“Obama To Make His Presidential Farewell Address In Chicago”

Since George Washington penned his farewell address in 1796, announcing he would not seek reelection and laying out his hopes and fears for the blossoming country, presidential farewell speeches have become an treasured tradition in the peaceful and democratic transfer of power. President Obama announced Monday that his farewell speech will be Tuesday, Jan. 10 in Chicago. It will be held at McCormick Place, the venue for Obama's 2012 Election Night celebration. In announcing the speech, Obama said he's just starting to write his remarks but he's "thinking about them as a chance to say thank you for this amazing journey, to celebrate the ways you've changed this country for the better these past eight years, and to offer some thoughts on where we all go from here.” Presidential farewell speeches have historically been a chance for presidents to defend their accomplishments and lay out their hopes for the future. In some cases, the speeches have included pointed warnings that resonate long after the speech has ended.

In Other News There were 762 murders in Chicago in 2016. It was the deadliest year in nearly two decades. There was more than a 50% increase in murders in just one year. Chicago hit 500 homicides before the end of the summer in 2016. In 2015, the city had less than 500 homicides total. Five police districts on the south and west sides of the city accounted for nearly two-thirds of the increase in murders. The day-to-day breakdown of those figures is alarming. For example, there were 12 murders on Father's Day weekend alone. The youngest victim was just 16. And crime didn't subside over the holidays. On Christmas weekend, 12 people were killed, and police investigated 27 shootings. But Chicago isn't necessarily the murder capital of the United States. New Orleans, St. Louis, Detroit, Baltimore and Newark all have higher figures when you drill down to a per-capita rate. New York's Long-Awaited Second Avenue Subway Finally Leaves The Station http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507898727/new-yorks-long-awaited-second-avenue-subway-finally-leaves-the-station