War. Updating coverage: Russia has attacked Ukraine, striking cities and military bases …
■ … beginning what the European Union’s foreign policy chief declared “among the darkest hours for Europe since the end of World War II.”
■ Axios’ Mike Allen sees President Vladimir Putin’s vow that nations that interfere “will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history” as “a rare overt threat of nuclear attack.”
■ Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, predicts that Ukrainians will pay an “unfathomable” price for Putin’s choice.
■ One resident describes awakening to “the worst sunrise in my life.”
■ Among those evacuating the country: The Ukrainian family featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary The Distant Barking of Dogs.
■ The Chicago area is home to the United States’ second-largest Ukrainian population.
■ The Conversation digs into the history and politics of Ukraine and Russia: “Today may feel … inevitable—yet inexplicable.”
■ Think war over there won’t affect you here? An economics professor says think again.
■ Columnist Lyz Lenz: “My little brother is over there.”
■ NPR’s public editor explores the politics of pronouncing—and spelling—Kyiv.
Masks optional. The Archdiocese of Chicago says it will no longer require students to wear face coverings at school beginning Monday …
■ … but the city’s public school students will still need ’em.
■ Chicago music venues and theaters may not be so quick to abandon pandemic safeguards.
■ An arbitrator says Chicago cops need to abide by City Hall’s vaccine mandate.
■ Another day, another shady Chicago-based COVID-19 testing outfit raided.
Who wants to be an alderman? Mayor Lightfoot’s accepting applications for her nominee to replace convicted Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson.
‘What’s really needed is to make college affordable in the first place.’ A Sun-Times editorial says the “feel-good story” of college scholarships for 24,000 Chicago students illustrates reasons not to feel good.
■ The fourth of five schools whose students are getting the news this week was to be revealed today.
Happy Student Press Freedom Day.
■ Brent Brotine, who landed a Square cap for getting a perfect score on the fifth-anniversary quiz, shared a photo of himself wearing it.
In for Hell. A Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen restaurant is headed to State Street.
■ Ready to dine out again? Axios Chicago’s Justin Kaufmann reports that an online search for reservations Saturday night at 10 top Chicago restaurants “revealed zero openings.”
■ The City Council’s agreed to spend up to $700,000 to revive an ex-Aldi grocery store in a West Side food desert as another grocery store.
Trucked up. Poynter: “A small, disorganized trucker convoy is heading for D.C. next week.”
■ Popular Information: “A far-right website created 36 days ago is more popular on Facebook than The Washington Post.”
■ Hey, kids—take a self-censorship quiz.
■ Ever wanted to pull back the curtain on your government’s actions? You have until noon today to register for the Chicago Headline Club’s virtual FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Fest.
TurboTax targeted. Investigative news organization ProPublica reports that a Chicago law firm is trying a legal tactic “akin to using guerrilla warfare” to force Intuit to compensate tens of thousands of customers allegedly tricked into paying to file their taxes.
■ CNET ranks the best tax software for 2022.
Winter’s still here. Snow and icy conditions loom this afternoon into tomorrow.
■ Maybe 5 inches.
Readers write. The Stephen Colbert joke about Putin in yesterday’s Chicago Public Square reminded John Kierig of Mel Brooks’ work.
■ Yesterday’s edition misspelled journalist Jamie Kalven’s name. But, for a change, no one reported the mistake.