Daywatch: New Lightfoot deputy has history of siding with police, companies offer hiring bonuses amid labor shortage and a behind the scenes look at ‘The Last Dance’

Good morning, Chicago. Illinois public health officials on Wednesday reported 2,410 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 30 additional deaths. Officials also said that 60% of residents 18 and over have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Meanwhile, in an effort to incentivize vaccination, Chicago officials announced on Wednesday that the city will be hosting a summer concert series for fully vaccinated people. Here are the details.

Here’s more coronavirus news and other top stories you need to know to start your day.

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s new deputy mayor for public safety has sided with police officers in some controversial cases, including in alleged Laquan McDonald cover-up

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s new deputy mayor for public safety is a former No. 2 for the U.S. Marshals Service in Chicago, whose time on the city’s police disciplinary panel included siding with officers accused of misconduct in some high-profile cases, including one involved in the alleged cover-up of Laquan McDonald’s murder.

Kim Foxx says her office’s ‘checks and balances’ didn’t work before faulty in-court statement on Adam Toledo shooting; her top assistant exits

A misleading description of 13-year-old Adam Toledo’s fatal shooting by police was given in court by a prosecutor because of a communication breakdown at top levels of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, an internal investigation found.

“The checks and balances that should have been in place for someone to be able to review, to ensure that what was being said in court aligned with the information that the office had, it didn’t work,” Foxx told the Tribune in an interview.

Northwestern faculty say they’re ‘alarmed’ and ‘embarrassed’ by athletic director Mike Polisky’s hiring and plan to protest at President Morton Schapiro’s house

Northwestern’s announcement of Mike Polisky as its new athletic director has been met coolly by some alumni and campus leaders who have expressed confusion and resistance to the selection, according to sources and faculty members.

Six female faculty members sent an open letter Wednesday to Provost Kathleen Hagerty demanding greater transparency, and they’re planning a picket Friday afternoon that will march from campus to President Morton Schapiro’s home to express opposition to the decision to hire Polisky.

Is $300 enough to say yes to that job? Some Chicago companies offer hiring bonuses for the first time amid labor shortage.

Across the Chicago area, companies big and small are facing a labor shortage as people avoid work because of child care responsibilities or health concerns associated with the pandemic. As a result, short-staffed businesses are beginning to offer monetary incentives to entice workers and retain staff.

‘Holy (expletive)! That’s Michael Jordan.’ A behind-the-scenes look at ‘The Last Dance,’ the documentary that rescued sports fans in 2020.

One year ago, “The Last Dance” — a 10-part documentary series exploring Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty through the lens of the 1997-98 season — became appointment viewing and a refuge from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s an inside look at how it was created.