? Below: A reported sexual assault near University of Chicago's campus has put fraternity safety problems in the spotlight.
?️ Plus: The lobbyists stocking Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton's campaign war chest, takeaways from our CPS School Board president forum and more news you need to know.
? Keeping score :The Bulls beat the Bucks, 125-104; the Fire lost to the Union, 3-1.
?️ Today's weather: Showers with a high near 63.
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⏱️: An 8-minute read
Inside the war chest: As she vies to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is accepting a number of campaign contributions from lobbyists representing special interests, records show. In total, Stratton has raised more than $5 million since the beginning of last year, while her opponent, Republican Don Tracy, has reported less than $400,000.
The sources: Some of the lobbyists work for firms that lobby Illinois' state government, overseen by her political ally and benefactor, Gov. JB Pritzker. Others work for firms that lobby Congress and other arms of the federal government. The lobbyists or their firms represent clients at the state and federal levels over subjects that include technology, education, energy and finance, records show.
Key context: Much of that money has come since Stratton was endorsed last November by the campaign reform organization End Citizens United after the group lauded Stratton for "refusing corporate PAC donations and pledging to crack down on dark money in politics."
No one in custody: No arrests have been made in the day since the University of Chicago announced that school officials had identified a man accused of sexual assault at an off-campus Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity party. A police report first obtained by the Sun-Times showed a woman reported being assaulted early Sunday at the frat house.
Safety in spotlight: Alpha Epsilon Pi isn't officially recognized by UChicago, and the people involved weren't students. That raises questions about what the university can do and how fraternities and colleges can improve safety.
School board showdown: The three candidates vying to become the first elected Chicago School Board president sharpened the choices for voters at a forum we hosted with WBEZ and Chalkbeat Chicago on Wednesday. The forum was broadcast from WBEZ's studios in front of an audience made up of Chicago Public Schools students, who also asked questions.
Taking a stance: With just three weeks until Election Day, candidates Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez and Victor Henderson offered differing views on a range of topics, from school ratings to potential school closings to dealing with the school district's struggling finances.
Candidates' controversies: Each candidate has baggage their opponents have called disqualifying, but on Wednesday, Henderson and Dominguez blamed Biggs for resurfacing controversies that have followed their campaigns. Hours after the forum, the inspector general's office at CPS announced it closed its recently reopened investigation into allegations that Dominguez had inappropriate conduct with a minor in 2017.
See for yourself: Head here for our key takeaways. Watch the full forum broadcast above or head here.
Mayor's veto survives: During Wednesday's City Council meeting, Mayor Brandon Johnson's fourth veto survived an attempted override, preventing alderpersons from making it more difficult to issue city debt by raising the threshold for approval from 26 votes to 30 votes.
Emotional debate: The vote allowed Johnson to avoid what would have been a humiliating defeat by the slimmest of margins. Before the vote, Budget Committee Chair Jason Ervin (28th) delivered an impassioned speech, accusing his colleagues of targeting Johnson because he is Black.
Settlement OK'd: The Council also agreed to pay a $260.8 million global settlement to 17 plaintiffs framed for murders by corrupt former Chicago Police Det. Reynaldo Guevara, in an effort to avoid "runaway" jury verdicts a city attorney warned could have topped $1 billion.
'Smart Streets' expanded: Additionally, the Council expanded a program using surveillance cameras on CTA buses and city vehicles to catch and automatically ticket motorists parked in bus and bike lanes.
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
Meet your candidate: Christian Mitchell, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois, and Aaron Del Mar, the GOP's lieutenant governor hopeful, join the show.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
Today's clue: 1A: Bulls player Essengue
"Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story" is like a game plan where the coaches write down the first 15 offensive snaps in advance, and the team follows that script to the letter. It's a predictable, time-tested, winning formula, with few surprises and a high degree of safety.
Filmed during the blistering heat of July (kudos to the actors and extras wearing their winter layers), this third entry in the "Holiday Touchdown" franchise (after Kansas City and Buffalo) brings the Hallmark recipe to Chicago.
This is a warm-hearted, eggnog-laced version of Chicago during the holidays, where it's all about the open-air holiday market, singing Christmas karaoke, getting together with family — and rooting for the Bears to beat those Packers.
There are a number of cameos from real-life current and former Bears, notably Coach Ben Johnson, Colston Loveland and Peanut Tillman.
Loveland, quarterback Caleb Williams and general manager Ryan Poles were among the team members who attended the movie’s premiere Tuesday at the Gorton Center in Lake Forest. The movie airs 7 p.m. Saturday on the Hallmark Channel.
What's your chilly weather comfort food? Where in Chicago can you find it made best?
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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Michael Lansu
