Good afternoon! I’m still tired from marching in yesterday’s Pride Parade with my Chicago Public Media colleagues, but these photos show how much fun we had at the event. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Cook County evictions reach their highest monthly total in more than four years

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office evicted more than 800 tenants from their homes in May, the most in a single month since 2019, my colleague Amy Qin writes for WBEZ.

The increase comes after the expiration of eviction moratoriums and the drying up of temporary rental assistance established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthering the affordable housing crisis are wages that aren’t keeping up with the rising cost of rent, with minimum-wage earners needing to work almost two full-time jobs to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment in the Chicago area.

ZIP codes on the city’s South Side and in south suburban Cook County were hit hardest by evictions before the pandemic and continue to be the areas with the highest number of evictions this year, Qin writes. [WBEZ]

2. More than 100 CPS schools have deteriorating lead-based paint in some rooms

This past school year, CPS said it found lead-based paint in 95 elementary schools and 24 high schools, according to a WBEZ analysis of the school district’s records.

The district routinely tests for lead paint deterioration ahead of construction and CPS said the average time between testing and mitigation is about 10 working days. But as my colleague Nereida Moreno reports, one Bridgeport school waited months for the dangerous paint to be removed from a classroom and the gymnasium.

And at least 11 ongoing projects won’t be finished until summer, while at least five more haven’t been scheduled yet, CPS records show. [WBEZ]

3. Mayor Johnson’s promise to double summer jobs for youth is off to a slow start

The city was only able to expand its One Summer Chicago program by 2,000 spots — a far cry from the 20,000 needed to meet Johnson’s goal, my colleague Mariah Woelfel writes for WBEZ.

But the mayor’s administration still considers the small expansion a significant step forward and expects to grow the program over time.

One Summer Chicago is about a third smaller than before the pandemic, when the city hired 31,552 Chicagoans between 14 and 24 years old as part of the program.

Johnson said during a press conference today that his inaugural budget will include a commitment to growing the program, though he also called on corporations to step up. [WBEZ]

4. Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks out for the first time after giving up armed mutiny

In an 11-minute statement, Prigozhin said his Wagner group did not want to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime during last weekend’s uprising, The Guardian reports.

“We stopped at that moment, when it became clear that much blood would be spilled,” Prigozhin said about the group reaching striking distance of Moscow.

Instead, he said, “the goal of the march was to not allow the destruction of the Wagner private military company and hold to account the officials who through their unprofessional actions have committed a massive number of errors. Society demanded it.” [The Guardian]

Experts say the uprising revealed weaknesses in Putin’s regime, NPR reports. The fate of the Wagner group is also unclear, even though the group has played a significant role in Russia’s conflicts with Ukraine and other parts of the world. [NPR]

5. Meet the ‘World’s Ugliest Dog’

While I wouldn’t call any dog “ugly,” that’s the tongue-in-cheek title Scooter — a 7-year-old Chinese Crested Dog — earned this past weekend.

The “World’s Ugliest Dog” contest in Petaluma, Calif., is held every year to show that every dog is beautiful in their own way and to advocate for adoption.

Scooter’s reversed hind legs, near baldness and wayward tongue endeared him to this year’s judges.

“From the second he sits his hairless little booty and backward legs on your lap, you feel his warm, huggable power to change the meaning of the word ugly,” NBC host Gadi Schwartz, one of the competition’s judges, told Today in an interview. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

• A vote is expected this week on CPS’s $9.4 billion budget. [Chalkbeat]

• Medicare patients may have a hard time accessing a new Alzheimer’s drug. [NPR]

• The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide on several big cases this week, including student loans, affirmative action and gay rights. [AP]

• A daily pill may treat obesity as effectively as weekly Wegovy shots, studies show. [AP]

Oh, and one more thing …

I’m a nerd when it comes to books and Chicago history — which brings this podcast to the top of my entertainment list.

The Chicago Public Library has a new, limited podcast series, Library for the People, in honor of the library system’s 150th anniversary.

Librarians, patrons and authors tell stories ranging from what it takes to build a library after the Great Chicago Fire, to reimagining libraries in the 21st century.

The first two episodes are out now. [Chicago Public Library]

Tell me something good …

I’ve been watching — and loving — the new season of The Bear on Hulu, and it got me wondering about other shows or movies set in the Chicago area that I should check out over the upcoming long weekend.

Tell me why you love these movies and your response may be included in this week’s newsletter.