What F'nHappened This Week
F'nAround Weekly Roundup, Friday October 17 to Friday October 23, 2026.
The Week in One Breath
Eleven days out from the midterms, the polls broke hard: Trump's approval hit record lows in three separate surveys and the House forecasters moved toward Democrats. In the cannabis world, DEA Judge Julius closed the door on discovery, admitted the GAO report, and set a briefing clock that runs straight into the November 12 hemp cliff. Chicago got a $17.6 billion budget proposal with a revived head tax, SEIU walked away from Mayor Johnson, and the Bears, somehow, are 5-2. F'nAround's own week ran from restaurant and product reviews to new public-records developments involving state oversight.
F'nAround Reporting and Reviews
Serial Killer: The Exhibition: We went Thursday night to Cinespace Chicago Film Studios (2428 W. 15th St.), where the world's largest private collection of authentic serial killer artifacts fills 26,000 square feet and more than 40 galleries: over 2,100 authentic artifacts, forensic science and criminal psychology displays, and Chicago-only exhibits including three never-before-displayed John Wayne Gacy paintings and an H.H. Holmes 1893 World's Fair section, with a victim-centered perspective throughout. It runs through January 24, 2027, recommended for ages 14 and up, and takes about 90 to 120 minutes. Our full review is coming. Tickets: serialkillerexhibit.com/chicago.
Newly opened DH Noodles: We went for lunch at the new restaurant and built an SEO-focused first-look review around the visit, its menu, and the restaurant's own information. The story joins this week's coverage of new places opening around Chicago.
Han Ramyun: We finally stopped in and found an easy ordering process, plenty of ramen choices, snacks and desserts, and welcoming staff. They told us alcohol service is expected soon; if one flavor is not your thing, the menu gives you plenty of others to try.
Switchyards in Fulton Market: We checked out the coworking space, where staff followed up promptly by email when they did not have every answer on hand. Sewada coffee and Doughnut Vault doughnuts added to the visit, along with a cute feel and a convenient location.
7 Energy in Tinley Park: On a first visit, we tried an iced blonde and an iced creme brulee latte. Both were very good and made this a welcome new stop for the team.
Smokey's BBQ in Indiana: We wanted to love this longtime, charming spot, but our honest review found the bread not warm or fresh, brisket dry and chewy, and parsley potatoes too plain for our taste. Sweet barbecue sauce helped; the meal still fell short of the barbecue we hoped for.
Trap Starz in New Buffalo: A Flower Expo encounter led to two funny moments at the dispensary: a regular customer in a Trap Starz shirt was mistaken for an employee, and a budtender explained they only recommend products they personally smoke before pulling out a Superb vape. The story became a lighthearted look at local cannabis culture and a memorable customer-service standard.
Tesla Roadster: Our review idea treats the long-promised car as an expensive Kickstarter for wealthy Back to the Future fans. It looks at the deposit, advertised capabilities, terms and conditions, and the lack of detail buyers need before treating a reservation like a real purchase.
Costco's Pokémon 30th anniversary line: We captured the huge crowd waiting for trading cards and turned the scene into a short social video about how far collectors will go for a pack.
Independent Spirits Expo: We asked liquor-industry people on camera about their first drink and what it was, turning a simple question into a quick conversation starter.
Virginia cannabis indictment: We worked on a careful explainer about the federal indictment of Sen. L. Louise Lucas and six others, keeping the distinction clear between prosecutors' allegations and findings of guilt.
Chicago and Illinois
Johnson drops a $17.6 billion 'Fair Share Budget.' Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposal closes an $882.4 million gap with a revived corporate head tax (the 'Equitable Employer Tax,' $25 per month per employee at firms with 125 or more workers, about $101 million), a lease tax hike to 20 percent, a 15-cent package tax, and $480 million in borrowing for police misconduct settlements, including $260 million toward a Guevara-related global settlement. No broad layoffs, no property tax hike in the proposal. The Council has to pass a budget by December 31. Source: FOX 32 Chicago, Oct. 21; Bloomberg Law, Oct. 21. https://fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-mayors-fair-share-budget-calls-increased-spending-corporate-tax
SEIU flips to Giannoulias. SEIU Local 1 and Local 73, more than 50,000 Chicago workers between them, endorsed Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias for mayor on Oct. 20, breaking from Johnson, whom both unions backed in 2023. Local 1 President Genie Kastrup: 'Chicago's working families aren't better off than they were four years ago, and we cannot afford four more years of the same.' Source: SEIU Local 73, Oct. 20. https://seiu73.org/2026/10/seiu-local-1-and-seiu-local-73-announce-endorsement-of-alexi-giannoulias-for-mayor-of-chicago-citing-affordability-crisis-and-need-to-protect-working-families/
Early voting is open everywhere; mayoral petitions too. Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election expanded to all 50 Chicago wards and 56 suburban Cook County sites, with 200,000 plus mail ballot requests on file with Clerk Monica Gordon. Monday was also the first day February mayoral candidates could file petitions: 12,500 valid signatures, deadline Oct. 26, 16 declared candidates including Johnson. Source: WLS, Oct. 20; FOX 32 Chicago. https://www.947wls.com/2026/10/20/early-voting-expands-in-cook-county-suburbs-chicago-wards/
Pritzker: ethics waits, Bears bill moves. Gov. JB Pritzker said ethics reform will not fit the six-day veto session starting Nov. 17 and any full package waits for January. He is pushing lawmakers to take up a bill to help keep the Bears in Illinois while the team weighs Arlington Heights against an Indiana offer in Hammond. Source: Capitol City Now, Oct. 20. https://capitolcitynow.com/news/248842-ethics-anyone/
Cook County takes the assault weapons ban to SCOTUS. State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke's office filed its brief in Viramontes v. Cook County (No. 25-238), defending the county ban on AR-15 type rifles as unusually dangerous and historically regulable. Oral argument is Dec. 2, 2026; a decision is expected by June 2027. Source: Cook County State's Attorney, Oct. 22. https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/news/states-attorney-burke-files-us-supreme-court-brief-defending-cook-countys-assault-weapons-0
Former Park City officer convicted. A Lake County jury convicted former Park City police officer Patrick Cacho, 29, on 20 felony counts including aggravated criminal sexual abuse and official misconduct. Prosecutors said he assaulted a woman during two traffic stops in December 2025 and January 2026 with his body camera off and the stops undocumented. He is back in court Dec. 17 and must register as a sex offender for life. Source: Chicago Focal, Oct. 22. https://focalnews.org/chicago-il/local/lake-county-jury-finds-former-park-city-officer-guilty-in-assaults-during-traffic-stops
Oakbrook case: Jamerson was due in court today. Chance Jamerson, 29, of Chicago, charged with three counts of attempted armed robbery in the Sept. 30 Oakbrook Center parking lot shooting that killed Justin Hill, 28, of Dolton, had a court appearance scheduled Friday, Oct. 23 before Judge Brian Telander. Prosecutors allege Jamerson messaged Hill to block in a Mercedes whose occupants came to buy limited Swatch watches; the driver wrestled Hill's gun away and shot both men, and was not charged. Jamerson is held without pretrial release. What happened at today's appearance was not yet reported at press time. Source: DuPage County State's Attorney, Oct. 14 release. https://www.bobberlin.com/news/court-grants-states-motion-to-deny-pre-trial-release-for-chicago-woman-charged-with-attempt-armed-robbery-in-oak-brook-mall-shooting-last-month
Loop elevated trains shut down this weekend. CTA elevated service on the Green, Brown, Orange, and Pink lines stops in the Loop from 4 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 to 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26 for work at the Loop and Lake junction tied to the Lake Street Bridge replacement. Shuttle buses bridge the gap; Red and Blue lines are unaffected. Source: Chicago Focal, Oct. 22. https://focalnews.org/chicago-il/local/chicagos-loop-rail-shutdown-will-reroute-four-cta-lines-oct-24-26
CPS graduation rate climbs again. Chicago Public Schools reported a four-year graduation rate of 83.4 percent for the class of 2026, up from 82.5 percent, the second straight increase. The school board also ratified a new contract for lunchroom workers on Oct. 22, and CEO Macquline King announced a financial working group aimed at ending the district's recurring budget crises. Source: Chalkbeat Chicago, Oct. 21 and Oct. 22. https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2026/10/21/cps-2026-graduation-rate-increases-to-83-percent/
Life after Midway Blitz. A Sun-Times and WBEZ report found Chicago immigrants shifting work, shopping, and errands to nighttime to avoid ICE nearly a year after Operation Midway Blitz. A Deportation Data Project analysis counted 1,560 ICE arrests in Cook County in 2026 through early August. Source: Sun-Times/WBEZ via Chicago Focal, Oct. 21. https://focalnews.org/chicago-il/local/chicago-immigrants-move-errands-and-shifts-after-dark-amid-continued-ice-fears
National Politics and the Midterms
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Eleven days out, this was the week the bottom showed signs of falling out for the party in power.
