* ICYMI: In Illinois’ only faceoff for US Senate, Tracy backs Trump’s policies and Stratton vows to stand up to president. Tribune…

- The hourlong forum was the only scheduled face-to-face meeting between the major-party candidates for the seat held by US Sen. Dick Durbin
- Juliana Stratton called for an end to the war in Iran and pledged to vote against any additional federal funds to wage it. Republican Don Tracy defended the war Trump started, calling the resulting rise in gas prices a “temporary spike” and saying that if it “was a just war” it would keep Iran from launching World War III.
- The sharp exchanges marked a departure from a largely low-key campaign. Stratton launched her general election TV ads only this month, while Tracy has relied on digital ads and highway billboards.

* Related stories…

• ABC Chicago: Stratton and Tracy clash on economy, immigration in Senate debate
• Sun-Times: Key takeaways from the only Senate debate between Juliana Stratton and Don Tracy
• CBS Chicago: Illinois U.S. Senate candidates Juliana Stratton, Don Tracy face off in first and only debate

* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Daily Herald | Krishnamoorthi urges FBI to investigate Aurora Hindu temple plot as hate crime: “No one should fear being targeted because of their ancestry, appearance, or faith, and no congregation should have to wonder whether gathering for worship will make its members targets of mass violence,” a letter to Patel signed by 105 members of Congress, including the entire Illinois Democratic delegation, reads.

* Daily Herald | Is this the GOP’s last stand in northwest Cook County?: Democratic politicians, activists and everyday residents throughout the Chicago area have vehemently criticized the Operation Midway Blitz immigration crackdown, the Iran war’s impact on fuel prices and other Trump policies. That anger will drive them to polling places and shape how they vote, Redfield said. Even Cook County Republican Chair Terry Carr acknowledged Trump’s sinking approval ratings — below 40% in multiple polls — will hurt GOP candidates here.

*** Statehouse News ***

* CBS | Pritzker talks AI, data centers, and privacy on “The Verge” podcast: Gov. JB Pritzker sounded like he was already plotting out his priorities for a third term and potentially a run for president in a wide-ranging podcast interview on Wednesday. Two weeks ahead of the election for Illinois governor, Pritzker spoke with the editor-in-chief of “The Verge” about everything from the Bears to artificial intelligence and Flock cameras.

* Advocates: Closing Choate’s developmental disability units is the right decision. Now we have to get it right: The state recently announced it is closing Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center’s general units serving people with developmental disabilities in Anna. In explaining that decision, Gov. JB Pritzker noted that despite the state’s efforts, long-standing problems with the facility remain, and that Illinois needs to move away from its reliance on state-run centers “because the better setting for people is in community homes” and “where they would prefer to be.” The Arc of Illinois, Access Living and Equip for Equality strongly support this direction, which will align the state with legal requirements and best practices for supporting people with developmental disabilities. The move away from state-operated developmental centers allows people to live in their communities, remain connected to family and friends and have greater say in the lives they lead.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget offers boost to violence intervention with Chicago shootings down: Johnson’s budget proposal will include a $7 million bump for violence intervention workers to almost $41 million. The mayor also plans to establish a new permanent department focused on gun violence, in line with his administration’s root-cause approach to ending the violence that’s been a scourge in parts of the city for generations.

* Block Club | Libraries, Homeless Programs See $130M Boost In Mayor’s New Budget Proposal: Among the provisions is a proposal to spend $99 million to protect existing housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness and low-income renters relying on city-funded housing programs. The move follows calls from a group of progressive housing providers and alderpeople, who have publicly called for more funding to help prevent 3,000 Chicagoans from becoming homeless next year. That’s because of changes being made to the federal Permanent Supportive Housing program that offers long-term housing assistance to chronically homeless people who often face severe mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson renews fight for his failed corporate head tax: In a letter to the mayor last month, 29 alderpersons established three boundary lines for the pre-election budget debate: no property tax increase, no “head tax or tax on job growth” and no counting on money from Springfield not yet approved. Johnson is following two out of three of those guidelines by freezing property taxes and assuming no help from the state.

* Tribune | New gunshot detection system debuting in six Chicago police districts, Mayor Brandon Johnson announces: It was also not clear how much the pilot would cost, although Johnson a year ago added a $5 million line item in the city budget for a “gunshot detection system.” The mayor fulfilled a campaign promise by getting rid of ShotSpotter in 2024, then announced he would seek a replacement gunshot detection system amid pushback from aldermen and police officials who praised the technology.

