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Afternoon Briefing

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Good afternoon, Chicago.

For more than a decade, Black teachers have left the district at higher rates than any other demographic, according to Chicago Public Schools data. Black teachers now represent 20.6% of the district’s teaching staff, while Black students made up just over 34% of CPS enrollment.

The Chicago Teachers Union and several educators attribute the decline in part to CPS’ teacher evaluation system known as Recognizing Educators Advancing Chicago’s Students, or REACH. Since REACH was implemented in 2012, the number of Black teachers has dropped by 10%, according to CPS data.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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news
A bullet hole in a shattered window at Terminal 2 at O’Hare International Airport following a shooting that wounded 1 person. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Man shot outside of O’Hare International Airport, police say

A 25-year-old man was shot outside of O’Hare International Airport early this morning following an argument between two people, according to Chicago police.

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business
Steel on coil cars ahead of transport at the main factory of struggling steel producer thyssenkrupp in Duisburg, Germany, Feb. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Canada and the EU swiftly retaliate against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs

Canada, the largest steel supplier to the U.S., said it will place 25% reciprocal tariffs on steel products and also raise taxes on a host of items: tools, computers and servers, display monitors, sports equipment and cast-iron products.

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sports
Tre Jones (30) smiles at fellow Bulls guard Coby White during the fourth quarter against the Pacers on March 10, 2025, at the United Center. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Is Tre Jones a long-term option in the Chicago Bulls backcourt? ‘He’s got the “it” factor.’

The Bulls have a surplus of guards on their roster. But could they make room in their long-term plans for one more? That’s the challenge for Tre Jones, who is attempting to use the final stretch of the regular season to show that he can fit into the Bulls’ plans.

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eat. watch. do.
Elvis Costello, 70, performs at the Park West on March 11, 2025, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Column: Elvis Costello brings an early St. Patrick’s Day, and a lot else unexpected, to the Park West

This show, he explained, was a conscious attempt to tear back the “artifice” from the material, discover stark new reinterpretations, find strange tricks in old dogs, whittle out unexpected arrangements or just recognize the sadder song he didn’t realize he wrote the first time.

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nation & world
Soldiers of Ukraine’s 5th brigade hold a poster thanking for the US for support during a flashmob at the front line near Toretsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Roman Chop)

US arms flow to Ukraine again as the Kremlin mulls a ceasefire proposal

U.S. arms deliveries to Ukraine resumed today, officials said, a day after the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and Ukrainian officials signaled that they were open to a 30-day ceasefire backed by Washington.

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