Trump's approval hits record lows, three polls running. Reuters/Ipsos (Oct. 19) put Trump at 31 percent approval, the lowest of either term in that poll, with voters citing gasoline prices, and gave Democrats a 47 to 35 generic ballot edge. CNN/SSRS (Oct. 21) put him at 32 percent with Democrats up 49 to 39 in voters' own House districts, and a NYT/Siena poll the same day had him at 34 percent. Only 27 percent approved of his handling of the economy in the CNN poll, 23 percent on inflation. Source: Reuters, Oct. 19; CNN, Oct. 21. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-approval-falls-record-low-31-midterms-near-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2026-10-19/
Forecasters move the House toward Democrats. Sabato's Crystal Ball (Oct. 20) now rates Democrats favored in 223 House races, Republicans in 200, with 12 toss-ups, meaning Democrats could lose every toss-up and still take the chamber. Cook Political Report rates seven Senate seats as toss-ups, six of them Republican-held; Democrats need a net gain of four for a 51-seat majority. Decision Desk HQ gives Democrats a 78 percent chance of the House and 56 percent for the Senate. Source: Sabato's Crystal Ball via Newsmax, Oct. 20; Cook via The Source, Oct. 22. https://www.newsmax.com/politics/sabatos-crystal-ball-kyle-kondik-forecast/2026/10/20/id/1273434
Texas Senate race: dead heat. A Fox News poll (Oct. 15 to 19, 1,398 likely voters) found Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton tied at 49 percent in the race for John Cornyn's seat. Paxton beat Cornyn in the GOP primary with Trump's backing. Gov. Greg Abbott led Democrat Gina Hinojosa 52 to 47 in the same poll. Source: Fox News, Oct. 21. https://foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-texas-senate-race-galloping-toward-photo-finish
Ohio's governor race splits the GOP in public. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine called Vivek Ramaswamy's $4 million ad, featuring Democratic nominee Amy Acton's estranged mother accusing her daughter of lying about her past, 'deeply, deeply troubling' and urged him to pull it. The campaign refused. Trump defended the ad Oct. 22 as 'hitting pay dirt,' called DeWine a 'RINO,' and JD Vance told critics to 'stop whining.' Sabato moved the race to Leans Democratic the same day; Acton leads by about 4.7 points in the Silver Bulletin average. Source: USA TODAY, Oct. 22; Sabato's Crystal Ball, Oct. 22. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/10/22/trump-defends-ramaswamy-ad-acton-mother/92384254007/
Trump campaigns in Iowa, a state he won by double digits. Trump rallied in Sioux City on Oct. 22 ('Pretend I'm on the ballot') as Republicans defend a Senate seat, three House districts, and the governorship amid anger over prices and the Iran war. GOP Senate nominee Ashley Hinson, in a close race with Democrat Josh Turek, has called for an 'immediate end' to the war. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://wabx.net/2026/10/22/trump-heads-to-iowa-as-republicans-fight-for-seats-in-longtime-stronghold/
18 million early votes already cast. More than 18 million ballots were in by Thursday morning per the University of Florida Election Lab, with Texas, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio each running more than 30 percent ahead of their 2022 pace. In states reporting party registration, Democrats were 46.7 percent of early voters to Republicans' 29.7 percent. Those are registration shares, not vote choices. Source: USA TODAY, Oct. 22. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/state/georgia/2026/10/22/which-georgia-counties-have-highest-early-voting-counts-state-leads/92377413007/
A housing executive order, aimed at the affordability issue. Trump signed an order Oct. 22 directing FHFA to pilot proactive cancellation of mortgage insurance premiums at equity thresholds using current market value, making a title insurance waiver pilot for refinancings permanent, and creating a manufactured housing task force. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-executive-order-aimed-reducing-housing-costs-2026-10-22/
Supreme Court leaves trans prison care block in place. In a brief unsigned emergency order Oct. 21, the Court declined to lift a lower court's block on the Bureau of Prisons policy that would halt surgeries, taper hormone therapy, and end social accommodations for transgender federal inmates. Justices Thomas and Alito would have granted the administration's request. Litigation continues in the lower courts. Source: AP via Scripps, Oct. 21. https://www.tmj4.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-restrict-transgender-prison-health-care
