Good afternoon! I think my dogs, Princess Leia and Sassy, are in a middle-school-esque fight because they’re avoiding each other. But they still team up to bully me into giving them treats. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. The Bring Chicago Home referendum got lukewarm support in Mayor Johnson’s strongholds

The ballot measure, which aimed to raise taxes on high-end properties to help fund services for the homeless, only got about 56% of votes in areas of Chicago where Mayor Brandon Johnson won more than 80% of the vote in the runoff election.

That’s according to an analysis from my colleagues Amy Qin and Alden Loury. They also found areas with many homeowners largely voted against the referendum, while parts of Chicago with a high number of renters were split. [WBEZ]

The ballot measure’s defeat marks a major setback for Johnson as he pushes a plan to borrow $1.25 billion for unspecified development projects. One member of the City Council said last week’s election showed voters do not support “blanket authorization” of spending without a more detailed plan.

“The message was not that Chicago is against affordable housing or doesn’t want to help homeless. It was instead really a rejection of a ‘first we get the money’ mentality,” said Ald. Bill Conway, 34th Ward. “I have grave concerns about a blanket authorization of this amount. I think we need to take a look at the size and scope of it going forward.” [WBEZ]

2. The Democratic race for Cook County state’s attorney is really close

Former appellate court judge Eileen O’Neill Burke held a slim lead over Clayton Harris III in the race for Cook County state’s attorney on Sunday as election officials continue to count mail-in ballots.

Burke’s lead over Harris was trimmed to 2,015 votes after more ballots from Chicago voters were tallied yesterday, my colleague Emmanuel Camarillo reports.

Based on the unofficial count results, Burke is leading Harris, 50.19% to 49.81% overall, with thousands of mail-in ballots still to be counted in the city and suburbs.

Election officials are expected to announce more results later today.

Harris, a university lecturer, has maintained a narrow edge among Chicago voters, and Burke has enjoyed a comfortable lead in the suburbs so far. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution for a Gaza cease-fire

After a monthslong impasse, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends April 9.

The resolution also demands the “unconditional” release of all hostages taken during Hamas’s surprise attack on Oct. 7.

The U.S abstained from the resolution, saying it could hurt cease-fire negotiations. An Israeli official told NBC News the chances of a hostage deal are “50/50 right now.”

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres today warned that Israel’s planned ground assault on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, “would cause a humanitarian disaster.” [NBC News]

4. The number of measles cases reported in the U.S. has already surpassed 2023’s total

At least 64 cases of measles have been reported so far this year, more than the 58 cases reported in all of 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Public health officials say many of the cases of the highly contagious virus have been linked to international travelers who are unvaccinated.

“Declines in measles vaccination rates globally have increased the risk of measles outbreaks worldwide, including in the United States,” the CDC said in a recent advisory.

While this year’s increase is significant, we’re nowhere near the more than 1,200 cases reported in 2019. And most communities in the U.S. are vaccinated against measles. [CBS News]

5. Trading Justin Fields was ‘one of the harder things I’ve had to do,’ Bears GM says

Bears general manager Ryan Poles today explained why he traded the quarterback, saying there was a “lot to unpack,” my colleague Patrick Finley reports.

“There was a choppy start in his rookie year,” he said. “And when I came in, we had some cleaning up to do, which delayed another year of adding talent and supporting.

“Then in terms of the game, I feel like he was making strides and improving. … [But] it’s really the timeline and how much runway you have. Because to get a guy up off the ground, you need to support him with as much talent as possible.”

USC quarterback Caleb Williams, whom the Bears are anticipated to draft No. 1 overall, is expected to make about $39 million over four years. The cheap contract allows the Bears the financial flexibility to build a team around Williams. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Former President Donald Trump’s bond in his civil fraud case was reduced from nearly half a billion dollars to $175 million. [AP]

• Four men suspected of carrying out an attack on a concert hall near Moscow were charged with terrorism. [BBC]

• Boeing’s CEO is stepping down amid ongoing safety issues. [AP]

• A Dragon Ball theme park will be built in Saudi Arabia. [BBC]

Oh, and one more thing …

The chocolate smell that sometimes floats through downtown Chicago will soon be a thing of the past.

Blommer Chocolate Co. will close its factory in the heart of Chicago at the end of May due to increasing costs of running the aging facility, my colleagues Amy Yee and Cindy Hernandez report.

Robert Karr, senior vice president of Blommer, said while the loss of the chocolate smell will leave a void downtown, the company is looking forward to the future.

“This is where our headquarters is located, so we’re not leaving Chicago,” he said. “We have people when we walk around the neighborhood from all over the world wondering where the chocolate is and we’re all going to miss it. It’s a big part of Chicago.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

Tell me something good …

What’s something that recently made your day?

My husband recently got me some nice tables for a studio space in our apartment, where I can paint, create monsters and build stuff for the Dungeons & Dragons games I run.

Feel free to email me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter.