WBEZ’s Rundown Of Today’s Top News: Election Day Or Election Week?

election 2020
In this Oct. 23, 2020, file photo, a man drops off his ballot for the 2020 General Election in the United States outside the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. Pennsylvania, where the candidates Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump appeared to be divided by a razor-thin margin for the state’s 20 electoral votes, seemed likely to be the epicenter of any potential post-election litigation. Matt Slocum / AP Photo
election 2020
In this Oct. 23, 2020, file photo, a man drops off his ballot for the 2020 General Election in the United States outside the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. Pennsylvania, where the candidates Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump appeared to be divided by a razor-thin margin for the state’s 20 electoral votes, seemed likely to be the epicenter of any potential post-election litigation. Matt Slocum / AP Photo

WBEZ’s Rundown Of Today’s Top News: Election Day Or Election Week?

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Good afternoon! It’s Monday, and it’s really awesome that it gets dark at, like, 4 p.m. now. Here’s what you need to know today.


1. Your primer for tomorrow’s election

“This election is fundamentally about what it means to be an American,” writes NPR’s Domenico Montanaro on what may be one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes.

This guide from NPR highlights some important things to watch for on Election Day. Polls show Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a lead in many key states, but President Donald Trump still has a pathway to victory. Pay attention to results in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, which could determine if we’re in for a short night or long week. [NPR]

What are the chances we’ll know the winner tomorrow night? Will Election Day become election week or even election month? Here’s a look at how long it could take each state to count ballots. [New York Times]

Television networks are preparing for the possibility of a long haul by being cautious and disciplined, reports The New York Times. To account for the high number of mail-in ballots, some networks will show real-time results along with how much of the total expected vote they represent. [New York Times]

Another unknown facing the nation: Will there be unrest? In downtown Chicago, businesses are boarding up windows in case they see a repeat of summer unrest that saw widespread looting. [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, WBEZ’s Manuel Martinez and Courtney Kueppers recently talked to Chicago residents outside early voting sites to see why this year’s election is important to them. [WBEZ]

2. Illinois is close to its contact-tracing goal, but it may be too late

The state is near its goal of hiring 3,800 people to track down people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus, reports the Chicago Tribune, but Illinois may have missed its window of opportunity.

That’s because contact tracing is more effective when infections are low, and they’re not low right now. Illinois is currently suffering a record surge that could overwhelm contact-tracing efforts, health experts say. [Chicago Tribune]

State officials today reported 6,222 new cases and 20 deaths. Illinois is seeing a weekly average of 6,399 cases per day, an increase of 73% from the average two weeks ago.

In Chicago, the rolling, seven-day average is 958 cases per day, up 24% from the previous week. You can find more information about infections throughout Illinois in this link. [WBEZ]

3. Trump suggests he might fire Fauci after the election

President Trump recently hinted that he might fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, at a time when infections are spiking to record levels.

During a campaign rally last night in Florida, supporters broke into chants of “Fire Fauci!” The president then told the crowd: “Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election.”

Trump’s comments came after The Washington Post published an interview with Fauci, who criticized the administration’s handling of the pandemic. [NPR]

The back and forth comes as the U.S. has reported more than 565,000 cases in the last seven days. [CDC]

Cases are also surging throughout Europe. Germany today began the first day of a monthlong lockdown. [BBC]

In Britain, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a “medical and moral disaster” is approaching unless there is a nationwide lockdown. [BBC]

4. The election comes as the economic recovery remains in peril

Economists say they’re concerned the U.S. economy could be in for a rough time as winter approaches and coronavirus infections rise to record levels, elevating the possibility that more states will revive business restrictions. At the same time, many protections for renters and the unemployed will expire by the end of the year.

“All signs suggest that we’re in for the worst of this at the same time the situation in Washington is also becoming its worst and most horrible,” Michael Strain, economic expert at the right-learning American Enterprise Institute, told The Washington Post.

Economists across the ideological spectrum have said the economic recovery could be shot if Congress and the White House do not reach a deal on another relief package.

Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Trump (should he win the election) have said they would push for an agreement during the lame-duck session of Congress. But negotiations have spanned many months with no compromise in sight. [Washington Post]

5. A Little Village market hopes to survive the pandemic, only to face another existential crisis

Chicago’s Little Village Discount Mall is home to 120 small-business vendors who, like many retailers across the nation, are trying to hang on through the pandemic.

But even if it survives, the beloved neighborhood market confronts another challenge that throws its future further into question: a redevelopment plan that could replace Discount Mall with a big-box retailer.

WBEZ’s Linda Lutton recently visited the mall and talked to vendors, many of whom are Mexican immigrants.

“This mall represents all our life,” said vendor Kocoy Malagon, who sells formal dresses for quinceañeras, weddings or proms. “This is more than a business. This part of our life, our traditions.” [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

  • Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teen accused of killing two protesters in Kenosha, Wisc., cried, vomited and worried about social media posts when he turned himself over to authorities, records show. [Chicago Tribune]
  • Chicago aldermen want more money for repaving roads and filling in potholes. [WTTW]
  • Some Chicago residents want Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s budget to put more money into housing, health and education. [WBEZ]
  • Prince William, 38, reportedly caught the coronavirus in the spring and was left “struggling to breathe.” [Washington Post]

Oh, and one more thing …

One of the many things I miss from the “before times” is the Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club, which is located inside the Clarendon Park Community Center in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.

The club operates what is believed to be one of the largest model train displays in the country, and it’s truly one of the best hidden gems in the city. The fate of the massive model train display, which includes more than a thousand feet of tracks, appeared in jeopardy in recent years as Chicago Park District officials considered plans to tear down the community center building and create a new one.

But last month, the park district moved forward with a plan to renovate the building, which allows the club to keep chugging along, reports the Chicago Tribune. Still, the park district hasn’t given the green light for club members to return to the building because of the pandemic, and it’s unclear when the public will get to see the trains zoom around again. [Chicago Tribune]

Tell me something good …

What’s your favorite comfort food?

I love fried chicken and fried okra. I could literally eat fried okra like popcorn all day. Smell ya later, beach bod.

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

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