December 11 is now a double cliff. The government is funded through Dec. 11 under H.R. 6500, so there is no pre-election shutdown fight. But the lame-duck spending bill is also the hemp vehicle: H.R. 6500 delayed most of the federal hemp ban (total THC standard, 0.4 mg per container cap) from Nov. 12 to that same Dec. 11, while leaving the Nov. 12 synthetics ban in place. Q3 lobbying filings show Suntory, Trulieve, and Heaven Hill hiring up in mid-October, and a pro-ban group organizing against another delay. More in the cannabis section. Source: Washington Inquisitor, Oct. 20. https://washingtoninquisitor.com/2026/10/20/hemp-thc-ban-dec-11-lobbying-suntory-trulieve-heaven-hill/
Cannabis, the DEA, and Hemp
Julius rules: GAO report in, discovery dead. On Oct. 22, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius granted the motion to admit the GAO report (GAO-26-108623) into the rescheduling record and denied the motion to reopen the hearing for discovery and testimony, outright. Briefing is narrow: what weight the report deserves, and whether its 'gaps' are substantial enough to jeopardize the process. Initial briefs are due Thursday, Oct. 29, replies Nov. 5, and further briefing is 'disfavored.' The stay expires when briefing closes; then the record is certified and Julius sends his nonbinding recommendation to Administrator Terry Cole. Source: Marijuana Moment, Oct. 22; Cannabis Business Times, Oct. 22. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-judge-denies-marijuana-rescheduling-opponents-request-to-reopen-hearing-for-more-testimony-but-allows-new-briefs/
The two-part test question is closed in this venue. Julius wrote that who created HHS's two-part test for currently accepted medical use, and why it was in use nine months before the April 2024 OLC opinion blessed it, is 'not before the tribunal,' and that testimony on it 'would only serve to confuse the matter.' DEA's Oct. 20 filing had called the discovery bid an 'obvious fishing expedition' and argued the GAO report identifies an absence of policy records, not hidden material. The recommendation now lands after the midterms by arithmetic: briefing closes Nov. 5. Source: Marijuana Moment, Oct. 22; Marijuana Herald, Oct. 21. https://themarijuanaherald.com/2026/10/dea-urges-judge-to-reject-effort-to-reopen-marijuana-rescheduling-hearing-calls-discovery-request-a-fishing-expedition/
The D.C. Circuit track moves on a proposed schedule only. DOJ and the 11 consolidated challengers have jointly proposed a briefing schedule in the D.C. Circuit case: opening briefs Nov. 24, government response Jan. 13, 2027, replies Feb. 5, oral argument before the summer recess. The proposal requires the court's approval, and no adoption order had been located as of this week. Treat the dates as proposed, not set. Source: Marijuana Moment, Oct. 9. https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-and-marijuana-opponents-agree-on-briefing-schedule-in-lawsuit-challenging-trumps-rescheduling-move/
Illinois: 45 new social equity infuser licenses proposed. The Illinois Department of Agriculture proposed rules in the Oct. 16 Illinois Register to issue 45 new Social Equity Experience Lottery infuser licenses starting Jan. 1, 2027, under Public Act 104-0463. Applicants must be 51 percent owned by people meeting both a geographic and a social impact test, pay a $2,500 pre-application fee, and, if oversubscribed, enter a lottery where qualifying hemp business experience earns an extra draw. Comments are open through Nov. 30. Source: Illinois News Joint, Oct. 19. https://illinoisnewsjoint.com/idoa-proposes-45-new-cannabis-infuser-licenses/
Illinois holds its Nov. 12 hemp date even as Washington blinked. A Department of Revenue bulletin reported Oct. 15 confirms Illinois will enforce the new Hemp Act on Nov. 12: products over 0.4 mg total THC per container are treated as marijuana and saleable only through licensed dispensaries, even though most parallel federal restrictions slipped to Dec. 11. Source: Marijuana Herald, Oct. 15. https://themarijuanaherald.com/2026/10/illinois-to-enforce-new-hemp-thc-restrictions-november-12-despite-federal-delay/
