How Willie Wilson could be bad for Lightfoot

Plus, the consequences of the "Don't Say Gay" law. Here's what you need to know today.

To view this email as a web page, click here. Today's Rundown features WBEZ Chicago’s podcast   by Hunter Clauss   Hey there! It’s Wednesday, and if WBEZ used this thing as a “float” in a local parade — like the Thanksgiving or Pride parades — would you donate money to the station for a chance to ride it with me? Just putting out some feelers for a pitch I’m working on. Here’s what you need to know today. 1. Willie Wilson appears to be gassing up a mayoral campaign   Businessman Willie Wilson says he will make an announcement on April 11 over whether he’ll run for mayor of Chicago. And it “sounds like he has already made up his mind,” reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Wilson, who was behind two recent gas giveaways in the Chicago area, could give incumbent Lori Lightfoot a run for her money.  That’s because Lightfoot appears to be counting on Black voters to give her a second term in office. If Wilson decides to run, the millionaire could take a good chunk of those votes.  Wilson endorsed Lightfoot in 2019, and that “sent a signal to his older, church-based constituency that, as he put it, ‘contracts and jobs and schools’ were more important than their concerns about Lightfoot being a lesbian,” the Sun-Times reports. [ST] 2. Biden asks Congress to pass COVID-19 aid as the “stealth” omicron subvariant becomes dominant in the U.S.   President Joe Biden today pressed Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency pandemic aid as a highly transmissible subvariant of omicron has become the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the U.S. Many health experts warn the nation is unprepared for another wave of infections, partly because there is a lack of federal funds for testing and treatments.  Biden’s comments come as the so-called stealth omicron, known officially as BA.2, now accounted for 55% of new cases reported in the U.S. in the week ending Saturday. The subvariant fueled a surge in cases in Europe. [New York Times] 3. The emerging fallout of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law   Public school teachers tell NPR they are concerned about the chilling effects of the law, which prevents discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade. But the law is written so vaguely that first-grade teacher Paula Stephens wonders if she can even discuss families, which are part of her curriculum, and some of her students may have two moms or two dads. Other teachers say part of their job is to make students feel OK about themselves, especially when statistics show 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. [NPR] The “Don’t Say Gay” law comes as Republican lawmakers have filed nearly 200 state bills aimed at eroding protections for LGBTQ youth. The flurry of legislation is similar to GOP efforts to undo abortion rights in several states now that the U.S. Supreme Court has a solid conservative majority. [Washington Post] Meanwhile, businesses are condemning the “Don’t Say Gay” law, including The Walt Disney Company, whose CEO is under fire for initially refusing to wade into the issue. Now his time leading the house of mouse is under question. [Hollywood Reporter] 4. Trump calls on Putin to release dirt on the Biden family   Amid a Russian invasion of Ukraine that has been denounced by both Democrats and Republicans, former President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to release damaging information about the Biden family, according to an interview published this week. In the interview, Trump said Putin has an incentive to release the information because he’s “not exactly a fan of our country.”  Trump’s comments come as far-right Republicans have struggled to address the war in Ukraine, at first signaling support for Russia and then walking back those comments as public opinion went the other direction. It’s also the latest example of Trump appealing to foreign leaders to meddle in domestic affairs. [CNN] 5. Heavy losses force Russian troops to regroup, highlighting Moscow’s weakness in the war with Ukraine   Russian military forces are returning to Russia and its ally, Belarus, “to reorganize and resupply,” according to the U.K., and the need to regroup “is placing further pressure on Russia’s already strained logistics.”  Logistics have been a huge problem for Moscow as the war in Ukraine, once believed to be a quick takeover, now stretches on for more than a month. “The shortage of outright military victories has resulted in Russia deploying a strategy of pummeling soft targets — bombing civilian infrastructure and shelling cities,” reports NPR. [NPR] And it shows Moscow “did not properly organize the logistics necessary for an effective Plan B, which was to have an actual, serious fight in what is the largest country in Europe outside of Russia,” Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a Virginia-based think tank, told The Washington Post. [WaPo] WBEZ CHICAGO PODCAST Motive: Stories from prisons in rural America This season, WBEZ Chicago’s Motive podcast investigates the hidden world of small town prisons and the issues behind the walls that go unseen.  The series exposes violence and coverups within the intertwined lives of the prisoners, guards and staff. Set in a place where everyone knows each other, Motive is a story of scandal and the truths being buried in our prisons. If you care about America’s correctional system, this podcast is a must listen. Subscribe to Motive wherever you get your podcasts. Here's what else is happening A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit aimed at preventing the construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park. [Chicago Tribune] A year after 13-year-old Adam Toledo was killed, his family renews calls for criminal charges against the police officer who shot him. [Chicago Sun-Times] New bodycam images shed more light on a Chicago police officer’s attack on a protester in 2020 that knocked out her teeth. [Chicago Reader] The longest spaceflight for an American astronaut ended today. [AP] Oh, and one more thing... Disney+ today released the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it follows an obscure superhero — Moon Knight, a vigilante with multiple personalities. The series, starring Oscar Isaac (always a plus), isn’t afraid to shift “between identities, from dark and heavy to pure pop silliness,” writes Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper.  “At times Moon Knight leans into the absurdist, light comedic aspects of the story; any time a TV series trots out Wham’s ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,’ we know the material isn’t afraid of severe tonal shifts, from dark and heavy to pure pop silliness,” Roeper writes. [Sun-Times]  If you want to learn more about Moon Knight, here’s a handy guide that explains the character’s history. [WaPo] Tell me something good Some readers were quick to write about how they love “Africa” by Toto, which is cool. I had mentioned last week that the song fills me with a sudden, inexplicable sense of dread. So I’d like to know what are one or two of your favorite songs.  Athene writes:  “So many to list, but here are three. ‘Hey Ya!’ by OutKast — who doesn't like to shake it like a polaroid picture? ‘Everyday is Halloween’ by Ministry — that beat makes me get up and dance. And ‘I’m Just a Girl’ by No Doubt — all about girl power!” JoAnn Geanconteri writes: “My 8-year-old granddaughter has discovered Michael Jackson, and we like to listen to ‘Beat It’ because it has a variety of sounds, beats and movements. The best part is we can both sing the words together ‘beat it, beat it’ and dance together like Michael.”  And Kirk Kvist writes: “I'll give you a couple of my favorite songs.  My son was looking for songs to play ping pong to, and we found a band called Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and they have such a happy song called ‘Dawn A New Day’ that we now love. Also, ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ by Deee-Lite, impossible to not be in a good mood and hear that song.” Wow, two votes for Deee-Lite this week! Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week. therundown@wbez.org | @whuntah Thanks for reading and have a nice night! We'll see you tomorrow. — Hunter Clauss P.S. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up to receive The Rundown in your inbox. VIEW OUR BROADCAST SCHEDULE ©Chicago Public Media Inc 848 East Grand Ave, Navy Pier Chicago, IL 60611 Please do not reply to this email. If you need assistance, you may contact us here. 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