> >> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TOO TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT.

DEMOCRATS FIGHT TO HOLD A SLIGHT MAJORITY IN CONGRESS AS MIDTERMS RAPIDLY APPROACH.

ILLINOIS SENATOR DICK DURBIN JOINS US FOR THE ONE-ON-ONE ISSUES.

> >> THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIOS OF ELECTIONS HAS A NEW PRECINCT, PRECINCT MAP, BUT IT MIGHT MEAN A NEW POLL IN PLACE FOR MANY CHICAGO VOTERS.

> >> A NEW FEDERAL PUSH TO RECLASY TO RECLASSIFY CONTRACT WORKERS AS EMPLOYEES.

WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR GIG WORKERS.

> >> COOK COUNTY IS ACCEPTING APPS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE NATION'S LARGEST PUBLICLY FUNDED GUARANTEED INCOME PILOTD PILOT.

FIND OUT WHAT THAT PROGRAM IS PROMISING.

> >> HUNDREDS OF DOWNTOWN APARTMES DOWNTOWN APARTMENTS HIT THE MARKET.

> >> SUBURBAN LIBRARIES ARE WELCOG ARE WELCOMING SPANISH SPEAKING S SPEAKING LATINOS WITH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN BOOKS.

> >> A COLORFUL EXHIBITION LOOKING AT MONOCHROMATIC ARTWORK IN CONTEMPORARY ART.

> >> BUT FIRST SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

HEALTHCARE WORKERS WILL SOON BE UNDER FEWER COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS.

GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER ANNOUNCES HE'S REMOVING WEEKLY TESTING REQUIRS TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR UNVACCINATED WORKERS IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES AND LONG-TERM CARE CENTERS.

THE STATE ISSUED VACCINE MANDATE FR MANDATE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS IS ALSO BEING REMOVED.

FINALLY, FACE COVERINGS WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED IN ALL HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, BUT ARE RECOMMENDED IN FACILITIES IN AREAS OF HIGH COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.

THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAYS THE STAS HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND RESIDENTS HAVE DONE BETTER WITH VACCINES, BOOSTERS, AND MASKING, ALLOWING THE STATE TO SCALE BACK SOME HEALTH CARE REQUIREMENTS IN LIE IN LINE WITH THE CDC.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAYS COVID-19 IS ON ITS WAY TO BEING AN ENDEMIC WITH THE FLU.

> >> SOME SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EARLY VOTING.

FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND FORMER FIRST LADY, MICHELLE OB, MICHELLE OBAMA, CAST THEIR BALLOTS TODAY.

TWO SITES DOWNTOWN ARE OPEN FOR IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING AT THE CHICAGO ELECTION SUPERSITE AND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OFFICE.

EARY OFFICE.

EARLY VOTING SITES IN ALL 50 WARDS WILL START A WEEK FROM TODAY ON OCTOBER 24.

WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT ELECTION PREPAS ELECTION PREPARATIONS IN JUST A MOMENT.

> >> SOME HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ARE SOUNDING ALARMS ABOUT ILLINOIS' SUPREME COURT CANDIDATES THEY THINK POSE A THREAT TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMY REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.

THEY WARN CANDIDATES MARK CURRAN AND MICHAEL BURKE RUNNING FOR ILLIS FOR ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT, IF , IF ELECTED, WOULD RESTRICT ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.

>> THE POTENTIAL ELECTION OF ANS OF ANTI-ABORTIONS IS FRIGHTENING AS IT WILL JEOPARDIZE MY ABILITY TO SAFELY CARE FOR THE PATIENTS, DELAY PATIENTS ABILITIES TO GET NEEDED MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENTS, AND WILL HARM OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE FEDERAL COURT LEVEL IN MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING STATES.

WE CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN HERE IN.

THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH AT STAKE.

AT STAKE.

>> MARK CURRAN IS RUNNING FOR TE RUNNING FOR THE SECOND DISTRICT AGAINST LIZ ROCHFORD.

MICHAEL BURKE IS RUNNING IN THE THIRD DISTRICT AGAINST MARY KAY O'BR.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOURG YOUR POLLING PLACE?

BUT FIRST THE WAR IN EUROPE, VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS IN CHICAGO IN THE BATTLE OVER GUN LAWS.

ILLINOIS SENIOR SENATOR, DICK DURBIN, GIVES US HIS TAKE ON ALL THAT AND MORE RIGHT AFTER THIS.

> >> "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POE MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE JIM AND KAY MABIE FAMILY.

THE HOPE BROTHERS.

AND BY THESE DO.

AND BY THESE DONORS.

> >> CRITICAL MIDTERM ELECTIONS TT ELECTIONS THAT WILL DECIDE WHO CONTROLS CONGRESS ARE ONLY THREE WEEKS AWAY.

AMONG THE THINGS ON VOTERS MINDS ARE INFLATION, IMMIGRATION, CRIME, DEMOCRACY, AND ABORTION.

AND IN AN INTENSIFYING WAR ON UKRAINE HAVE MANY WORRIED ABOUT NUCLEAR THREATS.

HERE TO GIVE US HIS PERSPECTIVES ON THESE ISSUES AND MORE IS ILLINOIS SENIOR SENATOR, DICK DURBIN.

SENATOR DURBIN, WELCOME TO OUR STUDIOSD OUR STUDIOS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU IN PERSON IN MANY YEARS.

YOU'RE THE CO-CHAIR OF THE UKRAINE CAUCUS.

I WANT TO START WITH UKRAINE.

SLAW HAS STEPPED UP CIVILIAN ATTACKS IN PLACES LIKE KYIV IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

WHAT MORE CAN THE U.S. AND THE WEST DO TO PREVENT FURTHER ATROCITIES?

>> THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS.

THE PUTIN EFFORT HAS STALLED FROM A DOMESTIC POINT OF VIEW.

WHEN THE MAYOR OF MOSCOW SAYS STOP GRABBING YOUNG MEN ON THE STRES THE STREETS AND PUTTING THEM IN THE ARMY IS AN INDICATION PUBLIC SUPPORT IN RUSSIA IS NO.

SO PUTIN DOESN'T HAVE THE TROOPO TROOPS TO TURN TO.

THE UKRAINIANS HAVE BEEN AMAZING WH AMAZING WITH THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR RESILIENCE.

IT'S TERRIBLE HE'S ATTACKING CIVILIAN CENTERS.

BUT I THINK THE MOMENTUM IS ON THE SIDE OF UKRAINIANS.

>> AS SUCH PRESIDENT PUTIN MIGHL MIGHT FEEL HE'S BACKED UP INTO .

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS SAID THIS IE SCARIEST LEVEL SINCE THE BAY OF PIGS RIGHT NOW.

HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTIN TURNING TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS?

>> OF COURSE, WE WOULD TAKE IT .

YOU CAN'T DISMISS THAT OF JUST C JUST RHETORIC AND HIS NOTION OR AT LEAST SOME SUGGEST JUST TACTICAL BATTLEFIELD WEAPONS.

U WEAPONS.

YOU KNOW, RADIATION IS NOT CONTAINED THAT EASILY.

SO ANY THREAT OF THAT NATURE COULD REACH INTO THE NATO ALLIANCE AND THE SECTION OF WHICH THEY CALL FOR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE.

M COLLECTIVE RESPONSE.

I'M SURE PUTIN DOESN'T WANT THAT TO OCCUR.

I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS CORRECT IN MAKING IT CLEAR WE'RE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY IN WATCHING EVERY MOVE HE MAKES.

IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION.

>> IT HAS PROMPTED SOME IN YOUR, YOUR PARTY, BUT MORE ON THE REPN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO PUSH UKRAINE TO SIT DOWN AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE WHERE RUSSIA MIGHT HAD KEEP SOME OF THE TERRITORY THAT IT ILLEGALLY TO.

IS THAT AN OPTION ON THE TABLE?

>> IT IS ONLY AN OPTION IF THEYT IF THEY WANT IT TO BE AN OPTIONW OPTION.

NOW IMAGINE THIS, THEIR HOMES HAVE BEEN INVADED WITHOUT ANY PROVOCATION.

THEY'VE WITNESSED DEVASTATION, KILLING, WAR CRIMES, IN THE LIKES OF WHICH WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN DECADES.

FOR US TO DICTATE POLITICALLY WHAT THEY SHOULD DO NEXT IS COMPLETELY WRONG.

WE SUPPORT THEM.

THEY HAVE TO BE DOMINANT IN THEIR EFFORT AGAINST PUTIN.

THEY'VE SHOWN US THEY HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO ITS IT.

LET'S NOT UNDERCUT THEM.

>> I WANT TO MOVE TO THE TOPIC F THE TOPIC OF IMMIGRATION.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOW USG NOW USING COVID PUBLIC HEALTH RULE THAT WAS USED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO EXPEL N ASYLUM SEEKERS THAT CAME HERE BY ANY MEANS.

MOST OF THE RECENT ASYLUM SEEKERS IN CHICAGO ARE .

YOUR REACTION TO THIS RULE CHAN?

>> WELL, I'VE MET THEM.

I'VE SAT DOWN WITH THE MIGRANTS THAT CAME OFF THE BUSES, ONE ON ONE, TO SPEAK TO FOUR DIFFERENT GRO.

I ASKED HOW THEY GOT HERE.

WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES?

IT'S A TRAGIC SITUATION THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH.

THEY WERE DESPERATE, RISKED THEIR LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVES TO BE HERE.

AND IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY WERE SWEPT UP AND PROMISED IF THEY TAKE A BUS RIDE, EVERYTHING WOULD BE JUST FINE.

WHICH OF COURSE, THEY WERE BEING MISLED BY THE GOVERNORS OF TEXAS AND ARIZONA AND FLORIDA, THAT CIRCUMSTANCEI THINK WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS TG IS TRYING TO DO IS TO RESOLVE AN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE VENEZA HAVE VENEZUELA AS A COUNTRY THAT WE WARN AMERICANS NOT TO TRAVEL TO, IT'S SO DANGEROUS.

PEOPLE LIVING THERE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME SORT OF A REFUGE.

BUT WE D WE NEED TO REALLY SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IN ITS ENTIRETY.

WHAT WE HAVE AT THE BORDER NOW IS A SIGNAL THAT EYES ON THE BOOKS OF IMMIGRATION, ADEQUATE FOR THE 21st CENTURY.

>> SO EXPELLING VENEZUELAN ASYLM SPEAKERS THE RIGHT MOVE OR THE WRONG MOVE?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANS THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR EACH.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM IS QUALIFIED FOR ASYLUM STATUS.

BUT THEY MAKE DESPERATE MOVES TO COME HERE TO THIS COUNTRY.

THEY RISK THEIR LIVES.

WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO TURN SOMEONE BACK IN THE WAY OF HARM'S WAY.

>> SPEAKING OF A BROADER IMMIGRN BROADER IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL, YOU'VE SEEN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE THREE MONTHS AGO THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR?

YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE DREAM ACT.

ARE YOU STILY OPTIMISTIC PERHAPS IN THE LAME K LAME DUCK SESSION?

>> I HOPE IN THE LAME DUCK SESS, DUCK SESSION, WE CAN TAKE THIS ISSUE UP.

THE THING THAT HELD ME BACK RECENTLY IS ALL THE RHETORIC ABOUT IMMIGRATION THAT'S BEING USED AS A PART OF THIS CAMPAIGN BY THE REPUBLICANS.

I MEAN THEY'RE SUGGESTING ALL THE FOLKS COMING ACROSS THE BORDER, CARRYING BAGS OF FENTANYL WITH THEM, THEY'RE MURDERERS, RAPISTS.

BY IN LARGE THAT IS JUST FICTION, A POLITICAL FICTION THEY'RE USG FICTION THEY'RE USING TO THEIR .

I'M HOPING AFTER THE ELECTION TE ELECTION THERE WILL BE ENOUGH REPUBLICANS WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND DEAL WITH DACA, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH SHOULD BE DONE.E DONE.

THE TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS, AND TRY TO COME UP WITH AN APPROACH AT THE BORDER THATS THAT MAKES SENSE AND DISCOURAGEE DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM RISKING THEIR LIVES TO COME HERE.

>> IN AN ACUTE MOMENT YOU HAVE T HAVE ABOUT 3,400 VENEZUELANS THAT HAVE RISKED THEIR LIVES TO COME HERE, THAT ARE IN THE CHICAGO AREA.

LOCAL LEADERS HAVE ASKED FOR MORE FEDERAL FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH THE ARRIVAL.

IS THERE MORE FUNDING ON THE WAY?

>> THE DEMOCRATS WERE PUSHING FR PUSHING FOR IT, THE REPUBLICANS.

THE REASON IS OBVIOUS.

THEY WANT AS MUCH CHAOS AS POSSIBLE.

THEY WANT TO WRITE THEIR NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT THESE IMMIGRANTS MEN THESE IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO US.

AND HERE IS THE SIMPLE REALITY.

THE REALITY.

THESE IMMIGRANTS ARE COMING HERE NOT AS PART OF SOME SCHEME, BUT AN EFFORT TO FIND A JOB AND MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SURVIVE OR SEND MONEY BACK HOME TO OTHER RELATIVES AND FAMILY.L FAMILY.

THEY'LL TAKE ANY JOB AS USUAL.

IMMIGRANTS DO.

AND I'VE SEEN SO MANY EMPLOYERS SAY TO ME, WE CAN USE THEM, WE NEED THEM IN NURSING HOMES, WE NEED THEM IN RESTAURANTS.

WE NEED THEM IN SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES.

WE DO NEED THESE EMPLOYEES.

THESE ARE NOT JOBS AMERICANS ARE SEEKING.

>> AND THIS IS ONE OF MANY ISSUS ON VOTERS MINDS IN THE MIDTERMS, VERY CRUCIAL MIDTERMS.

YOU HAVE THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE JUDICIY THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.A COMMITTEE.

A JOB YOU'LL ONLY KEEP IF THE SENATE RETAINS THE 50-50 SPLIT OR IMPROVES ON THAT.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THA?

>> 50-50?

>> 50-50 OR IMPROVING.

>> WELL, I THINK THEY'RE 50-50.N 50-50.

IN OTHER WORDS I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHO HAS AN ADVANTAGE ANY GIVEN DAY.

THE DIFFERENCE IS IN MANY OF THESE RACES ARE ONE OR TWO POINTS.

THAT CAN SHIFT OVERNIGHT FOR REASONS WE CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN.

SO WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX STATES WE'RE WATCHING WITH VERY CLOSE EYES BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FUTURS OF FUTURES AT STAKE.

WE HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF PICKING UP A NUMBER OF STATES.

JOHN FETTERMAN, A CANDIDATE LIEUTENT CANDIDATE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OA OF PENNSYLVANIA WAS A GUEST OF MINE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO HERE IN.

>> AND THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE T NOISE ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO SERVE HIS RECOVERY FROM A STROKE.

WHT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

WHAT DID YOU OBSERVE?

>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU MY OBSE, MY OBSERVATION, THANK GOODNESS, NOT A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT I'VE SEEN STROKE VICTIMS.

MARK KIRK RETURNED AFTER A YEAR.

AND GREAT JOB AS A SENATOR.

WE HAD SITUATIONS WITH CHRIS VAN HOLLN VAN HOLLEN IN MARYLAND.

AND BEN LUHAN OF NEW MEXICO.

BOTH MY COLLEAGUES HAD STROKES THIS YEAR, AND THEY'RE STILL FUNCTIG STILL FUNCTIONING AT FULL SPEEDI FULL SPEED.

I THINK JOHN FETTERMAN IS READY TO COME AND HANDLE THIS HAD JOB IF THE VOTERS GIVE HIM THAT OPPORTUNI.

THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I HAVE NO QUESTION ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO DO THE JOB.

>> AND A BIG QUESTION WEIGHING N WEIGHING ON VOTERS MINDS, INFLATION RIGHT NOW.

REPUBLICAS RIGHT NOW.

REPUBLICANS HAVE SOUGHT TO TIE DEMOCRATS AS RESPONSIBLE FOR INFLATION.

IS T FOR INFLATION.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HURT THE PARTY'S REELECTION?

>> OF COURSE, IT WILL.

INFLATION IS A PROBLEM FOR EVERY FAMILY.E EVERY FAMILY.

WE BETTER LOOK AT IT REALISTICALLY.

IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR TO BLAME JOE BIDEN FOR THE INFLATION.

DO YOU BLAME HIM FOR 10% INFLATION IN GERMANY?

% GERMANY?

10% IN GREAT BRITAIN?

% GREAT BRITAIN?

6% IN CANADA?

COG CANADA?

COMING OUT OF THE COVID CRISIS, MANY OF THESE ECONOMIE, ECONOMIES OVERHEATED, AND THEY T THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SUPPLY CHAIN TO PRODUCE THE GOODS AND SERVICES PEOPLE WANTED, WHICH LED TO INFLATION.

NOW THE FEDS ARE TRYING TO USE INTEREST RATES TO BRING THIS BACK UNDER CONTROL, BUT IT'S NOT A PRECISE SCIENCE.

IT'S NOT A FINE TUNIN.

AND SO I THINK WE CAN MOVE IN TE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE SHOULD.

BUT TO BLAME BIDEN FOR IT IS JUST, I THINK AN OPPORTUNISM.

>> AND ANOTHER ISSUE REPUBLICANE REPUBLICANS ARE SEEKING TO PIN ON DEMOCRATS ESPECIALLY HERE IN ILLINOIS WITH THE SAFE-T ACT IS CRIME.

DO DEMOCRATS AND SOME OF THESE CONTESTED SENATE RACES OR OTHER RACES HAVE A MESSAGE ON CRIME?

>> THEY WANT TO USE THIS MESSAGE MESSAGE BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO BRAND MY PARTY SOFT ON CRIME.

N CRIME.

WHEN IT COMES TO DEFUNDING POLICE, WE DON'T STAND FOR THAT.

WE WANT TO FUND THE POLICE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ADEQUATELY TRAINED AND ARMED TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY, LEGALLY, AND MORALLY CONSTITUTIONALLY.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE NEED POLICE.

IF YOU WANT TO DIAL 911, YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO ANSWER WHO IS COMPT IS COMPETENT AND WHO CAN KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE.

BOTH PARTIES AGREE ON THAT.

BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE SOME CONTRAST HERE THAT JUST DOESN'T EXIST.

>> AND AGAIN IN THIS UPCOMING EN UPCOMING ELECTION YOU HAVE NUMEROUS CANDIDATES FOR HIGH OFFICES IN THEIR STATES THAT ARE ELECTION DENIERS AND HAVE NOT PLEDGED TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THEIR OWN ELECTION SHOULD THEY LOSE.

HOW MIGHT THAT PLAY OUT ON ELECTION DAY AND BEYOND?

>> THAT IS ALMOST TRAITOROUS ASI AS I SEE IT.

WHEN YOU SWEAR TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, YOU SWEAR TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION THAT AN ELECTION BRINGS IN AMERICA.

I SAW A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, THE GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA, REFUSED TE REFUSED THE FACT SHE MIGHT LOSEE LOSE.

SHE WOULDN'T EVEN ANSWER THE QUESTION.

THAT'S TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.

IT'S THE BIG LIE OF DONALD TRUMP, AND WE SHOULD REJECT ALL CANDIDATES TO TAKE THAT POSITION.

>> THAT LEADS TO WORRIES ABOUT 4 ABOUT 2024 NOW.

THERE IS A BIPARTISAN BILL, THE ELECTORAL VOTE COUNT ACT THAT WOULD SHORE UP THE ELECTORAL VOTE COUNT AC, COUNT ACT, SO THAT A VICE PRESIT VICE PRESIDENT ISN'T PUT IN THEN THE POSITION MIKE PENCE WAS, WHERE A VICE PRESIDENT WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF AUTHORITY.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WOULD PASS IN LAME DUCK?

>> I THINK THERE'S A CHANCE.

I'M A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT.

I WORKED ON THAT BILL.

IT ISN'T ALL THAT WE WANTED, BUT ALL WE CAN ACHIEVE ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.E BASIS.

THE LEAD SPONSORS ON THE BILL BASICALLY SAID LET'S WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION TO CALL IT.

I HOPE WE GET IT DONET DONE.

IT SHOULD BE DONE.

>> ANOTHER ISSUE AFTER HIGHLAND, HIGHLAND PARK, AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN.

>> WELL, IT COULD HAVE SOME.

I HOPE IT HAS SOME SUPPORT FROM E FROM THE REPUBLICANS.

BUT LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE HERE, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO ARGUE TO ME THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS ENVID FATHERS ENVISIONED IN THE SECONT SECOND AMENDMENT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR 18-YEAR-OLDS TO BE ABLE TO BUY AN ASSAULT WEAPON, A MILITARY WEAPON, WHICH WAS USED UP IN HIGHLAND PARK?

THAT'S A RIDICULOUS CONCLUSION.

IT DOESN'T REFLECT THE REALITY OF THOSE WHO WOULD WANT TO TAKE THE SECOND AMENDMENT SERIOUSLY.

>> ALL RIGHT, SENATOR DICK DURB, DICK DURBIN, NO SHORTAGE OF ISSUES HERE IN CRUNCH TIME.

WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US IN OR IN OUR BRAND NEW STUDIO.

>> THANKS, PARIS.

> >> AND NOW TO BRANDIS AND WHAT U WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHEN VOTING IN PERSON IN CHICAGO.

BRANDIS?

>> AND PARIS, ELECTION DAY IS LS IS LESS THAN 30 DAYS AWAY.

FOR SOME CHICAGO VOTERS, YOUR POLLG YOUR POLLING PLACE MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE LAST.

THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS S ELECTIONS HAS HAD TO DRAW NEW PRECINCT MAPS, BUT SOME FOLKS E FOLKS ARE CRYING FOUL SAYING THE NEW MAP IS A FORM OF VOTER DEPRESSION.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW MAP, WORKERS SHORTAGE AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT THIS ELECTION SEASON IS MAX BEVER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION FOR THE CHICAGO BOD CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS.

WELE OF ELECTIONS.

WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT," MAX.

SO IN THE NEW MAP OF VOTING PRECINCT, VOTING PRECINCTS, PRECINCTS IN CHICAGO, 50 WARDS HAVE GONE DOWN FROM 2,069 TO 1,290.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHANGE?

>> SURE, A COUPLE OF FACTORS TH.

THIS IS A PROCESS THAT HAPPENS Y HAPPENS EVERY TEN YEARS IN CHICAGO RELATED TO REDISTRICTING AND THE NEW CITY WARD MAP.

THAT MAP WAS PASSED MAY OF THIS YEAR, A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN IT USUALLY IS.

AND ONCE THAT PASSED, THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS TO REDISTRICT, PUT PEOPLE IN THEIR NEW WARDS AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S AUGUST 30.

THAT'S THE DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS FOR RUNNING FOR THE NEXT ELECTION, THE FEBRUARY 2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTION, AS WELL AS US REACTING TO THE NEW STATE LAW THAT IS RAISING THE AMOUNT TO REGISTERED VOTERS WITHIN PRECINCTS.

SO FOR A CITY THE SIZE OF CHICAGO, THAT RAISES UP TO 1,800 HAD, GETTING CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER.

WE HAD A BIG PROCESS TO OVERTAKE WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

GOT THAT DONE AHEAD OF DEADLINES IN AUGUST.

AND NOW WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO VOTERS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT COMING UP FOR NOVEMBER 8.

>> DO FEWER PRECINCTS MEAN FEWEG FEWER POLLING PLACES?

>> NOT NECESSARILY.

WHEREVER WE CAN, THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS WILL TRY TO HAVE ONE PRECINCT PER POLLING PLACE.

HO, PER POLLING PLACE.

HOWEVER, FOR THE LAST OF THE ELECTION CYCLES, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE.

FOR THE JUNE 28 PRIMARY , PRIMARY ELECTION, THERE WAS 1,043 POLLING PLACE LOCATIONS SERVING OVER 2,069 PRECINCTS.

O PRECINCTS.

SO THE UPCOMING ELECTION DUE TO THESE RECENT CHANGES, WE NOW HAVE 946 PHYSICAL POLLING PLACES THAT WILL BE SERVICING 1,290 PRECIN.

AND THAT'S A NUMBER THAT'S IMPOT THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU HAVE MORE PHYSICAL POLLING LOCATIONS THAT ARE SERVING JUST A SINGLE PRECINCT, BUT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE EASIER STAFFING OF ELECTION JUDGES.

WE'VE HAD ELECTION JUDGE SHORTAGE FOR THE LAST THREE ELECTION CYCLES.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE FACING WITH THESE CHANGES.

>> AND YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY THEREL THERE WILL BE CHAPPINGS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

OF COURSE, YOU MENTIONED THE MUNIL THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION IN FEBRUARY.

CAN VOTERS EXPECT A BIG CHANGE THEN AS WELL OR PROBABLY THE SAME?

>> THE SAME.

WE HAVE GOTTEN MOST OF THE CHANGES OUT OF THE WAY AHEAD OF FEBRUARY TOO.

BUT THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT VOTERS CAN SEE IS RELATED TO TWO THINGS.

R TWO THINGS.

THEIR PRECINCT POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY AS WELL AS THE AMOUNT OF ELECTION JUDGES THAT ARE NEEDED IN CHICAGO.

SO THAT ELECTION SHORTAGE I WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR PREVIOUS ELECTIONS WITH THE AMOUNT OF PRECINCTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE, WE NEEDED 10,345 ELECTION JUDGES FOR ELECTION DAY.

THAT'S A HARD NUMBER TO HIT.

AND THAT'S BEEN NOT JUST FOR THE CHICAGO BOARD OF ELECTIONS, BUT THE ELECTION AGENCIES ACROSS OUR STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND NOW WIH NOW WITH THE PRECINCT CONSOLIDA, PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION, WE NEED 6,350 ELECTION JUDGES TO MAKE SURE EVERY PRECINCT IS STAFFEDD STAFFED.

AND SO WE ARE ALREADY E ALREADY CLOSE TO THAT TARGET, BUT WE'RE LOOKING TO OVERSTAFF THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT REDISTRG ABOUT REDISTRICTING OR SENDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO THE WRONG POLLING PLACE FOR THEIR CORRECT LOCATION AS WELL AS JUST ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE ON EN DAY.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENS THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU ARE ALLG ALL EXPERIENCING IN RECRUITING THOSE ELECTION WORKERS?

BECAUSE IN THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS, OF COURSELY COVID HAS BEEN A BIG BARRIER, BUT ALSO WORKER SAFETY BEING AN ISSUE IN RECENT ELECTIONS.

>> BOTH THE THINGS THAT YOU HAV, HAVE SUBSCRIBED, CONCERNS ABOUTG ABOUT SERVING AS A POLL WORKER AND ELECTION OFFICIAL IN 2022.T 2022.

BUT THE TRUTH IS IT'S A VERY LONG DAY TO BEING AN ELECTION JUDGE.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING TO YOUR ELECTION AROUND 4:00 A.M. YOU'LL BE THERE UNTIL 8:00 P.M.

THE ELECTION JUDGES, WHILE THEY'RE PAID, IT'S BEING AN ELECTION JUDGE AND UP TO 450 TO BE A COORDINATOR FOR ELECTIONS IN CHICAGO.

THIS ISN'T A MANDATOR.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE JURY DUTY.

