Hey there! It’s Friday, and one of my greatest achievements was once tricking someone into thinking the original St. Louis Arch was made out of wood. Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. Are progressives hitting the ceiling on major police reforms in Chicago?

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s allies in the City Council today successfully blocked a proposal backed by progressives to create civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department.

Just a few weeks ago, that plan appeared to be gaining momentum when it won the endorsement of three huge voting blocs — the council’s Black, Hispanic and Progressive caucuses. But the council’s Committee on Public Safety voted 10 to 9 today to essentially block the proposal for the time being.

And the vote came after proponents made last minute changes in an effort to secure more support on the committee.

A previous version of the plan would have paved the way for Chicago voters to decide whether the board should have the power to hire and fire the police superintendent. But today’s compromise would only allow the board to take a vote of no confidence.

So what happens now? WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel reports that the compromise plan will now sit in the hands of the committee for at least another month.

But today’s delay comes as some activists and lawmakers are concerned that momentum for police reforms, largely fueled last summer by the police murder of George Floyd, is losing steam. [WBEZ]

2. What’s really going on with the voting rights bill in the Senate

Senate Democrats are rallying around a new voting rights proposal that they hope will unite the party and put Republicans on the defensive.

The new plan comes from Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who previously irked progressives by not supporting a more expansive voting rights bill approved by the House. Manchin is proposing to make Election Day a holiday, require 15 days of early voting and ban partisan gerrymandering, among other things.

But Republicans oppose Manchin’s plan, and Senate Democrats do not have the 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. But that might be beside the point.

Democratic strategists believe that if the party can unite around Manchin’s plan, it would signal to voters that the bill would have become law if not for Republicans. And this comes as both parties are building an arsenal of issues to highlight in next year’s midterm elections, which will decide who controls the House and Senate. [NPR]

3. The U.S. could face a new housing crisis

More than 8 million households face foreclosure and eviction, and most of the households at risk are low-income or families of color, according to a recently released report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

The study comes as federal eviction protections will expire on June 30, raising concerns the U.S. will see a tsunami of evictions and foreclosures. And potentially compounding the problem is the nation’s shortage of affordable housing and the expiration of enhanced unemployment benefits in September.

In Illinois, 20% or more of households are struggling to pay rent, according to the report. [CBS News]

4. The chemical fire disaster in northern Illinois potentially got worse

A private company used a toxic foam to help extinguish the massive fire at the Chemtool chemical plant in Rockton, Ill., sparking concerns that nearby waterways may be contaminated, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The foam contained what is called “forever chemicals,” which can last for long periods of time in humans, animals and the environment. These chemicals can cause organ damage and cancer.

Illinois officials are now testing water samples from the nearby Rock River and area groundwater, the newspaper reports, adding that the nearest source of drinking water is 1.25 miles away from the chemical plant. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Happy Juneteenth

For the first time ever, Juneteenth is a federal and state holiday.

“And now we can all finally celebrate. The whole country together,” said Opal Lee, 94, in an interview with NPR.

Lee is known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth for her decades-long fight to make the day a U.S. holiday. Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19 to mark the date some of the last enslaved people in the Confederacy became free.

“I knew I would see it happen in my lifetime,” said Lee, whose paternal great-grandmother was born into bondage in Louisiana. “But I have to keep my cool.” [NPR]

Here’s a list of Juneteenth celebrations taking place throughout Chicago. [Block Club Chicago]

Here’s what else is happening

• U.S. bishops today took a step closer to potentially denying President Joe Biden communion because of his support for abortion rights. [AP]
• The Chicago Bears are threatening to leave Chicago, and the team has long flirted with the idea of moving from its downtown stadium. [Chicago Tribune]
• The Chicago Botanic Garden will charge an admission fee for the first time in its 50-year history. [Chicago Tribune]
• Worried your brain isn’t as sharp as it used to be? Being a “social smart aleck” may help. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

HBO Max subscribers woke up this morning to a confusing email that almost made it sound like the robot takeover was commencing.

The email, sent out last night, contained the mysterious subject line: “Integration Test Email # 1.” And the body of the email simply said, “This template is used by integration tests only.”

The fiasco sparked some really hilarious comments on Twitter. “I hope Integration Test Email gets renewed for a second season,” one user wrote.

So what’s the backstory? HBO Max said an intern was responsible for the confusing email.

“We apologize for the inconvenience, and as the jokes pile in, yes, it was the intern. No, really. And we’re helping them through it,” wrote the HBOMaxHelp Twitter account. [WGN]

Tell me something good …

What do you enjoy about public radio, whether it’s your favorite show, podcast, host or memory?

Becky writes:

“I started listening to WBEZ 32 years ago when I had my first child. WBEZ prevented my brain from turning to mush. … I enjoy Curious City and just about anything Natalie Moore does. But my favorites were Al Gini (it’s all I can do to hold myself back when I spot him in Oak Park!) and Aaron Freeman’s show, Metropolis.”

And Jessie writes:

“The greatest moment in public radio history, in my humble opinion, is when Tricia and Greta of Nerdette taught Peter Sagal what the word “f***boy” means in an episode of Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal. I often reflect on that conversation fondly.”

Thanks for all the responses this week. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to everyone, but it was nice hearing from y’all!

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