🌱 Chicago State Faculty On Strike + State Trooper Injured In Crash

Hello, Chicago! I'm here in your inbox per usual to get you up to speed on everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, today's weather:

A severe p.m. t-storm; breezy. High: 63 Low: 60.

Shoutout to the awesome local business that keeps this newsletter running:

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Here are the top three stories today in Chicago:

1. Faculty at Chicago State University, the only predominantly Black public university in Illinois, went on strike on Monday demanding better pay and reduced workload after 10 months of negotiations. The university administration expects all support services and most, if not all, classes will continue during the strike. Chicago State serves 2,366 undergraduate and graduate students, and nearly seven out of 10 are Black. (WBEZ Chicago)
2. An Illinois State Police trooper was injured on Friday night after a Jeep Compass crashed into their squad car on I-94 in Cook County. The trooper's vehicle had its emergency lights activated and was blocking traffic from entering the flooded southbound lanes of the interstate when the crash occurred. The trooper was taken to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. (FOX 32 Chicago)
3. McDonald's, headquartered in Chicago, has temporarily closed its U.S. offices to inform corporate employees of job cuts, as part of a broader restructuring plan previously announced by the company. While layoffs have been mounting, mainly in the technology sector, there are still shortages of workers to fill service jobs, such as those at McDonald's restaurants. The fast-food giant had warned employees of upcoming layoffs in January as it attempted to become more nimble and innovate more quickly. (Patch)

Today in Chicago:

• 1st Set With The Windy City Ramblers At Andy's Jazz Club & Restuarant (6:00 PM)
• Tuesday Public Skate Or Bowl At King Park (6:00 PM)
• The Cave Comedy Show At Bourbon On Division (8:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Bad news for commuters: Gas prices across the state have risen 14 cents over the past week — and could keep climbing. (NBC Chicago)
• Are wedding bells in your near future? Mark your calendar for the Wedtoberfest: Beer & Bubbly Wedding Expo on Sep. 27! (CS | Modern Luxury)
• Drop the spoon! A possible salmonella outbreak has been reported in Illinois (and 10 other states) from people ingesting flour when taking a taste test of raw cookie dough and batter. (NBC Chicago)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Kaytlyn Mroz

About me: Kaytlyn Mroz is a copywriter at Lightning Media Partners – a content creation agency. She is a Rowan University graduate where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in writing. Outside of work, Kaytlyn is a dog mom to a boglen terrier named Finn and a golden retriever named Willow.