Good afternoon! It’s 91.5 Day, and in case you missed it, WBEZ launched its new morning broadcast lineup. Right here’s what else it is advisable to know immediately.
1. Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar has died at 79
Edgar died after being hospitalized attributable to a response to his most cancers remedy, my colleague Selena Kuznikov stories for the Chicago Solar-Occasions.
Edgar was a average Republican whose ranks have all however disappeared in Illinois politics because the Trump-era MAGA motion took maintain within the state. He was pro-choice on abortion and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, in her 2024 presidential bid towards Donald Trump.
Because the state’s thirty eighth governor, he served two phrases from 1991 to 1999. He additionally served within the Illinois Home of Representatives from 1976 to 1979 and as Illinois secretary of state from 1981 to 1991.
He was reelected by the widest plurality any incumbent Illinois governor has ever obtained, profitable 101 of the state’s 102 counties, together with Cook dinner County.
On the time Edgar took workplace, the state was tons of of tens of millions of {dollars} in debt and paying its payments months late. Amid a recession, Edgar pushed lawmakers to chop the state price range, making layoffs and cuts to widespread packages. [Chicago Sun-Times]
The precedent-setting settlement could be a fraction of the $500 million that Company Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry has stated it might have value to resolve these instances individually, Fran Spielman stories for the Chicago Solar-Occasions.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is already struggling to shut a $1.15 billion shortfall after ending 2024 with $146 million in crimson ink, the second straight 12 months of deficit spending.
Alderpersons have been advised the mayor’s administration plans to make use of a line of credit score retired by “common funds” and Johnson’s finance workforce has “varied choices” to retire that debt. The total Council is anticipated to take up the proposed “world settlement” at its Sept. 25 assembly.
Having the ability to “proper the wrongs of the previous whereas doing what’s fiscally greatest for Chicago going ahead” is a “nice win” for taxpayers as a result of it “will get a identified legal responsibility off our books,” stated Downtown Ald. Invoice Conway (thirty fourth), a former Cook dinner County prosecutor who carefully scrutinizes police settlements. “Even when we have now to borrow cash, that is one thing that’s value doing for the fiscal well being of the town.” [Chicago Sun-Times]
Ald. Andre Vasquez (fortieth) stated it’s apparent his workplace within the 5600 block of North Western Avenue was focused due to his place as chair of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights and the positions he has taken in opposing the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to seek out and deport immigrants with out authorized standing.
“These are undoubtedly occasions when all the pieces is type of elevated so far as temperature. We’ve bought a president who’s pushing ahead the type of narratives that [are] inflicting extra division,” Vasquez stated.
Final week’s assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah was the most recent in a disturbing sample of political violence throughout the nation that hasn’t been seen because the Nineteen Sixties.
Current examples embrace the 2 assassination makes an attempt towards Trump, the homicide of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence whereas he and his household slept inside and the homicide of two Israeli embassy staffers after an occasion at a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. The shock star of fall TV: Leo Catholic Excessive College choir director LaDonna Hill
LaDonna Hill grew up surrounded by music as a pastor’s child in a bustling south suburban church. What got here subsequent was a profession in gospel music and a job as a educating assistant at Leo Catholic Excessive College, a small, historic campus in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Facet. Hill ultimately grew to become the full-time choir director there, incomes three levels within the course of.
She was ending up her closing 12 months of educating and planning her retirement when her all-boys choir bought the eye of NBC’s “America’s Acquired Expertise” after a video of them acting on CBS went viral.
Although Hill stated she’s going to retire, the previous Leo Catholic Excessive College choir director has caught round to assist the choir as they put together for a 3rd look on “America’s Acquired Expertise” tomorrow. [Chicago Sun-Times]
5. Meet Chicago’s subsequent era of jazz musicians — and discover out the place to catch them
Micah Collier, Frank Morrison and Lily Finnegan are asserting themselves as new bandleaders, composers and lecturers with a contemporary perspective, my Chicago Solar-Occasions colleague Erica Thompson stories.
They’re not solely mastering jazz requirements however pushing boundaries throughout the style. And that is the month to catch them on the Englewood Jazz Competition (Sept. 16-20) and the Hyde Park Jazz Competition (Sept. 27-28), two free showcases that delight themselves on mixing the outdated and new guard.
“I really feel just like the youthful generations are altering their definition of what jazz has been,” stated Collier, who will carry out along with his band, Proximity, on the Hyde Park Jazz Competition on Sept. 27. “We’re breaking all of these limitations presently. Jazz is funk. Jazz is soul and R&B. It’s all pulling from the identical place, and all of it has the identical aim on the finish of the day. That’s the rationale why younger individuals are like, ‘Oh yeah, I hearken to jazz. That is cool proper right here.’” [Chicago Sun-Times]
Right here’s what else is occurring
- A framework deal on the possession of social media platform TikTok has been reached between the U.S. and China. [AP]
- DNA on a towel wrapped round a rifle discovered close to the place conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated matched that of the 22-year-old accused within the killing. [AP]
- In his first interview as chief of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV mentioned his considerations about revenue inequality, polarization and the necessity for peace. [NPR]
- A whole bunch gathered beside the Chicago River for a second of pleasure in a public sing-along. [WBEZ]
Oh, and yet another factor …
Affectionally referred to as “Harbor Nation” by Chicagoans, Michigan’s western shoreline additionally has lengthy been often called the state’s “artwork coast,” a spot the place small cities and artist residencies flourish alongside sandy seashores and lakefront cottages.
The fourth and closing chapter of the WBEZ and Chicago Solar-Occasions visible arts-driven highway journey sequence traces this stretch from Sawyer and Saugatuck to Grand Rapids, the place the legacy of “Furnishings Metropolis” meets a thriving up to date artwork scene.
Alongside the way in which, creativity reveals itself in intimate shoreline venues, at light-filled museum galleries and throughout the 150-acre grounds of one of many nation’s most gorgeous sculpture parks. Plentiful Airbnbs, freeway motels and trip rental teams make it simple to e-book last-minute journey, significantly in early fall. [WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times]
Inform me one thing good …
The place is your favourite place to take a brief journey within the fall, or which location has at all times been in your bucket checklist?
I’ve by no means been to Michigan’s Higher Peninsula, however one 12 months I wish to make it up there to catch the autumn colours.
Be happy to electronic mail me, and your response could also be included within the publication this week.
Earlier than you go: We’re nonetheless questioning what questions you could have about ICE or the Nationwide Guard in Chicago.
Reply to this electronic mail (please embrace your first and final identify) and we’ll work with our information workers to reply your questions. Thanks to everybody who has already despatched in questions; I’ve been forwarding them to my colleagues, who’re onerous at work discovering solutions to as a lot of them as potential.