WE DO RELY ON A SYSTEM OF VOLUNTES OF VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE ARE AVAILABLE TO WORK ON TUESDAYS FOR THAT LONG OF A DAY, WHICH TENDS TO RUN FOR A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS OR A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

BUT AS TIME HAS GONE BY, IT'S BEEN HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND PEOPLE WHO CAN SERVE AND WILL WANT TO SERVE FOR THAT DAY.

>> AND SOME ALDERMAN, CANDIDATER CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR HAVE SAID THIS REDUCTION IN THE PRECINCT IS A FORM OF VOTER SUPPRESSIONS SUPPRESSION.

IS THERE LESS ACCESS OR ARE THEY SAYING IF THAT IS THE CASE THERE IS LESS ACCESS TO THE POLLING PLACES OR CONFUSIONS ABOUT WHERE TO GO VOTE?

HOW DOES THE BOARD RESPOND TO THAT?

>> WE HAVE A RELATIVELY PHYSICAR PHYSICAL NUMBER THAN WHAT WE DIR DID FOR LAST JUNE, THE 28th OF THE PRIMARY.

JUST LESS PRECINCTS NOW.

WE DO HOPE THERE IS IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNICATING TO VOTERS AND STAFFING THOSE TYPES OF SITES MOVING FORWARD.T FORWARD.

BUT THE BIGGEST CHANGE AND THIS HAPPENS NOT JUST RELATED TO THE PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION, BUT TO WHAT HAPPENS IN CHICAGO EVERY TEN YEARS.

VOTERS ARE FINDING THEMSELVES WITHIN THE NEW WARD BOUNDARY, AND THEIR BOUNDARIES ARE CHANGING, WHICH MEANS THEIG THEIR POLLING PLACES ARE CHANGING.

SO IT IS ABOUT NEARLY HALF OF CHICAGO VOTERS AHEAD OF NOVEMBER 8.

WE'LL HAVE A DIFFERENT POLLING PLACE LOCATION THAN WHAT THEY DID JUST IN THE LAST JUNE 28 PRIMARY ELECTION, WHICH IS WHYE WHY WE'RE URGING VOTERS TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE ON NEWS.WTTW.COM.

O NEWS.WTTW.COM.

GO TO YOUR VOTER INFORMATION PAGE, ENTER YOUR INFORMATION, YOU'LL GET YOUR ASSIGNED PRECINCT POLLING LOCATION, YOUR SAMPLE BALLOT.

L BALLOT.

ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED FOR ELECTION DAY.

OR GIVE US A CALL.

WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY OLDER VOTERS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY USE WEBSITES.

GIVE US A CALL AT 312-269-7900 TO FIND THAT.

BY THE WAY, THIS IS- IS -- BIT WAY, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO EVERY VOTER'S OPPORTUNITY TO EARLY VOTE OR TO VOTE BY MAIL.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION WAS TAKING PLACES WAS TAKING PLACE.

THERE'S A GOOD NUMBER OF OUR POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION DAY IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS FROM JUNE 28.

TS ABOUT 100 VOTERS ALL DAY LONG.

O DAY LONG.

SO BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 6:00 A.M. AND 7:00 P.M., 100 VOTERS SHOWING UP, WE'VE GOT THE CAPACITIES AT THE POLLING .

SO IF THEY ARE DOUBLED THAT AMO, THAT AMOUNT, TRIPLED THAT AMOUNT, 400 VOTERS GOING TO THE PRECINCT POLLING PLACES ON ELECTION DAY.

WE'VE GOT THE STAFF NOW READY TO MEET THOSE VOTERS.

>> TO THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, IF E IF YOU'VE GOT FEWER PRECINCTS, CAN PEOPLE EXPECT LONGER LINES WHEN VOTING IN PERSON?

>> GIVEN AGAIN THAT WE'RE NOT SG NOT SEEING VERY LONG LINES AT MOST PRECINCT POLLING PLACES FOR ELECTION DAY, I WOULD SAY FOR, YOU KNOW, ESTIMATED TIME FOR VOTERS COULD POSSIBLY BE BETWEEN 5 TO 10 MINUTES.

YOU KNOW AGAIN, WE WANT VOTING TO BE AS EASY AND ACCESSIBLE AND K AND QUICK FOR VOTERS AS POSSIBL.

BUT YOU KNOW BEING IN A LINE FOE FOR FIVE MINUTES, WE HOPE THAT T THAT DOESN'T DETER ANY ADDITIONAL VOTERS.

BUT AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT YOUR EARLY VOTING OPTIONS OR YOUR VOTING BY MAIL OPTIONS AT HOME, THAT YOU CAN ALSO DO, IF YOU ARE NOT PLANNING ON VOTING ON ELECTIONY ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER 8.

>> SPEAKING OF EARLY VOTING, ITS VOTING, IT'S ALREADY OPEN AT YOUR DOWNTOWN LOCATION, OPENED CITY WIDE.

AND WE KNOW SOME FAMOUS CHICAGOANS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EARLY VOTING EARLIER TODAY.

ARE YOU NOTICING ANY VOTING PATTERNS SO FAR WITH REGARDS TO WHICH OPTIONS PEOPLE PEOPLE ARE GOING FOR?

>> YES, WE ARE ALREADY SEEING AR SEEING A HEALTHIER TURNOUT THAN WE DID THE LAST PRIMARY ELECTION.

NOW THAT'S GENERALLY THE CASE WITH GUBERNATORIAL YEARS COMPARATIVELY TO PRESIDENTIAL YEARS.

THERE WILL BE SOMEWHAT OF A LOWER TURNOUTY TURNOUT.

UNFORTUNATELY JUST THIS LAST JUNE 28 PRIMARY, WE'VE SEEN LOWER TURNOUTS.

BUT THE NUMBERS ARE IMPROVING FOR THE UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION.

WE'E GENERAL ELECTION.

WE'VE HAD 2,000 PEOPLE EARLY VOTE.

EARLY VOTING OPENED AT TWO LOCATIONS DOWNTOWN CHICAGO ON OCTOBER 7.L 7.

ALL 50 WARD VOTING LOCATIONSL LOCATIONS WILL BE OPEN NEXT MONDAY ON OCTOBER 24.

THAT'S GENERALLY WHEN WE WILL SEE THE EARLY VOTING NUMBERS REALLY START TO INCREASE.

BUT WHAT WE DO SEE WITH THE MOST ENGAGEMENT RIGHT NOW IS THE VOTE BY MAIL MEMBERS.

WE'VE HAD 11,000 BALLOTS RETURNED.

WE WILL HAVE OVER 180,000 VOTE BY MAIL APPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT ELECTION.

THAT'S THE SECOND HIGHEST BEING NEARLY 500,000 FOR THE NOVEMBER 2020 ELECTIONN ELECTION.

GIVEN THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC, GIVEN S ABOUT THE POST OFFICE AND OTHER, OTHER THINGS, THAT MAKES SENSE.T SENSE.

BUT WE ARE SEEING HIGH ET HIGH ENGAGEMENT WITH VOTE BY MAIL.

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT IS HERE TO STAY.

>> WE'RE LESS THAN 30 DAYS UNTIO TIME.

CHICAGO WARD OF ELECTIONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, BRANDIS.

> >> UP NEXT, A LOOK AT THE MANY S MANY USES OF COLOR IN CONTEMPORARY ART.

THAT'S RIGHTR THIS.

>> OUR CULTURE IS VIBRANT, IT'S, IT'S RICH, IT'S FUN.

>> WE TRY TO FOCUS ON HEY, LET E LET ME HELP YOU.

THIS IS WHAT CHICAGO IS.

THIS IS LITTLE VIL.

> >> THERE IS MUCH MORE AHEAD ON E ON THE PROGRAM INCLUDING A NEW L NEW FEDERAL RULE THAT COULD HAVE BIG IMPLICATIONS FOR GIG WORKERS LIKE RIDESHARE DRIVERS AND TUTORS.

BUT FIRST, FALL COLOR HAS A DIFFERENT LOOK THESE DAYS.

THAT'S WHERE THE NEW ART SHOW IS FILLED WITH VIVID COLORS AND DARK TONES AS WELL.

MARK VITALE VISITS THE CAMPUS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY SATURATED WITH MONOCHROMATIC MN ART.

>> AND THEY'RE REALLY AMAZING CO AMAZING CHICAGO TECH-STYLE ARTISTS.

AND SHE HAS ONE RED, ONE YELLOW, ONE BLUE.

THEY'RE EXUBERANT FALLS OF THE YARN THT THE YARN THAT STRETCH OUT OF THEM.

>> NEXT, THERE'S A GALLERY OF AK OF ARTWORK IN YELLOW AND GOLD.

D GOLD.

AND A ROOM FULL OF RED.

NO SMALL AMOUNT OF BLACK AND WHITE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

THE CURATORS CALL THE SHOW MONOCHRE THE SHOW MONOCHROME MULTITUDES.

>> WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGINGT CHALLENGING ART THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY ENCOUNTER?

>> PROBABLY ABSTRACT ART AND PRY AND PROBABLY ART MADE FROM ONE COLOR OR ART MADE FROM VERY STRANGE MATERIALS.

