Hey there, it’s Thursday! My nephew turns 5 this weekend, and I still need to figure out what to get him. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Concerns grow that the U.S. is unprepared for a recession

Some economists are growing increasingly worried that the U.S. is running out of options to boost the economy in the event of a recession.

They say the government’s ability to pass tax cuts, which could spur consumer spending and pump up the economy, could be jeopardized by this week’s news that the country’s deficit will soar to $1 trillion next year.

That enormous deficit could also prevent the federal government from increasing spending, like sending Americans stimulus checks, another tactic used during a recession.

And then there’s interest rates, which are currently very low. That means the Federal Reserve can’t cut rates as much as it has in previous recessions. [Washington Post]

2. Joe Walsh expected to mount primary challenge to Trump

The former Illinois congressman, who garnered national attention as a Tea Party provocateur, has told associates he will run against President Donald Trump and could announce his candidacy as soon as this weekend, reports Crain’s Chicago Business.

Walsh is no stranger to controversy.

His failed 2012 reelection campaign was marred by a high-profile child-support dispute with his ex-wife. In 2014, he was kicked off his radio show on WIND-AM for using racial slurs while discussing racial slurs. He accused former President Barack Obama of being a Muslim (he isn’t), and called for the racial profiling of Muslims after the Boston Marathon bombings. [Crain’s]

3. After mass shootings, most Americans lose interest in three weeks

That’s according to an analysis from The Washington Post. The newspaper looked at Google searches following high-profile mass shootings, and it found that search terms like “shooting” and “gun control” initially spike after a shooting but drop to pre-shooting levels within 20 days.

The mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio happened about three weeks ago. President Trump this week reportedly told the head of the NRA that the White House would not push to expand background checks for gun sales. [Washington Post]

4. Mount Prospect Woman deported, separated from pastor husband

Julita Bartolome came to the U.S. from the Philippines in 1988 as a domestic worker and overstayed her visa. Her husband is a pastor at Filipino Immanuel Baptist Church of Chicago, where she helps with church activities like Bible studies, visiting people in hospitals and counseling people.

Federal immigration officials deported Bartolome today.

“This case is about a woman with no criminal history, and actually a very long history of benevolent volunteerism and involvement in her church and her community,” said Bartolome’s attorney, Katherine Del Rosario. “She’s being sent back to a country that she hasn’t called home for 30 years.” [WBEZ]

5. Study finds that Chicago traffic really is bad

The city ranks third in the nation when it comes to total hours of travel delays, according to a study from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which found that people here spent 73 hours stuck in traffic in 2017.

Nationally, the number of hours people are stuck in gridlock rose to 54 hours a year.

The study also said that traffic delays are so bad now that the term “rush hour” is becoming outdated. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• An acting workshop puts Chicago police recruits in the shoes of frightened black teens. [WBEZ]

• Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill raising the minimum wage for teachers. [Chicago Tribune]

• The interim president of Richard J. Daley College waived $70,800 in fees for his son’s basketball team to use a college gym. [WBEZ]

• This Chicago library lends out tools, from a sewing machine to a pasta maker. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

Did you know that a cooling vest created and used by furries is being used in the U.S. military?

In case you’re not familiar, furries are people who like dressing up as anthropomorphic animals. It’s not clear how large the community is, but a boutique manufacturer in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood is known for its “fursuits,” and the area hosts an annual furry convention.

A Dutch furry known as “EZ Wolf” created the “EZ Cooldown vest” to help keep him from overheating in his fursuit, and it became so popular that a group of U.S. Navy troops stationed in Japan bought some of the vests. [Daily Beast]

Tell me something good …

What’s your favorite cartoon, whether currently or from your childhood?

Rich Jones writes:

“Rocky and Bullwinkle, hands down. In the ’50s era of Disney sweetness, Rocky and Bullwinkle’s sardonic wit taught us to question authority and laugh at pompousness. Those two guys, plus Mad Magazine, were foundational cultural influences that blossomed into the reigning subculture in ‘The Sixties’ as we climbed towards adulthood.”

And Jerilyn writes:

“My favorite cartoon character was Clutch Cargo. Loved his lips.”

What’s your favorite cartoon? Feel free to email at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

Have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow.