Hey there! It’s Friday, and here’s a video that may help you understand what’s going on right now. And here’s what else you need to know today. (PS: You can have this delivered to your inbox by subscribing here.)

1. Pritzker cancels schools in Illinois in an effort to contain coronavirus

Gov. JB Pritzker today ordered that all public and private schools be canceled beginning Tuesday, March 17. The decision comes as Chicago Public Schools faced increasing pressure to close from some parents and the Chicago Teachers Union.

Pritzker’s announcement also comes after the Archdiocese of Chicago said all Catholic schools in Cook and Lake counties will be canceled starting Monday. [WBEZ]

You can find a list of school cancellations throughout the Chicago area in this link. [Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, here’s a look at what will be affected by Pritzker’s order to limit large gatherings in Illinois. [Chicago Tribune]

2. Trump declares national emergency

The move allows President Donald Trump the authority to use up to $50 billion set aside by Congress for disaster relief. Trump’s declaration will also empower the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts and aid state and local governments. [NPR]

Meanwhile, House Democrats are preparing to vote on a relief package aimed at people directly affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The plan includes expanding paid sick days and extending unemployment insurance.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., canceled his chamber’s recess next week to address the legislation. [NPR]

The president continues to face criticism for his handling of the unfolding public health crisis, appearing to be more of a “bystander” than a leader, according to this New York Times analysis. [New York Times]

And here’s an inside look at what went on behind the scenes of Trump’s prime-time address this week that critics say was a missed opportunity to calm the nation. [Washington Post]

3. What you need to know about the coronavirus

The deadly virus is upending American life with each day, and there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the pandemic. You can find some answers to common questions about the virus in the link, and how you can contact WBEZ if you have a question. [WBEZ]

Also, WBEZ will air an hour-long special tomorrow at 3 p.m. CST that explains what we know about the virus and what practical steps you can take to protect yourself.

Meanwhile, you may have read or heard this term: flattening the curve. What does it mean?

Health officials are concerned that a spike in cases will overload the nation’s hospitals and result in more chaos. So they’re recommending steps, like working from home, to reduce the spread of the virus. Check out the chart in the link for a visual explanation of what “flattening the curve” looks like. [Vox]

Speaking of working from home, here are some tips on how to make the transition more productive and sane. [Wired]

And here’s some advice for parents, from how to talk to kids about the virus to dealing with school closings. [NPR]

4. Iraq condemns U.S. airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia

Iraqi officials say U.S. airstrikes killed five Iraqi security forces and a civilian. The strikes were intended to target an Iranian-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, which launched a rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops in Iraq.

Kataib Hezbollah was responsible for a rocket attack in December that killed an American contractor, which was followed by a U.S. airstrike that killed powerful Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this year. [AP]

5. The Navy Pier Flyover is delayed … again

You can tell spring is right around the corner when Chicago officials announce yet another delay in the completion of the Navy Pier Flyover, a bike and pedestrian pathway that essentially connects the north and south parts of the city’s lakefront.

The project, which began in 2014 and has cost $64 million, won’t be finished until the end of this year. The flyover was originally expected to be finished in 2018. City officials say the latest delay is due to a Depression-era bridge that’s connected to the Navy Pier Flyover. The bridge takes traffic over the Chicago River and needs extensive repairs to accommodate the pathway, city officials said.

It has taken the city more time to build the flyover than it took to construct the Channel Tunnel, or the “Chunnel,” which is the underwater passageway connecting England and France. [Chicago Tribune]

Here’s what else is happening

• A Cook County jury found a man guilty in the murder of Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer. [Chicago Tribune]

• The final debate between the Democratic candidates running for Cook County state’s attorney was hectic. [Chicago Sun-Times]

• Foster children in Illinois have been sent to out-of-state facilities where they were abused. [Chicago Tribune]

• There’s a new episode of WBEZ’s Motive if you’re looking for something to listen to this weekend. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

It’s times like these that I love hearing stories of unassuming heroes. Case in point are a bunch of kids in Wuhan, the Chinese city of 11 million people where the coronavirus outbreak began.

After schools in Wuhan canceled in-person classes, the kids continued their homework through an app called DingTalk. But the students figured out that if they gave the app enough bad reviews, Apple would remove it from the app store.

DingTalk’s rating plunged overnight from 4.9 stars to 1.4, causing the app to beg children to stop. “I’m only five years old myself, please don’t kill me,” DingTalk pleaded on social media. [Mirror]

Tell me something good …

What’s your favorite children’s movie? Here are the top two movies mentioned by readers this week.

Christa V. writes:

“I was just so enamored of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. It was funny. It was fantastic. The songs were wonderful. And I think my first crush was Gene Wilder — starting a lifetime of love for bright, quirky guys.”

And Jane Gralen writes:

“My favorite childhood movie was The Wizard of Oz. I was probably seven or eight when I saw the movie. But when my daughter watched it on TV at the age of six, she got nightmares (the flying witches?), and my pediatrician said this was not uncommon for children that age or younger whenever The Wizard of Oz was on TV.”

Thanks for all the great responses this week. I’m sorry I couldn’t include them all, but it was a pleasure chatting with y’all this week!

Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I’ll see you on Monday.