Hey there! It’s finally Friday. You should give yourself a pat on the back for making it through another week. Hopefully you can dip out of work early and enjoy this great weather. Anyway, here’s what you need to know today.

1. The Twitter account for the Chicago Police Department ‘liked’ an anti-trans tweet

And internal affairs investigators are now looking into the situation, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

The tweet in question came from country singer Travis Tritt, who wrote he would be removing Anheuser-Busch products from the hospitality contracts on his tours.

His comments come amid a conservative backlash against the beer conglomerate over a recent Bud Light promotion with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender actress, TikTok personality and activist.

Data from the Chicago Police Department show hate crimes against people over their gender identity and/or sexual orientation have been increasing in recent years, the Sun-Times reports.

And the news comes as the existence of transgender Americans is increasingly being challenged, with several conservative states, including nearby Indiana, restricting access to gender-affirming health care. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, the Biden administration this week proposed a rule change that would bar schools and colleges from enacting an across-the-board ban on transgender athletes. [AP]

2. Chicago’s odds of snagging the 2024 Democratic convention are looking pretty good

Democratic gains this week in Wisconsin and Michigan are boosting the argument for President Joe Biden to launch his bid for a second term from the Midwest, reports my colleague Lynn Sweet.

Chicago’s main rival for the convention is Atlanta. Committee officials have evaluated the bids, and “Chicago came up on top based on a variety of items — most likely hotel capacity, transportation, security, financing and overall logistics,” Sweet reports.

Supporters of Chicago’s bid say hosting the convention in the Midwest would help reinforce the “Blue Wall,” a collection of states that are crucial for Democrats in presidential elections.

Among those Blue Wall states are Wisconsin, where liberals won control over the state’s Supreme Court this week, and Michigan, where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation repealing a 1931 abortion ban. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. The job market is cooling down but still remains strong

U.S. employers added 236,000 jobs last month, a solid rate of growth that signals the labor market remains a source of economic strength despite a recent banking crisis, tech layoffs and stubbornly high inflation.

But today’s news also shows the economy may be shifting gears as intended by the Federal Reserve, which has increased interest rates in the hopes of cooling down the economy and getting inflation under control.

“It’s uncomfortable when we see the labor market weaken, but given how vexing inflation has been over the last two years, some softening of the labor market is necessary,” Sarah House, a senior economist at Wells Fargo, told NPR.

The unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% in March from 3.6% in February. And the unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 5% — the lowest level since the government began tracking the figure in 1972. [NPR]

4. Elon Musk says NPR’s ‘state-affiliated media’ label might not have been accurate

Twitter CEO Elon Musk is now saying the label — which places NPR in the same category as government-aligned propaganda outlets in China and Russia — might not be accurate.

In a series of emails with an NPR reporter, Musk “appeared to be unclear about the difference between public media and state-controlled media when he decided to affix a state-affiliated media label on NPR’s account,” the network reports.

When told that government support represents about 1% of NPR’s finances, Musk wrote, “Well, then we should fix it.”

Twitter’s decision to add the label to NPR’s main Twitter account — even though the network covers the news free of any government influence — is “a dangerous move that could further undermine public confidence in reliable news sources,” the literary organization PEN America said in a statement. [NPR]

5. Bones said to have belonged to gospel writer Mark are on display at a suburban shrine

It’s unclear if the bones actually belonged to Mark, author of one of the four established Christian gospels, but they are stored in a really cool, gold-looking container shaped like an arm and hand.

The ulna (arm) and carpal (hand) bones will be on display at the Shrine of All Saints in Morton Grove, which is home to thousands of religious relics, reports my colleague Robert Herguth.

The Rev. Dennis O’Neill, who founded the shrine, says he recently purchased the bones from a middleman who got them from the family of a deceased Italian cardinal who’d gotten them from a Venetian church where most of Mark’s body might be interred.

“It’s unquestionably St. Mark, as sure as anyone can be,” O’Neill says of the bones. “He’s someone who knew Jesus, he wrote the first of the four gospels and was present at all the important events — he was right there at the beginning.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Majority-Black precincts were crucial in Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s election victory this week. [WBEZ]
• Here’s a look at what’s driving all the faculty strikes at Illinois public universities. [WBEZ]
• Dozens of women in Illinois have accused their OBGYNs of committing medical and sexual battery. Here’s a look at what patients should do to protect themselves during visits. [WBEZ]
• Chicago’s crosswalk signals violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal judge ruled. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Oh, and one more thing …

Looks like we’re getting three new Star Wars movies, with one featuring the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey, reports the AP.

The news was revealed at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 in London.

One movie will go way back to the very first Jedi. Another will close out the interconnected stories from The Mandalorian and other Star Wars series on Disney+. And the third will revisit Rey, who is building up a new Jedi order. [AP]

For hardcore fans, Polygon has a short and sweet writeup about what these new movies mean for the timeline of Star Wars. [Polygon]

Tell me something good …

Summer really does feel like it’s around the corner even though we just entered spring. So what are your favorite warm-weather hangouts?

Ruby write:

“Nothing beats Promontory Point in Hyde Park as a warm weather hang!”

Thanks for all the emails this week! It was nice hearing from y’all!