Here come the new COVID boosters

Plus, a big year (so far) for labor organizing. Here's what you need to know today.

Tuesday, September 6, 2022 Today's Rundown is brought to you by WBEZ members and   by Hunter Clauss   Good afternoon! The nephews enjoyed my wizard costume at the renaissance fair over the weekend. Luckily it was not 90 degrees outside. Anyway, here’s what you need to know today. 1. About 150,000 doses of the new COVID vaccines will be available to Chicago residents this week   Chicago officials today urged residents to get updated COVID-19 vaccines that health experts say could help the city and the nation avoid a major surge in infections this fall and winter. The vaccines, which offer better protection against omicron variants, are available to everyone who has already completed their primary round of shots. There are no prioritized groups of people like when vaccines were first being rolled out.  The updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is available to ages 12 and up. Moderna’s version is for people 18 years and older.  To find a vaccination site, check vaccines.gov, a free online service, or call the city’s COVID-19 call center: 312-746-4835. [Chicago Sun-Times]  Scientists and doctors are cautiously optimistic the updated vaccines will blunt a wave of infections this fall and winter, a trend we saw in previous years. But a new variant would change that forecast. [Washington Post] 2. The Chicago Bears released details of a proposed Arlington Heights site that includes some public funding   The Chicago Bears will not ask for public funding for a proposed stadium in the Chicago suburb, but they will seek state or local assistance for a broader, mixed-use development, reports Fran Spielman for the Chicago Sun-Times. “In an apparent attempt to justify public help for the broader development amid local resistance, the Bears rolled out a series of tantalizing numbers to describe the potential economic impact of the project,” Spielman reports.  That includes a $9.4 billion impact for “Chicagoland,” 48,000 jobs and $16 million in annual tax revenue. [Chicago Sun-Times] The news broke after the Sun-Times reported that a conservative group planned to move forward with a petition aimed at blocking any taxpayer financing of the new stadium.  The Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity said it will introduce a proposed “anti-corporate welfare ordinance” to the Arlington Heights Village Board tonight.  A recent poll of 300 voters in Arlington Heights found 55% supported the ordinance, but there was also overwhelming support for the Bears to relocate to the Chicago suburb. [Chicago Sun-Times] 3. Here’s how you can help as more migrants are bused to Chicago from Texas   Chicago officials launched a website where residents can donate supplies and money for migrants arriving in Chicago as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to send undocumented immigrants into Democrat-led cities. Fifty more migrants arrived in Chicago over the weekend, joining the initial 79 migrants who were welcomed to the city last week. Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Sunday again criticized Abbott for “manufacturing a human crisis” by sending the migrants to Chicago without coordinating with local officials, reports my colleague Emmanuel Camarillo. “We have yet to hear from anybody in an official capacity from Texas; that’s unacceptable. We’re talking about human beings’ lives who have themselves gone through an incredible journey just to get to the United States,” Lightfoot said. [Chicago Sun-Times] 4. The number of deaths on Illinois roads is rising   There were an estimated 280 traffic fatalities in the first three months of this year, a 24% increase compared to the same time last year, reports my colleague Manny Ramos, citing recent federal data. That’s much higher than the nationwide increase of 7% during that same time period.  “This is not anything to minimize or anything to dismiss and must be taken very seriously,” said P.S. Sriraj, director of UIC’s Urban Transportation Center. “There have been a lot of efforts on the parts of automobile manufacturers and local law enforcement to bring the number of fatalities down, but all that ground gained is at risk of being lost.” Roadway fatalities across the nation have risen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Transportation experts say drivers have grown more accustomed to dangerous behaviors, such as speeding and driving while drunk or high. [Chicago Sun-Times] 5. Chicago workers are organizing at a rate that hasn’t been seen in more than a decade   This year is shaping up to be a big one for labor organizing in Chicago, as we’re on track to see the most petitions for union elections filed in the last 12 years, report WBEZ’s Amy Qin and Charmaine Runes. So far, filings in Chicago have jumped 45% over the same period last year, according to National Labor Relations Board data. Starbucks workers filed eight of this year’s 32 petitions. “The last two years have been the best time for organizing in the history of my career, and I’ve been doing this since ’89,” said James Glimco, president of Teamsters Local 777 in Chicago.  The rise in labor organizing comes as the pandemic laid bare inequalities in the workplace and more favorable attitudes toward unions. According to a Gallup poll released last month, 71% of Americans now approve of unions, up from 64% before the pandemic. [WBEZ] SPONSORED BY LAKEVIEW EAST FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Lakeview East Festival of the Arts The Lakeview East Festival of the Arts is back for one weekend only - September 10th and 11th in the heart of Lakeview! This popular festival showcases more than 120 juried artists featuring paintings, sculpture, photography, furniture, jewelry and more. In addition to art, the Festival has become a center of activity for the weekend with live demonstrations, entertainment stages with local bands, family activities and a garden oasis. Learn more and join us. Here's what else is happening The Chicago Sky have a 2-1 advantage heading into tonight’s Game 4 against the Connecticut Sun. [Chicago Sun-Times] The top staffers at the Obama Foundation make more money than their counterparts at other presidential centers. [Chicago Tribune] The plan for a downtown Chicago casino now has a surprising ally: river lovers. [WBEZ] If you’re looking for something to listen to, The New York Times has a new podcast examining the midterm elections. [NYT]    Sasha's Pick Mariame Kaba and Andrea Ritchie’s new book No More Police: A Case for Abolition proposes a roadmap for building safe communities without law enforcement. “I believe we can create a better vision of society where everyone has what they need to be safe, survive and thrive,” Ritchie said on Reset. [WBEZ Reset]  — Sasha-Ann Simons, host of Reset Oh, and one more thing... Southern Illinois this summer was home to Indigo Point, a new camp that sounds like every other, with cabins and s’mores and games of tag. Only these campers are at the center of the nation’s culture wars. Indigo Point was created as a haven for youth who identify as transgender, gender nonconforming or queer. And it was put together in a rush as conservative politicians across the nation push legislation questioning the existence of transgender people, reports The New York Times.  “Sharing the parts of me that are queer could be illegal,” said camper Eloise, an 11-year-old from Michigan. “That just feels like a really scary possibility.” [New York Times] Tell me something good We are now in the fall TV season, if you didn’t notice the Rings of Power promos everywhere. And I’d like to know what TV shows you’re enjoying right now or looking forward to watching. I watched the first episode of the new season of Rick and Morty and would love to know how the creative team keeps track of all the dimension-hopping variants.  I’m also really digging House of the Dragon, though I’m not sure if I’ll eat crabs anytime soon. Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week. therundown@wbez.org | @whuntah Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I'll see you tomorrow. — Hunter Clauss ©Chicago Public Media Inc 848 East Grand Ave, Navy Pier Chicago, IL 60611 View in Browser | Sign Up for Newsletters | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy