Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Monday, November 13, 2017.
- Report: Chicago-based Trump adviser Papadopoulos was a lot closer to the campaign than Trump admits
Chicago native and former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos was a lot closer to President Donald Trump’s campaign than the president—who described him as a “low-level volunteer” and a “liar” in a tweet—wants to admit, according to the New York Times. The paper reports that the DePaul grad was in regular contact with Stephen Miller, now a top White House aide, and helped edit one of Trump’s major speeches. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding conversations about getting “dirt” on Hillary Clinton from Russia. [New York Times] [Hill]
- A GOP state representative from the suburbs is running against Rauner from the right
Republican state representative Jeanne Ives is trying to win conservative support for her primary challenge against unpopular incumbent governor Bruce Rauner. During an appearance in Arlington Heights Saturday, she criticized the governor for signing the sanctuary state bill, the school funding bill, and the reproductive rights bill HB 40, which allows state health insurance and Medicaid funding for abortion and eliminates a “trigger provision” that would have made abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade were overturned, the Daily Herald reports. “This is the agenda of an Ivy League professor and not a conservative reformer,” Ives said. She is so far the only Republican running against Rauner in the March 2018 primary. [Daily Herald]
- Chicago wins bid to host 2020 NBA All-Star game
Chicago will host the NBA All-Star game and festivities in 2020 for the first time since 1988, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced at a press conference Friday morning, joined by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Bulls front office executives Michael Reinsdorf and John Paxson. The city hasn’t hosted the game in nearly 30 years because of opposition from Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who had concerns about displacing season ticket holders. But “at the end of the day, I tried to explain it to my dad,” Michael Reinsdorf, Bulls president and chief operating officer, said. “I don’t think he’s been to an (NBA) All-Star game since 1988. I tried to explain to him the difference now than what it was like when we hosted last. It’s just such a great impact to the city.” [Associated Press via ABC News]
- Family of missing U. of I. student speaks out before returning to China
The parents of a missing University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign visiting scholar are returning to China after spending months on campus in hopes that her body would be discovered. Ronggao Zhang, father of Yingying Zhang, has walked to her apartment nearly every day since he and his wife’s arrival in late June. “It brings peace and comfort to my heart,” he said. Brendt Christensen, 28, has been charged with kidnapping resulting in death in the case, but the 26-year-old’s body has still not been found. “We don’t know where she is, and I don’t know how to spend the rest of my life without my daughter,” Lifeng Ye, Zhang’s mother, told the Associated Press through a translator. “I can’t really sleep well at night. . . . I often dream of my daughter, and she’s right there with me,” she said. “I want to ask the mother of the suspect, please talk to her son and ask him what he did to my daughter. Where is she now? I want to know the answer.” [Associated Press via Sun-Times]
- Not cooking on Thanksgiving? These restaurants will be open
For those interested in dining out on Turkey Day, Eater Chicago has put together a helpful map of the restaurants open November 23, from Restaurant Michael in Winnetka to Tavern on Rush. Early reservations are recommended. [Eater Chicago]