Hey there, it’s Thursday! And I love it when people look like their dogs. Here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Biden and Trump campaigns spar over debate schedule

President Donald Trump said he will refuse to take part in next week’s town hall after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced today it will be virtual due to health and safety concerns.

“I’m not going to do a virtual debate,” the president said in a wide-ranging, hour-long interview on Fox Business, calling the new format “a waste of time.”

Earlier this week, Democratic nominee Joe Biden said the Oct. 15 debate in Miami shouldn’t take place if Trump is still infected with the coronavirus.

Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who has also tested positive for the coronavirus, today called on the commission to push back the second and third debates by a week each. The Biden campaign rejected that idea, saying “Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing.” 

Later in the day, it was announced that Biden will instead take part in a town hall in Philadelphia hosted by ABC News on the 15th.[NPR]

Earlier today, Trump lashed out at two cabinet members who are considered to be his closest allies. During that same Fox Business interview, Trump criticized Attorney General William Barr, saying he is “going to go down either as the greatest attorney general in the history of the country or he’s going to go down as a very sad, sad situation.”

Trump also took aim at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for not releasing documents regarding Hillary Clinton. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, the pandemic took center stage during the debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris. And yes, there was a fly on Pence’s head. [NPR]

2. Trump claims stimulus negotiations are back on

Just two days after pulling the plug on negotiations, President Trump today reversed course and said bipartisan talks will continue over a new federal relief package.

“I shut down talks two days ago because they weren’t working out,” Trump said on Fox Business. “Now they’re starting to work out.”

But the chances of the White House and Congress reaching a deal still appear slim. The Trump administration is currently seeking a standalone bill that would provide aid to airlines. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today that she would not consider such a bill unless the Trump administration commits to a broader relief package. [Washington Post]

The back and forth comes as another 840,000 jobless claims were filed last week, the Labor Department announced today. That’s far more than the 825,000 claims economists had estimated, and it’s another sign that unemployment remains a persistent problem. [CNBC]

3. Chicago police have not made arrests in a vast majority of sex crimes, study finds

Only one in every eight sex crimes reported to the Chicago Police Department over the past decade has resulted in an arrest, according to a study released today by the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, a nonprofit advocacy group.

As WBEZ’s Natalie Moore reports, there have been 18,888 sex crimes reported and 2,409 arrests, according to the figures listed in the report. That’s an overall arrest rate of 12.75%.

The Chicago Police Department did not dispute the report’s findings.

“And we share the opinion put forth in the report that sex crimes are not something that police can solve alone. We need the help of the communities we serve to raise awareness around sexual assault and provide additional support to Chicago’s survivors,” the department said in a statement. [WBEZ]

4. At least 44 Illinois schools suffered COVID-19 outbreaks, but the state won’t name them

And those outbreaks have affected at least 105 students and 73 employees at public and private schools, according to an investigation by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois.

Unlike other states, Illinois does not identify schools where outbreaks have occurred. A spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health said officials are withholding the information due to concerns it could identify students and staff and violate their privacy. [ProPublica Illinois]

Meanwhile, state officials today announced more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases and 32 additional deaths. Illinois is seeing a weekly average of 2,097 cases per day, which is up 12% from the average two weeks ago. [New York Times]

5. Militia group plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, FBI says

Authorities today charged 13 people after the FBI learned of a militia group’s plans to kidnap Whitmer and use violence to overthrow the government.

“Several members talked about murdering ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor,” an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit. “The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message.”

The FBI said it became aware of the militia group’s plans earlier this year. The group, which trained through field exercises, had plotted to “storm” Michigan’s State Capitol, kidnap hostages and try Whitmer for treason, according to an affidavit.

All 13 people are in custody, officials said. [AP]

Here’s what else is happening

• Louisiana prepares for Hurricane Delta. [AP]
• Gov. JB Pritzker says his proposed graduated income tax will not affect retirement income. [Crain’s]
• More than 300,000 people in Cook County would lose their insurance if Obamacare is repealed, officials say. [WBEZ]
• Slash from Guns ’n’ Roses was playing pinball in Elk Grove Village. [Chicago Tribune]

Oh, and one more thing …

Serious question: Are people really looking forward to eating outdoors … in the winter … during a pandemic?

I guess we’ll find out because three winners have been announced in Chicago’s competition for ideas on how restaurants can continue outdoor dining in the winter.

Two of the winners proposed a similar idea of using small outdoor cabins, and another winner suggested using a heated table to help warm up patrons. [Block Club Chicago]

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?

Julie tweets:

“The weather will be just as nice in Boston, where we are off to watch our youngest daughter get married. Their outdoor wedding had to be downsized because of COVID, but we are so excited to see all our family together. So much love, and congrats to Sunny & Alex!”

And Tami C. writes:

“Cannot resist the beautiful weekend weather! We are heading off to an apple orchard & driving ALL the backroads we can find to enjoy the fall colors on the trees and in the fields! Also convinced my friend to head to Andersons Japanese Gardens in Rockford with her husband on Saturday. I might have to do that on Sunday myself … hope everyone enjoys the weather while we can!”

Got any fun plans this week? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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