Good afternoon! It’s Wednesday! And we have a fire drill any minute. …. Ugh, I gotta go, but here’s what you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Senate acquits Trump in impeachment trial

President Donald Trump will not be removed from office after the Senate, voting largely along party lines, dismissed the two impeachment charges against him today: that he abused his power and obstructed Congress.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was the only Republican who voted with Democrats to convict Trump of abusing his power, but Democrats fell well below the 67 votes needed. [NPR]

The trial may now be over, but House Democrats are not backing down from seeking more information about Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said former national security adviser John Bolton will likely be subpoenaed.

During the Senate’s trial, Bolton said he would be willing to testify if subpoenaed. Then revelations emerged about an unpublished book manuscript written by Bolton, who claimed Trump withheld U.S. military aid to Ukraine unless the country launched investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. [NPR]

2. Lightfoot cracks down on controversial taxpayer subsidies to developments

Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants to set the bar higher for developers seeking taxpayer subsidies from a program that has long been criticized as a City Hall slush fund.

The subsidies come from the city’s tax increment financing program, which has come under fire in recent years after Lightfoot’s predecessor, Rahm Emanuel, greenlit a $1.6 billion deal for two megadevelopments: Lincoln Yards and The 78.

Under Lightfoot’s plan, city officials will apply a more “rigorous” test for developers seeking subsidies. Lightfoot is also promising more oversight of the TIF program with the creation of a new committee, and the mayor says more information about how money is spent will be released to the public. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. What Trump’s State of the Union could say about the next 9 months

President Trump largely used last night’s primetime address to make his case for a second term, presenting arguments aimed at his base and suburban voters, whose support could be crucial in this year’s election, according to this analysis. [New York Times]

Trump’s portrayal of two big issues could offer a preview to what voters might see on the campaign trail. Trump touted the U.S. economy and derided Democrats who support universal health care as “socialists.” You can find more recaps of last night’s State of the Union address here. [NPR]

While the economy remains healthy, some of Trump’s claims were exaggerated. Here’s a fact check of the president’s speech. [NPR]

4. Hundreds of Americans are evacuated from China as coronavirus surges

Two planes carrying about 350 people from China landed today in California, where they will remain quarantined at two U.S. bases for two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The flights mark the second major U.S. evacuation of Americans from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the center of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

More than 24,600 confirmed cases have been reported in more than a dozen countries, though a majority of the cases are in China. Almost 500 people have died from the virus.

Off the coast of Japan, a cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers remains quarantined after a former passenger tested positive for the virus. Japanese health officials say at least 10 passengers and crew members have been infected. [NPR]

5. Lake Michigan’s water levels rose to new high last month

Water levels usually drop off during the winter, but Lake Michigan hit a record last month, marking “the first time a new monthly high has been recorded in more than 30 years,” reports the Chicago Tribune.

City residents can see the results: vanishing beaches and lakefront trails submerged under water. Scientists say persistent rain and unusually warm temperatures that melted snow were a catalyst for the rise in water levels.

And the situation could become even worse in the spring. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• Who won the Iowa caucuses? Day 3. [NPR]

• Parts of the Chicago area could see as much as 5 inches of snow by tomorrow morning. [Chicago Tribune]

• Chicago Public Schools faces criticism over its handling of sexual misconduct allegations at Lincoln Park High School. [WBEZ]

• Can you guess in which state a man was charged with drug possession after authorities found a bag labeled “Bag Full of Drugs”? [Chicago Sun-Times]

Oh, and one more thing …

What happens when you put 99 smartphones in a little red wagon and walk slowly down a street? Google Maps interprets the wagon as a huge traffic jam.

That’s what Berlin-based artist Simon Wecker pulled off in an effort to illustrate how mobile technology shapes our lives. Wecker said he got the idea after going to a May Day demonstration in Berlin and noticed that Google Maps showed the gathering of people as a traffic pileup.

But why exactly 99 smartphones?

“It’s basically 99 problems for Uber,” Weckert told The Washington Post. “Or, let’s say, 99 problems for technology services.” [Washington Post]

Tell me something good …

What’s your favorite thing to do when you have a day off of work?

Linda writes:

“A day free (so rare)? Simply read or watch one of the zillions of movies everyone else has already seen!”

What’s your favorite thing to do when you have an expected or unexpected day off from work? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet to @whuntah.

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