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Good morning, Chicago. On Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois has “cooled off a bit” on recent COVID-19 progress. His comments came as state health officials reported 2,630 new known cases of the coronavirus — the highest daily case count in a month — as well as 42 additions fatalities.
Meanwhile, early voting in Illinois is underway. If you’re planning to vote in person, here’s a guide to everything you need to know before heading to the polls.
Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.
Trading barbs through plexiglass shields, Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris turned the only vice presidential debate of 2020 into a dissection of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris labeling it “the greatest failure of any presidential administration.”
Pence, who leads the president’s coronavirus task force, acknowledged that “our nation’s gone through a very challenging time this year,” yet vigorously defended the administration’s overall response to a pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans.
Analysis: 8 key takeaways from the Pence-Harris VP debate, including the pandemic looming over a more civil fight
The vast majority of sexual assault and abuse reports made to the Chicago Police Department in the past decade — between 80% and 90% — have not resulted in an arrest, according to a study of city data released Thursday.
The findings in the report by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation reflect the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing problem with clearance rates, but also shine a light on the traumatizing effects the lack of arrests can have on victims, advocates said, many of whom rarely report such crimes at all because of fears the system will challenge and doubt them.
Nearly two months into the school year, Illinois public health officials said they have verified COVID-19 outbreaks in at least 44 school buildings across the state, but they declined to say where those cases occurred and acknowledged they may not know the full scope of the virus’s spread in schools.
Survivors of COVID-19 wrestle with questions about God and purpose; one man shares his story.
On the dresser in Emanuele Morso’s hospital room stand two religious artifacts. One he brought from home — a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel holding baby Jesus. The other is a crucifix given to Morso by Susan Doubet, a chaplain at the Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, where he is recovering after contracting COVID-19 in June.
Doubet works in spiritual care and helps patients sort through complex questions, such as why they are alive when others are not, and what to do about the way life looks now.
The 25 best pizzas in Chicago — from scrappy newcomers to beloved classics
It seems like nothing, not even a pandemic, can stop Chicago pizza. It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has devastated the restaurant industry, causing an unprecedented number of closures, with more potentially on the way. This moment might seem like the worst time to hunt for Chicago’s best pizza. Yet, this year has seen a surprising number of incredible pizzerias open — here are the 25 best.
Lou Malnati’s calls ‘Emily in Paris’ deep-dish dig ‘heartless and not humorous’
