Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and it’s hard to not be blown away by the new images released today by the James Webb Space Telescope, offering us a deeper look into space and time. Really puts in perspective the neighbor across the street who had the volume turned all the way up on a podcast. Here’s what else you need to know.

1. Illinois needs more federal help in a post-Roe America, says the state’s lieutenant governor

Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee today, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said the state needs more federal support to handle an influx of patients coming to Illinois for abortions. And more legal protections should be given to doctors and abortion providers.

“Before the threats to Roe v. Wade were fully realized, Illinois was proactive, upholding bodily autonomy and protecting the right to an abortion,” Stratton testified. “And still, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has sent us down a dark, agonizing path.”

Stratton’s testimony comes as Gov. JB Pritzker and his fellow Democrats are trying to figure out ways to further protect reproductive rights in Illinois.

A major concern is whether state abortion providers can handle a surge in patients. Planned Parenthood of Illinois estimates the state could see up to 30,000 more patients each year now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe.

Pritzker has called for a special session of the state legislature to tackle these issues, but no date has been set yet. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2. Will Illinois see a teacher shortage in the fall and, if so, what happens?

Burnout from the pandemic and a robust job market have caused some teachers to switch careers, with 55% saying in a national survey that they are considering leaving the profession, reports the Chicago Tribune.

And looming on the horizon is the next academic year, causing anxiety among some educators about whether there will be enough teachers when about 1.8 million Illinois students return to classrooms.

“What will a school do if it has 50 kindergartners signed up for two classes, but the school has only one kindergarten teacher? Do you combine classes?” said Nancy Latham, associate dean for the College of Education and executive director for the Council on Teacher Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

A recent report from the Illinois State Board of Education showed there were about 5,300 vacancies at schools throughout the state, the Trib reports.

But, in what could be a hopeful sign, recent data from the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois showed only a slight increase from 2019. [Chicago Tribune]

3. Jan. 6 committee examines how violent extremists answered Trump’s “call to arms”

The House select committee investigating the insurrection today zeroed in on how a tweet from former President Donald Trump rallied far-right extremists and set off violent rhetoric and planning.

Among the more pivotal moments was a late-night meeting on Dec. 18, 2020 in the Oval Office that included a discussion about an executive order for the military to seize election machines. The meeting ended with Trump posting a tweet calling for his supporters to gather in Washington.

“Be there, will be wild,” Trump wrote.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a member of the Jan. 6 panel, said, “This tweet served as a call to action — and in some cases a call to arms.”

“In vulgar and often racist language the messages beaming across the far-right forums planned for the big day that they said Trump was asking for in Washington,” reports The Associated Press.

One pro-Trump influencer said it would be a “red wedding,” a reference to a massacre that took place in Game of Thrones. And another said, “Bring handcuffs.” [AP]

4. More than 100 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Chicago

City health officials announced this week there have been at least 105 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Chicago since early June, reports WTTW.

Monkeypox does not spread as easily as COVID-19, and mostly requires intimate contact with an infected person. Dr. Allison Arwady, the city’s top public health official, said the virus’s spread, so far, appears to be through “tight-knit social networks.”

But a majority of cases have been reported in gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, city health officials said. In response, several health care providers are offering vaccines to people who are at a high risk of exposure. [WTTW]

The good news is we know a lot about monkeypox and have vaccines and treatments. And the virus is rarely fatal and generally doesn’t lead to hospitalization.

But the recent outbreak, with more than 750 cases in the U.S., highlights many logistical challenges that we saw in the COVID-19 pandemic: not enough available tests and vaccines, and an incomplete picture of the spread. [NPR]

5. Chicago hopes to give away at least 500 bicycles this summer

City Hall this week announced the details of a major bicycle giveaway as part of an initiative to promote “sustainable modes of transportation” and “improve the mobility of residents.”

To qualify, applicants can’t already own a bike and must be over the age of 14. There are also income caps: above $73,000 for an individual, $104,200 for a family of four and $120,900 for a six-member household.

Applications will be accepted from July 18 through Aug. 4. The Lightfoot administration hopes to give away 5,000 bikes over a four-year period, assuming Mayor Lori Lightfoot wins in next year’s election.

The bike giveaway comes at a time when a string of high-profile, fatal traffic crashes have raised questions about the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

In response, the city announced it will upgrade protected bike lanes with concrete barriers by the end of 2023. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Two credit-rating agencies are raising questions about whether Bally’s can build Chicago’s casino on time. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
• More than 3,000 residents in Chicago began receiving their first monthly $500 payments from the city’s guaranteed basic-income program. [WBEZ]
• Pritzker tapped a downstate pediatrician to oversee the Illinois Department of Public Health. [WBEZ]
• I’m really, really hoping Chicago does this and we get even better “I voted” sticker submissions. [Washington Post]

Oh, and one more thing …

Here’s something I didn’t know until today: Chicago has hosted an unprecedented 24 national political conventions, more than any other city in America.

And some of those conventions, like the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention, would alter the course of American history.

Urban historian and WBEZ contributor Shermann “Dilla” Thomas unearths the history of political conventions in Chicago in this great conversation with WBEZ’s Cianna Greaves. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

What was an act of kindness that really lifted your spirits?

Jamie writes:

“I work in an upscale cocktail bar. Working with people can be extra challenging sometimes, especially since COVID, as supply chain and staffing struggles are still very real.

“It had been a long, difficult night. When I approached a table with a cute young couple and their two boxes from Bang Bang pie shop, I steeled myself for the angry confrontation that would likely take place after I told them they couldn’t eat their outside desserts in our bar.

“But they weren’t for them — they were for us! The staff! These adorable humans brought us two whole pies! They even marked each with allergens! I literally started to cry. And that pie was absolutely delicious. Thanks again, friends.”

And Cecilia writes:

“I LOVE board games, but my husband does not. It’s his only flaw. A few times a year, when I’m feeling down or it’s been raining for three weeks, he’ll take me to one of the board game cafes in the city, and he’ll play with me all day. He also feeds the cats because I hate the smell of their food.”

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