Hey there! It’s Thursday, and I finally watched Lovecraft Country. Let me know what you think. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Biden prepares to deliver the biggest speech of his political career

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will take center stage tonight and lay out his case for why he should become the next president. Tonight’s speech comes after a decadeslong journey for Biden, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1988 and 2008.

Tonight’s final lineup of speakers at the Democratic National Convention includes New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth. You can find the latest news and analysis from NPR in this link. [NPR]

Speaking of Duckworth, the senator is expected to discuss “issues facing military families and [touch] on the life of Beau Biden,” reports WBEZ’s Tony Arnold. [WBEZ]

You can listen to tonight’s speeches on WBEZ beginning at 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, Sen. Kamala Harris last night accepted the nomination for vice president, saying it was a moment her mother, an immigrant from India, “could have never imagined.” And former President Barack Obama described President Donald Trump as a danger to democracy. You can find more takeaways from yesterday’s speeches in this link. [NPR]

2. What’s going on with the economy?

New jobless claims unexpectedly jumped to 1.1 million last week, according to Labor Department figures released today. That’s compared to 971,000 claims filed the previous week. Economists say today’s surprising rise in jobless claims indicates that economic recovery is slowing down and things could get worse.

“The fact that the claims are so high this far into the crisis is concerning,” AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the job site Indeed, told The Washington Post. “Yet the depths of the damage remain to be seen. I would definitely call it a canary raising alarms in the economic coal mine.” [WaPo]

The news comes as some areas of the economy appear to be improving: The S&P 500 index hit new highs this week, and retail sales are back at pre-pandemic levels.

But some economists warn those gains could face a setback if Congress and the White House cannot agree on a new relief package. Those economists believe federal aid will boost consumer spending and confidence, crucial pillars to propping up the economy. [New York Times]

3. Growing evidence suggests children are “silent spreaders” of COVID-19

A study published today found that children can carry high levels of the coronavirus in their airways during the first three days of infection even if they show mild symptoms or none at all.

Those findings suggest children may play a greater role in community spread of the virus than previously believed. And the study comes as a growing body of research debunks the early belief that children are somehow protected from the virus. [Washington Post]

Meanwhile, cases continue to rise in Illinois. State officials today reported 1,832 new cases of COVID-19 and an additional 27 deaths. Illinois has seen a seven-day average of 1,891 cases per day, according to The New York Times. That’s a 15% increase from the average two weeks ago.

You can find more information about COVID-19 in Illinois in this link. [WBEZ]

4. As many as 250,000 households in Cook County could be evicted

That’s according to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who is urging Gov. JB Pritzker to extend an eviction moratorium that expires on Saturday. Dart, whose office is responsible for enforcing evictions, said local aid for homeowners and renters is still being processed and may not make its way to residents before the moratorium ends.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration has set aside $33 million for rental assistance to 10,000 homes. Cook County has a $20 million fund for 4,400 suburban households, and the state is giving out $5,000 grants as part of the $150 million it received through the federal CARES Act. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Steve Bannon is charged in border wall scheme

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was arrested today on charges that he and three other men allegedly ripped off hundreds of thousands of people with an online fundraising campaign called “We Build The Wall.”

Federal prosecutors in New York say the scheme netted more than $25 million and accuse Bannon of pocketing $1 million, which they say he used to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses.

Bannon and the other men have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. [NPR]

Bannon’s indictment makes him the sixth senior 2016 Trump campaign official to face federal charges. [Axios]

Here’s what else is happening

• Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is unconscious in a hospital after showing symptoms of being poisoned, his spokeswoman says. [BBC]
• Michigan will pay $600 million to victims of the Flint water crisis. [NPR]
• Wildfires continue to tear through Northern California and are blackening the skies near San Francisco. [AP]
• Protesters claim Chicago police officers physically abused them during recent demonstrations. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

A new push is underway to declare the Chicago two-flat building where Emmett Till lived as a landmark, reports Crain’s Chicago Business. The move comes as the 65th anniversary of Till’s horrific murder in Mississippi, which helped spark the civil rights movement, approaches next week.

Before his death, Till lived with his mother on the second floor of a building at 6427 S. St. Lawrence Ave. Members of Till’s family, preservationists and an alderman are behind the new effort to have the building designated as a landmark, and a proposal will be submitted to City Hall next week, Crain’s reports.

“Making it a landmark would remind people for generations that Emmett’s death spearheaded the civil rights movement in this country,” said Ollie Gordon, a member of Till’s extended family. [Crain’s]

Tell me something good …

This week is the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Is there a woman who fought for equality who inspires you?

Prof B. writes:

“For me, it’s Sister Helen Prejean, the anti-capital punishment advocate. I’ve heard her speak several times, and every time she’s said: ‘We value innocent life over guilty life. When did innocent life become more valuable than guilty life? Life is life. It is not our job to judge.’

“This statement completely changed my views on capital punishment.”

What about you? Is there a woman who fought for equality who inspires you? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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