Good afternoon! We’re now officially in fall, and the color changes of Illinois’ foliage are expected to hit their peak in mid-October. Here’s what you need to know today.
1. Mayor Johnson’s nominee for police superintendent will likely be confirmed this week
Picking a police superintendent is one of the most consequential decisions any mayor will face.
On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to take a final vote on confirming Mayor Brandon Johnson’s nominee — Counterterrorism Chief Larry Snelling — as Chicago’s next police superintendent.
Snelling’s nomination sailed through a preliminary vote after a three-hour hearing before the council’s Police and Fire Committee on Friday.
Snelling told council members he would aggressively use “technology to address robberies and other crime patterns while supporting officers by bolstering mental health support and giving them more time off,” my colleague Tom Schuba reports.
“Throughout the hearing, the Englewood native stressed his commitment to working with Chicagoans to rebuild trust, recruit new cops and tackle the pervasive crime issues that have tarnished the city’s reputation.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
2. Cook County judges discuss their first week without cash bail
It’s been exactly one week since Illinois became the first state to completely eliminate the cash bail system.
And Cook County courtrooms are being watched closely to see how the reform plays out in real life.
“The world is looking at us,” Cook County Judge Charles Beach said.
In one courtroom, Judge Mary Marubio heard the case of a young woman accused of pepper-spraying Chicago Police officers during Mexican Independence Day festivities downtown.
The new law requires prosecutors to file a motion if they want someone held before trial. They did not in the woman’s case, so it was up to Marubio to decide what conditions should be placed on her release.
The judge noted the woman had a young child and was employed. A court assessment did not find her to be a risk or a danger. So Marubio released her on the minimum conditions all defendants must now follow: Don’t commit a new crime, and show up for court. [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Venezuelan migrants applying to work in Chicago may face a shortage of legal aid advocates
The Biden administration this month announced Venezuelan migrants currently in the U.S. will be able to work and live legally in the country for up to 18 months.
In Chicago, more than 10,000 people are expected to apply for work authorizations, a number that could overwhelm legal aid advocates, said Eréndira Rendón of the Resurrection Project, a Pilsen-based organization that provides legal aid to recent arrivals.
Advocates warn hiring a private attorney could cost around $2,000, a price that could drive migrants to unqualified sources, my colleague Michael Loria reports.
Paula Roa, an immigration attorney who’s been providing legal assistance to migrants at police stations, said the city should support legal aid clinics to make sure migrants have the resources they need.
“These people want to work, they want to be sustainable. They don’t want to be in this tent city,” she said. “The faster they can get work is the faster they can not be a burden on the city.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. The U.S. nears a federal government shutdown
Congress has until Saturday to pass a funding plan and avert a government shutdown. But internal fighting within the House GOP is increasing the likelihood Congress will miss that deadline.
If a funding plan isn’t approved, many government services could be disrupted and cause a ripple effect in Illinois, local officials warn.
Democratic Rep. Sean Casten says he and other lawmakers received a list of government employees who would be furloughed in the event of a shutdown, which includes about 244,000 people from the Department of Homeland Security, WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal reports.
“Which means people defending our borders, people working T.S.A. at the airports would just be sent home,” Casten said. [WBEZ]
Here’s a look at what services might be impacted by a shutdown and which have enough money to remain open. [Reuters]
5. Preservationists seek to protect massive century-old grain silos on Chicago’s Southwest Side
The large concrete structures known as the Damen Silos can be seen from the Stevenson Expressway or the CTA’s Orange Line.
Constructed in 1906 and 1933, the buildings are now slated to be demolished after being sold last year to a new owner, who plans to redevelop the 23-acre property. But Preservation Chicago wants the city to consider making the old grain elevator into a landmark.
WBEZ contributor Robert Loerzel today looks at the colorful history of the buildings, which helped the city become an economic powerhouse.
“The silos have a backstory with all the elements of Chicago intrigue: fires, financial misdealings, worker deaths in the early years and, in more recent decades, serving as a setting for gonzo artmaking and for a big purchase by a politically connected family. Today, their future poses a big question for Chicago,” Loerzel writes. [WBEZ]
Here’s what else is happening
Hollywood screenwriters reached a tentative agreement with major studios, shifting the focus to striking actors. [AP]
Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., rejects calls from his fellow Democrats to resign amid an indictment on bribery charges. [BBC]
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will debate each other with Fox News host Sean Hannity moderating. [Hollywood Reporter]
New census data finds 1 in every 5 Chicagoans identifies as Mexican. [WBEZ]
Oh, and one more thing …
Here’s something I hope I never have to deal with: being stuck upside down on an amusement ride that stalled 75 feet in the air.
For nearly half an hour, thrill-seekers on a lumberjack ride at a Canadian amusement park remained upside down.
A spokesperson for the Canada’s Wonderland theme park in Vaughan, Ontario, didn’t say what caused the ride to abruptly stop.
In some videos posted on social media, park staff using a megaphone can be heard asking, “Is everyone doing OK up there?” And the crowd of riders shouts back “No!” in near-unison. [NPR]
Tell me something good ...
October is quickly approaching, and I’ve been in the mood for scary stuff. What’s one of your favorite scary movies or stories?
I watched The Barbarian last year and did not know what I was getting myself into. I can’t remember the last time a movie gave me goosebumps like that. It’s definitely a movie you should not watch alone.
I also recently finished the first season of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Feel free to share your favorite scary movies or stories, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.
