Good afternoon! It’s Fat Tuesday. And good luck to Daniel Dobras, who bought a box full of paczki to impress a woman for their first date. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. Fewer than 1 in 8 carjackings in Chicago resulted in an arrest in 2020

That’s according to a study from the University of Chicago, which examined the surge in carjackings and found that “growing youth involvement suggests that the pandemic may be contributing to the rise in carjackings.”

As The New York Times reports, carjackings have risen throughout the U.S. in the last two years, and many teenagers have been arrested for those crimes.

But it’s not clear what exactly is going on. Some experts say the data could be skewed because teens are easier to catch. But others say something is happening because the trend can be found in many areas of the U.S. [NYT]

Mayor Lori Lightfoot last month tried to tie the rise in carjackings with schools going remote. But as the Chicago Sun-Times points out, carjackings were already increasing.

“City data shows through March 1, 2020, weeks before students went remote, Chicago had recorded 148 carjackings, a 68% increase compared to 2019’s 88 incidents during that time,” the newspaper reported. [Sun-Times]

The Sun-Times reports today that carjackings are down 11% compared to the same time last year, but they still numbered 306 in January and February. [Sun-Times]

2. Arne Duncan will not run for mayor of Chicago

Former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced today that he will not run for mayor against incumbent Lori Lightfoot in next year’s election.

In a telephone interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Duncan refused to say whom he would support for mayor. The newspaper also asked Duncan why he was bowing out after a poll he commissioned showed Lightfoot was beatable.

“It was never about the polling — whether it was favorable or unfavorable. I just really wrestled with it and I absolutely love what I do. It breaks my heart, some days. But I had a hard time getting my head around walking away from that,” Duncan told the Sun-Times.

“I had someone telling me that I’d have to spend the next year talking about the work and not doing the work. Given how tough things are now, that felt really difficult.”

While she has not made a formal announcement, Lightfoot is expected to seek a second term. [Sun-Times]

3. A large Russian military convoy has “stalled” north of Kyiv, the Pentagon says

A 40-mile-long convoy of Russian tanks, trucks and artillery appears to have stalled about 18 miles north of Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, apparently being hampered by fuel and food shortages, reports NPR.

In Kyiv, apparent Russian missile strikes hit the city’s main television and radio tower, as well as a memorial to the site where Nazis killed tens of thousands of Jews during World War II.

In Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine, Russian strikes have hit a government building and residential areas, killing at least nine people and wounding dozens of civilians, according to the city’s mayor.

At least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed during the invasion, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave an emotional address to the European Parliament as he pushes for Ukraine’s membership to the European Union.

“Without you, Ukraine is going to be alone,” he said. “We have proven our strength. We have proven that, at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are. So do prove you are with us, do prove that you will not let us go.”

The parliament gave Zelenskyy a standing ovation. [NPR]

4. How a Chicago resident made her way from war-torn Ukraine to Poland

Olga Tsoi, who lives in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, was visiting family in Ukraine and recovering from recent knee surgery when Russia invaded the country last week, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

Tsoi and her mother fled to Poland, traveling 550 miles in more than two days. She said having a goal-by-goal mentality is how she and her mother kept going.

“It feels like it hasn’t stopped, like it’s just been one long day — I mean we still haven’t really slept,” Tsoi told the Sun-Times. “We are here now, but your brain hasn’t settled because you are constantly thinking about the next goal, and with each of those goals you have tunnel vision, which takes all your mental fortitude to accomplish it.”

Now, the two women are trying to make their way to the U.S. embassy in Warsaw so Tsoi’s mother can seek asylum and come back to Chicago with her. [Sun-Times]

5. Biden’s State of the Union to focus on the economy, Ukraine and the pandemic

President Joe Biden tonight will deliver his first State of the Union address — and it comes amid mounting challenges facing his administration, from historically high inflation to the war in Ukraine.

And the speech comes as Biden’s approval rating is at its lowest point during his presidency.

“Biden badly needs a reset,” writes NPR’s Domenico Montanaro. “And he’ll have the opportunity to do that Tuesday night.”

Click the link to find live updates on the State of the Union address, which will air on WBEZ beginning around 8 p.m. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who helped steer Illinois through the pandemic, will step down as the state’s public health director. [Chicago Sun-Times]

The number of Chicago police officers who face the possibility of being fired nearly doubled last year. [WBEZ]

Attendance at Chicago’s public schools is rebounding after hitting a pandemic slump. [WBEZ]

Scientists say the Tyrannosaurus had three species and not just “rex.” [Reuters]

Oh, and one more thing …

Here’s some good news: The new Batman movie is supposed to be great.

OK, I’ll admit I’m biased. I have a Batman comic book tattooed on my entire left arm. But nothing gets me excited like a new Batman movie that doesn’t bomb, and the reviews for The Batman are great so far.

Sun-Times movie critic Richard Roeper writes, “In terms of tone and scope and storyline, Matt Reeves’ reboot of the ever-fruitful franchise is more of a film noir than a fable about fantastic flying creatures, more Zodiac and Seven than Guardians of the Galaxy or Eternals.” [Sun-Times]

Michael Phillips over at the Chicago Tribune says the movie is the best Batman movie since The Dark Knight. [Chicago Tribune]

The Batman hits theaters on Friday.

Meanwhile, here’s a great feature that looks at how 1989’s Batman changed Hollywood blockbusters. [A.V. Club]

Tell me something good …

What is a funny, weird or great experience you’ve had with an animal?

@Wellsee tweets:

“When I was in 10th grade, I was walking home in the dark and was shocked at seeing what appeared to be a flock of swans walking around backward. Nevermind that we didn’t have swans nearby. I ran back with a flashlight. Yup, it was a gathering of skunks.”

And Scott writes:

“One morning I came downstairs to see my family’s two cats staring at an enormous raccoon eating from their food dish. They looked at me with an expression of “can you believe this guy? You gotta do something about it.” and I looked back to say, “It’s your food, you gotta take care of this yourselves” at which point the raccoon noticed me and waddled away, out the back door, into the early morning darkness.

“I’ll never forget the looks those cats gave me. Absolutely useless guard animals, but pretty cuddly.”

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