Hey there! It’s Friday, and my husband is baking, took out an egg and lost it. And now we’re trying to figure out where this rogue egg went, and it’s driving us both crazy. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Illinois-based COVID-19 testing center will close for the “foreseeable future” amid federal and state investigations

Testing sites operated by the Center for COVID Control — which is accused of storing tests in unrefrigerated garbage bags, among other things — will remain closed as state and federal investigators scrutinize the company, reports Block Club Chicago.

The company, based in suburban Rolling Meadows, reportedly operates about 300 locations across the nation with the help of more than $124 million in federal funds.

Block Club Chicago reports the Center for COVID Control faces a number of problems. State and federal officials say the company gave results to people who did not take tests, raising questions over the accuracy of results given to people who were tested.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also says the lab used by the company, Doctors Clinical Lab, made mistakes that resulted in tens of thousands of tests being wasted. [Block Club Chicago]

2. Illinois abortion providers create a center to help out-of-state patients

Tomorrow is the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and many activists say it could be the last one as the Supreme Court considers a challenge to the landmark decision establishing a constitutional right to abortions.

With the fate of abortion rights up in the air, two southern Illinois abortion providers have created a centralized location, the Regional Logistics Center, where out-of-state patients can get help with transportation, lodging and child care, reports the Chicago Tribune.

“We’ve just seen this enormous influx of patients coming from farther and farther away,” said Dr. Erin King, executive director of the Hope Clinic for Women. “We’re seeing a lot more patients in the last month needing help with travel, help with funding, all the things the Regional Logistics Center focuses on. We’ve been moving in this direction for a couple of years. But we’ve seen this need increase exponentially in the last month.” [Chicago Tribune]

Meanwhile, thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered today in Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life.

“There is a very big feeling in the pro-life movement and with the young people we work with that something very big is on the horizon,” Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, told The Washington Post. [WaPo]

3. Chicago Teachers Union official won’t say if she’ll challenge Lightfoot for mayor

CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates would not rule out a run for mayor during an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.

But she “laid the groundwork for a campaign — by herself or a candidate of the CTU’s choosing — with her blistering critique of Lightfoot’s tumultuous tenure, combative personality and micro-managing style,” the newspaper reports.

“It’s not just her relationship or lack thereof with our membership,” Gates told the Sun-Times. “It’s also the lack of partnership that she has with rank-and-file law enforcement. It is also the lack of partnership she has with all of Cook County government — from the board president to the state’s attorney to the chief judge. It’s the lack of relationship she has with the governor and the Senate president.”

Lightfoot dismissed Gates’s comments, saying they are “not worthy of any kind of response.” [Sun-Times]

4. The U.S. and Russia are talking as Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance

Top diplomats for the U.S. and Russia met in Geneva for roughly 90 minutes today and agreed to keep talks alive in the heated standoff over Ukraine.

But neither side appears to be moving. Russia wants guarantees that Ukraine will not join the NATO military alliance, among other things. The U.S. and its European allies have said Moscow’s demands are nonstarters.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today said the U.S. would give written responses to Russia’s proposals next week and suggested the two sides would meet again. The move could mean a feared Russian invasion of Ukraine could be delayed for at least a few more days. [AP]

5. Booster shots are 90% effective at preventing hospitalization due to the omicron variant, CDC says

Some good news: Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines provided significant protection against serious illness from the highly contagious omicron variant, according to three new studies led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC says boosters were 90% effective against hospitalization. That number fell to 57% for people who did not get a booster within six months of their last shot. [New York Times]

Meanwhile, CDC data suggests that Moderna’s vaccine offers slightly better protection against the delta variant, reports Business Insider. [BI]

In Chicago, the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to sharply decline. Officials are reporting a seven-day average of 2,817 cases per day as of yesterday. That’s down 48% compared to the previous week. Officials are also reporting slight declines in hospitalizations and deaths. [COVID Dashboard]

Here’s what else is happening

• Student loan payments will resume in May. NPR provides seven tips on how to prepare. [NPR]
• Families say they are struggling after the first month without the expanded child tax credit. [NPR]
• Japan has a rare monkey queen, but her reign may be in danger due to a love triangle. [New York Times]
• This one hurts: White Castle canceled its “fine dining” on Valentine’s Day. [CNN]

Oh, and one more thing …

Singer and actor Meat Loaf and comedian Louie Anderson are being remembered today.

Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, died at the age of 74. His 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell is one of the best selling albums of all time. And he appeared in more than 65 films, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club.

Personally, I’ll never forget being mesmerized while watching the music video for “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” for the first time on MTV. [NPR]

Anderson, an Emmy-winning comedian, died today at the age of 68. He had a long career in stand-up and played small roles in films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Coming to America.

His most recent work with Zach Galifianakis in the FX dark comedy Baskets earned him critical acclaim and multiple Emmy nominations. He played matriarch Christine Baskets so convincingly that the mom of one of my friend’s actually thought he was a woman. [NPR]

Tell me something good …

What hobbies, sports or activities are you picking up as we trudge through the winter?

Robin writes:

“I’ve started knitting again after a 15-year hiatus. Since Nov. 1, I’ve knit a patterned, multicolored triangular scarf, a sweater, a hat and three of four placemats. Once done with the fourth, I’m going to put together the sweater I knitted for my husband 15 years ago!”

And Phyllis writes:

“I start my day with Spelling Bee from the New York Times Games, using a game subscription my son got me as a gift at the beginning of the pandemic. I aim for ‘genius’ every day and try to get there before 8 a.m. Uh-oh here comes Wordle to follow, but it’s quicker.”

Thanks for all the responses this week. I’m sorry I couldn’t share them all, but it was nice hearing from y’all!