Good afternoon! I’m holed up in a dark room in the back of my apartment and staying away from the outside world, a statement that would probably raise more concern if we weren’t in the middle of a heat wave. Here’s what you need to know today.
1. The dangerous heat in the Chicago area reaches its peak
It felt like 116 degrees today in some parts of Chicago, just shy of the highest heat index recorded for the area — 118 degrees in 1995, according to the National Weather Service.
And temperatures recorded at O’Hare reached 98 degrees, breaking the previous daily record of 97 degrees set in 1947, the weather service said.
The heat and humidity is expected to linger into tonight, with temperatures expected to fall only to the mid-70s after nightfall, reports my colleague Emmanuel Camarillo.
“The magnitude of anticipated heat, combined with oppressive warmth at night will lead to hazardous conditions, particularly for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions,” the National Weather Service said. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Tomorrow’s forecast is expected to be similar, with a low around 80 degrees, which would be a new record for the day, The Washington Post reports.
More than 110 million Americans are under heat alerts, with warnings issued for parts of 19 states, including all of Illinois.
Temperatures in the Chicago area are expected to fall as the heat wave returns mainly to the South. [Washington Post]
In Lawrence, Kan., the heat index reached 134 degrees Monday afternoon. And in Ottawa, Kan., it felt like 130 degrees. [Washington Post]
2. Bridgeport, home to the White Sox for more than a century, contemplates a future without the team
Businesses and residents in the South Side neighborhood said it would be “heartbreaking” and “devastating” if the White Sox moved from the area after its lease at Guaranteed Rate Field expires in six years.
“The White Sox are our family and we’re their family,” said Carrie Stegniller, a manager, bartender and server at the nearby Turtle’s Bar and Grill.
The possibility of the team moving is serious enough that a Chicago developer is preparing a bid, reports Crain’s Chicago Business. Potential locations for a new stadium could be in the city, the nearby suburbs or even Nashville, Tenn. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Ald. Nicole Lee, who represents the Bridgeport neighborhood in the City Council, said “everything should be on the table” to keep the White Sox from moving, with the exception of demolishing Guaranteed Rate Field. [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Tonight’s the first GOP presidential debate. Some Illinois Republicans would rather talk about something else.
Many current and former Republicans in Illinois are steering clear of wading into the realities of the national Republican landscape. And some are planning to skip the debate entirely, my colleague Tina Sfondeles reports.
“I’m not gonna watch it,” former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar said.
The lukewarm response from some Republicans highlights the party’s difficult position in Illinois.
In order to win a statewide office, the GOP must gain support from former President Donald Trump’s base without alienating more moderate conservatives in the Chicago area.
Don Tracy, the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, has vowed to rebuild the party by gearing up support in Chicago’s suburbs and embracing early voting and vote-by-mail. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. Pandemic-era surcharges at restaurants may be here to stay
Restaurants across Chicago began adding surcharges during the pandemic as a way to help stay in business.
And they’ve become even more common years later, making dining out more expensive and frustrating customers, Block Club Chicago reports.
“The fees — some as high as 25 percent — have become so widespread that some in the restaurant industry believe they’re the new normal, like airline baggage fees,” Block Club reports.
Restaurant owners and industry experts say the surcharges are still around because of inflation, a labor shortage and high credit card processing fees, among other things.
“One week pork is up, the next week dairy is up, the next week it’s cheese. It’s very hard,” said Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association. [Block Club Chicago]
5. What to do if your apartment is too hot
Chicago has a law on the books that requires landlords to keep all apartments warm during the winter, but the city doesn’t have a similar rule to keep them cool during the summer.
My colleague David Struett takes a look at what you can do if your apartment is too hot.
Buildings for seniors must have air conditioning in all common indoor spaces, while other buildings must have at least one air-conditioned common area. And landlords must maintain existing units.
Residents can also seek refuge at Chicago’s public libraries and Park District field houses. The city also has several cooling centers available, with one location open 24 hours. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Here’s what else is happening
Mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who staged a brief rebellion against Moscow, was on the passenger list of a jet that crashed in Russia. [AP]
India today became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole. [AP]
A rare spotless giraffe was born in a Tennessee zoo. [NPR]
Former Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael is on the brink of making the Hall of Fame. [Chicago Sun-Times]
Oh, and one more thing …
Something I struggle dealing with is failure. I’ll often beat myself up if an art project I’m working on doesn’t come out the way I expected.
So I was interested to learn today about self-proclaimed “failure advocate” Hayet Rida, who opened a boutique in Bucktown the same month she was laid off from her corporate job.
“The best way of protecting my mental health was to allow myself to crumble,” Rida said.
Rida’s boutique is defying the typical rules of brick-and-mortar retail, my colleague Samantha Callender reports. In the span of a year, Rida has gone from an e-commerce designer to a boutique owner to a featured name at New York Fashion Week, a timeline that would be enviable for anyone in retail. [WBEZ]
Tell me something good ...
With the new school year here, what advice do you have for students as they navigate life?
CB writes:
“As a retired public high school teacher the advice I offered my students and still offer ANYONE, including myself: Let go of outcome. Focus on process. When you focus on the doing, outcome takes care of itself. Another way of saying this is, engage in the learning — let go of the grade.”
And Jerry Levy writes:
“My best advice to students is this: Be persistent! When my daughter couldn’t do a cartwheel, we practiced every night until she finally got it. That became a metaphor later in life when she was challenged with a daunting task and wanted to give up. I’d tell her, ‘This is just another cartwheel — keep at it, you’ll do it.’ ”
Feel free to email me, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
