Good afternoon! It’s Monday, and you can’t go to the beaches in Chicago but you can drink a beer inside a bar. Science works in mysterious ways. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Chicago imposes 14-day quarantine for travelers from hot spots

You might have missed this story because Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced it on Twitter on Thursday right when folks began unplugging for the holiday weekend: Starting today, if you travel to 15 states where COVID-19 infections are high, you’ll have to quarantine for 14 days or face fines of up to $7,000.

The order applies to anyone arriving in Chicago from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. You can find more information about the travel advisory here. [WBEZ]

The fines look steep, but the city will not aggressively enforce the order, said Dr. Allison Arwady, the city’s public health commissioner. [WBEZ]

Lightfoot’s order comes as Illinois cases of COVID-19 appear to be plateauing. State officials announced 614 new known cases after more than 21,000 tests were performed in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of reported cases to nearly 148,000. Officials also announced six new deaths, putting the total number of fatalities at more than 7,000.

The positivity rate is 4.8% for Chicago and 2.6% for Illinois. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, the outbreaks in the South and West grow more dire. Florida and Texas both surpassed 200,000 total known cases, causing some public officials to beg residents to wear face masks in public.

In Miami, coronavirus restrictions on indoor dining and other businesses returned after the city saw a 10-fold increase in daily infections in just a few weeks. [New York Times]

Here’s a map showing where infections are rising in the U.S. [NPR]

2. Nearly 80 people shot — 15 fatally — in Chicago during holiday weekend

The city saw another violent weekend that claimed children among its victims. Over the Fourth of July weekend, 11 minors were shot and two of them died, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

A 7-year-old girl was fatally shot while visiting her grandmother in the city’s Austin neighborhood, and a 14-year-old boy was killed during a mass shooting in the Englewood neighborhood. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Authorities told the Chicago Tribune that a suspect is in custody for the shooting death of 7-year-old Natalia Wallace, who was expected to start second grade at Crown Community Academy of Fine Arts. [Chicago Tribune]

3. Millions of Americans will lose enhanced jobless benefits on July 31

Congressional leaders from both parties are expected to negotiate over a new coronavirus relief bill when they return to the U.S. Capitol on July 20. Among the more contentious issues between Democrats and Republicans is extending the enhanced unemployment benefits that will expire at the end of the month.

The Democrat-led House passed a relief bill in May called the Heroes Act, which would allow jobless claims to receive an extra $600 per week through January 2021. But Congressional Republicans point to last week’s better than expected jobs report to argue against further aid for the unemployed.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has laid down tighter parameters for negotiations over the next relief bill, which he said would be the last one. McConnell said he doesn’t want the next package to cost more than $1 trillion, and he wants liability protections for employers if their workers contract COVID-19. [Washington Post]

4. Trump heads to battleground states as support sags

President Donald Trump is expected to make campaign stops in Florida and New Hampshire this week as several polls show him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Trump tried to rejuvenate his reelection campaign over the Fourth of July weekend by attacking what he says is a “growing danger” to the country: cancel culture, which is a form of group shaming that is usually sparked when a person or company does something offensive.

The president’s message appeared tailor-made to his core supporters, who largely bemoan the removal of Confederate memorials and statues. But energizing his base may not be enough for Trump to win reelection in November, writes NPR’s Domenico Montanaro. Several polls show that a majority of Americans are unhappy with the direction of the country and disapprove of Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy. [NPR]

Meanwhile, Kanye West said he will run for president despite missing deadlines in many states to file as an independent candidate. [CNN]

5. A potential source of uncertainty is removed from 2020 presidential election

The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld laws aimed at binding members of the Electoral College into supporting the presidential candidate who won their state’s popular vote.

This is important because some political observers were concerned that a handful of independent-minded electors could decide the outcome of the 2020 election, creating a situation where presidential candidates can appeal directly to electors and not the voting public.

While many Americans believe they decide who the next president will be, that power actually rests with the arcane Electoral College, which twice in the last two decades elected a candidate who lost the nation’s popular vote.

Today’s Supreme Court ruling leaves in place laws in 32 states that force electors to vote for the candidate who won the state’s popular vote. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

• A federal judge ordered the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to shut down while an environmental review is conducted. [NPR]
• Britain will spend nearly $2 billion to help theaters, museums and other art spaces struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. [NPR]
• Here’s a look at how new teachers are preparing for their first year on the job … and during a pandemic. [WBEZ]
• Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling doubled down on her transphobic rhetoric. [A.V. Club]

Oh, and one more thing …

What’s a better time to learn a board game? Tabletop games have undergone a revival in recent years, and this NPR story looks at how some game developers are allowing fans to weigh in more than ever on what ideas should get the green light.

Developers are using the popular website Kickstarter as something of a focus group by gauging public interest for an idea and, potentially at the same time, generating hype for that idea. And it can pay off.

For example, a game called Frosthaven attracted $13 million in pledged donations, blowing past its $500,000 funding goal. [NPR]

Tell me something good …

July is usually a big month for movies, so I’d like to know: What are some of your favorite summer movies?

Me? I have to go with Jurassic Park. I’m not sure if it still holds up, but so many scenes had me on the edge of my seat as a kid. Also, Samuel L. Jackson says “hold onto your butts” in the movie, which is so random and hilarious.

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

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