IT'S THE TYE THE TYPE OF ART THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY, INCLUDING MY , MY STUDENTS, EITHER I CAN DO THIS HAD TOO OR WHY IS THIS ART?

>> SO MANY OF THESE ARTISTS ARET ARE NOT USING COLOR NEUTRALLY.

E NEUTRALLY.

THEY'RE QUESTIONING WHAT COLOR MIGHT BE IT, QUESTIONING THEIR VALUES, THEY'RE QUESTIONING HOW IT IS USED FUNDAMENTALLY IN ART.

ONE OF THE BIG IDEAS BEHIND THIS EN THIS EXHIBITION IS REALLY TO EXPAND THE WAYS WE THINK ABOUTE MONOCHROME.

>> ALL THESE ARTISTS THINK OF CS OF COLORS IN VARIOUS WAYS.

WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT AND HISTORICL CONTENT, COLORS AND MONOCHROMING MEANS VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.

>> AMANDA WILLIAMS OF CHICAGO PD CHICAGO PAINTED CONDEMNED HOUSEN ENGLEWOOD.

THE BRIGHT COLORS THAT ARE MEANT TO ATTRACT CONSUMERS.

WILLIAMS WAS RECENTLY NAMED A 2022 MCARTHUR FELLOW.

ALSO IN THE EXHIBIIION, FILM MAKER DEREK JARMAN'S "BLUE."

AS HE WAS DYING FROM AD AN AGE-RELATED ILLNESS.

AND THERE IS AN ACOUSTIC WORK THAT BRINGS A MONOTONE TO THE MONOC.

THE MOVE TOWARDS EXPLORING ONE R ONE COLOR IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH 20th CENTURY MALE ARTISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES.

>> WE WANTED TO COMPLICATE THATE COMPLICATE THAT.

WE WANTED TO INCLUDE WOMEN.

WE WANTED TO INCLUDE ARTISTS OF COLOR.

WE WANTED TO INCLUDE ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY'E BECAUSE THEY'VE ALL ENGAGED IN S IN DISCOURSES AROUND THE MONOCH.

>> WE'RE A UNIVERSITY MUSEUM.

WE MUSEUM.

WE'RE THE UNIVERSITY OF.

THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT, AND ITS IT GIVES US AN INCREDIBLE OPPORY INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THE IMMENSE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE ON CAMPUS HERE.

SO CLOSE TO 40 OF THE LABELS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY FACULTY MEMBERS ACROSS CAMPUS.

AND NOT JUST US BOORING ARTISTS, BUT A MATHEMATICIAN, ASTROPHYSICIST, AND THOSE TYPES OF PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE USUALLY NEVER BROUGHT INTO MUSEUMS.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" THIS IC THIS IS MARC VITALI.

>> THE SHOW MONOCHROME MULTITUDS MONOCHROME MULTITUDES IS AT THE SMART MUSEUM ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO UNTIY UNTIL JANUARY 8.

IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

THERE'S MORE TO SEE ON OUR WEBSITE INCLUDING A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTISTS AND NEWLY MINTED MCARTHUR FELLOW, AMANDA WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO.

AND NOW PARIS, WE TOSS IT BACK TO YOU.

> >> THANKS, BRANDIS.

STILL TO COME ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

WALGREENS GOES AFTER CUSTOMER DATA TO TRY TO EXPAND ITS BUSINESS.

THAT AND MORE FROM CRANES.

> >> GIG WORKERS LIKE RIDESHARE DS RIDESHARE DRIVERS COULD SOON BE CLASSIFIED AS FULL EMPLOYEES UNDER A NEW PROPOSAL.

WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR THE ECONOMY.

> >> COOK COUNTY IS NOW ACCEPTINGS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE NATION'S LARGEST PUBLICLY FUNDED GUARANTEED INCOME PILOTD PILOT.

FIND OUT IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE.

>> WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM IN TR IN THEIR LANGUAGE.

> >> AND HOW SUBURBAN LIBRARIES AE LIBRARIES ARE WELCOMING SPANISHG LATINOS WITH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN.

> >> BUT FIRST FOR MORE OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES, TWO TEENAGERS WERE AMONG THE EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE OVER THE WEEKEND IN CHICAGO.

A 13-YEAR-OLD AND A 17-YEAR-OLD Y 17-YEAR-OLD BOY WERE KILLED HOURS APART BETWEEN LATE FRIDAY AND EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

POE MORNING.

POLICE SAY THE 13-YEAR-OLD WAS FOUND ON A BENCH WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD IN THE WEST RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY, A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN THE BACK OF THE YARD'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

POLICE SAY 31 PEOPLE WERE SHOT IN 26 SEPARATE INCIDENTS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY.

> >> THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGET EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IS ASSISTING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY DOWN STATE ST. CLAIRE COUNTY.

S COUNTY.

RESIDENTS EXPERIENCED MAJOR FLOODS AND STORMS IN LATE JULY.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN APPRD BIDEN APPROVED THE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

ALLOWING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP RESIDENTS GET GRANTS FOR THINGS LIKE TEMPORARY HOUSING AND HOME REPAIRS AND LOW COST LOANS TO COVER UNINSURED PROPERTY LOSSES.

> >> YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT F BUT IF YOU LOOKED OUT YOUR WINDOW THIS MORNING, YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN A LITTLE SNEAK PREVIW SNEAK PREVIEW OF WINTER.

THE FIRST SNOWFLAKES OF THE SEASON HIT THE GROUND AT O'HARE AIRPOT O'HARE AIRPORT ACCORDING TO THEL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

TE SERVICE.

THE SNOWFALL EVADED OUS BY THIS AFTERNOON WHEN WE WERE T WERE AT THE LAKEFRONT.

SNOWFLAKS LAKEFRONT.

SNOWFLAKES AT O'HARE WERE BARELY NOTICEABLE AS WELL, BUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THE TRACE OF SNOW IS OFFICIALLY RECORDED AS THE FIRST OBSERVED SNOWFALL OF THIS SEASON.

THE AVERAGE DATE FOR THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OF AN INCH OR MORE IS DECEMBER 7.

I THINK WE CAN WAIT UNTIL AT AT LEAST THEN BEFORE WE SEE THAT.

> >> NOW TO BRANDIS FOR SOME OF TS OF TODAY'S TOP BUSINESS HEADLINES.

BRANDIS?

> >> PARIS, THANK YOU.

TWO CHICAGO HIGH-RISES HIT THE MARKET LEAVING MORE THAN 700 DOWNTOWN APARTMENTS UP FOR SALE.

A LOAN TIED TO A DISTRESSED HOTEL IN RIVER NORTH SELLS AT A STEEP DISCOUNT.

WITH A NEW MARKETING PLOY, WALGREENS HOPES TO BE AMERICA'S GO-TO CORNER DRUGSTORE ONCE AGAIN.

HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE AND TO GO BEHIND THE HEADLINES IS CRANE CHICAGO BUSINESS EDITOR, ANN WIRE, WELCOME BACK.

AS WE MENTIONED AT THE TOP, ANOTHER TWO DOWNTOWN HIGH-RISES HAVE HIT THE MARKET.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR APARTMENT DEALS AND LANDLORDS IN CHICAGO'S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT?

>> WELL, I THINK IT MEANS INVESS MEANS INVESTORS MAY BE GETTING OVER THEIR FEAR OF THE TWIN TERRORS OF INTEREST RATES HIKES AND POTENTIAL PROPERTY TAX HIKES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

YOU KNOW, THE APARTMENT MARKET AT LEAST FROM A BIG INVESTOR PERSE INVESTOR PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN VERY SLUGGISH DOWNTOWN THIS YEAR, WHICH IS SURPRISING GIVEN THE FACT THAT OCCUPANCY RATES ARE AT RECORD LEVELS DOWNTOWN AS ARE RENTS.

BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME LOOSENIS SOME LOOSENINGS UP HAPPENING IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.

SEVERAL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE COME UP.

T UP.

BUT JUST TODAY CAME THROUGH THAT TWO MORE ARE HITTING THE N THE DOWNTOWN MARKET.

ONE IS STREETERVILLE ABOVE THE LOWE'S HOTEL ON NORTH WATER STREET.

AT WATER STREET.

ABOUT 398 APARTMENTS ARE IN THAT PARCEL.D THAT PARCEL.

AND ANOTHER IN THE LOOP AT LAKE AND WELLS.

IT'S ABOUT 329-UNIT BUILDING.

THESE BUILDINGS JOINED A HANDFUL OF OTHERS ON THE MARKET AND FINDIG AND FINDING INTEREST.

SO IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO WATCH WHAT THE VALUES ARE THAT THESE PROPERTIES CAN CAPTURE AFTER WHAT'S BEEN OTHERWISE A SLUGGISH YEAR.

>> IS SO IN OTHER REAL ESTATE N, ESTATE NEWS, A NEW YORK INVESTMENT FIRM HAS BOUGHT THE LOANS TIED TO RIVER NORTH HOTEL FELIX AT A PRETTY GOOD DISCOUNT.

HOW MUCH AND HOW DID IT GET TO THIS POINT, ANN?

>> YEAH, MONARCH CAPITAL, THE NE THE NAME OF THE OUTFIT THAT PAIE PAID CLOSE TO $29 MILLION TO PICK UP THE LOAN ON THIS PROPERTY.

