Hey there! The weekend may be over, but that idyllic weather from yesterday is here to stay ⁠— at least for a little while. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Tomorrow is Election Day in Illinois, and candidates are taking very different stands on cultural issues

The top candidates for governor, Democrat JB Pritzker and Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey, are sending out strong, and vastly different messages on abortion and LGBTQ rights.

Pritzker spent the weekend attending protests against the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that gave abortion constitutional protection, and marching in Chicago’s Pride Parade. Bailey, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump over the weekend, is against abortion except to save the life of the mother and has opposed LGBTQ rights in the legislature. [Chicago Tribune]

The race for Illinois’ top office is also a showdown of some of the country’s richest people. WBEZ reporter Dave McKinney broke down how big money is attempting to influence the state’s gubernatorial race. [NPR]

And, if you’re heading to the polls tomorrow and need a refresher on what’s on the ballot, WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times reporters collaborated on a handy cheat sheet to help you out. [WBEZ]

2. More than half of Americans oppose the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling

A majority of Americans oppose the Supreme Court ruling on Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll taken after the decision was announced.

Overall, 56% of respondents disapprove, with 88% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans disagreeing with the high court’s decision.

And confidence in the court is low, with just 39% of people saying they had a “great deal” of confidence in the Supreme Court. Just a third of respondents said they would be in favor of expanding the size of the Supreme Court. [NPR]

Friday’s news mobilized people, who both protested and praised the decision in cities across the country, including Chicago. [New York Times]

3. Jan. 6 committee adds a new hearing because of ‘recently obtained evidence’

The committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection abruptly set a hearing for tomorrow afternoon to discuss “recently obtained evidence,” the New York Times reported.

The panel — which has so far focused on former President Trump’s pressure campaigns against the Department of Justice, state officials and former Vice President Mike Pence — was planning to hold at least two more hearings, but none were scheduled for this week.

The surprise hearing for tomorrow is slated to be held at noon central time, but the committee provided no additional information, according to the newspaper. [NYT]

You can listen to the hearings on WBEZ 91.5, on our app or at wbez.org.

4. As a Russian missile hits a crowded Ukrainian shopping mall, Western leaders pledge support for ‘as long as it takes’

A Russian missile strike today on a Ukrainian shopping mall killed at least 13 civilians and injured more than 40 others, officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 1,000 people were in the mall when it was struck. [Associated Press]

The attack comes as G-7 leaders, gathered in Germany, pledged their ongoing support for Ukraine after a virtual address from Zelenskyy.

“We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the leaders wrote in a joint statement. [Washington Post]

Meanwhile, The New York Times reports that Russia missed a foreign debt payment deadline, signaling its first default on international debt in more than a century. [NYT]

5. HS football coach praying with players after games is protected by the First Amendment, the Supreme Court says

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a former high school football coach from Washington state who lost his job for post-game prayers with players at midfield.

In a 6-3 ruling, with justices split along ideological lines, the Court said the coach, Joe Kennedy, had first amendment protections and that prayers did not violate the separation of church and state. [Washington Post]

“The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion.

The case could give more room for religious practices in other public school settings. [Associated Press]

Here’s what else is happening

• A Chicago-bound Amtrak train carrying 243 passengers hit a dump truck in Missouri causing several cars to derail. [New York Times]

• Chicago and Cook County’s COVID risk level is back to high. [Crain’s Chicago Business]

• Sixteen years after a corruption scandal, a Chicago cop is finally facing discipline. [WBEZ]

• A beloved family-owned Bridgeport restaurant is closing after a decade in business. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Oh, and one more thing …

Evanston’s ban on women being topless in public may soon be dropped.

The city’s Human Services Committee is expected to revisit discussions on changing the ordinance at its next meeting after a council member said the current prohibition, which bars exposure of female breasts, may violate the state’s equal rights amendment. If adopted, the change would lift the topless ban throughout the city, not just on beaches. [Chicago Tribune]

Minneapolis repealed its ban on women going topless in public parks in 2020. [Minneapolis Star Tribune]

Tell me something good …

I’m originally from Minnesota, where the Fourth of July is peak cabin season. (Lakeside cornhole and Kubb competitions, anyone?) But I want to know about the best ways to spend the holiday here in Chicago. Tell me about the parties/picnics/barbecues you’ve got planned or other ways to celebrate, please!

Feel free to email, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.