Lori Lightfoot delivers “hotfoot,” reports Sun-Times item columnist Michael Sneed.

Acting like a heavy-duty mayoral candidate, Lightfoot, who is gay, recently dispatched an urgent plea to Cardinal Blase Cupich to take swift action against a Catholic priest who burned a “rainbow” flag recently to exorcise homosexuality. [Sorry, Sneed, not
homosexuality but promotion of same-sex activity.]

In the letter exclusively obtained by Sneed, Lightfoot urged Cupich to take “swift action against Rev. Paul Kalchik of Resurrection parish for his hateful act and speech . . . in defiance of your direct order.”

Kalchik, along with some parishioners, led a burning of a rainbow flag that had previously hung in the parish. He claimed to be banishing evil. [Notice common enough “claimed,” when “said” would do nicely — except when you want to declare your low opinion of what was said.]

“What’s more, in the ensuing public outcry, Rev. Kalchik has gone further and described homosexuality [no] as an act against God and stated that homosexuals are to blame for the clergy sex abuse scandal. Rev. Kalchik’s ignorant and hateful speech and actions must be addressed swiftly. . . . Please take swift action to stamp out this hate.”

Stay tuned to see how Cupich responds.

If it were ignorant and hateful, Cupich would have no choice. It isn’t, so he has leeway. After all, who is he to judge?

My day is made.

Back in late April, when the White Sox called him up from Class AAA Charlotte to replace injured Avisail Garcia, Daniel Palka couldn’t possibly have known he’d stick around for the season, let alone that he’d lead all major-league rookies with 27 home runs heading into the final week.

Palka hit a two-run shot Friday off Cubs reliever Dillon Maples in the sixth inning of the Sox’ 10-4 victory at Guaranteed Rate Field.

A natural:

“I didn’t know what to expect [this season],” Palka said. “I just wanted to make sure I made the most of every opportunity I got and made sure I produced enough that the question was there — that maybe I’d have to stay.

“In my mind, I’m not surprised because I’m just confident in what I’m doing.”

Another thing about him:

Palka’s homer was his fourth as a pinch hitter, a Sox single-season record. It also tied him for third for homers in one season by a Sox rookie. The last one to hit 27 was Zeke Bonura in 1934 (but you knew that already).

Palka’s take on rubbing elbows with such greatness?

“I saw that, and I thought it was weird that a guy in the ’30s had the name Zeke,” he said.

Well, he did, Daniel. I know, because my brother Jake talked about him. I heard the name before I could spell it. It stuck.