Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Friday, July 7, 2017. Have a great weekend!
- House override vote delayed Thursday as Illinois State Capitol is put on lockdown
The Illinois house’s session was delayed Thursday afternoon after a reported hazmat incident that put the building under a two-hour lockdown. An unidentified woman, alleged to have thrown a powdery substance into the governor’s office, was led out of the capitol gallery in handcuffs, though according to the Tribune, no hazardous materials were found, and as of Thursday afternoon no charges had been filed against her. Governor Bruce Rauner was not in the building at the time, and Illinois comptroller Susana Mendoza as well as state legislators were barred from entering during the incident. But the house reconvened to join the senate in overriding Rauner’s veto of a revenue bill along with two other measures, giving the state its first budget since June 2015. [Tribune] [Sun-Times]
- Cullerton: Rauner won in the budget deal even though he won’t admit it
Governor Bruce Rauner was a winner in the now-approved budget plan that he vetoed even though he won’t admit it, according to Illinois senate president John Cullerton. The newly passed law, “contains win after win for the Rauner administration, if it would choose to recognize those wins,” Cullerton said at the City Club of Chicago Thursday morning. “There are nearly $3 billion in cuts and savings in this plan,” which he called “a triumph of compromise.” [Sun-Times]
- Chicago’s retail bag tax is backfiring as use drops significantly
The seven-cent bag tax has encouraged Chicagoans to bring reusable bags to grocery and retail stores, which means the city isn’t earning as much money from it as planned, according to DNAinfo Chicago. Officials had anticipated $9.2 million in revenue from the tax this year, but the city has earned just $2.4 million since the law went into effect February 1. At the present pace, the city will be at least $2.4 million short of its estimate. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Rahm’s fund-raising goal: $30 million before 2019
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been a prolific political fund-raiser for years, and he wants this to continue for his 2019 reelection campaign. Emanuel’s current goal is to raise $30 million before 2019, according to the Sun-Times. [Sun-Times]
- Owners of award-winning suburban gelato shop to open Italian restaurant in River North
The owners of Gelato D’Oro in Addison, cited for excellence last year by Bon Apétit‘s Chicago Gourmet event, are planning on opening an Italian restaurant across the street from River North’s Eataly. Michael and Mary Meranda expect to open Sapori Antichi Bar Italiano at 22 W. Ohio this fall. “I want to give my guests an authentic Italian-style experience,” said Michael—gelato and a sidewalk cafe included. [Eater Chicago]
- Watch Chance the Rapper’s Tiny Desk performance
Chance the Rapper stopped by NPR Music’s offices in Washington, D.C., for a Tiny Desk performance on Wednesday. During the ride from his hotel to the office, he wrote a poem called “The Other Side,” which he performs along with his song “Juke Jam” and a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “They Won’t Go When I Go.” [NPR]