Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and here’s live footage of my husband driving me to work. And here’s what you need to know today.

1. What campaign promises Lightfoot has fulfilled, where she’s flip flopped and what’s unfinished

Mayor Lori Lightfoot marks her three-year anniversary in office this week. And with the 2023 election getting closer by the day, WBEZ’s Becky Vevea takes an in-depth look at how the mayor’s actions stack up against what she said on the campaign trail.

One of the biggest promises Lightfoot can check off her list is successfully lobbying state lawmakers to bring a casino to Chicago, a victory that eluded her predecessors.

When it comes to flip flops, Lightfoot supported the idea of creating an elected school board before saying it would be “a recipe for disaster.” And left unfulfilled are pledges to hire more detectives, banning slot-like “sweepstakes” machines and curbing privileges enjoyed by members of the City Council that she and other critics say can lead to corruption.

“It’s very different to govern than it is to campaign,” Lightfoot said in an interview this week, noting that “nobody had a policy manual on how to respond to a global pandemic.” [WBEZ]

2. Kids heading home from concerts, ballgames and other ticketed events will be exempt from Chicago’s new curfew

The Lightfoot administration today released more details about its new 10 p.m. citywide curfew for minors after struggling yesterday to explain how it intends to enforce the new rules.

Youth who can show proof of attending an event, like a ticket stub, will get a pass. Minors who violate the curfew can be placed in police custody until their parent, guardian or “other adult having legal care or custody” picks them up, according to an executive order signed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Police officers are being directed to “immediately increase enforcement” of the new curfew and use “de-escalation and dispersal tools” to educate kids into complying voluntarily, the order states.

The Chicago Police Department did not answer questions about the course of action for teens who violate the curfew. [WBEZ]

As I mentioned yesterday, a large body of research shows curfews are ineffective at reducing crime.

For example: “A study published in 2015 tested the effect of Washington D.C.’s juvenile curfew on gun violence,” reports The Marshall Project. “Using ShotSpotter audio sensor data, the authors found that gunfire incidents were significantly more frequent when the curfew was in effect. Curfews remove bystanders and witnesses from the streets, reducing their deterrent effects on street crime.” [Marshall Project]

3. New York City is put on “high COVID alert.” Will Chicago be next?

Health officials today said the city had reached a “high” alert level amid rising caseloads and hospitalizations.

New York City is following the same alert system as Chicago, but as The New York Times reports, the “system has had little impact on the city’s disease control strategy or the public’s perception.” [NYT]

In Chicago, officials say the risk level remains at “medium” as cases continue to rise. The seven-day average of cases is 1,172. That’s up 27% compared to the previous week. [COVID Dashboard]

Cases of the flu and common cold are also rising in Chicago.

“Those viruses were suppressed during the earlier part of the pandemic, but they kind of took the attitude that ‘you can run but you can’t hide, we’re going to get you at some point,’ ” said Dr. Michael Bauer of Northwestern Medicine. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, the FDA today authorized the first COVID-19 vaccine booster for children ages 5 to 11. [NPR]

And Americans can once again order free, at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. [NPR]

4. The acts of heroism that took place inside the Buffalo supermarket

Julie Harwell went to the Tops supermarket on Saturday to pick up some hamburgers and hot dogs for her birthday barbecue.

After she heard gunfire, she tried finding a safe place but instead found herself within arm’s length of the gunman, reports The Washington Post.

Another shopper lunged at the gunman and was shot dead, giving Harwell a moment to rush to the back of the store and hide.

“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be alive,” Harwell said. “She lunged at him, and that’s why she’s dead. I don’t even know her name. I want to tell her family thank you.” [Washington Post]

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden today visited Buffalo and paid their respects to the 10 people killed in the attack. In an emotional address, Biden denounced the racist attack as an act of terrorism. [AP]

5. Congress held its first public hearing on UFOs in half a century

Pentagon officials today testified before a House Intelligence subcommittee looking into unidentified flying objects, which lawmakers from both parties say are a national security concern.

For anyone hoping there would be a big headline about the discovery of extraterrestrial life, well, it didn’t happen. And officials didn’t disclose any additional information from their ongoing investigation.

“We want to know what’s out there as much as you want to know what’s out there,” Ronald Moultrie, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, told lawmakers, adding that he was a fan of science fiction himself. “We get the questions not just from you. We get it from family and we get them night and day.” [AP]

As NPR reports, the military’s database of reports of UFOs now includes about 400 incidents, up from 143 assessed in a report released about a year ago. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

• A Chicago police sergeant allegedly extorted drug dealers more than 16 years ago, according to a new city report. [WBEZ]
• The owner of Gerber will fly extra baby formula to the U.S. from Switzerland and the Netherlands. [Wall Street Journal]
• Elon Musk says his deal to buy Twitter can’t move forward unless the company gives him more information about spam bots. [NPR]
• South Carolina becomes the latest state to enact a transgender sports ban. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

The school lunches sound horrible at Phillips Academy High School in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

“Looking at a school lunch, you’re just going to see a hot dog and cucumbers and be like, ‘Um, this isn’t the best school meal,’ ” said Neenah Brown, a senior at the school. “And the cucumbers are optional, it doesn’t even come with it.”

With the help of a teacher, Neenah and a group of students created a makeshift studio in the school basement, where they took photos of their unappetizing meals and posted them on social media.

“I hope the quality of the food improves as well as consideration of what the students would like to eat,” said 15-year-old Jalen Smith. “Hopefully the effect this has on some adults is, ‘Wow, they’re serving this to our children. Something has to be done.’ ” [Chicago Sun-Times]

Tell me something good …

This great weather has me itching to read outside. So, what’s a good book to read over the summer?

J.R. Green writes:

“I have loved reading The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. A time looping murder mystery that follows one character being forced to relive the same day over and over but each loop puts him in a different body of one of the other guests.

“Forced to solve the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle while figuring out how he got put in this predicament and dodging the murderous intent of a footman intent on ending his loops early, our hero has to use his wits and the various abilities of his hosts to solve a murder and escape. It is delightful and enthralling and can have you forget the world around you.”

What’s a good book to read this summer? Hit me up and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.