Good afternoon! There is something very calming about watching this video of a massive frozen pizza section at a Wisconsin grocery store. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Election deniers get millions in support from the wealthy couple behind the Uline shipping business

GOP megadonors Dick and Liz Uihlein have contributed more than $6.4 million to this election cycle to help Republicans who either cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election or voted against certifying the results, reports my colleague Tina Sfondeles at the Chicago Sun-Times.

More than $3.8 million went to the reelection bid of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. The Uihleins also gave more than $1.1 million in support of Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign in Georgia.

The contributions come after WBEZ reported last year that Dick Uihlein gave nearly $4.3 million to the political action committee of the Tea Party Patriots, an ultra-conservative group that participated in the rally that preceded the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the last presidential election. As Sfondeles reports, “more than 60 lawsuits filed by Trump loyalists have failed to yield any evidence to back up their claims … [and] the U.S. Supreme Court — a court on which Trump placed three justices — rejected a series of election challenge cases last year.” [Sun-Times]

2. The Jan. 6 committee voted to subpoena Trump

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol unanimously voted today to subpoena former President Donald Trump for his testimony, an aggressive move that will likely set off a court battle.

The vote took palce as the committee held what could be its final public hearing, producing new details of Trump’s state of mind and his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

Among today’s revelations was new testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to then-chief of staff Mark Meadows. After the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 11, 2020, rejected one of the main lawsuits Trump’s team brought before the high court, Trump became “livid” and “fired up,” Hutchinson testified.

Trump told Meadows “something to the effect of: ‘I don’t want people to know we lost, Mark. This is embarrassing. Figure it out,’ ” Hutchinson told the panel in a recorded interview. [AP]

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today rejected Trump’s request to intervene in the review of classified documents taken in an FBI search from Mar-a-Lago. [Washington Post]

3. A wave of check fraud is putting pressure on the U.S. Postal Service

A type of fraud known as “check washing” has spiked in the Chicago area, with checks being intercepted in the mail, rewritten and cashed by someone else for much more money than intended.

As more victims speak out, local officials are calling on the Postal Service to do more to combat the fraud, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

Among them are U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and Sen. Dick Durbin, who say USPS officials need to outline what steps they are taking to prevent the thefts.

But here’s something that also caught my attention: Mack Julion, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Chicago, told the Sun-Times he previously helped draft a measure in the City Council to combat a rise in letter carriers being robbed for their keys, which are then used to steal letters from mailboxes.

It’s not clear what happened to the proposal. Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office did not comment when contacted by the Sun-Times. [CST]

4. Inflation rose more quickly than expected last month

Overall inflation climbed 8.2% in September compared to a year ago, marking a new 40-year high, according to figures released today by the Labor Department.

And in another troubling sign, inflation rose 0.4% between August and September. That’s much more than the 0.1% from July to August and suggests the pace of inflation may be re-accelerating after cooling off earlier this summer.

The news underscores the challenges facing the Federal Reserve as the nation’s central bank tries to tamp down rising prices without triggering a recession. Economists say they expect the Fed will again hike interest rates.

Today’s news also means retirees will see an 8.7% raise in their Social Security benefits next year, the biggest cost-of-living adjustment in four decades. That means the average benefit will be boosted by $141 a month. [NPR]

Meanwhile, mortgage rates are nearing 7%, the highest in 20 years, leaving many would-be homebuyers out of the market. [NPR]

5. Unleashed dogs are becoming a big problem in Chicago, a City Council member warns

First off, I know this is a serious issue for some residents, but this headline from the Sun-Times is gold: “City Council members unleash barrage of complaints about dogs on the loose.”

This week, an influential member of the City Council warned unleashed dogs are sparking fights and threats of violence.

“What we’ve seen is a serious escalation in violent acts between dog owners or parents — to the point where we’ve got people threatening each other with guns. Coming into our office saying they’re gonna go out and shoot somebody if they see their dog out there again,” said Ald. Scott Waguespack of the 32nd Ward.

The head of the city’s Animal Care and Control said officers with the agency are sent to parks in response to complaints. But Waguespack said more needs to be done to educate dog owners about the potential dangers of unleashed dogs. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Health experts say local COVID-19 data is important for individuals to make decisions. So what happens when the data disappears? [WBEZ]
• Democrats are counting on Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois to help them keep their majority in the Senate. [WBEZ]
• The City Council’s Latino Caucus wants Mayor Lightfoot to do more to help nearly 3,000 migrants bused to the city from Texas. [Block Club Chicago]
• AMC Theatre is extending screenings of a new documentary about the rise of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor. [The Triibe]

Oh, and one more thing …

WBEZ’s critically acclaimed Making is back with a new season that focuses on a different iconic Black figure each episode.

And today’s first subject is particularly timely — tennis superstar Serena Williams, who last month announced her retirement.

Host Brandon Pope revisits Williams’s early years and talks to people who were close to her as she evolved into a tennis prodigy, such as her sister Isha Price and childhood coach Rick Macci. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

I am completely in the Halloween spirit right now, and I’ve been watching horror movies every chance I can get. What are some of your favorite horror movies?

Katya writes:

“My favorite horror tends to be stuff on the psychological side, and it’s why I really like Carnival of Souls from 1962. I like that feeling of unreality and feeling disconnected from the rest of the world with horrors that you yourself can only see.”

And Daniel Velasco writes:

“I came of age during the 1980s, which makes me a sucker for a campy horror movie. While the decade gives us plenty to pick from, Evil Dead (1981) is in a class all its own. Where else would the good guy replace his hand with a chainsaw? The two sequels are good but the original can’t be matched. If that’s not enough for you, the three seasons of Ash vs. Evil Dead are as good as the original movie. Like the movies, the TV show utilizes the chainsaw and copious amounts of fake blood.

“It’s also fun to watch knowing that Bruce Campbell is a hard-working, good-natured person, the antithesis of his character, Ash Williams.”

Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.