Lightfoot’s real Columbus statue problem

Plus, Ukraine-Russia peace talks show progress. Here's what you need to know today.

To view this email as a web page, click here. Today's Rundown is brought to you by WBEZ members and   by Hunter Clauss   Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and I’ve got some bad news for my fellow nerds: The highly anticipated sequel to “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was delayed to spring of 2023. Here’s what you need to know today. 1. The fiasco over Chicago’s Columbus statues highlights a major problem for Lightfoot   Mayor Lori Lightfoot this week said she “fully expects” the statue of Christopher Columbus will return to Grant Park after a security plan is put in place to prevent violent clashes between protesters and police officers. [Chicago Sun-Times] The news marks the latest chapter in a nearly two-year saga that highlights a problem Lightfoot repeatedly faces: angering both sides of a debate that, in turn, limits her ability to score a political win. When the Grant Park statue was taken down in the middle of the night in the summer of 2020, the move was criticized by a prominent Italian American organization (which sued the city) and some police officers (who accused the mayor of caving to protesters). Then Lightfoot said the removal was temporary because taking down the statues amounts to erasing history, which upset progressives who supported her during the 2019 election and wanted the statues permanently removed. So the mayor announced a commission that would evaluate and identify problematic statues and monuments, but a final report still hasn’t been released. The statues are unlikely to be a huge deal in next year’s mayoral election, but Lightfoot has found herself in similar problems with hot-button issues, like an elected school board, which she endorsed on the campaign trail but fought against in the mayor’s office. And it all raises an existential question for Lightfoot as she is expected to seek a second term: Who is her base of support right now? 2. Chicago now faces a “substantial” risk in COVID-19 cases   The seven-day average for COVID-19 cases has reached 208 infections a day, according to city data released yesterday. That is a 27% increase compared to the previous week. And the city’s positivity rate has also inched up to 1.2% from last week’s .9%. The rise in cases means Chicago is now seeing a “substantial” risk of transmission, according to the city’s reopening guidelines. At the same time, the hospitalization rate and deaths remain low. [COVID Dashboard] A new wave is looming, fueled by the so-called stealth omicron variant that has led to surges in parts of Europe. But it’s still unclear how bad the next wave will be in the U.S., health experts say. [Atlantic] With an eye on Europe and waning protections from vaccines, the Food and Drug Administration today authorized a second booster shot for Americans 50 years and older. [AP] 3. Trump’s phone log has a seven-hour gap on Jan. 6   White House records turned over to the Jan. 6 panel show a gap of seven hours and 37 minutes in then-President Donald Trump’s phone log on the day of the insurrection, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post and CBS News. The gap takes place as the president’s supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol. And the House select committee investigating the attack is now probing whether it has a full record and if Trump used disposable phones and other backchannels to communicate, sources told the Post and CBS. “One lawmaker on the panel said the committee is investigating a ‘possible coverup’ of the official White House record from that day,” the Post reports. [WaPo] 4. Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia appear to make progress   Russia today announced it will “fundamentally” reduce military activity near Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv. In both areas, Ukrainian forces have denied Moscow the quick takeover it once envisioned. Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, provided a framework for a peace deal, saying the nation would remain neutral and not host foreign military bases or forces. But Ukraine’s security would be guaranteed by the U.S., Britain, France, Turkey, China and Poland. The news marks a potential breakthrough in negotiations that have previously seen little to no progress. But the U.S. remains skeptical. “There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does, and we’re focused on the latter,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “And what Russia is doing is the continued brutalization of Ukraine.” [AP] 5. So is Chicago done with winter?   Tomorrow will be a warm one for the Chicago area, with a high in the low 60s. But we may still have a final freeze in store in the next couple of weeks. Chicago typically sees a “final freeze of spring” sometime during April 5 to 15, reports the Chicago Tribune, citing data from the National Weather Service. A final freeze follows a week or more later in the surrounding suburbs.  And when it comes to the last day of normal snowfall, April 2 is usually the day to watch, the newspaper reports. Though Chicago got hit with 7.1 inches of snow on Easter Sunday in 1964, the largest last snowfall of winter. [Chicago Tribune] SPONSORED BY MEEZ MEALS Top Meal Kit Brand is Right in Your Backyard Meez Meals is a dinner meal kit delivery service that has been around since 2011 and is rated the #1 national brand by the Chicago Tribune (#1 on YELP too).  Meez does all the chopping and prep-work for you, so you can easily create delicious, from scratch dinners in about 30 minutes. Additionally, Meez Meals doesn’t make you sign-up for a subscription or lock into a fixed meal plan. They only deliver when you place an order. (crazy idea, right?)   Meez is locally based in Evanston and has a prestigious 3-Star Green Rating from the Green Restaurant Association. Visit meezmeals.com and use code Radio for 50% off your first order! Here's what else is happening Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Illinois governor, received contributions from a company that got millions of dollars in city contracts. [WTTW] Federal agents raided the Chicago home of a teenager accused of plotting to attack a mosque. [Chicago Tribune] A Chicago rally to honor two transgender women who recently died was derailed. [Chicago Sun-Times] The upcoming season of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will mark the end of Riccardo Muti’s 13-year tenure with the cultural institution. [Chicago Sun-Times] Oh, and one more thing... I had no idea Chicago is the backdrop of an upcoming time travel TV series from Apple TV+ starring Elisabeth Moss.  Shining Girls, based on the bestselling novel from Lauren Beukes, follows a Chicago Sun-Times reporter (played by Moss) who survives an attack and uncovers some weird stuff as she tracks down her attacker. It’s described as a “metaphysical thriller.” [Chicago Sun-Times]  And while we’re on the topic, I also forgot that Chicago was sorta in the new Batman movie. I won’t spoil anything, but LOL at the Thompson Center. 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.  Hilary tweets:  “Mine are ‘Rhythm of the Night’ by Debarge and ‘Downtown’ by Petula Clark.” Krista writes:  “I’ve been married 10 years to a guy that I love a lot. That said, I still love break up songs SO MUCH. The ‘ABCDEFU’ song takes me back to a few breakups where I wish I would have had this song to pump me up to break the relationship off sooner or jam out/get over things sooner. ‘And your craigslist couch and the way your voice sounds’ is so mean and on point.”  And Renuka writes:  “ ‘Groove Is In the Heart’ by Deee-Lite.”    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. You are receiving this email because you are a WBEZ member or signed up to receive email communications from us. You can unsubscribe from The Rundown here. CHICAGO PUBLIC MEDIA'S PRIVACY POLICY