Massachusetts repeal question is getting buried in the polls. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll released Oct. 20 found 71.4 percent No to 21.4 percent Yes on Question 8, which would repeal adult-use sales and home grow effective Jan. 1, 2028 while preserving medical and one-ounce possession. Worcester's city council voted Oct. 20 to oppose it, joining Gov. Healey, Mayor Wu, and Rep. Pressley. Source: Marijuana Herald, Oct. 20; Cannabis Business Times, Oct. 21. https://themarijuanaherald.com/2026/10/massachusetts-21-question-8/
Florida will not vote on recreational, again. Smart and Safe Florida's amendment missed the November ballot for the second straight cycle: 783,592 validated signatures against 880,062 required. The 2024 measure won 55.9 percent but fell short of Florida's 60 percent supermajority. The group disputes the count. Source: TC Sentinel, Oct. 21. https://www.tcsentinel.com/recreational-marijuana-will-not-appear-on-florida-s-november-ballot.html
DEA moves on 7-OH, leaves natural kratom leaf alone. DEA's revised Federal Register notice of intent (Oct. 14) would temporarily place 7-OH and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl in Schedule I above set concentration thresholds, per an Oct. 8 HHS letter. The earliest temporary order date is Nov. 13, 2026. Natural kratom leaf remains unscheduled. The American Kratom Association backed scheduling the synthetics; a Reason/Cato analysis argued the threshold lacks human scientific justification. Source: Beard Bros Pharms, Oct. 17; Reason, Oct. 20. https://reason.com/2026/10/20/the-dea-wants-to-turn-7-oh-consumers-into-criminals/printer/
A registration denial worth watching. DEA Administrator Terrance Cole's decision denying Colorado-based MedPharm Research a federal bulk manufacturer application (signed Oct. 2, effective Nov. 6) treated affiliates' state recreational market activity as inconsistent with federal requirements. MedPharm was found in default for not contesting the show-cause order. The signal: state recreational participation still counts against you in DEA review. Source: Marijuana Herald, Oct. 6, amplified Oct. 19. https://themarijuanaherald.com/2026/10/dea-denies-medpharm/
Global
Ukraine: talks to resume, missiles still flying. Putin said Oct. 22, a day after meeting U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, that Russia is ready to resume U.S.-mediated talks next month focused on security guarantees for Russia, Ukraine, and Europe, not a short ceasefire. Zelenskiy, who met Witkoff in Norway Oct. 21, backed ceasefire and humanitarian proposals. Russia continued ballistic missile strikes after the meeting. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-talks-must-focus-security-russia-ukraine-europe-overall-2026-10-22/
Hormuz tanker claim, unconfirmed. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said two tankers carrying about 2 million barrels each caught fire after hitting naval mines while crossing the Strait of Hormuz by an unauthorized route. Reuters noted there was no independent confirmation. Report the claim, not the incident. Source: Reuters, Oct. 17. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-guards-say-two-tankers-hit-mines-strait-hormuz-2026-10-17/
Israel votes Tuesday, first election since October 7. Israelis go to the polls Oct. 27 in the first election since the 2023 Hamas attacks, with the blocs for and against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu running very close in recent polls. Source: Reuters, Oct. 23. https://www.reuters.com/commentary/reuters-open-interest/global-markets-view-usa-2026-10-23/
France: worst unrest in years, Macron bans protests. After Oct. 17 protests over prices and public services turned into riots (one protester dead, 500 plus police injured, about 1,800 arrested), Macron said Oct. 22 that 'illegitimate' protests would be banned in coming days, blaming ultra-left groups and vandals. Planned Saturday protests in Marseille and Lyon were banned. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/frances-macron-tightens-curbs-protests-blaming-hard-left-unrest-2026-10-22/
Brazil runoff Sunday: Bolsonaro's son leads. Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, faces incumbent President Lula da Silva in the Oct. 25 runoff. Bolsonaro led the first round 47.03 to 45.16 percent and pledged a 200 billion real fiscal adjustment without cutting social spending. Source: Reuters, Oct. 17. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-flavio-bolsonaro-pledges-fiscal-adjustment-rejects-cuts-social-spending-2026-10-17/
