Hey there! It’s Wednesday, and special shout out to Vin Reed for making me this T-shirt. I’ll pretty much be wearing it all the time as I “take it W-B-Easy.” Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. Some people say they’ll quit their jobs over vax mandates, but few do

That’s according to an article in The Conversation, a nonprofit news organization that covers academic research.

Researchers looked at companies that have enacted vaccine mandates and found only a fraction of unvaccinated workers leave their jobs in protest.

“In other words, vaccine mandates are unlikely to result in a wave of resignations — but they are likely to lead to a boost in vaccination rates,” the researchers wrote. [NPR]

The news comes as Chicago-based United Airlines recently announced that the vast majority of its workforce has complied with the company’s vaccination requirement.

As NPR reports: “fewer than 600 United employees who did not get vaccinated by the airline’s deadline of Sept. 27 now face termination.” [NPR]

2. The Chicago Bears sign purchase agreement for Arlington Heights racetrack land

The Bears announced today they have agreed to purchase property that’s home to the recently closed Arlington International Racecourse, reports the Chicago Tribune. But the team did not say whether it intends to build a new stadium on the land.

Churchill Downs, which owns the property, said the sale price was $197.2 million and the deal could be closed in late 2022 or early 2023. [Trib]

The news comes as speculation has increasingly mounted that the Bears will abandon Soldier Field. Emails obtained by WBEZ’s Tony Arnold show a rift has grown between the team and the Chicago Park District, which owns the stadium. [WBEZ]

3. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times are “exploring partnerships”

The parent company of WBEZ is in talks to partner with the Chicago Sun-Times, but the details of those discussions currently remain unknown, reports WBEZ’s Tony Arnold.

“I can confirm that we are currently exploring partnerships and opportunities with the Chicago Sun-Times to strengthen local journalism in the city and our region,” wrote Chicago Public Media’s interim CEO Matt Moog this morning after the news was first reported by media columnist Robert Feder.

In an email obtained by WBEZ, Sun-Times CEO Nykia Wright wrote to staff that the newspaper is “in talks with Chicago Public Media to determine if there is an opportunity to become a combined entity. It is very important to note that we are not close to any deal. Opportunities like this require a lot of due diligence.” [WBEZ]

4. YouTube bans anti-vaccine disinformation and prominent anti-vaxxers

YouTube today announced it’s scrubbing false information about COVID-19 vaccines from its video-sharing platform, a move that comes as social media companies face growing pressure to address the proliferation of disinformation.

The company, which is owned by Google, said in a blog post that it is removing videos that claim approved vaccines are dangerous and can cause autism, cancer or infertility, claims that have been widely debunked by scientists.

Among the accounts being removed are those run by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaxxer. [AP]

5. U.S. reports 23 species are extinct

The ivory-billed woodpecker and 22 other species are gone forever and should be removed from the endangered endangered species list, according to federal wildlife officials.

Today’s announcement will be followed by a three-month comment period before the extinction designation becomes final. Several scientists say it’s possible one or more of the species could reappear.

Some 902 species around the world have been reported as extinct, though the real number could be much higher because some are never formally identified. Many scientists warn the earth is in an “extinction crisis” with flora and fauna now disappearing at 1,000 times the historical rate. [AP]

Here’s what else is happening

• President Joe Biden and top Democratic leaders are scrambling to save his ambitious domestic agenda. [Washington Post]
• The case of Britney Spears’ controversial conservatorship is back in court today. [NPR]
• An 80-year-old man died of rabies in Illinois, the first human case of rabies in the state since 1954. [NPR]
• Swimming with spinner dolphins in Hawaii is now banned. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

Paula Cole once asked, “Where have all the cowboys gone?”

I’m not sure if she ever found them, but in Northern Ireland, it’s more like “where have all the clowns gone?”

The BBC reports the region is suffering from a clown shortage, and one circus is appealing for recruits as it seeks to tour again as countries relax some COVID-19 restrictions.

“Not everybody likes to be laughed at but for someone who is a clown, your worst nightmare would be to not be laughed at,” said Noeleen Fries Neumann, also known as Silly Tilly. [BBC]

Tell me something good …

What’s something funny that your pet has done?

Andrew writes:

“Like most people, we either have to spell or substitute words for terms like walk, day care, dog park, etc. But one of the most bizarre things is that every one of our dogs loses their minds over the word tatanka, a Native American word for bison (uttered in the movie Dances With Wolves). They hear that word, and I swear it must be some super-secret dog word for them to get all excited over something that we cannot figure out. Very odd yet funny!”

And Cecilia Naughton writes:

“When my cat Charlie won’t come in voluntarily, we send the dog out with the instructions, “Go get Charlie.” And pretty soon they are both at the door. The cat and dog are BFFs.”

Feel free to email me at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

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