Good afternoon! It’s Wednesday, and my husband just asked a question about the “X-Men” comic books that resulted in me giving an hour-long answer. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. A group of aldermen pushes for budget cuts at the Chicago Police Department

Six council members are calling for the city to cut the Police Department’s roughly $1.8 billion budget and use that money for programs that could help reduce violence, such as mental health services and substance abuse treatment.

Calls for “defunding the police” have grown nationally in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis. Mayors in New York City and Los Angeles have promised budget cuts to their police departments and pledged to use that money for other services.

But in Chicago, which has long struggled with violent crime, the idea has not gained as much traction so far with Chicago’s top leaders, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot last week said cutting police funding would be “irresponsible,” but she recently said she understands that parts of the city need more investments beyond policing. [Chicago Tribune]

Today, Ald. Pat Dowell, who chairs the City Council’s Budget Committee, reportedly said nearly 700 people submitted letters to cut the Police Department’s budget. [Twitter]

2. Progressives hope Biden will go further on police reforms

Former Vice President Joe Biden has shifted on a number of policies in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, but some progressives are hoping to push the presumptive Democratic nominee further to the left.

Biden, the one-time author of tough-on-crime bills, now supports a federal ban on police chokeholds, a new federal oversight commission and other measures designed to hold officers accountable.

But Biden has rejected calls to “defund police,” an issue that has resonated with protesters. While some progressives interviewed by NPR say they are disappointed with Biden’s position, they concede that the effort to sell the public on shifting money away from police to social services may be suffering from a “marketing and branding issue.” [NPR]

Today, George Floyd’s brother testified before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on law enforcement accountability.

“George called for help and he was ignored,” said Philonise Floyd. “Please listen to the call I’m making to you now, to the calls of our family, and the calls ringing out in the streets across the world.” [NPR]

Meanwhile, support for Black Lives Matter has dramatically grown in the last two weeks. [New York Times]

3. No links between antifa and protests found in Justice Department cases

More than 50 people facing federal charges in connection with recent unrest have no alleged ties to the antifa movement, according to court records reviewed by NPR. The news comes as U.S. Attorney General William Barr has repeatedly singled out anti-fascist activists for violence at protests against police brutality.

NPR found that the only extremists group mentioned in the court records is the right-wing Boogaloo movement. Federal prosecutors claim three Nevada men, who are charged with plotting violence at Las Vegas protests, belong to that movement, which wants to start a civil war.

In a recent interview on Fox News, Barr said the absence of evidence linking antifa to violence at protests does not mean the movement was not involved. [NPR]

Meanwhile, more than 1,250 former Justice Department employees are calling for an investigation into Barr’s involvement in the decision to push peaceful protesters out of Lafayette Square last week. [Washington Post]

4. Chicago infant died from COVID-19, investigation confirms

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office today confirmed that 9-month-old Joseph Myles died from COVID-19, making him the youngest known victim so far in the county. Public health officials announced the infant’s death in March but soon after said more testing was needed to confirm his death was caused by COVID-19.

Myles was the first known infant to die from COVID-19, according to health officials who announced his death in March. [WBEZ]

State officials today announced 78 new deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 6,095. The state also saw 625 new cases after 20,820 tests were performed in the last 24 hours. That means Illinois has seen a total of 129,837 cases reported since the pandemic began. [Illinois Department of Public Health]

Nationwide, more than 112,000 deaths and nearly 2 million cases have been reported. [Johns Hopkins]

Meanwhile, here’s a look at how one drug maker is preparing (and hoping) that one of its vaccines will prove safe and effective. [NPR]

5. Several Chicago restaurants face accusations of racism

Dozens of former and current restaurant employees are accusing several Chicago restaurants, including ones managed by celebrity chef Stephanie Izard, of racism and abuse, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Izard, who is the executive chef of Girl & the Goat and other restaurants, said in an email to the Tribune that she is reflecting on how she has “failed as a leader” and vowed to start diversity and inclusion programs for managers. [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, Super Fat Rice Mart is shutting down indefinitely after former employees accused co-owner Abe Conlon of using racist imagery in promotional materials and creating a hostile work environment. [Block Club Chicago]

Here’s what else is happening

• Mayor Lightfoot today unveiled a cash assistance program for about 300,000 residents who were not eligible for federal stimulus checks. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• The Senate unanimously confirmed the first African American to lead a U.S. military service. [NPR]
• HBO Max removed Gone With The Wind because of its “ethnic and racial prejudices.” [NPR]
• Actor Eddie Redmayne criticized JK Rowling’s recent transphobic tweets and voiced his support for transgender women. [Variety]

Oh, and one more thing …

Someone finally got the bright idea to create drive-in movie theaters in Chicago as traditional venues remain closed because of the pandemic.

ChiTown Movies drive-in, located at 2343 S. Throop St. in Pilsen, opened this week and is showing Star Wars: A New Hope at 8:50 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. through June 15. The price of admission is $33 for cars with up to five people, and there’s an extra charge of $5 per person if you go over that cap.

Over in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, Chicago Drive-In Theaters will open tomorrow with a screening of The Goonies. The theater is located at SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem Ave., and admission is anywhere from $30 to $50. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Tell me something good …

What is your favorite summer treat?

Melissa writes:

“My favorite summertime treat is a chocolate and vanilla swirl cone with colored sprinkles from our Dairy Queen, which is an old style one with no seating inside. People eat in the cramped parking lot (off a busy street!) or in their cars. The parking lot is poorly designed and ridiculous to navigate. All a bit of a nightmare but for me a de rigueur summer experience!”

And Emma Currens writes:

“Cheap-ish sauvignon blanc that has been chilled and served with ice cubes!”

What’s your favorite summer treat? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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