Markets: AI selloff meets an oil spike. The Nasdaq fell 2.6 percent on Oct. 22, its biggest drop since June 5, shedding about $1 trillion in market value as investors reassessed AI buildout financing after Meta and Lam Research results. Brent crude rose as much as 4 percent to above $112, its highest since May, on Middle East escalation fears. Asian markets followed down Friday. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://www.reuters.com/commentary/reuters-open-interest/global-markets-trading-day-graphic-2026-10-22/
Tibet earthquake: 16 dead, 65 injured. A magnitude 7.0 quake struck Nagqu, northern Tibet, late Oct. 22, the strongest to hit China since January 2024. By Oct. 23 the toll stood at 16 dead and 65 injured, with more than 12,000 people relocated and 413 aftershocks recorded. Source: Reuters, Oct. 23. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/injuries-chinas-tibet-rise-65-after-earthquake-death-toll-remains-16-2026-10-23/
Weather: Typhoon Champi shuts Taiwan; Storm Adam flooded Spain. Taiwan cancelled work and classes across nearly the whole island Oct. 23 as Typhoon Champi approached with 167 km/h sustained winds; one person was killed by waves and more than 1,200 evacuated. Earlier in the week, Storm Adam's floods in eastern Spain killed at least 3 people and dumped 632 mm of rain in 36 hours at Pego, Alicante. Source: AFP, Oct. 23; Reuters, Oct. 19. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-taiwan-typhoon-champi-approaches.html
Europe's summer heat killed an estimated 50,391 people in the cities studied. A Nature Health study by Imperial College London and LSHTM researchers modelling 854 European cities attributes 32,619 of those deaths, nearly two-thirds, to human-caused climate change, 71 percent higher than the previous deadliest summer, 2022. It is a modelled estimate covering about 40 percent of Europe's population, and the authors say the true toll is likely higher. Source: AP, Oct. 23. https://www.wcmu.org/national-world-news/2026-10-23/europes-heat-claims-50-000-lives-climate-change-blamed-for-two-thirds-of-deaths
Seoul tries again with Pyongyang. South Korea's defence ministry renewed its offer of military talks with North Korea on Oct. 23 to fix the exact location of the Military Demarcation Line and restore communication lines, after a September DMZ landmine blast injured South Korean soldiers. Pyongyang has not responded to the standing offer, first made last November. Source: Reuters via Northland News Radio, Oct. 23. https://northlandnewsradio.com/2026/10/23/south-korea-proposes-talks-with-north-korea-on-land-border-again/
Sports
Bears 31, Falcons 23 (Sun., Oct. 18). Caleb Williams, back after missing three games with a hamstring injury, hit his first 12 passes; D'Andre Swift ran for two touchdowns; Kyler Gordon, back from a calf injury, had three sacks and two forced fumbles, including the late one Devin Bush recovered to ice it. Chicago led 31-7 before Atlanta made it interesting. Source: AP via Hispanic Business TV, Oct. 18. https://hispanicbusinesstv.com/chicago-bears-vs-atlanta-falcons-live-score-and-stats-october-18-2026-gametracker/
Bears 30, Patriots 24 (Thu., Oct. 22), and a Ditka night. Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns at Soldier Field as the Bears improved to 5-2. It was the first home game since Mike Ditka died Oct. 9 at 86: a moment of silence, No. 89 patches, No. 89 painted on the field, and fake mustaches for the fans. The Bears' next game is Monday, Nov. 2 at Seattle. There is no game this Sunday. Source: Peoria Journal Star/USA TODAY Network, Oct. 22; USA TODAY, Oct. 22. https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/nfl/2026/10/22/patriots-bears-game-score--live/92388377007/
Bulls open with the worst opener in franchise history. Toronto 135, Chicago 92 on Oct. 21: a 43-point loss, the largest season-opening defeat in Bulls history. Chicago committed 27 turnovers and never led. Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 17; rookie Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick, scored 16 in his debut. The Bulls are at Milwaukee tonight, Oct. 23, with the home opener Saturday against Washington. Source: Reuters, Oct. 22. https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/
Blackhawks blanked by Dallas. Stars 4, Blackhawks 0 on Oct. 17 at the United Center. Arttu Hyry scored twice, Jake Oettinger made 19 saves for the shutout, Spencer Knight made 28 in the loss. Chicago (3-6-0) hosts Montreal tonight, Oct. 23, and Florida on Sunday. Source: NHL.com, Oct. 17. https://www.nhl.com/news/dallas-stars-chicago-blackhawks-game-recap-october-17-2026
