This weekend, Chicagoans were shocked to see armed federal agents in military gear patrolling downtown and parts of River North, and Gov. JB Pritzker says the Department of Homeland Security is asking to send more federal troops here.

The big picture: These armed agents are part of the U.S. Border Patrol sent to help support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in their "Operation Midway Blitz" aimed at detaining undocumented immigrants in the Chicago area. They have not been, so far, members of the National Guard, but that could change quickly.

The latest: Pritzker said at a press conference yesterday that the Department of Homeland Security has asked the Department of War for more military personnel, including possibly National Guard troops, to aid in protecting ICE agents in the Chicago area.

What they're saying: "All of this has been aimed at causing chaos and mayhem in the hopes of creating a pretext to deploy military troops against Chicago," Pritzker said.

State of play: Several local lawmakers released statements against federal troops and the weekend patrols, calling them a "publicity stunt" designed to intimidate citizens, but they have stopped short of saying deployments are illegal.

• "Generally, the federal government is free to use its discretion, within the law, to enforce federal law," Northwestern Pritzker School of Law professor Paul Gowder tells Axios.

Yes, but: "Even though ICE, the Border Patrol, etc., are authorized to enforce federal law, they still have to abide by the law themselves."

The intrigue: One of the ways Pritzker or Johnson could retaliate is to enforce laws over due process, trespassing or excessive force by federal agents.

Between the lines: Gowder says another way local governments could push back is to create new laws that pertain directly to federal agents, like in California, where the state government passed a law restricting federal agents from wearing masks.

Keep reading

The Cubs start a best-of-three wild-card series at Wrigley Field this afternoon against the San Diego Padres.

Why it matters: October baseball is back in Chicago.

• The last time the Cubs played a playoff game at Wrigley, it was to an empty stadium in 2020 during the pandemic.

The big picture: The team will undoubtedly use the energy of the Friendly Confines faithful to attempt to propel them to the National League Divisional Series.

Flashback: If the Cubs needed more incentive to win, the 1984 series loss to the Padres still haunts fans to this day.

On the field: The North Siders will attempt to use their bats to jump on the Padres early, since San Diego boasts one of the best bullpens in all of baseball. Star Kyle Tucker returned last week and is ready for the playoffs.

The other side: The Padres are used to playing in October. They are returning to the playoffs for the fourth time since 2020. They also have a dynamic lineup, which could pose problems for the short-handed Cubs starting staff.

The bottom line: Regardless of the matchups, playoff baseball at Wrigley Field is special. The Friendly Confines and its faithful create one of the most electric environments in all of baseball.

If you go: The game starts at 2:08pm.

Share with a friend

Nearly a quarter of U.S. homeowners paid condo or homeowners association fees last year, and the median monthly bill was $135. That's much lower than what Illinoisans paid, new Census Bureau data shows.

The big picture: Dues pay for maintenance and amenities like pools and gyms, plus other costs that keep a community running.

Yes, but: Expensive condo or HOA dues add to the already high cost of homeownership.

Zoom in: Illinois' average of $237 is similar to states that ostensibly don't have a ton in common with us, including California ($278) and Vermont ($221).

💭 Carrie's thought bubble: $237 seems pretty fair! My previous HOAs in Ukrainian Village were under $200, which meant very little cash in reserves — a problem come new roof time. My monthly in Gold Coast is much higher and I would argue too high for what we get. It's hard to find the right balance!

📧 Hit reply: What are your HOAs and what amenities do you get with that?

Share this story

🚨 ICE agents in Broadview are under investigation by the local police for allegedly firing chemical agents at a CBS news reporter on Sunday. The reporter says the incident was "completely unprovoked." (Block Club)

😬 Bears coach Ben Johnson's uncomfortable halftime interview during Sunday's win over the Raiders is going viral. (Sun-Times)

🎭 Broadway in Chicago announced "Kinky Boots" and "The Notebook" are being added to its lineup of musicals this fall. (Broadway World)

For the first time since 2018, Goodman Theatre is hosting a sale of costumes from past productions.

What to expect: Clothing, wigs and accessories from 60 years of plays at the Loop theater, including an American flag dress and a corn dress from "The Music Man" (2019), an elf costume from "The Santaland Diaries" (2018), floor-length gowns and more.

Zoom in: The costume sale is 10am-4pm Oct. 11, but doors open at 9:30am at 170 N. Dearborn.

• Prices range from 50 cents to $300 and only credit cards are accepted.
• Proceeds go toward programming.
• Bring your own shopping bag!

Reality check: Halloween is around the corner, so imagine how you could dominate that costume contest at work.

• This may also be a great opportunity for Chicago's many great storefront theaters, which have smaller budgets than the big ones.

Tell a thespian