Hey there! It’s Wednesday, and it’s Hunter. I’m back after taking a day off because my dog, Princess Leia, had surgery. She’s OK now and returning to her normal bossy self. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. A controversial plan to sue Chicago gang leaders once again fails to clear the City Council

Mayor Lori Lightfoot today appeared to not have enough votes to approve a plan allowing the city to sue gang leaders, a key piece of the mayor’s agenda in tackling a surge in violent crime.

It is another blow for Lightfoot, who has struggled to build momentum behind the proposal over the last five months. Her plan has been so widely criticized that it created a rare area of agreement between the ACLU of Illinois and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7.

Lightfoot and her allies say the proposal will give authorities more tools to fight crime. But critics on the City Council say the plan echoes backwards “tough on crime” policies that lawmakers are trying to correct, and it does not directly address gun violence.

But the mayor’s plan could come up again next month. [WBEZ]

2. Did the niece of a high-ranking police chief get favorable treatment?

That’s the major question raised in this story from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Officers pulled over a Lexus earlier this month that belonged to a high-ranking police official — Yolanda Talley, the chief of internal affairs. Behind the wheel was the chief’s niece, and in the passenger seat was a man who allegedly had 42 grams of heroin.

The man was arrested, but the niece was cut loose, the Sun-Times reports. And officers did not impound the car, which is routine for vehicles stopped during drug arrests.

According to the Sun-Times, the niece at one point told officers, “My auntie’s probably your boss.” [ST]

3. Ukraine declares state of emergency and tells citizens to leave Russia

Ukraine, bracing for an all-out conflict with Russia, today declared a 30-day state of emergency, which imposes a curfew and restricts large gatherings in certain areas.

“Our army is ready,” said Oleksiy Danilov, the chief of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

At the same time, Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv. And several Ukrainian government websites were hit by cyberattacks.

The crisis in Ukraine escalated this week when Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would recognize the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine and began deploying military personnel to those areas.

Some U.S. and European officials say those moves amount to an invasion. [AP]

Meanwhile, NPR takes a closer look at the two breakaway regions — Luhansk and Donetsk — and why they play a central role. [NPR]

4. Texas governor orders agencies to investigate gender-affirming care for trans kids as “child abuse”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week told state agencies to investigate gender-affirming care for transgender children, a move that comes after the state’s attorney general said in an opinion that such care is a form of “child abuse.”

Advocates and supporters of transgender rights have condemned the move, saying it intentionally mischaracterizes treatments and will negatively impact trans youth.

Texas and several other conservative states have tried restricting access to treatments. And it comes amid Republican efforts to ban transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. [Washington Post]

Trans youth say they are struggling as politicians increasingly target them, often using dehumanizing language.

“Seeing these people who are supposed to protect you, who are supposed to make laws to protect children, say all these horrible things and make it clear that you are not worth fighting for?” said Charlie Apple, a trans teen who has testified against anti-trans bills in Texas. “That’s a whole different thing.” [Kaiser Health News]

5. Biden could name his Supreme Court nominee as soon as this week

An announcement from President Joe Biden appears to be imminent, reports The Washington Post.

The president has completed interviews with the three leading contenders: federal Appeals Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger and federal District Judge J. Michelle Childs.

The Post reports that West Wing officials are telling supporters that Biden will make an announcement soon. Biden has previously said he will make his decision by the end of the month, and he intends to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. [WaPo]

Here’s what else is happening

• Extreme wildfires could become more common globally, the United Nations warns. [AP]
• Major League Baseball owners and players are negotiating to end a lockout that threatens to delay Opening Day if a deal isn’t reached by Monday. [Sports Illustrated]
• The lawyer who challenged Pritzker’s mask mandate for schools says he will run for attorney general. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• A Chicago couple welcomed the birth of their second child at 2:22 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2022. [WGN News]

Oh, and one more thing …

Sometimes I really wish I worked in the TV news business because I would go hog wild on Hank the Tank, a 500-pound black bear that can’t stop breaking into homes in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.

CNN reports today that authorities believe Hank recently broke into two more homes. Since last summer, the enormous bear has used its size and strength to enter at least 28 homes.

I’ve got to be honest, every time I see a picture of Hank, I want to give him a hug even though he’s a bear and could easily maul me. [CNN]

Speaking of TV news, I’m still laughing at this. [Twitter]

Tell me something good …

What are you looking forward to the most during spring?

Toni writes:

“What am I looking forward to about spring? Lower natural gas bills!”

And Dea writes:

“I’m looking forward to later sunsets, longer dog walks and just more time outside. Oh and transplanting seedlings to the garden.”

Feel free to email or tweet me, and your responses might be shared here this week.