Fire clinch the playoffs in a loss. New England beat Chicago 1-0 on Oct. 17, but other results put the Fire (14-10-6, 48 points) into the MLS Cup Playoffs anyway: back-to-back postseason berths for the first time since 2009. Next match: Saturday, Oct. 24 at Atlanta United. Source: Chicago Fire FC, Oct. 17. https://www.chicagofirefc.com/news/match-recap-chicago-fire-fc-clinches-2026-mls-cup-playoffs-berth-following-road-loss-to-the-new-england-revolution
World Series starts tonight: Brewers vs. Rays. Game 1 is Friday, Oct. 23, 8 p.m. ET at American Family Field in Milwaukee on FOX. Tampa Bay beat Cleveland in ALCS Game 6 on Oct. 19 to get here; Milwaukee swept the two-time defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS. Neither franchise has ever won a World Series, so 2026 gets a first-time champion either way. Source: USA TODAY, Oct. 19 and Oct. 23. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2026/10/23/milwaukee-brewers-world-series-won-appearances/92386314007/
College chaos: five of the top seven lost on one Saturday. Oct. 17 was the wildest day in AP poll history: five of the top seven lost, the most on one regular-season day in 90 years of rankings. No. 8 BYU beat No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo, the Irish falling to No. 4 and 6-1. Miami rose to No. 1 for the first time since December 2002; BYU to No. 2, its highest since 1984. Georgia, Alabama, and Texas all lost too. Source: South Bend Tribune, Oct. 17; AP poll recaps, Oct. 19. https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/sports/college/football/2026/10/17/notre-dame-football-byu-live-updates-scoring-highlights-tv-gameday-info--live/92218696007/
Northwestern wins at the gun; Illinois had the week off. No. 25 Northwestern beat Michigan State 24-21 on Oct. 17 on Jackson Kleather's 34-yard field goal with two seconds left, behind former Spartan QB Aidan Chiles. The Wildcats are 5-1. Illinois played no game this week; the Illini host Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 24. Source: Michigan State Athletics, Oct. 17. http://msuspartans.com/news/2026/10/17/football-michigan-state-falls-short-against-northwestern-24-21
Jalen Hurts is done for the season. The Eagles announced Oct. 19 that Hurts will miss the rest of the season after testing found blood clots in his lungs (deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli), treated with blood thinners that bar contact. The team says he is stable and a full recovery with no long-term effects is expected. Source: Reuters, Oct. 19. https://www.reuters.com/sports/eagles-qb-jalen-hurts-has-blood-clots-lungs-out-season--flm-2026-10-19/
Public Records and Oversight Timeline
September 8 | Joseph's ARDC supplement. After the July 21 jury verdict for Joseph on his breach-of-contract claim and the rejection of defendants' defamation-related counterclaims, Joseph asked the ARDC to proceed with its review of professional conduct issues they delayed to not interfere with the case and help identify the lawyer described during a recorded March 21, 2025 meeting. The supplement asks which lawyer at Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC communicated about the threat and whether any lawyer participated in or knew of alleged threats or intimidation as the recording states communication with the firm. Joseph offered the recording, metadata, and transcript and requested confirmation of receipt and disposition. No denial or written disposition has been received.
October 7 | Juan Finch Jr.'s ARDC filing. Juan asked the Commission to review whether a third party paid legal fees or expenses for his representation, whether the payer's role was disclosed and he gave any required consent, and whether a payer influenced litigation strategy. His submission names John Adams and Daniel Birk of Eimer Stahl LLP and Phil Luetkehans of Luetkehans, Brady, Garner & Armstrong LLC. It concerns his representation in Juan Finch Jr. and Mark Toigo v. Mario Treto Jr., No. 22 C 1508, and Seventh Circuit appeal No. 22-2050, as well as related Cook County litigation, Phelan et al. v. NuMed Partners, LLC et al., No. 2023 L 008973. Juan pointed to statements during the Cook County trial about earlier legal expenses being paid through a political organization described as a “super PAC,” and attached September 20 emails to Adams and Luetkehans asking who paid the bills and who was consulted about strategy. He reported no substantive response from those attorneys by October 7. His submission asks ARDC to review the disclosure and payment questions, not decide the merits of the lawsuits. No denial or written disposition has been received.
