Hey there! It’s Thursday, and I’m not making any April Fools jokes. But there is a really good Curious City piece on famous Chicago pranks toward the bottom of this email. Here’s what you need to know today.

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1. Illinois reports the highest single-day coronavirus total since early February

The Illinois Department of Public Health today reported 3,526 new coronavirus cases, the most in a single day since the 3,660 cases reported on Feb. 5, according to state data.

Illinois is now seeing a 56% increase in cases compared to the average two weeks ago, according to The New York Times. Deaths, however, remain low and are declining. [NYT]

In Chicago, officials are reporting an average of 519 cases per day, up 41% compared to last week. The positivity rate has also climbed from last week’s 3.4% to 4.6%. [COVID Dashboard]

Dr. Allison Arwady, the city’s public health commissioner, today advised residents to avoid in-person Easter celebrations unless family members have been fully vaccinated. [Chicago Sun-Times]

At the same time, more Illinois residents are getting vaccinated. The state is reporting an average of more than 112,000 shots a day, up 12% from last week, according to The Washington Post. Almost 40% of eligible residents have received at least one shot. [WaPo]

2. Murders and shootings are rising in Chicago

The Chicago Police Department today released a report showing there have been 131 murders so far this year, up 33% compared to the same period last year. The number of people shot also spiked by 43%, with 706 victims reported so far this year.

Carjackings remain higher than a year ago, but the numbers appear to be decreasing after the Department beefed up a carjacking task force. From February to March, the number of carjackings declined by 33%.

However, the Department reports that overall crime is down 27% so far this year, compared to the same time last year. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, 13-year-old Adam Toledo has been identified as the person shot and killed by police officers earlier this week in the Little Village neighborhood. So far, there are more questions than answers about this shooting, which is under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. [WGN]

3. U.S. layoffs unexpectedly rose, but jobless claims remain among the lowest levels during the pandemic

The Labor Department today reported that 719,000 workers filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week, up from the previous week’s 658,000. The increase in jobless claims was a surprise to some economists, who estimated today’s numbers would fall around 675,000.

The rise in claims may sound scary, but it comes as many analysts still expect a sharp decline as more Americans become vaccinated.

“Taking the two weeks together it’s clear that the trend in claims is falling,” wrote Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. [CNBC]

In Chicago, the hardest hit areas for unemployment during the pandemic were in ZIP codes that include majority-Black communities, reports WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang. But jobless numbers don’t capture the total financial impact on many Chicago residents.

“The unemployment claims are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the economic impact of COVID-19 and how many people are really unemployed,” said University of Chicago economist Jake Robbins. [WBEZ]

4. George Floyd’s girlfriend recounts how the couple met

Courteney Ross, the girlfriend of George Floyd, was called to the stand by prosecutors today in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who faces murder charges over Floyd’s killing.

Ross said she met Floyd in 2017 in the lobby of the Salvation Army’s Harbor Lights shelter in Minneapolis, where Floyd worked as a security guard. She said she was tired and frustrated, and heard Floyd ask if she was OK.

“He said, ‘Well, can I pray with you?’ ” she said, weeping.

Ross also recounted how she and Floyd struggled with opioid addiction after they both received prescriptions for chronic pain. She said the couple quit taking opioids at one point early last year, but she suspected Floyd may have been taking them again by last May. [NPR]

Chicago activists say they are preparing for demonstrations after the trial ends, regardless of the outcome, reports WBEZ’s Patrick Smith. [WBEZ]

5. What we know about Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Chicago

Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Chicago on Tuesday to discuss equity in COVID-19 vaccinations. It will be Harris’ first trip to the city since being sworn into office in January, and she is expected to meet with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker.

Racial disparities in vaccinations have been a problem nationwide. In Illinois, about 8.6% of vaccines have gone to Black residents, who make up about 15% of the population, according to state and federal data. About 10% of vaccinates have been administered to Latinx residents, who account for about 17.5% of the population.

Pritzker this week announced a program aimed at closing racial disparities, in part by reserving vaccination appointments for people 65 and over in underserved communities. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Up to 15 million vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson were ruined during a mix-up at a production plant. [NPR]
• Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took an undisclosed $50,000 from a foreign billionaire, federal prosecutors say. [NPR]
• A former Illinois lawmaker and lobbyist for Commonwealth Edison was charged in a five-count, federal tax evasion indictment. [WBEZ]
• Check for signs, because street sweeping returns in Chicago. [Chicago Tribune]

Oh, and one more thing …

Who doesn’t like a good prank? My little brother used to throw newspapers on the roof of neighbor’s house during our morning walk to grade school. (Sorry, newspaper friends!) When our grandparents visited, they’d ask, “Why are there so many newspapers on top of that house?”

Anyway, WBEZ’s Curious City has this hilarious report on some epic pranks that went down in Chicago, such as the time someone hacked WTTW’s signal in 1987 and dressed as Max Headroom. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

The weather is getting nicer, and I’d like to know what outdoor activities you’re doing that are safe and fun.

PKaye writes:

“Now that the weather is warming up and the Lakefront is open, I am enjoying taking my dog to Montrose Dog Beach again. There is nothing better than watching your sweet pup cut loose after being cooped up like the rest of us for the last year.”

And Thom Clark writes:

“When it’s not too windy a mile off the lake, we have the backyard fire 🔥 pit going again, longer walks not watching for black ice stumbles and treks along the ever shifting beach.”

Feel free to email me at therundown@wbez.org or tweet me at @whuntah.

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