THAT'S ROUGHLY TWO-THIRDS OF THEIR ORIGINAL BALANCE ON THIS LOAN, BRANDIS.S BRANDIS.

THIS COMES TWO YEARS AFTER THE MORTGAGE TRUSTEES FILED A FORECLOSURE HAD LAWSUIT ON THIS PROPERTY.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, LIKE A LOT OF DOWNTOWN HOTELS, THE HOTEL FELIX WAS REALLY CAUGHT IN THE COVID DOWNDRAFT.

BUT NOW THE NEW HOLDER OF THIS LOAN IS BETTING ON AN UPSWING IN THE MARKET.

RT MARKET.

RECENT DATA INDICATES THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT.

THEY'RE IN A POSITION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WHERE THE EARLIER OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY JUST WEREN'T.

>> LASTLY THE COUNTRY'S SECOND T SECOND BIGGEST DRUGSTORE CHAIN , CHAIN HAD, HOW BIG OF A LOCK IS IT FOR WALGREENS AND WHAT IS THE RETAILER'S STRATEGY HERE?

>> THEY REPORTED IN THE RECENT Y RECENT QUARTERLY EARNINGS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN FOOT TRAFFIC AND MARKET SHARE ESPECIALLY TO RIVALS ONLINE.

SO IF YOU FILLED A PRESCRIPTION AT WALGREENS IN THE PAST.

IF YOU'E PAST.

IF YOU'VE HAD A CREDIT ACCOUNT WITH THEM, COUPON CODES, OR IF YOU EVEN GOTTEN A VACCINE AT WALGREENS, YOU CAN EXPECT VERY SOON THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE ON YOUR COMPUTER YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM WALGREENS.

THEY'RE PLANNING A SIGNIFICANT UPTICK IN THEIR DIGITAL MARKETING EFFORTS, DIRECT DIGITAL MARKETING.

THIS IS ALL DESIGNED TO TRY TO RECAE TO RECAPTURE SOME OF THAT LOST S LOST BUSINESS THAT TOOK PLACE WHEN PEOPLE WEREN'T GOING OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND WERE INSTEAD ORDERING PRESCRIPTIONS AND OTHER TYPES OF GOODS THAT S SELLS AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE.

>> OKAY, THAT'S ANN WIRE, THANKU THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, BRANDIS.

> >> AND NOW PARIS, WE TOSS IT BAK IT BACK TO YOU.

>> BRANDIS, GIG WORKERS LIKE RIE LIKE RIDESHARE DRIVERS AND DELIVERY PEOPLE ARE A KEY PART OF THE MODERN U.S. ECONOMY.

MOT ECONOMY.

MOST OF THOSE WORKERS ARE CONTRACTED, MEANING THEY'RE NOT FULL EMPLOYEES.

BUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PROPOSG IS PROPOSING A RULE MAKING IT HR IT HARDER TO CLASSIFY WORKERS AL AS CONTRACTUAL WITH THE HOPES OG OF GIVING THEM SECURITY AND BENS AND BENEFITS AND WAGES THAT GO .

JOINING US ARE JC MOHAMMED, DRIR MOHAMMED, DRIVER AND VOLUNTEER WITH THE CHICAGO GIG ALLIANCE.N ALLIANCE.

ALLISON DICKSON, SENIOR INSTRUCTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

AND LENNY HAD SANCHEZ, ORGANIZER FR ORGANIZER FOR JUSTICE FOR APP WORKERS.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU HERE.

FIRST OF ALL ALLISON DICKSON, WHAT WOULD THIS PROPOSED RULE CHANGE DO?

>> THIS RULE CHANGE WOULD REALLT REALLY REVERT TO WHAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE LONG-STANDING INTERPRETATION OF THE ECONOMIC REALITY FACTORS THAT AFFECT GIG WORK.

AND SO DURING THE TRUMP , TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THESE RULES ARE RESCINDED.

BUT WHAT THIS RULE WOULD DO IS REALLY KIND OF LOOK AT THE LARGER PICTURE OF WHAT WORKERS ARE FACING.

THE CONTROLS THEY HAVE OVER THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS.E CONDITIONS.

THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY MAKE IN THEIR VEHICLES.

IT WILL BE TAKING A MULTIFACETED H MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO JUST MAKING THE KIND OF DETERMINATIONS.

>> BASICALLY AS I UNDERSTAND THE THE RULE IS SAYING IF SOMEONE IY IS ECONOMICALLY DEPENDENT ON A , A COMPANY, IT MEANS THEY SHOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE.

WHAT IS THE STANDARD FOR BEING ECONOMICALLY DEPENDENT AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS RULE, ALLISON DICKSON?

>> SO BEING ECONOMICALLY DEPENDT ECONOMICALLY DEPENDENT MEANS THIS IS YOUR LIVELIHOOD THAT YOU CONSIDER THIS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF YOUR INCOME.

THAT THIS IS NOT JUST CASUAL WORK AS IT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNID KNOW, COMMUNICATED KIND OF AS A LARGER STORY ABOUT THE NARRATIVE ABOUT GIG WORK.

AND YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOKING AT LIE AT LIKE THE DEPENDENCE OF THAT L THAT INDIVIDUAL WORKERS' LIVELIHOOD AND THEIR FAMILY'S LIVELIHOOD ON THIS EMPLOYMENT.

>> AND LENNY SANCHEZ, WOULD THIY THIS NECESSARILY BE GOOD NEWS FOR A GIG WORKER SAY A RIDESHARE DRIVER?

>> SO IT'S GREAT INTENTIONS TO T TO WANT TO TAKE ON THIS BATTLE AND TRUST THE ISSUE THE RIDESHARE COMMUNITY HAS.

THERE IS A CONCERN THOUGH HERE.

IF THIS CLASSIFICATION WERE TO BE A REALITY AND HOW THE APPLICATN THE APPLICATION IS GOING TO RES.

AND IT WOULD AFFECT THE FLEXIBIY THE FLEXIBILITY AND WHATNOT THAS THAT MAKES GIG WORK SO ATTRACTIVE FOR THE DRIVERS RIGHT NOW TO CONTINUE TO DO.

DY DO.

DIRECTLY SPEAKING WITH UBER AND LYFT BECAUSE IT'S A PART OF THE DIRECTOR OF INDEPENDENT DRIVERS SKILL.

WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH UBER AND LYFT, AND THEY HAVE TOLD US IF THIS CLASSIFICATION WERE TO PASS THT PASS THAT THEY WOULD CREATE A SE A SCHEDULE MOUNTAIN OF TRADITIOL SENSE.

YOU WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.

IT WOULD BE BLOCKS OF HOURS THAT DRIVERS WOULD ALL HAVE TO RACE TO RESERVE BEFORE THEY WOULD RUN OUT.

ONCE THESE RESERVATIONS RUN OUT, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LOG IN.

FR LOG IN.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DO THIS L TIME, WHICH SACKETT HALF OF THE, THE WORKERS, THERE'S OVER 100,000 IN THE STATE.

THOSE WORKERS THAT ARE INVESTED AND NEED THE FLEXIBILITY WOULD LOSE THIS.

SO THERE IS SOME CONCERN.

CONCERN.

>> WHAT ABOUT THAT, J.C. MOHAMM, J.C. MOHAMMED, LAW OF CONSEQUENCES THAT IT MIGHT LEAD TO LESS FLEXIBILITY FOR RIDESHARE DRIVERS AND OTHER GIG WORKERS?

>> THAT'S A REAL CONCERN.

WE'VE TALKED TO DRIVERS, THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND REALLY THE MAIN THING THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS DIMINISHING PAY, PERSONAL S. DUE PROCESS WHEN CONFRONTED WITN WITH DEACTIVATION AND TRANSPARENCIES IN TERMS OF HOW THEY HAVE BEEN BROKEN DOWN.

SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN ISSUES THAT DRIVERS IN CHICAGO'S MARKET ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL THAT ADDRESSES THOSE PRIMARY THINGSE THOSE PRIMARY THINGS.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT WE CAN DO UP UNTIL THE POINT WHERE THIS RULE GOES INTO PLACE.

THAT'S WHAT DRIVERS IN THIS CITY SEES.

ALLN CITY SEES.

ALLISON DICKSON, GO AHEAD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I WANTEDO WANTED TO ADD IT IS IMPORTANT TE TO REALIZE BY CLASSIFYING WORKERS AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, EMPLOYERS LIKE LYFT AND UBER AND OTHER PLATFORM BASED EMPLOYERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ANY OF THE SAME FEDERAL LAWS OR STATE OR LOCAL LAWS THAT OTHER EMPLOS OTHER EMPLOYERS DO.

SO FAIR COMPETITION, AN ADVANTAGE THAT KIND OF DYNAMIC PRODUCES, THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO PAY MINIMUM WAGE, OVERTIME TO FOLLOW ANYTHING FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR DISCRIMINATION LAW.

THERE'S NO WORKERS' COMP OR INSURANCE.D OR INSURANCE.

AND SO I'M SORRY, SO THERE IS A FIGHT.

THE FLEXIBILITY WILL COME AT A PRE.

>> LENNY SANCHEZ, COULD THIS RUE THIS RULE CHANGE LEAD TO MORE EC MORE ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR GIG S FOR GIG WORKERS WITH THEIR WAGE, THEIR WAGES, WITH BENEFITS, AND THE OTHER THINGS TO COME WITH FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT?

