Good afternoon! It’s Monday, and it’s already a busy week. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. What we know so far about the recent looting in Chicago

Chicago officials said “misinformation” about a weekend police shooting sparked widespread looting downtown that saw more than 100 people arrested and 13 officers injured.

What we know about the shooting: The Chicago Police Department says officers shot a 20-year-old man after he opened fire on them during a foot chase in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood on Sunday afternoon. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive, according to Police Superintendent David Brown.

The brother of the man disputed the Police Department’s account, telling the Chicago Sun-Times that a gun found by officers did not belong to his brother.

After the shooting, police said misinformation spread that officers shot a 15-year-old boy.

What happened next: Brown said the misinformation quickly spread through social media, causing a “car caravan” of looters to head downtown last night. Brown said department officials were aware of the social media posts and dispatched 400 officers to the area.

“Criminal destruction” or actions against racial injustice?: That debate quickly erupted as news circulated about the lootings.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot characterized the unrest as “brazen and extensive criminal destruction” that is “not legitimate First Amendment-protected speech.” And Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said the looting was not a “peaceful protest.”

But some activists and community leaders say the situation is more complicated and further highlights systemic inequality in the city, specifically the mistreatment of minorities by law enforcement and City Hall’s focus on the downtown area for economic investments.

What happens now: Brown said more officers will patrol downtown, which will have restricted access from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., until further notice. [WBEZ]

2. Cook County state’s attorney defends her response to Floyd protests

Mayor Lightfoot and Police Superintendent Brown today indirectly criticized Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, saying her office did not adequately hold previous looters accountable from the George Floyd protests in May and June. Lightfoot and Brown suggested that lack of action gave the impression there would be no consequences for more looting.

Appearing at her own press conference today, Foxx denounced the finger pointing and said her response to the Floyd protests did not play a role in the recent looting.

“The reality is that as we seek to figure out what is happening in a truly unprecedented summer, it requires us to ask tough questions, to deep deliberations and to put all hands on deck,” Foxx said. “All hands on deck means rather than pointing fingers, work together.” [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, a Chicago Tribune analysis released today found that Foxx has dropped more felony cases than her predecessor. [Trib]

3. Chicago Public Schools proposes big cuts to police spending

Facing a citywide debate over the role of police in schools, Chicago Public Schools today proposed cutting its budget for a program that assigns officers to schools. CPS wants to spend $15 million on the program — about half the $33 million it spent last year, reports WBEZ’s Sarah Karp.

The move comes as the nation’s third-largest school district plans to offer only remote learning at the beginning of the upcoming academic year. CPS officials previously said they would not pay for officers in schools while students remain at home.

News of the proposed cuts come as district officials today unveiled their total budget plan, which is $600 million more than last year. CPS’ proposed budget assumes it will receive aid from a federal coronavirus relief package that the White House and congressional Democrats are currently at an impasse over. [WBEZ]

4. Will negotiations resume over a new federal coronavirus rescue package?

That question looms over congressional Democrats and the White House this week as experts warn of dire consequences to the economy now that many federal relief measures sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic have expired.

Lawmakers and administration officials did not have any meetings planned for today, and both sides appear unable to agree on how to move forward with negotiations. At the heart of their disagreement is how much money should be spent on any further rescue package. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s executive orders are being slammed by Democrats. Trump acted over the weekend to bypass Congress and provide some relief to Americans. But Democrats and legal experts say the president’s move offers little relief and is unconstitutional. [NPR]

5. Nearly 100,000 kids tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July

As schools across the country tackle the challenge of beginning the new school year during a pandemic, a new report found that at least 97,000 children around the United States tested positive in the last two weeks of July.

The study comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, and its findings mean that more than a quarter of all children who have tested positive since March did so in just those two weeks. The report comes as mounting evidence suggests that COVID-19 affects children differently than adults. [Washington Post]

Meanwhile in Illinois, state officials today announced 1,319 new cases and one additional death. The state saw an average of 1,740 cases per day over the last week, an increase of 24% from the average two weeks ago, reports The New York Times.

Here’s what else is happening

• Lebanon’s prime minister announced he will resign amid large protests over last week’s massive explosion that killed at least 160 people and injured about 6,000 others. [NPR]
• Protests erupted in Belarus, where critics say election results were rigged to favor authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. [Axios]
• McDonald’s sued a former CEO and accused him of hiding sexual relationships with at least three employees. [NPR]
• A prominent publisher in Hong Kong has been arrested under the region’s controversial national security law. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

Winds up to 100 mph, large hail and tornadoes could hit the Chicago area tonight, according to the National Weather Service. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Wisconsin, Indiana and northern Illinois, with storms mainly starting after 5 p.m. Stay safe out there. [Block Club Chicago]

Tell me something good …

I have to do a self-evaluation for my performance review at work. And that has me thinking: What do you miss about not working from home?

I miss people-watching on the train. Who needs TV when you have the Red Line?

What do you miss about not working from home? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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