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Welcome to the Reader's morning briefing for Friday, September 2, 2016. Have a great Labor Day weekend!
Friday is the perfect sunny day to be outside, with a high of 74 and a low of 64. It will be an gorgeous Labor Day weekend, with sunshine, comfortable temperatures, and no rain in the forecast for Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. [AccuWeather]
August was the deadliest month in Chicago in 20 years, with 90 homicides. During an antiviolence rally Wednesday night, Reverend Michael Pfleger asked Governor Bruce Rauner to declare a state of emergency in the city. Rauner says he's considered deploying the National Guard but he decided against it because it might "exacerbate other problems." Mayor Rahm Emanuel told Chicago Tonight that he will give a major address on public safety in mid-September. [New York Times] [Chicago Tonight]
Empire, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med and the other TV shows and movies filming in the city full-time has been an economic success. Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that film, TV, and commercial production translated into $1.3 billion in revenue from 2011-2015. And production keeps on growing in Chicago. There are now eight television shows filmed entirely in the city, including newcomers Chicago Justice, Patriot, The Exorcist, and A.P.B. "People love this city. It's a world-class city, and I think this is just the beginning," said Alex Pissios, the president of Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. [DNAinfo Chicago]
Five convicted felons spoke out publicly Wednesday about why people join gangs, sell drugs, and more at Keepin It Real, an event organized by the Near West Police District and the nonprofit Safer Foundation. Asked what residents should do if they see gang activity, one of the men advised steering clear and not trying to interfere. When asked who buys drugs, another speaker said, "Doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, college students, moms, mechanics, you name it." [DNAinfo Chicago]
On Tuesday a woman visiting Congressman Danny Davis's west-side district office drank hand sanitizer from a bottle, then poured the sanitizer on her body and set herself on fire with a lighter, according to the Tribune. She was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition but is said to have stabilized. Davis, who didn't witness the incident, said he doesn't know why she lit herself on fire or visited the office, but emphasized that there aren't enough mental health services available for his constituents. "This is a big issue for us because we have people like her who don't necessarily set themselves on fire, but are obviously experiencing mental health challenges," he told the Tribune. [Tribune]
NFL Draft Town won't be taking over the Loop and causing huge traffic jams in 2017. The National Football League has announced that after two years in Chicago, the draft will be held in Philadelphia April 27-29. [Sun-Times]
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