>> EVERY WORKER DESERVES TO HAV, HAVE BENEFITS, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS, ETC.

AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS TO DO, THE STATES HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP US RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, I WAS ON YOUR SHOW A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH THE HEAD OF THE PAINTERS UNION.

THESE ARE CONTRACTORS THAT WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR CONTRACTOR STATUS AND GAIN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS AND FORM THE UNION.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

WE NEED IT TODAY.

JUST LIKE WE SEE STARBUCKS, AMAZON, ALL THE OTHER WORKERS UNIONIZING, UBER, LYFT, DOORDASH DRIVERS, WE NEED THE UNION TODAY.

WE CAN DO THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>> AND SHORT OF THAT HAPPENING T HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WOULD THIS RULE CHANGE HELP AT LEAST SOME PERCENTAGE OF THE GIG WORKERS, ACHIEVING SOME OF THOSE GOALS?

>> AND QUITE POSSIBLY.

I THINK E I THINK WE WILL JUST HAVE TO KEP TO KEEP IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, GIG WORKERS WILL COVER A LARGE.

IT'S NOT JUST UBER AND LYFT DRI, LYFT DRIVERS, BUT IT IS ALSO TH, THE BOOKKEEPERS, IT IS ALSO AN T AN ACCOUNTANT AND PEOPLE WHO DOL WHO DO DIGITAL MARKETING.

IT IS TOURS AND INSTRUCTORS.

SO IT IS A WIDE SWATH OF PEOPLE.

AND YOU KNOW, RIDESHARE DRIVERS AND DELIVERY DRIVERS, THEY REPRESET THEY REPRESENT A SUBSET OF THATD THAT.

AND UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT THAT RULE COMES IN PLACE, THERE IS A LOT THAT WE COULD DO.

SO I DO AGREE WITH LENNY THAT THERE ARE SOME STEPS THAT WE COULD TAKE BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.

AND SO LET'S NOT RE NOT RULE IT OUT.

IT'S TO KEEP IT ON THE TABLE.

BUT ALSO TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE MORE PRESSING CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THIS INDUSTRY WILL FACE RIGHT NOW.

>> WELL ALLISON DICKSON, WHAT ID I WANTED TO ASK EARLIER, IS THERE A LAW OF UNATTENDED CONS?

YOU HEARD ABOUT THEM TALKING ABT THEM TALKING ABOUT UBER AND LYFT THAT THESE COMPANIES, AT LEAST THE RIDESHARE PORTIONS OF THE GIG WORKERS MIGHT FIND WAYS TO SKIRT THESE RULES?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN CALIFORNI, WITH PROP 22.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHEN WE SEE SUCH A LARGE SEGMENT OF THE ECONOMY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT LOOPHOLES IN THE FEDERAL LAW, IT ONLY HAS WIDER IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GREATER ECONOMY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE WT APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT ALL THE OTHER WORKERS THAT ARE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I SEE ONE ON THE DAILY BASIS, TEACHING MY.

AND THAT MISCLASSIFICATIONS, CAG MISCLASSIFICATIONS, CALLING SOMEONE AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR WHEN LEGALLY THEY SHOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE.

IT STARTS WITH THESE WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN, WHO ARE BEING CALLED INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND THEY ARE BEING TREATED AS INDEPENDENT CONTRAC.

AND IT SPREADS TO OTHER INDUSTRS OTHER INDUSTRIES WHERE THEN AN R AN EMPLOYER WHO IS LOOKING TO SAVE SOME MONEY ON THEIR LABOR COSTS WILL TREAT THEIR WORKERSE WORKERS.

THERE IS NO REASON THAT IT SHOULD BE.

>> I SHOULD NOTE THAT THEY SAIDN SAID MISCLASSIFICATION IS THE KEY REASON FOR THIS RULE CHANGE.

HE BELIEVES TO STOP SOME OF THAT MISCLASSIFYING AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OF SOMEONE SHOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE.Y EMPLOYEE.

VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

THANKS TO JC MOHAMMED, ALLISON DICKSON, AND LENNY SANCHEZ.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

> >> UP NEXT, HOW TO APPLY FOR A K A COOK COUNTY'S GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT.

THAT'S A CONVERSN THAT FIRST AIRED ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES" WITH ANGEL IDOWU.

BUT FIRST WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

[ MUSIC] > >> ACCORDING TO THE 2020 CENSUS, NEARLY 13% OF COOK COUNTY RESIDENTS LIVE IN POVERTY.

THAS IN POVERTY.

THAT'S NEARLY 700,000 PEOPLE.

NOW THERE'S A NEW GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT AIMED AT HELPING SOME OF THEM STABILIZE THEIR FINANCIAL LIVES.

THE PROGRAM KNOWN AS COOK COUNTY PROMISE IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH OCTOBER 21.

THAT RECIPIENTS WILL RECEIVE $500 A MONTH IN CASH SUPPORT FOR TWO YEARS.

ITS YEARS.

IT'S THE LARGEST PUBLICLY FUNDED GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT IN THE UNITED STATES TO DATE, AND COOK COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR THE PROGRAM.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE COOK COUNTY DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION DENISE BURRITO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THE STUDIO TODAY.

TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

SO GLAD TO BE HERE.

SO GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> YEAH, SO EXCITED TO TALK ABOT THIS NEW PROGRAM AND HOW FOLKS CAN GET SOME MONEY.

SO FIRST LET'S WALK THROUGH THE ELIGIBIY THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

WT REQUIREMENTS.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

>> WELL FIRST OF ALL THEY HAVE O HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF COOK COUNTY AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN EITHER THE CHICAGO OR EVANSTOND EVANSTON GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT.

YOU HAVE TO BE IN COOK COUNTY, 18 YEARS OR OLDER, AND BE BELOW 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, WHICH IS ABOUT $58,000 FOR A FAMILY OF THREE.

>> FOR A FAMILY OF THREE.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

AND WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED?

>> WELL IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

IT IS GOING TO BE ONLINE, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE OUTREACH CENTERS ALL OVER.

AND WE ARE HOSTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO MT WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCESS.

BUT IT IS VERY SIMPLE.

WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS.L IMMIGRATION STATUS.

I'LL START WITH THAT.

WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A WAY TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARD ARE AND BE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT INCOME AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WITH THIS BEING AN ONLINE ONLY APPLICATION, ARE THERE WAYS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO APPLY TO GET HELP SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICAT?

JUST KIND OF TROUBLESHOOTING WIH TROUBLESHOOTING WITH THEM?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE ANH AN OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT HAS US WITH PARTNERS ALL OVER THE SCENE.

THE SPANISH COALITION FOR HOUSING.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS, THE INDO AMERICAN CENTER, A LOT OF IMMIGRANT SERVING.

BUT THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF HUD, CERTIFIED NON-PROFITS THAT ARE ALSO PARTICIPATING.

SO AGAIN THE OUTREACH IS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS.

SO THERE ARE FOLKS SET UP THROUGHT UP THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES TO TROUBLESHOOT WITH PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.

>> SO LET'S GET INTO THIS ELECTN THIS ELECTION PROCESS.

HOW ARE PEOPLE CHOSEN?

HOW WILL THEY RECEIVE THEIR MONEY?

>> SO IT IS RANDOM AND IT'S A L. OKAY, WE'VE GOT TO LET YOU KNOW.

LET'S JUST BE REAL.

36% OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN COOK COUNTY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS.

THS THIS.

THAT'S A BIG NUMBER, RIGHT?

AND TO DATE WE'VE ALREADY HAD OVER 160,000 APPLICANTS, TODAY.

THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR 3,250.

SO CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO O TO DO IT AS A LOTTERY.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION IN, IT'S JUST RANDOM WE HAVE A PARTNER THAT WILL HELP US RANDOMLY SELECT THOSE 3,000 FAMILIES.

>> AND NOW BEYOND 3,000 PEOPLE G PEOPLE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TE TO IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL STAN.

WHAT WOULD A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMEK OUTCOME LOOK LIKE FOR COOK COUNTY IN THIS PROGRAM?

>> SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

D WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO WITH BEING THE LARGEST PUBLICLY FUNDED, WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

LET'S BE REAL, RIGHT?

THIS HAS BEEN DONE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL IN STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, PARTS OF OHIO, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALLC ALL PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPSS PARTNERSHIPS.

THIS IS A CALL.

WE CALL.

WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING FOR US, SUCCESS WOULD BE THAT WE ALREADY KNOW THE DATA -- DATA HAS TOLD US THAT WE WANT THE DATA TO BE UP TO SCALE.

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CASH, THIS WILL SAVE THAT SECOND JOB THAT GETS EATEN UP BY CHILDCARE OR TRANSFORMATION.

WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THAT EXTRA CUSHION, WE KNOW PEOPLE WILL BUILD NEST EGGS.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MORE STABLE.

AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS THE LARGEST THAT WE'RE HAVING.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IT WILL CALL ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I JUST TOLD YOU 36% OF COOK COUNTY IS ELIGIBLE.

FOR US TO GET THIS IN OUR BUDGET LONG TERM, THAT'S A VERY TOUGH PROP.

BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT WITH OUR, WE ARE GOING TO HELP COUNTIES LIKE HARRIS COUNTY AND HOUSTON, L.A. COUNTY IT, YES, I'M CALLING THEM OUT.

BUT MORE OF US THAT DO THIS.

IT WILL DRIVE, JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WILL BE A GROUND SWELL AND FORCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT THIS.

>> AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER THISS THIS IS AN AMBITIOUS PILOT.

$42 MILLION BEING FUNDED BY THE AMN RESCUE PLAN ACT.

NOW ANY FUTURE PLANS TO GROW AND FUND THE PROGRAM BEYOND THIS INITIAL PILOT?

>> WELL, ONLY TIME WILL TELL.

IM TELL.

I'M HAPPY TO PLUG IN ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IS OUR EQUITY FUND.

THATS OUR EQUITY FUND.

THAT'S A SPECIAL PURPOSE FUND DESIGNED FOR EQUITABLE SPENDING, RIGHT?S SPENDING, RIGHT?

THIS IS BEING PAID FOR THROUGH OUR DOLLARS.

T DOLLARS.

BUT WE THINK OF IT AS A DOWN PAYMENT.

THE IDEA IS IF WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS AND KEEP IT AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET, WE KNOW WE HAVE A SPECIAL PURPOSE FUND EVERY YEAR THAT WE CAN LOOK FOR LONGITUDE AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS.

IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES THAT I THINK THIS MY THIS MONEY COULD COME FROM.

>> AND NOW LAST QUESTION, WE'REG WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHY DO YOU THINK THIS PROGRAM IS THE RIGH?

>> BECAUSE CASH IS KING.

LIKE THE REALITY IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD BAND-AIDS AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE PROGRAMS.

BUT FOLKS THAT ARE LG ARE LIVING IN POVERTY ARE SOME OF THE MOST RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, RIGHT?

AND SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO INVEST IN THEM THAN TO DIRECTLY INVEST IN THEM.

GIVE THEM THE MONEY, AND LET THEM DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO ENRICH THEIR FAMILIES.

THIS WILL MAKE COMMUNITIES BETTER.

O COMMUNITIES BETTER.

SO ANY FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD THAT IS A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, THAT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE FOR THEM, BUT FOR THE FOLKS AROUND THEM, THE PLACES THAT THEY PATRONIZEE THEY PATRONIZE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS WILL LIFT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

>> WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TE FOR THESE TIDBITS.

OUR THANKS TO DENISE BARRETO.

> >> BACK WITH MORE "CHICAGO TONI" RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> BETWEEN 2000 AND 2016, SIX OF CHICAGO'S SUBURBS FLIPPED FROM MAJORITY WHITE SUBURBS TO MAJOY TO MAJORITY LED LATINO.

THAT'S A REFLECTION OF THE BROADER TREND OF IMMIGRANTS BYPASSING THE HISTORICAL PORT OF ENTRY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY AND SELLING DIRECTLY IN THE SUBURB.

AS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THESE COS THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE EVOLVED, THEIR INSTITUTIONS HAVE HAD TO FIND NEW WAYS TO SERVE AND ENGAGE THOSE RESIDENTS.

PRODUCR RESIDENTS.

PRODUCER ERICA GUNDERSON CHECKED OUT TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING BEYOND.

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.

>> WHEN WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT ARE COMING HERE FOR THE FIRST , FIRST TIME, I WANT THEM TO KNOW THIS IS THEIR LIBRARY, THIS IS THEIR SPACE.

>> Reporter: LIKE ALL SOCIAL IN, SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, THE PUBLICY HAS HAD TO EVOLVE WITH THE TIME.

>> PEOPLE COME HERE FOR PASSPOR.

PEOPLE COME HERE TO GET THEIR BD THEIR BLOOD SUGAR SCREENING.

PEE SCREENING.

PEOPLE CHECK OUT OUR LIBRARY ITEMS, INCLUDING SEWING MACHINES OR TELESCOPES.

>> Reporter: AS LATINOS, ESPECIY LATINOS, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANT LATINOS, HAVE INCREASINGLY SETTLED IN CHICAGO'S SUBURBS OVER THE YEARS.

SUBURBAN LIBRARIES HAVE DEVELOPED WAYS TO BETTER SERVE THEIR CHANGING COMMUNITY.

>> WE'RE HERE TO HELP THEM IN TR IN THEIR LANGUAGE, AND THAT WE CAN ALSO CELEBRATE THEIR CULTURAL BACKGROUND AS WELL.

>> AT THE ROUND LAKE PUBLIC LIB, PUBLIC LIBRARY, A MONTHLY BOOK CLUB OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS LITERATURE IN THEIR OW.

>> A LOT OF THEM WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD ME, THEY FEEL THIS IS AN R AN AIR OF SPACE AND A TIME IN WHICH THEY CAN DEDICATE TO THE.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE BOOK AND DIT AND DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEWS BE VIEWS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS FIND SOG TO RELATE TO.

[ SPEAKING NON-ENH ] >> ROUND LAKE LIBRARY, HEAD OF Y OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SANDRAZ SANDRA LOPEZ SAYS DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, PATRONS INCREASINGLY TURNED TO THE LIBRARY FOR HELPH HELP WITH PROBLEMS THAT WENT FAR BEYOND THE STACKS.

>> FOR EXAMPLE THE SCHOOL DISTRT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAME VIRTUAL.

A LOT OF THE FAMILIES IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS OR DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO USE COMPUTERS.

THEY ALSO HAD A LANGUAGE BARRIER.

SO WE HAD OUR PARTNER OVER AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REACH OUT TO US SAY HEY, CAN YOU GUYS HELP?

AND WE DEVELOPED COMPUTER CLASSES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE TO THE PARENTS IN NEED.

>> Reporter: IN WEST SUBURBAN NH SUBURBAN NORTH LAKE, BILINGUAL LIBRARIAN SAYS THE STAFF DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAMMING BASED ON INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

>> THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE TRUSG THEY'RE TRUSTING US MORE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY ASK FOR.

THY DO NEED SOMETHING THAT THEY DONT THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE PROVIDE IT OR NOT.

THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN COME IN AND ASK FOR IT.

>> Reporter: NORTH LAKE YOUTH SS YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARIAN JACKIEE JACKIE SERRONE DRAWS UPON HER OWN UPBRINGING WHEN SELECTING S SELECTING RESOURCES FOR THE CHIN THE CHILDREN WHO COME TO HER LIBRARY.

>> THE OTHER DAY I PURCHASED BOS PURCHASED BOOKS ABOUT A CHILDHOOD MYTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY THAT GREW UP LISTENING TO, WHICH ARE NOW IN STORY TIME.

>> Reporter: NORTH LAKE PATRON,A PATRON, FIONA GALLA SAY THEY BEN CAMING TO THE NORTH LAKE PUBLICY PUBLIC LIBRARY TO FIND ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.T NOW THEY KEEP COMING BACK FOR THEMSELVES TOO.

>> I WAS BORN IN MEXICO, AND I E I CAME HERE JUST RECENTLY.

I TOOK MY CITIZENSHIP TEST.

THE FACT THEY OFFER THAT PROGRAM, O PROGRAM, SO YOU CAN STUDY FOR TE STUDY FOR THE TEST IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS.

[ SPEAKINH ] >> Reporter: BOTH AYALA AND MIRA AND MIRANDA SAY THEY OFTEN RECOMMEND THE NORTH LAKE LIBRARY TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WHICH LIBRARIANS SAY IS KEY TOG TO BUILDING TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> A LOT OF THE TIMES WE FEEL PS FEEL PATRONS WILL COME IN BECAUSE THEY'VE TALKED TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND.

>> IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL GREAT T FEEL GREAT THAT THERE IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FEEL COMFORTABLEE COMFORTABLE.

PEOPLE ARE STILL WILLING TO HELP YOU OUT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED THE HELP.

ITS THE HELP.

IT'S A LIBRARY, A PLACE I WOULD HAVE NEVER EXPEC.

>> EVERYBODY KNOWS HEAD AND SHO, KNEES AND TOES.

YOU'LL FIND MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARY AS YOU JUST SAW ON OUR WEBSITE.

WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER .

THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

> >> "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POY MADE POSSIBLY IN PART BY ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE JIM AND KAY MABIE FAMILY.

THE POLK BROS FOUNDATION, AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

> >> AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THISY THIS MONDAY NIGHT.

DON'T FORGET TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING.

YOU ALSO GET "CHICAGO TONIGHT" STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, AND OUR WEBSITE WTTW.COM/NEWS.

>> YOU CAN ALSO GET THE SHOW VIT VIA PODCAST AND THE PBS VIDEO APP.

PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT, LIVE AT 7:00.

WITH LOW TURNOUT FOR COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOTS, CAN WE EXPECT A SURGE IN VARIANT CASES THIS WINTER?

WE'E THIS WINTER?

WE'RE ONE ON ONE WITH CHICAGO'S TOP DOCTOR.

> >> AND COOK COUNTY VOTERS FACE A CHOICE ON RAISING TAXES A FRACN A FRACTION OF A PERCENT TO BOLSTER THE FOREST PRESERVE.

NW PRESERVE.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT," I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>> AND I'M PARIS SCHUTZ.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE, AND WE'LL SEU TOMORROW.