Afternoon Briefing: Biden to hold press conference as he tries to quiet doubts after the debate

Good afternoon, Chicago.

President Joe Biden will hold a press conference this evening, the key event in a monumental week during which the Democratic incumbent is fending off calls for him to step aside as the party’s presumptive nominee following a shaky debate performance.

Here are the details on what White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has referenced as Biden’s “big boy” news conference.

And here what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Lake County Forest Preserves District to expand lakefront footprint

The Lake County Forest Preserves District’s Openlands Lakeshore Preserve will soon become about 20% larger, with plans to build trails to connect it to the district’s other lakefront land in Highland Park and Lake Forest. Read more here.

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• Boil order for drinking and cooking water lifted on Chicago’s South Side, city officials say

• Aurora City Council approves contract for study of pay for aldermen, mayor

Illinois legislators and CUB urge rejection of water rate hikes requested by Aqua Illinois, Illinois American

Four Illinois legislators and a Citizens Utility Board representative urged state regulators Wednesday to reject rate hikes proposed by the state’s two largest private water utilities, Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois. Read more here.

More top business stories:

• Three Chicagoland communities on nation’s 50 wealthiest suburbs list

• Gary airport authority seeking $35 million in bonds for upgrades

Sue Bird predicted Chennedy Carter would outplay her draft class. The Chicago Sky guard believes it: ‘Just keep watching.’

Four years ago, WNBA legend Sue Bird made a bet. Hours into an Instagram live session with Diana Taurasi, the (hypothetical) stakes were high: Put a million-dollar wager on the best player from the 2020 draft class. Bird had an immediate answer. “Chennedy Carter,” she said. “If Chennedy Carter gets her (stuff) straight — I mean, come on, bro.” Read more here.

More top sports stories:

• They fled from their home countries. Now, they’ll compete in Paris for the Refugee Olympic Team.

• Here’s what you need to know about the NBA’s upcoming 11-year, $76 billion media rights contracts

Review: After decade’s absence, conductor Giancarlo Guerrero delivers a powerful Grant Park Music Fest program

After a mostly underwhelming two weeks led by former Seattle Symphony baton Ludovic Morlot, on Wednesday the Grant Park Music Festival put up a second contender to succeed outgoing conductor Carlos Kalmar: the Costa Rica-born, Nashville-based Giancarlo Guerrero, who last appeared at the festival in 2014.

Call him Maestro 180. Not only was Guerrero’s leadership night and day from his last local appearance — a spotty April showing with the Chicago Symphony and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra — but his curatorial and interpretive creativity set a high bar for the director search going forward. Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

• Review: ‘Savor,’ now in Chicago, is a bit of dance dazzle in the style of ‘Dancing with the Stars’

• Shelley Duvall, star of ‘The Shining,’ ‘Nashville,’ dies at 75

Fire breaks out in the spire of the medieval cathedral in the French city of Rouen

The cathedral in Rouen in Normandy is widely known from a series of paintings by impressionist Claude Monet. Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

• Immigration visas can take decades. Just ask this mother waiting for her son.

• Pressure mounts on Houston power company to quickly restore service as city sweats after Beryl