Good afternoon! It’s Tuesday, and the Chicago area could see record warm weather tomorrow. Maybe I’ll write the [checks calendar] Dec. 15 newsletter at the beach. Here’s what you need to know today.

(By the way, if you’d like this emailed to your inbox, you can sign up here.)

1. Pfizer says its COVID-19 pill prevents severe illness and works against omicron

An antiviral pill called Paxlovid was effective at preventing hospitalization and death when taken within the first few days of symptoms, drugmaker Pfizer announced today.

And laboratory studies showed the pill worked against the omicron variant, which is sweeping through South Africa and Europe and expected to dominate the U.S. in the coming weeks.

Pfizer has already asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize the pill. Pharmaceutical company Merck is also seeking the OK from federal regulators for its own antiviral pill. [NPR]

Safe and effective treatments for COVID-19 can’t come soon enough. The U.S. is nearing the grim milestone of reporting 800,000 deaths from the virus. [AP]

Meanwhile, an analysis of data from South Africa further suggests the omicron variant causes milder illness compared to previous variants.

The analysis also found a higher rate of breakthrough infections in patients who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but vaccinations still provided protection against hospitalization. [AP]

2. Fox News hosts urged Mark Meadows to get Trump to stop Jan. 6 attack

Hosts Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and Brian Kilmeade each separately texted Mark Meadows, the last White House chief of staff for President Donald Trump, begging him to convince the president to stop his supporters from attacking the U.S. Capitol, according to the House committee investigating the insurrection.

“Mark, the president needs to tell people in the Capitol to go home,” Ingraham wrote. “This is hurting all of us. He is destroying his legacy.”

The messages were read aloud by Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., during a committee hearing last night. The texts were part of a trove of documents Meadows handed over to the panel, and they provide new insights into how people in Trump’s orbit responded to the attack.

The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., also texted Meadows, according to the committee.

“We need an oval office address. He has to lead now. It has gone too far. And gotten out of hand,” Trump Jr. said in one message read aloud. [NBC News]

Meanwhile, the attorney general in D.C. sued the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. [Washington Post]

3. A private security force will begin patrols in a Chicago neighborhood, raising questions about vigilantism and the city’s violence

Armed security guards will begin patrolling parts of Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood tomorrow in response to recent carjackings and other crimes, reports Block Club Chicago, citing emails from the Bucktown Neighbors Association.

The news comes just weeks after the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse ignited a national debate over vigilantism and gun rights. And it comes as Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration faces criticism for its handling of city violence that has surged during the pandemic.

Block Club Chicago reports that many details surrounding the security force, such as oversight, remain unknown because the Bucktown Neighbors Association declined to answer questions.

“What are the performance requirements for this group? I haven’t seen anything. What are they supposed to do? They can’t stop anybody. They can only call CPD, is my understanding,” said Bucktown resident Ken Tyle. “My concern would be: What if something happens with the private security firm, say they shoot somebody, what’s the legality? Just a lot of innuendos there, a lot of unknowns.” [Block Club Chicago]

4. Pritzker tamps down talk of running for president in 2024

Gov. JB Pritzker today told reporters he has no plans to run for president after a New York Times article named him as one possible “plan B” for Democrats.

“I want to be governor of Illinois. I want to continue to be governor of Illinois. I’m doing the job that I love,” Pritzker said. [Crain’s Chicago Business]

The Times reported some Democrats are worried about plunging poll numbers for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and that could pave the way for a comeback from former President Donald Trump.

Democratic consultants interviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times had mixed reactions to Pritzker’s name being floated as a possible candidate.

“Anyone who looks over the horizon is in danger of tripping over their feet because they’re missing what’s right in front of them,” said one longtime strategist. [Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, state Sen. Darren Bailey, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, announced a conservative talk radio host will be his running mate. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Return of the Jedi is among the 25 movies that will be preserved by the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress today announced The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Selena, The Murder of Fred Hampton, WALL-E and Star Wars Episode VI — Return of the Jedi are among this year’s new additions to the National Film Registry.

More than 800 titles are preserved through the registry, which started in 1988.

This year’s list also includes early Black films that avoid degrading stereotypes. One of them is 1926’s The Flying Ace, “an aviation romance now thought to have helped inspire the Tuskegee Airmen,” NPR reports.

You can find a full list of this year’s entries in the link. [NPR]

Here’s what else is happening

• Chicago Public Schools introduces gender inclusive bathrooms. [Chicago Tribune]
• Wealthier students in Chicago’s public schools are more likely to get As and Bs than low-income students. [WBEZ]
• Chicago residents are hoping to keep their communities together in new ward maps. [WBEZ]
• Early reviews are looking good for Spider-Man: No Way Home. [Rotten Tomatoes]

Oh, and one more thing …

The season finale of HBO’s Succession has been the No. 1 thing my friends have been talking about the last couple of days.

So here are some things I’ve been reading after the bombshell events from this week’s finale.

The A.V. Club looks at how season 4 could shape out for the Roy family. [AVC]

Meanwhile, here’s a look at the evolution of Tom Wambsgans. [The Ringer]

And Buzzfeed compiled a list of 50 tweets that sum up the finale. [Buzzfeed]

Tell me something good …

The end of the year is quickly approaching. What’s going to be your resolution for 2022?

Libby Pasztor writes:

“1) Get rid of stuff. 2) Walk. Every. Day. 3) Maintain closer contact with family and friends. 4) Get rid of more stuff.”

Feel free to email me at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah, and your responses might be shared here this week.

Have a nice night! If you like what you just read, you can subscribe to the newsletter here and have it delivered to your inbox.