F'nAround translation: Neither filing has been denied, based on the notices Joseph and Juan have received. That does not tell us whether an investigation is open; confidentiality could explain the quiet if one is underway. But if no investigation is happening, two unanswered filings and no disposition start to look less like confidentiality and more like a cover-up. The watchdog question is now part of the story: is ARDC investigating, or is the silence protecting the process from scrutiny?
Timeline 459 | October 19, 2026, 2:14 p.m. We received confirmation that the civil-rights investigation had taken in our supplemental filing concerning IDFPR and adding CPD, IDOA, and ARDC. The filing alleges the agencies failed to follow applicable regulations and instead covered up violations of state and federal law. Those are allegations under investigation, not findings by the Attorney General.
Timeline 460 | October 19, 2026, 2:36 p.m. IDFPR sent an extension on our FOIA request, which included wire records documenting more than $300,000 in payments sent by nuEra entities to a witness we could not locate. In sworn testimony, Laura Jaramillo Bernal used money-laundering language to explain the payments. Our request asks which IDFPR employee approved good standing for the licenses at issue. The records and testimony raise questions; they are not an agency finding that money laundering occurred.
Timeline 461 | October 22, 2026, 11:35 a.m. The Illinois Attorney General's office sent a partial-closing and extension letter on the narrowed scope of our FOIA request covering files 181-220 from its list of roughly 3,000 files. We have been trying since February to open the records we have described as sitting in a 'top drawer.' The letter marks another step in the request; it does not resolve the remaining scope.
The F'nAround Desk: Our Numbers
Six DOIs, all live. All six of Joseph's ResearchGate preprints resolve at doi.org and sit on his ORCID record (0009-0008-3135-3083) and his fnaround.com academic pages: Reconciliation Testing, 10.13140/RG.2.2.18066.62403; When the State Knows but the State Does Not Know, 10.13140/RG.2.2.21422.06720; Equity in Form, Exclusion in Function, 10.13140/RG.2.2.14711.18085; The Nonintervention Paradox, 10.13140/RG.2.2.33166.11843; Ceremonial Compliance, 10.13140/RG.2.2.29725.47848; When the State Speaks With Multiple Voices, 10.13140/RG.2.2.16303.70565. License guidance settled this week: CC BY 4.0 going forward; a license governs reuse, never citability. ResearchGate's public pages do not expose read counts, and it shows no citations resolved yet for the newest papers; exact read numbers live in the account dashboard.
A seventh manuscript is live. 'The Pritzker Legacy: Protectionism and Selective Enforcement in America's Two-Tier Cannabis Markets,' 8,324 words, 40 references, citing all six preprints as its validation base is DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25767.10404
NARA nomination: submitted and acknowledged. Joseph's nomination for the news media requester seat on NARA's 2026-2028 FOIA Advisory Committee was acknowledged Oct. 22 by Designated Federal Officer Kirsten Mitchell. Review begins after the Oct. 26 close; appointments are expected in early November.
PAC filing: one argument fewer, deadline firm. The Oct. 5 IDFPR denial letter was checked against 5 ILCS 140/9(a) this week: the PAC review notice is complete.
Dates Ahead
Oct. 24-26: Loop elevated shutdown; Illinois hosts Oregon; Fire at Atlanta; Bulls home opener vs. Washington (Oct. 24). Oct. 25: Brazil presidential runoff. Oct. 26: Chicago mayoral petition filing deadline; NARA nomination window closes. Oct. 27: Israel election. Oct. 29: rescheduling supplemental briefs due. Oct. 31: Slate staff writer deadline (Joseph's application decision pending). Nov. 2: Bears at Seattle. Nov. 3: Election Day. Nov. 5: rescheduling reply briefs due; stay expires. Nov. 12: federal synthetics ban and Illinois Hemp Act enforcement. Dec. 4: PAC request for review deadline. Dec. 11: federal funding and the total-THC cap land the same day.