Congrats, it’s Friday! We did it! Great job, everyone. It looked rough there for a second. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Biden’s lead in Electoral College grows, NPR analysis finds

With less than a month until the Nov. 3 election, President Donald Trump’s outlook in the Electoral College does not appear great for his reelection chances, according to an analysis from NPR.

The analysis found that former Vice President Joe Biden currently leads Trump 290 to 163 — far above the 270 threshold for winning — when calculating states that are likely or leaning toward either candidate. [NPR]

Meanwhile, several new polls show that Trump is losing ground in Sun Belt states, most notably Arizona, that have traditionally served as GOP strongholds. As The New York Times reports, these trends suggest that crucial blocs of voters, such as the elderly and women, are abandoning Trump, and the demographics of these states are changing in ways that favor the Democratic Party.

“Cities in states like Arizona and Texas are attracting young people, highly-educated people, and people of color — all groups that the national Republican Party has walked away from the last four years,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David F. Holt, a Republican. [NYT]

Tomorrow, Trump is planning on delivering remarks at an outdoor event at the White House, reports NPR. The event is expected to take place on the South Lawn. [NPR]

And Twitter today unveiled new rules that will place more warnings on tweets with disinformation, block premature declarations of victory in the election and prohibit calls for violence. [NPR]

2. The on-again, off-again, on-again stimulus talks

The White House is preparing to propose a $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief package, the latest in a series of dizzying developments that have created confusion and uncertainty over negotiations. President Trump earlier this week called off talks, but then quickly reversed course after stock markets plummeted.

But the chances of a deal being reached still appears remote. The White House’s offer carries a lower price tag than a $2.2 trillion package from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said today it was “unlikely” that Congress could reach a deal before Election Day.

While many of the details appear to be in flux, the Trump administration is aiming for at least $300 billion in state and local funding, reports The Associated Press. That figure is lower than what Democrats want, but it could signal a breakthrough in what has been one of the biggest sticking points in negotiations. [AP]

3. A surprising number of Chicago residents tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in a Northwestern study

An ongoing study at Northwestern University indicates that more Chicago residents have been exposed to the coronavirus than previously believed. According to the study’s preliminary findings, 20% of city residents tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.

The researchers are part of a project, called Screening for Coronavirus Antibodies in Neighborhoods, which uses a test that is more effective in detecting antibodies, the Chicago Tribune reports. The study began in June and has so far analyzed 1,000 blood-sample tests.

“It’s telling us that exposure was higher than we thought, that it was higher than we thought throughout Chicago,” said Dr. Elizabeth McNally with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, Illinois officials today announced 2,818 new coronavirus cases and 35 additional deaths. The state faces a weekly average of 2,231 cases per day, an increase of 18% from the average two weeks ago. [New York Times]

4. Biden says he’ll answer questions about packing SCOTUS after the election

Biden continues to dodge questions about whether he would, if elected, seek to add more seats to the Supreme Court, an idea floated by some Democrats as Senate Republicans prepare for confirmation hearings on Judge Amy Coney Barrett next week.

“They’ll know my opinion on court-packing when the election is over,” Biden said late yesterday.

Democrats are outraged that Republicans are moving forward with Barrett’s confirmation when they blocked President Barack Obama’s appointment of Judge Merrick Garland in 2016. [CNN]

WBEZ will provide live coverage of Barrett’s confirmation hearings from Monday to Thursday. You can find a live stream of the hearings on WBEZ.org beginning at 8 a.m. CT. You can also listen to the hearings on your radio or smart speaker from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT.

Meanwhile, here’s a look at the People of Praise, a conservative religious group that Barrett has been a member of for nearly her entire life. [New York Times]

5. World Food Programme awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

The World Food Programme won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger in conflict-stricken regions of the world, an announcement that comes as the pandemic has pushed millions of people close to starvation.

“The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in announcing the prize.

The World Food Programme, a Rome-based United Nation agency, was created in 1961 at the request of U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower as an experiment to provide food aid. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

• A lawyer for Kyle Rittenhouse said that extraditing the Illinois teenager to Wisconsin, where he is accused of killing two protesters, would “turn him over to the mob.” [WBEZ]
• Chase Bank said it will increase mortgage lending to Black and Latino families in Chicago by $600 million over five years. [WBEZ]
• Pierre Kezdy, bass guitarist for the influential punk rock band Naked Raygun, died today. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Here’s a look at how you can create your own candy chute for Halloween. [Chicago Tribune]

Oh, and one more thing …

Ah, Fridays. Not only does today mark the end of the never-ending nightmare known as the work week, but it’s also when WBEZ drops some great podcasts to listen to over the weekend.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend the new season of Motive, which is sadly relevant. The podcast examines the origins of the youth white supremacist movement in America, and today’s episode revisits the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. [WBEZ]

If you’re looking for something that focuses on pop culture, WBEZ’s Nerdette has a new episode that looks at what movies are still expected to come out this year. And host Greta Johnsen also talks about Fat Bear Week, which celebrates literal fat bears in Alaska and not a subculture of gay men. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

The weather this week looks like it will be amazing. Are you planning anything fun before we say goodbye to the sun for what feels like six months?

Carrie Jackson writes:

“I’ve been hosting concerts in my backyard all summer to support musicians and safely see my friends. This Saturday I have Western Elstons coming, a band that played every other week at Simon’s Tavern but of course that’s not happening now. They’re full of local talent and a ton of fun. Live music is getting me through, and the weather looks perfect to linger outside as long as possible!”

And Emily Johnson writes:

“This weekend kicks off a mural going up on the side of our house! After COVID-19 travel cancellations, Arizona-based artist JB Snyder is finally able to make it up to cover our home in a huge, colorful, abstract mural. The weather couldn’t be more perfect, and my husband and I couldn’t be more excited!”

Thanks for all the responses this week! I’m sorry I couldn’t share them all, but it was nice hearing from y’all.

Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I’ll see you on Monday. If you like what you just read, you can subscribe to the newsletter here and have it delivered to your inbox.