Daywatch: A secret Chicago cheesesteak
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Good morning, Chicago.
Have you seen photos of former President Donald Trump being arrested? The highly detailed, sensational images have inundated Twitter and other platforms in recent days, amid news that Trump faces possible criminal charges.
But the visual is not remotely real. The images — and scores of variations littering social media — were produced using increasingly sophisticated and widely accessible image generators powered by artificial intelligence.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
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State awards $20 million to upgrade security at religious and cultural institutions deemed at risk for terrorism
With heightened concerns about extremism and hate crimes throughout the U.S., Illinois officials said they have awarded $20 million in grants to synagogues, mosques and other religious and cultural institutions “deemed at high risk of a terrorist attack.”
The grants, which also were awarded to reproductive health centers, must be used for “target-hardening activities,” which include active shooter training, the purchase and installation of security equipment and the hiring of security guards, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
In ‘ComEd Four’ trial, Michael Madigan’s ex-political director says arm-twisting on speaker’s orders helped pass ComEd legislation
One of Michael Madigan’s top former lieutenants told a federal jury Thursday that last-minute arm-twisting orchestrated by the powerful speaker on the House floor in 2016 played a role in reversing the vote on a major Commonwealth Edison bill from “no” to “yes.”
Will Cousineau, a lobbyist and longtime political director on Madigan’s Democratic staff, is the first person to testify in the “ComEd Four” trial that Madigan’s behind-the-scene’s push changed the outcome of a bill that the utility giant desperately wanted passed.
Dispatches from the Sahara Desert: Looking back on a trip to a land of dinosaurs, and all we gained
New dinosaurs by the dozen fill two large shipping containers poised to depart Niger for Africa’s coast and then travel by ship across the Atlantic destined for the Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago, where a process of cleaning and recomposing bones over the coming years will unveil a menagerie of new species.
The fossils were collected during a fall 2022 expedition and later will return to Niger, home to the richest fossil beds in Africa.
Cactus League report: Will the Cubs open the season with no left-handers in the bullpen?
With opening day only six days away, the Cubs and White Sox have some important roster decisions to make before the end of the Cactus League games.
Manager David Ross said they’re being careful with Brandon Hughes to avoid putting him on the injured list. He’s the only left-hander that was virtually assured a spot in the pen. The Cubs passed on adding some veteran left-handed relievers in the offseason, and while some may be available, it wouldn’t help now if Hughes went on the IL.
Celebrate National Cheesesteak Day with a secret Chicago cheesesteak, yes, cheese on Italian beef
You might celebrate National Cheesesteak Day today with the beloved sandwich imported from Philadelphia. Or perhaps with cheese on Italian beef. Yes, cheese on a beef. Purists may ask, since when do Italian beef sandwiches have cheese in Chicago? At Portillo’s, they offer mozzarella, cheddar, American and even cheese sauce. At Buona, where they created a plant-based Italian Beefless sandwich, you can get vegan cheese.
In a city with fierce food rules, like no ketchup on hot dogs, food critic Louisa Chu has been been so curious about how we’ve largely accepted, without jus-covered fists raised in outrage, cheese on beefs.