* Block Club | Salt Shed Wants To Build 15,000-Person Outdoor Music Venue Next Door: The expansion proposal calls for a plaza to be built where West Blackhawk Street is now, which is closed during Salt Shed shows for security and extra walking space. The plaza would connect the Salt Shed and the Goose Island Beer Co. brewpub to the new outdoor venue, which would have three seating sections, a general admission standing area, a VIP seating section closer to the stage and a bar, per the plans in the zoning application filed last week.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Ethics complaint alleges Deer Park used official Facebook page to sell tickets for GOP event: Lake County Democrats are questioning the Oct. 12 post inviting residents to a luncheon hosted by the Cuba Township Republicans at the Biltmore Country Club in North Barrington. The Oct. 17 event was to feature 14 candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot and give attendees a chance to hear from them before Election Day. The post included information on how to purchase tickets, according to the Democratic group.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville D203 board agrees to consider joining social media lawsuit: The Naperville District 203 School Board on Monday voted to pursue a nationwide lawsuit against social media platforms over their alleged impacts on schools and students’ mental health. About 1,900 school districts nationwide, including more than 100 districts in Illinois, are participating in the lawsuit, Superintendent Dan Bridges said. There is no upfront cost to the district, Bridges said. If there is a settlement or judgment, the attorney’s fees and litigation expenses would be deducted from whatever the district receives, he said.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Incumbent John Cunningham, challenger Brenda Rodgers vie to serve as Kane County clerk: Cunningham, a Republican, is the incumbent, having served as the county’s clerk for more than two decades. He was unopposed in the Republican primary. Rodgers, meanwhile, secured the Democratic nomination in the March primary election, defeating opponent Brian Pollock.

*** Downstate ***

* WCBU | Ameren Illinois powers up $20M Peoria solar energy facility: Ameren said the Peoria facility will produce enough electricity to power 420 homes and businesses. The facility also features a 1.5-megawatt battery energy storage system from ELM MicroGrid, a Texas firm that grew out of a Peoria-headquartered family of companies founded by native Peorian Lee C. Graves.

* WSIU | Two southern Illinois nonprofits to receive grants from the State Treasurer’s office: Among the recipients are Murphysboro-based 724 Ministries and Franklin County Senior Services in West Frankfort. Each organization will receive the maximum grant award of $20-thousand dollars. 724 Ministries Executive Director Ed O’Donnell says the funding will help cover the cost of serving more than five thousand free meals in 2027 through the group’s weekly community dinners. The program provides a home-cooked meal every Sunday to more than 100 people in Jackson County, one of the state’s highest-poverty regions.

* WGLT | McLean County Board chair continues push for federal storm relief after rejection: McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston won’t speculate on whether the Trump administration’s rejection of federal storm relief stemming from mid-August storms was political. “What I would say, though, is that I believe that the damage was significant enough that it warrants the federal support. That is part of, you know, who we are as a nation is that we lend a hand to our neighbors who are in need, and that is very much who we are at this point,” Johnston said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.

* WCBU | Museum unveils rare original Abraham Lincoln photo taken in Peoria: Known as “the Peoria Portrait,” the 1854 image showing Lincoln without a beard was used four years later in his U.S. Senate campaign against Stephen A. Douglas before they both ran for president. Experienced authenticator Daniel Weinberg of Chicago’s Abraham Lincoln Book Shop Inc. confirmed it’s the original photo taken by Roderick M. Cole at his Downtown Peoria studio.

*** National ***

* ProPublica | How Trump’s FBI Purge Saved Lindsey Graham and James Clyburn From a Bribery Investigation: President Donald Trump returned to the White House and almost immediately gutted the specialized FBI and Department of Justice teams dedicated to taking on public corruption — an act of revenge for having previously investigated him. The two experienced agents on the case were swept up in the purge, and the career prosecutor assisting them quit after Trump appointees forbade the DOJ’s anti-corruption section from filing any new cases. Today, there is no one left to look into Kao’s explosive allegations, as the Trump administration has abandoned any pretense of prosecuting public corruption. The case is dead.

* ABC | Most Americans say AI is bad for society, oppose more data centers: ABC/Post/Ipsos poll: The poll finds that a 57% majority of Americans say AI is bad for society while 42% say it is good for society. Just 2% say it is “extremely” good for society while 17% say it is extremely bad for society. Younger Americans are more likely to say AI is bad for society than older Americans: 65% of Americans under 30 say AI is bad for society along with 59% of those 30 to 39. A slimmer majority of Americans 40 and older say AI is bad for society (53%).