Good afternoon! So is winter done? Or do you think we’ll get another blast of cold before diving into the summer? Here’s what you need to know today.

1. The Supreme Court’s ruling means Trump will remain on Illinois’ ballot

The nation’s high court today ruled the 14th Amendment does not allow states to kick former President Donald Trump off their ballots. The decision was unanimous.

While the ruling came in response to a challenge in Colorado, the decision appears to end the effort by a group of five Illinois voters and a national voting rights organization to scuttle Trump’s candidacy based on his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

“This decision is disgraceful,” said Ron Fein, legal director of Free Speech For People, which co-led the Illinois challenge.

But Gov. JB Pritzker, one of President Joe Biden’s top reelection campaign surrogates, said a Supreme Court decision in favor of Trump should not be interpreted as a political loss to Democrats.

“We want him on the ballot, frankly, because he’s a detriment to Republicans across the United States but especially in Illinois,” Pritzker said Sunday on MSNBC. [WBEZ]

2. Abortion pills will soon be available at Walgreens stores in Illinois

The retail pharmacy giant received federal certification to begin dispensing mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions, in Illinois and other states where it is legal, NPR reports.

A Walgreens spokesman said the pill could be available within a week at some of its stores in Illinois, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York.

“We are beginning a phased rollout in select locations to allow us to ensure quality, safety, and privacy for our patients, providers, and team members,” the Walgreens statement read.

Rival CVS also received certification from the Food and Drug Administration to provide the commonly used pill. A CVS spokeswoman said the chain will begin filling prescriptions in Massachusetts and Rhode Island before expanding to other states. [NPR]

3. Chicago officials tout progress with Narcan vending machines

City officials are considering an expansion of a pilot program that provides an overdose-reversing drug at vending machines across the city, Block Club Chicago reports.

More than 320 Narcan boxes have been dispensed from the vending machines since mid-January, a spokesperson for the city’s public health department said.

“It’s putting resources around people clearly in need of harm reduction,” said Dr. Miao Jenny Hua, a health department medical director. “It’s also a signal more needs to be done to make these materials available.”

The number of overdose deaths has soared in recent years, with Cook County reporting a record 2,001 deaths in 2022. And the pace has not slowed down, causing some advocates to push for safe-injection sites. [Block Club Chicago]

4. This year’s Polar Plunge had the largest attendance in the event’s 24-year history

More than 5,000 people took a dip into Lake Michigan yesterday, raising $1.9 million for Special Olympics Chicago and Special Children’s Charities programs, my colleague Kaitlin Washburn reports.

While Sunday’s unseasonably warm weather may have appeared to take some of the edge off the Polar Plunge, divers said that wasn’t the case with the 37-degree water.

“At first it was cold, and then you get in, and it’s still cold,” said Oscar Gutierrez, who wore an inflatable dinosaur. “But it was totally worth it.”

Among those who jumped into the lake were Mayor Brandon Johnson and his son Owen.

“Whether you came to jump in or just watch me freeze, I’m glad you’re out here,” the mayor said. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. A walking tour of ‘Oppenheimer’

Christopher Nolan’s nuclear thriller is expected to win big at the Oscars on Sunday, clocking in 13 nominations.

If you’ve seen the film, you already know the University of Chicago played a critical role in the Manhattan Project, the top secret effort to build the world’s first atomic bomb.

But there’s a lot more to Chicago’s contribution than the film showed, WBEZ contributor Robert Loerzel writes.

He talked to John Mark Hansen, a University of Chicago political science professor who has researched that era, to provide this walking tour for people who want to learn more about the city’s role in this story.

Here’s something I learned: A Chicago-born math prodigy named J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., who entered the university when he was just 13 years old, was among more than a dozen Black scientists working here on the Manhattan Project.

“This was the greatest assembly of scientific talent from the African American community up to its time,” Hansen said. [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

• Haiti ordered a curfew after gangs stormed two prisons and freed thousands of people. [AP]

• France became the first country to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution. [CNN]

• Firefighters and roofers are among those with the most physically demanding jobs in America. [Washington Post]

• Dune: Part Two opened with an estimated $81.5 million at the box office, fueling interest in a third movie. [CNBC]

Oh, and one more thing …

In the mood to eat … blood?

The Field Museum has partnered with local restaurants to promote its current exhibit, Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches, which — as the title suggests — examines animals who feast on blood.

Eight restaurants — including The Wieners Circle, Mott Street and Parachute — will offer blood-inspired specials through Friday, Block Club Chicago reports.

“It has an interesting texture,” Beverly Kim, the chef-owner of Parachute, said of a sausage that uses blood at the Korean American restaurant in Avondale.

“It’s soft when you cook it right. Our blood sausage is almost like an egg. It has a custard-like texture. It’s savory and tender. You might think it would taste iron-y, but the flavor is very mild. Kids in Korea eat it.” [Block Club Chicago]

Tell me something good …

The Oscars are on Sunday. Who would you like to see win this year?

I don’t know anyone who isn’t rooting for Lily Gladstone, who is up for best actress in a leading role for Killers of the Flower Moon.

Feel free to email me, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.