Good afternoon! A wild cat native to Africa and Asia was captured in Hoffman Estates. Here’s what else you need to know today.

1. Bally’s Chicago casino is entering its second year on the rise, but behind projections in a loaded Illinois market

State revenue analysts remain bullish on the future Chicago casino’s prospects, but it’s not clear just how big the windfall could be in a state with 15 other casinos and a litany of other gambling options, my colleague Mitchell Armentrout reports.

“Some believe that a Chicago casino, with a permanent facility, will eventually be the top revenue producing casino in this region,” analysts from the state Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability wrote in a new report. “However, it must be stressed that this would have to occur at a time that gaming options in the Chicago metropolitan area would be higher than they have ever been before.”

Bally’s massive gambling emporium, scheduled to be completed by September 2026, is supposed to eventually generate around $1 billion in annual revenue — with a $200 million cut for the city’s police and firefighter pension funds — under lofty projections set by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Over its first 12 months at the temporary Medinah Temple site, Bally’s turned out a modest $124.6 million in revenue after paying out winners, according to Illinois Gaming Board records, generating $14.4 million for the city.

Mayor Brandon Johnson has also bet heavily on the temporary casino since taking office, anticipating $35 million in casino tax revenue in his first budget. Bally’s would have to more than triple its average monthly winnings to hit that mark by year’s end. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2. Experts are predicting a cold, snowy winter for the Chicago area

The sudden cold temperatures have me thinking about what kind of winter we’ll see this year.

A La Niña weather pattern developing in the Pacific Ocean means a much cooler winter with more snowfall than last year, AccuWeather predicts.

As Block Club Chicago reports, Chicagoans can expect about 30-45 inches of snow — up from the 22 inches that fell last year but right around the city’s average of 38 inches.

La Niña creates cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather patterns around the world. AccuWeather predicts this La Niña will last from December to early January.

Last year, El Niño led to a warmer, drier winter across the U.S. [Block Club Chicago]

3. FEMA and the state of Illinois opened two disaster recovery centers in the Chicago area

The centers are meant to help residents still recovering from the historic July storms that hit the Chicago area, Davis Giangiulio reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.

The disaster recovery centers will be at the Chicago Public Library’s Chicago Lawn Branch and the Village of Homewood Auditorium. Employees from FEMA, the federal Small Business Administration and the Illinois state government will help those who go to the centers apply for federal disaster aid.

In mid-July, 41 tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area within 36 hours — breaking the record for the most number of tornadoes reported in a single event. Damage reports from local municipalities for only public infrastructure and response in August totaled more than $5 million. [Chicago Sun-Times]

4. Greyhound says it is close to a lease extension at its West Loop station

The bus operator said it is finalizing the extension with the new property’s owner that will allow its operations to continue at 630 W. Harrison St. after Sunday, when it was expected to be evicted.

“Our team is finalizing a month-to-month lease extension with Twenty Lake [Holdings], and our operations will continue without disruption,” a FlixBus spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times in an emailed statement. “This is a temporary solution, and we remain actively engaged with the city and other stakeholders to secure a long-term home for intercity bus service in Chicago.”

For more than a year, FlixBus has struggled to figure out where its buses would stop after its lease ended at its long-time station. The company bought Greyhound Bus in 2021 but did not buy the stations. Over the past several months, Greyhound has been losing its stations across the U.S. as its leases ended, causing chaos and confusion for passengers and neighbors of new bus stops without indoor shelter. City leaders in Chicago have been in talks with FlixBus for months to find a suitable new location for Greyhound. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Bozo the Clown is back for the weekend. For some Chicagoans, was he ever gone?

Bozo now ranks among the people and things longtime Chicagoans speak of with fondness — Frango Mints, Mike Royko, Marshall Field’s, Riverview, ChicagoFest and Harry Caray — because the show represents a time when the city itself felt simpler and more local, Mark Guarino writes for WBEZ.

A spirit of controlled chaos ruled the Bozo’s Circus stage, and slapstick humor was the norm. Actors’ makeup, exaggerated clothing and wigs made Bozo and his buddies seem not unlike the clowns you’d find under the big top at any touring circus.

The formerly must-see noontime show is the inspiration for a weekend event at Billy Corgan’s Highland Park tea shop Madame Zuzu’s. Ahead of the event, WBEZ asked Chicagoans about their most memorable Bozo the Clown moments — you can read and see the highlights in the link. [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

• A record number of votes were cast during early voting in Georgia, a key battleground state in the presidential election. [CNN]
• The U.S. warned Israel to boost humanitarian aid into Gaza or risk losing weapons funding. [AP]
• Archaeologists found 12 skeletons at a buried tomb in Petra, Jordan. [NPR]
• The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned after a six-year hiatus. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

The North Lawndale community is celebrating a long-awaited project they hope will transform three schools, my colleague Sarah Karp reports for WBEZ.

A $41 million investment is expected to create state-of-the-art science and arts programming, including new curriculums, equipment and extra staff, at Collins Academy STEAM High School and Johnson and Chalmers elementary schools.

That includes projects like preschoolers learning about trees, third graders using magnets to understand attraction and gravity, and high schoolers working with skeletons.

The project relies in part on city TIF money, which the CPS CEO and Chicago Teachers Union want to tap to pay for operating costs. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

Halloween is only a couple weeks away, and I realized I don’t have any plans despite it being my favorite holiday. What are some ideas for someone who lives in a building where passing out candy isn’t a thing?

Pooja writes:

“I have a friend in San Francisco who does ‘Reverse Trick or Treat!’ They have a cart that they wheel around with lights, decorations, and candy. They always check in with parents beforehand but both parents and kids love it! They’re planning on adding a hot chocolate stand and maybe some booze down the adults in the future. My husband and I love the idea and may try to implement it ourselves in the future!”

Linda writes:

“My high rise does something fun for Halloween. There’s a sign up list at the front desk for apartments that will welcome trick or treaters. On the day, the building gives the kids/parents a copy of the list.

Kids are warm, dry and safe. Get to show off their costumes. Fun for all (I have a killer witch’s hat!).”

And Susan writes:

“Our church holds a trunk or treat — lots of cars give out candy, but the church staff also have given out: themed pencils and/or fancy erasers, pinwheels, stickers, temporary tattoos, small bottles of bubble solution. Oriental Trading has lots of bulk options for small trinkets if you want other ideas.”

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