Tomorrow marks one year since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.

• In Illinois, abortion protections have only grown stronger since then.

Why it matters: Illinois has become a safe haven for patients seeking abortion services from nearby states that have limited and restricted access.

Context: After last year's decision, Gov. JB Pritzker and the General Assembly used the fall veto session to strengthen protections, including expanding guaranteed insurance coverage and giving temporary licenses for out-of-state health care professionals who wanted to move to Illinois.

Yes, but: According to one state lawmaker, there's more to be done.

What they're saying: "We are always watching what's happening in other states, like what's happening in Florida that we may need to react to?" Rep. Kelly Cassidy (Chicago) tells Axios.

• For example, Illinois has been monitoring Texas following a judge's decision in April seeking to block the Food and Drug Administration's approval of a commonly used abortion pill, Cassidy says.
• "We also need to be prepared to react to what's happening in our state, too, as our wait times increase for people to get access as the volume and demand increases."

By the numbers: Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) says that in the year since the decision, abortion patients have increased 54% in the state. PPIL's data also show:

• Patients traveled to Illinois from 34 states.
• The type of abortion has also changed. Abortions past 16 weeks of pregnancy now make up 13% of all procedural abortions, compared with 8% before the decision.
• The number of patients needing financial assistance to get care has doubled.

What we're watching

The Chicago Park District is scheduled to open outdoor pools today.

Driving the news: The pools season begins as the union representing Park District lifeguards starts negotiations with the district, citing short staffing and pay as major issues.

Why it matters: Chicagoans count on district pools and beaches for safe, affordable summer fun.

• This week at Foster Beach we saw the first suspected drowning of the season.

The big picture: Cities nationwide have recently seen lifeguard shortages due to COVID-driven certification delays.

• But Chicago's lifeguard ranks were hit especially hard following revelations of longstanding harassment and abuse against female lifeguards.

What they're saying: The Park District has 650 lifeguards, including 30 shallow water attendants, a district spokesperson told Axios yesterday.

• That's enough to staff all pools, apart from a handful closed for repairs or renovations, five days a week, the district says.
• The District touted incentives like a one-time $600 retention bonus and relaxed residency requirements for boosting hiring.

Be smart: Full-fledged lifeguards must pass a swim test, obtain American Red Cross certification and complete Lifeguard Academy training.

The other side: "The modest $600 training bonus for new lifeguards fails to address the long-term wage improvements needed for recruitment and retention," Adolfo Flores, natatorium instructor at 12th Street Beach, said in a statement.

• Union representatives for the lifeguards contend that shortstaffing has reduced pool hours and days, forced some beach lifeguards to switch to pools and led to more lifeguards working overtime.

By the numbers: New York City recently increased its hourly lifeguard pay to $21.26 for first and second-year lifeguards with an additional $1,000 bonus, while Chicago's pays just over $17 an hour including the signing bonus.

What's next: The District plans to announce pool schedules today at 9am.

Willowbrook police are still looking for the shooter who opened fire at a strip mall gathering last weekend. Twenty-three people were shot, one fatally. (Tribune)

🌊 The Illinois State Board of Elections is still seeking missing campaign funds from Ald. Walter Burnett, who says paperwork about the unaccounted funds was lost in a "catastrophic flood." (Sun-Times)

🐝 Daley Plaza may have the Picasso, but it also was a temporary home for thousands of bees yesterday. (CBS 2)

This weekend, Chicago's 52nd annual Pride Parade will crawl down Halsted and the surrounding Northalsted neighborhood.

• It's one of the nation's biggest Pride parades in the country and one of the world's largest neighborhood parades.

Zoom in: Illinois and Chicago specifically have been havens for LGBTQ+ people, thanks in part to the work of activists and Sidetrack owners Art Johnston and Pepe "Pep" Peña.

• The two Chicago icons are featured in the new documentary "Art & Pep," currently streaming on Peacock.
• The film follows the longtime couple (40 years together) and charts the history of the Northalsted neighborhood.

Since the two are used to sharing their lives, we asked them to share their perfect day in Chicago.

🍳 Breakfast: "The best breakfasts in Chicago are Pep's omelets. He first made them for me 50 years ago in my little student apartment in Evanston. Each bite just brings me back to those days." — Art

🏞 Morning activity: "My ideal morning is quiet! Lincoln Park is always a special place. It's where Art and I had our first date." — Pep

Keep reading

💼 Check out who's hiring now.

1. Executive Director, Stigler Center at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
2. Executive Director at Capital City Pride - Des Moines.
3. State Director at AARP Illinois.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Use code FIRST50 for $50 off your first job post.

The Cubs are in London getting ready to play a two-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. It's the first time MLB has been back to London since 2019.

• The games will be played at London Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

To watch: Saturday's game will be broadcast on Fox at 12:10pm CST.

• ESPN will air the game on Sunday at 9am.

Let's go, Cubs! Or maybe better, "Ace, cheers mate!"