Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Good morning, Chicago.

Yesterday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker met with President Joe Biden, taking the opportunity of the White House meeting on infrastructure to talk to the president about rising gun violence in Chicago and other cities. Read more here from my colleagues Bill Ruthhart and Dan Petrella.

Meanwhile, a former Chicago Public Schools principal was arrested on federal charges yesterday. According to the charges, the ex-educator ran a seven-year scheme to have employees file for overtime they didn’t work and kick back at least $200,000 to her.

— Nicole Stock, audience editor

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.

COVID-19 tracker | For your smart speaker | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy | Today’s eNewspaper edition

Erkin Peksoz at his Chicago home on July 14, 2021. Peksoz got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in April and would now like a Moderna or Pfizer shot as a booster.
Erkin Peksoz at his Chicago home on July 14, 2021. Peksoz got the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in April and would now like a Moderna or Pfizer shot as a booster.

‘I feel like I’m half vaccinated’: Some Illinois residents who got Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are seeking booster shots as delta variant spreads

Earlier this year, Erkin Peksoz wanted a COVID-19 vaccine so badly that he drove 640 miles roundtrip from Chicago to Quincy to get a Johnson & Johnson shot. Peksoz was happy with that decision — until recently, when the more contagious delta variant of the virus emerged. Now, he’d like to get a shot of a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, in hopes of increasing his protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and most experts are not recommending that people who received Johnson & Johnson vaccines, or any other vaccine, get booster shots. Still, a number of individuals who got Johnson & Johnson shots are starting to wonder if a booster might be a good idea, given the rapid spread of the delta variant, a handful of experts who’ve publicly recommended it and what they’re seeing in other countries.

The Illinois State Capitol on May 21, 2019, in Springfield.
The Illinois State Capitol on May 21, 2019, in Springfield.

Illinois legislature’s watchdog resigns, calls post a ‘paper tiger’ and says lawmakers have shown ‘true ethics reform is not a priority’

More Top Picks Best Water Heaters For Hard Water

The top state official charged with policing allegations of wrongdoing by Illinois lawmakers and legislative staff announced her resignation Wednesday, calling the position “essentially a paper tiger.”

In a two-page resignation letter, Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope leveled criticisms echoing those of her predecessors, who also raised concerns about the office’s limited powers and the ability of lawmakers to shield colleagues from public scrutiny. She resigns amid an ongoing federal corruption investigation that has led to charges against a slew of former lawmakers.

People walk along South Michigan Avenue where buildings face Grant Park on July 13, 2021, in Chicago. Later in the month, the park will host Lollapalooza, where many of the hotel windows overlook the music festival.
People walk along South Michigan Avenue where buildings face Grant Park on July 13, 2021, in Chicago. Later in the month, the park will host Lollapalooza, where many of the hotel windows overlook the music festival.

Gun discoveries in hotels, including in downtown Chicago, a security concern as Lollapalooza nears, crowds return

It’s still unknown why an Iowa man allegedly had a rifle with a laser scope in his hotel room overlooking a downtown Chicago beach over the Fourth of July weekend.

But regardless of the motive, the discovery of Keegan Casteel’s .308-caliber rifle by cleaning staff at the W Chicago Hotel — as well as a similar incident before the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Denver — offers a stark reminder of what many security experts say remains a top concern for cities like Chicago, which is about to host Lollapalooza, one of the largest music festivals in the country.

Miles Thompson, a Glenbrook North football player, with his mother, Laurie Cooper, and his stepfather, Michael Cooper, in an undated photo.
Miles Thompson, a Glenbrook North football player, with his mother, Laurie Cooper, and his stepfather, Michael Cooper, in an undated photo.

Family and friends remember former Glenbrook North football player killed in Chicago while visiting his dad. ‘He was everything anyone would want in a kid.’

Miles Thompson, 18, was known for two things: his work ethic and his gentle spirit. Everything he put his mind to was done with effort and an organized plan. Everyone he came to know was met with kindness and his undivided attention. He always kept a list of things he was eager to do.

But everything Miles had on his list was erased when he was killed in a shooting in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side last week.

Scottie Pippen is offering fans the chance to experience the Tokyo Olympic Games with overnight stays at his Highland Park home.
Scottie Pippen is offering fans the chance to experience the Tokyo Olympic Games with overnight stays at his Highland Park home.

Scottie Pippen offers $92 overnight Airbnb stays at his Highland Park home to Olympics fans. ‘What’s a better place to spend watching the Games?’

Scottie Pippen is welcoming guests and fans into his Highland Park home to watch the Olympic Games. Through Airbnb, Pippen is opening his home for three one-night stays for up to four people on Aug. 2, 4 and 6 for $92 per night (plus fees and taxes), the cost is a nod to the year he and his teammates became Olympic gold medalists in Barcelona in 1992.