Daywatch: Lawsuit in Illinois could invalidate thousands of mail-in ballots
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Good morning, Chicago.
A pending federal lawsuit, brought by a downstate Republican congressman and two GOP officials, could invalidate potentially tens of thousands of mailed general election ballots that are cast by Illinois voters, including military members serving overseas, and postmarked on or before this coming Election Day but received by election authorities afterward.
The lawsuit, led by four-term U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro echoes some of the rejected court challenges filed by former President Donald Trump in other states in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election that he falsely contends was stolen. Bost is being assisted in the suit by a nonprofit conservative advocacy organization that has backed a number of Trump’s efforts.
At issue is a 2015 state law that allows vote-by-mail ballots to be counted if they are received within 14 days after Election Day if they were postmarked on or before the final day of voting.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Rick Pearson.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
COVID-19 tracker | Monkeypox tracker | Afternoon briefing | Compare gas prices | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy | Today’s eNewspaper edition
Chicago dumping Kanye?
The Wieners Circle has never been one to hold back an insult. On Thursday, the Lincoln Park hot dog stand declared “Kanye can suck our kosher dogs” on its marquee, jokingly adding in a post on Twitter that, “Chicago has officially dropped Kanye.”
West, who legally changed his name to Ye, has come under fire after recent appearances on Fox News and the podcast “Drink Champs,” where he questioned the cause of George Floyd’s death and recycled harmful rhetoric about Jewish money and influence. On Wednesday, a mural depicting West in the West Loop neighborhood was painted over, leaving a black silhouette where the artist’s likeness previously stood facing West Lake Street near Morgan Street.
A way to get solar energy — no rooftop panels required — is making headway in Illinois
There are no shiny black solar panels on the roof of his condo building, but Paul Dickerson is enjoying the benefits of clean energy just the same. Dickerson, 73, of Oak Park, has signed up for what is known in Illinois as community solar — a program in which residents subscribe to nearby solar farms, reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and receiving discounts on their electric bills.
Increasingly popular in Illinois, community solar was pioneered on the West Coast in the mid-2000s as a way to bring clean energy to the many American households — almost 50% by some estimates — that don’t have access to solar panels, often because residents can’t afford them, don’t own their homes or don’t get enough sun on their roofs.
Marquee Sports Network ratings have dropped 56% since its launch. Here’s how the Chicago Cubs’ cable TV home is faring in Year 3.
When the Chicago Cubs launched the Marquee Sports Network in February 2020, it was the culmination of a decade-long quest to create a dedicated 24/7 cable TV platform for the team, which was still soaring in the wake of its first World Series championship in more than a century.
After three seasons of COVID-19, cord-cutting and declining ratings, things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the fledgling regional sports network.
5 things to watch in the Chicago Bears-Dallas Cowboys game — plus our Week 8 predictions
The Chicago Bears don’t have an easy follow-up Sunday to their upset of the New England Patriots. The Dallas Cowboys are 5-2 and have held opponents to just 14.9 points per game, second best in the NFL.
As kickoff approaches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, here’s our snapshot look at the game.
How to celebrate Halloween Chicago-style
Chicago, as always, loves an excuse to celebrate and have some fun. This year, we at the Chicago Tribune have found ourselves bewitched by holiday spirit, and we’ve indulged ahead of one of the first Halloweens in recent years where people can gather safely, trading their COVID-19 masks for ones of monsters and ghouls.
We’ve rounded up our recommendations for Chicago-themed Halloween costumes, parties and events across Chicagoland.
For those who prefer a quiet haunt at home, turn to Christopher Borrelli’s look at how horror lit crawled out of the swamp and into a golden age or try a spooky recipe Kori Rumore pulled from our archives.
Here’s everything you need to know for a great Halloweekend.