Hey there! It’s Wednesday, and there’s literally a man exercising in the middle of my street. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. CDC chief says a COVID-19 vaccine won’t be widely available until next year

Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a Senate committee today that a vaccine might not be widely available until next spring or summer. But a vaccine could be ready for first responders in November or December, he said.

Redfield also defended government scientists, who were accused of “sedition” earlier this week by a top spokesman for the U.S. pandemic response. The spokesman, Michael Caputo, is taking a leave of absence. [NPR]

In Illinois, state officials today reported 1,941 new coronavirus cases and 35 deaths. You can find more information on Illinois’ numbers in this link. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, Gov. JB Pritzker today announced that the state’s eviction moratorium will be extended another month. The moratorium was set to expire next week.

Landlords told WBEZ’s Michael Puente that the moratoriums have put them in a financial bind that could result in missed mortgage payments and possible foreclosure. [WBEZ]

2. Biden holds narrow lead in Wisconsin, poll finds

More polls are coming out from Wisconsin, one of the more critical battleground states in the upcoming election. Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a small lead over President Donald Trump in a Washington Post-ABC News poll released today.

Biden stands at 52% with Trump at 46% among likely voters, according to the poll. When it comes to registered voters, Biden has 50% with Trump at 46%. Both gaps are within the margin of error. [Washington Post]

What’s the situation like in other states? NPR has this overview of the Electoral College map, which shows that while Biden has a slight edge, Trump has recovered some ground. [NPR]

Meanwhile, Trump took questions from voters during an ABC News town hall last night, a rare network appearance by the president outside of Fox News. During the event, Trump said he didn’t downplay the pandemic even though he said otherwise in a recorded interview with veteran journalist Bob Woodward. [NBC News]

In other campaign news, Kanye West has asked his staff to avoid “fornicating” outside of marriage, according to The New York Times. [NYT]

And Jim Carrey will play Biden in the upcoming season of Saturday Night Live. [Deadline]

3. Resources are stretched thin in fight against West Coast wildfires

The historic and devastating wildfires on the West Coast are putting an enormous strain on firefighting efforts, local authorities say.

Washington State Forester George Geissler told the AP that there is a storage of firefighters and support personnel, even after fire crews have been deployed from at least nine states and other countries.

“We know that there’s really nothing left in the bucket,” Geissler said. [AP]

The wildfires, which have torched more than five million acres, could result in more than $20 billion in damages, according to a researcher who studies the economic impact of extreme weather. [New York Times]

As wildfires ravage the West Coast, Hurricane Sally slammed into parts of Alabama and Florida this morning as a Category 2 storm, bringing 100 mph winds and “catastrophic” flooding. [NPR]

4. What today’s retail report could say about the economy

Retail sales rose for the fourth month in a row, growing by 0.6% last month compared to July, according to figures released by the Commerce Department today. That growth, while mild, came amid a dire economic backdrop, as tens of millions of Americans stopped receiving enhanced jobless payments.

Some economists are surprised that consumer spending, a pillar for a strong economy, has grown month by month. But others believe today’s report shows the retail recovery is running out of steam. [NPR]

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve signaled it will keep interest rates near zero through at least 2023 as it tries to revive employment and the U.S. economy. [CNBC]

5. Another week, another former Illinois politician is in federal court

Former state Sen. Terry Link pleaded guilty today to felony tax evasion, becoming just the latest Illinois politician to find himself before a federal judge. Link, a Democrat from Vernon Hills who resigned from his political post on Friday, used campaign money for personal expenses, prosecutors say.

As WBEZ’s Tony Arnold reports: “As a condition of his plea, prosecutors Wednesday said they are considering Link’s substantial assistance to authorities as a part of their sentencing recommendation, without sharing any additional information.”

Link surfaced in the federal bribery case against former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, who was accused last fall of offering to bribe an unnamed state senator. WBEZ confirmed the unnamed senator is Link, though he denies it. [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

• Two crashes that killed 346 people aboard Boeing’s 737 Max were the “horrific culmination” of faulty engineering, Boeing’s mismanagement and the FAA’s poor oversight, according to a congressional report released today. [NPR]
• Congressional Democrats want an investigation after a whistleblower claimed immigrant women received questionable hysterectomies at a detention center that is allegedly poorly run. [NPR]
• Documents show that officials in Rochester, N.Y., tried withholding information about the death of Daniel Prude. [Washington Post]
• A finalist in Illinois’ lottery for the next round of pot shop licenses raises questions about the state’s efforts to ensure social equity. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Oh, and one more thing …

Sadly, all good things must come to an end: WBEZ’s Nerdette Recaps with Peter Sagal concludes its journey into iconic ’90s movies today with Pixar’s Toy Story.

Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me’s Peter Sagal discuss moments that made them weep, search for hidden religious analogs and consider the system of ethics in the toy universe. [WBEZ]

Nerdette Recaps have been a solid escape from what feels like the end of the world. I highly recommend the hilarious takedown of Dazed and Confused. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

It feels more and more like fall with each day. So I’d like to know: What are you most looking forward to about autumn?

Ellen B. writes:

“I’m looking forward to the warmth of my face mask being welcome in the crisp, cool fall weather.”

Barbara writes:

“Sitting by a fire, s’mores, pumpkins, ALL of it! My favorite season.”

And Jana Grienke writes:

“I am looking forward to a road trip along the Mississippi to see the stunning fall foliage.”

What are you looking forward to this fall? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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