Good afternoon. Tonight brings the finals of the Westminster Dog Show, and here’s a look behind the scenes at the nation’s most prestigious canine show. Here’s what else you need to know today.

1. Lightfoot declares an emergency amid an influx of migrants

Mayor Lori Lightfoot today issued an emergency declaration as the city has scrambled to meet the needs of migrants arriving from border states, reports my colleague Fran Spielman.

The news comes as another 48 people arrived in the city after they were sent here via bus by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, according to Lightfoot. The city, with help from Cook County and the state of Illinois, has provided emergency care for over 8,000 new arrivals since last August, according to the mayor’s office.

The mayor’s declaration empowers the chief procurement officer with sweeping purchasing powers similar to those granted to that department during the pandemic.

The mayor’s order also holds out the possibility of a request for additional state help.

“I reserve the authority to request the Governor of the State of Illinois to mobilize the National Guard to provide staffing and logistical support to address this emergency in the city of Chicago,” the declaration states. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2. More than half of Chicagoans will witness a shooting by age 40, a study found

That’s according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More than half of Black and Latino study participants had witnessed a shooting by that age, compared to one-fourth of white participants.

“We expected levels of exposure to gun violence to be high, but not this high. Our findings are frankly startling and disturbing,” said the study’s author, Charles Lanfear, an assistant professor at the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Criminology.

“A substantial portion of Chicago’s population could be living with trauma as a result of witnessing shootings and homicides, often at a very young age.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. A fatally wounded Chicago police officer was discovered after an Apple Watch alert

In the days since Chicago Police Officer Aréanah Preston was fatally shot during a robbery, police officials have not explained why it took more than 30 minutes for authorities to respond.

But reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times is helping fill in the tragic timeline of events.

At 1:43 a.m Saturday, the gunshot detection system known as ShotSpotter sent an alert, and a dispatcher notified officers over police radio that nine rounds had been detected.

Nearly 20 minutes later, a dispatcher came over the radio to report that an Apple Watch had alerted a traffic crash in the same area. The watch belonged to Preston, sources told the Sun-Times.

Around the same time, a police cruiser was struck by a fleeing vehicle about two miles from where Preston was shot, and officers in multiple police vehicles radioed they were heading to the crash.

At 2:15 a.m., a traffic officer found Preston shot and radioed for help.

A former high ranking police official told the Sun-Times that he expects more issues with staffing and “a rough summer” for rank-and-file cops. [Chicago Sun-Times]

4. Most Americans say an abortion pill should stay on the market

A Washington Post-ABC News poll found 66% of U.S. adults say the abortion drug mifepristone should remain on the market. That’s compared to 24% who say the drug should be taken off the market.

Mifepristone is currently at the center of a legal challenge that could ultimately wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Anti-abortion groups argue the Food and Drug Administration was wrong in making the drug more widely available. The Biden administration and abortion providers say two decades worth of scientific studies back up the FDA’s decision.

The Washington Post-ABC News poll also found more than half of Americans oppose the Supreme Court’s decision last year to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion. [Washington Post]

5. The City Council’s leading Democratic Socialist could see his star rise under Johnson

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th Ward, has been tapped to serve as Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s floor leader and could take over as chairman of the City Council’s influential Zoning Committee.

And it remains to be seen if Ramirez-Rosa will be more pragmatic and collaborative than his critics expect, reports my colleague Fran Spielman.

If Ramirez-Rosa alienates fellow council members by trying to take away control over zoning in their wards, the resulting infighting might even set the stage for a modern-day version of Council Wars, Spielman writes.

Ramirez-Rosa said developers should not be scared of his Socialist street cred.

“My message is, ‘Let’s collaborate. I want to hear from you: What are the issues that you’re seeing in the community?’ ” Ramirez-Rosa said, adding he is already finding areas where both sides can work together. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• A jury found former President Donald Trump liable for battery and defamation in the lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll. [NPR]
• Women should start getting mammograms at 40 rather than 50, according to draft recommendations from an influential health panel. [NPR]
• The Shedd Aquarium will be closed during NASCAR’s street race in Chicago. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• A Chicago community philanthropist also known as Englewood Barbie organizes sleep outs for unhoused people. [WBEZ]

Oh, and one more thing …

WBEZ’s critically acclaimed Making podcast typically examines the rise of an iconic American figure.

But this season, the show is tackling a particularly tricky subject — Kanye West.

“Kanye West, or Ye as he goes by now, means so many different things to different people,” says host Brandon Pope. “To some, he’s a hip-hop hero. To others, he’s a divisive symbol of hate. To a lot, he’s both.”

You can find the first part of “The Making and Unmaking of Kanye West” wherever you listen to podcasts. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

Mother’s Day is Sunday. What’s your favorite memory of your mom?

Paul Meyer writes:

“My favorite memory of my mom was when I took this 68-year-old retiree bowling. I rolled a 110. And she rolled — drum roll, please — a whopping 215. I bet my mom can beat your mom!”

Seán Kane writes:

“When I was five I woke up on the morning of April 1st to find my Mom sitting next to my bed smiling. She then said, ‘I’m not going to work today, and you’re not going to school. Let’s go to the zoo instead.’ We then spent a wonderful sunny day at the Brookfield Zoo that remains one of my dearest memories since.”

And Shawna writes:

“When I graduated from college, my mom took me shopping for my first black suit and black shoes. She even brought me to North Michigan Avenue and the 900 shop. She got me a backpack that holds your laptop, too, which was fancy back in 2003.

“When I went on interviews, I felt invincible.”

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