U.S. rail worker strike avoided as sides reach tentative deal

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Good morning, Chicago —

Here's the latest news from around the area.

A tentative railway labor agreement has been reached, averting a worker strike that could have been devastating to the economy before the pivotal midterm elections, President Joe Biden said this morning. The two sides had been in negotiations for 20 hours at the Labor Department, with Biden at one point calling in to tell negotiators to consider the harm to families, farmers and businesses if a shutdown occurred. Read the full story here.

A year after R. Kelly was convicted in New York on charges that led to a 30-year prison sentence, a federal jury yesterday found the R&B star guilty on six of 13 charges in a trial set in Chicago's federal courthouse. It took jurors 11 hours to reach the decision, which appears to bring an end to Kelly's lengthy legal saga. Jon Seidel and Andy Grimm have more on the verdict in Kelly's Chicago case.

And Gov. J.B. Pritzker yesterday signed a disaster proclamation allowing the state to speed up procurement of resources for more than 500 immigrants who have been sent to Illinois on buses from Texas. Pritzker, who said he's also calling for 75 Illinois National Guard members to provide assistance, called on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to "stop trying to sow the seeds of chaos, to put aside politics and focus on human rights." Tina Sfondeles has more on how Illinois is handling immigrants bused in from Texas.

Get even more news below, and thanks for reading.

Satchel Price, assistant audience engagement editor

Biden: Tentative railway labor deal reached, averting strike

President Joe Biden says a tentative railway labor agreement has been reached, averting a strike that could've been devastating to the economy before the midterm elections.

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R. Kelly verdict: Singer guilty in federal trial in Chicago, bringing closure to decadeslong legal saga

It took 11 hours for jurors in the R&B star's trial to reach their decision, finding Kelly guilty on six of 13 counts.

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Pritzker signs disaster declaration to aid people bused from Texas, calls on Abbott to 'stop trying to sow the seeds of chaos'

At a morning news conference, the governor also said he is calling in the Illinois National Guard to help with infrastructure and services to handle immigrants bused to the state by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

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