bridges and how a family dog in the northwest USA got rescued from the jaws of a cougar.
Let’s proceed with the Six.
HCRCA and the Debate Over Vaccine Mandates.
In October, the Illinois legislature narrowly passed changes made to the Health Care Right of Conscious Act. Those who lobbied for the new measures said it was to prevent employees from dodging the vaccine mandate. Those opposed said the new legislation was an assault on personal liberties. The debate continues in Springfield (and all over the country) amongst lawmakers and the Chicago Tribune has a comprehensive piece on what it all means.
Say Goodbye To The Dollar Menu.
I noticed the surge in fast food prices when I went through the McDonald’s drive thru late one Friday night about a month ago. Ordered three McChicken sandwiches (hold the mayo) and large fries. I expected the order to be in the $5 range. It was $12. Unbeknownst to me, the $1 sandwiches are not longer a dollar. Because of supply chain issues, labor shortage, inflation, etc., McDonald’s anticipates raising its prices by six percent this year, according to this article from El American. Next time I go to the drive thru, I’ll make sure I have a $20 bill handy.
Scottie Pippen Continues His Bridge-Burning Tour.
This story did not get a ton of press in Chicago. Mostly, I think the Michael Jordan documentary last year is seen as the definitive observance of the Bulls dynasty. We’re over it. But Scottie Pippen, ever the attention-starved little brother to MJ, wants his day in the sun. Pippen has a new book out and nothing helps move media than a character assassination. Pippen refers to Jordan, his teammate for all six Bulls NBA titles, as “selfish, hypocritical and insensitive” in his book. This comes after Pippen called former coach Phil Jackson “racist” earlier this year. My guess is there won’t be a 25th reunion of the Last Dance team in 2022-23.
Riding the Waves and Coming of Age.
Stumbled on this story on Twitter this week and I knew I had to include it in the Six. A truly heartfelt piece from Texas Highways about a surfer grappling with a dark family secret that begins in post-World War II Nevada and the detonation of the first nuclear bomb. A terrific piece of narrative storytelling.
The Rise and Fall of the Jack Daniel’s Fundraising Committee.
A few years ago, leaders of Washington D.C.’s police union came up with an idea. They could make money selling whiskey - specifically Jack Daniel’s - on the internet. They soon became overwhelmed with orders "$38,000 has been collected, just on PayPal,” said Marcello Muzzatti, a retired D.C. police officer and the lodge’s past president in a quote from the article. Thousands of bottles were sold…until regulators caught up with them. The jig was up. The Washington Post tells the story of the whiskey racket’s rise and fall.
Cougar Attacks Dog in Washington State.
Never a headline Illinois dog-owners have to worry over. But in the northwest, cougars do invade suburbia. That’s what happened in Oregon, as the family dog wandered up a tree only to be confronted by…a cougar. A local Portland news station has the story and always always entertaining video interview of the dog’s owner explaining how he rescued “Molly” from the puma’s clutches.
Have a great rest of your weekend everybody. Thanks for reading as always.
Have a suggestion for the Sunday Six? Send email to jon@jonjkerr.com