🌱 Montclare Neighborhood Fire + Liquid Albuterol Shortage

Hi all. I'm back in your inbox this chilly morning with your fresh edition of the Chicago Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

A bit of snow and rain. High: 41 Low: 31.

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Here are the top three stories in Chicago today:

1. A Tuesday evening fire on the northwest side of the city left a woman and three young children in critical condition. The fire at the home on North Rutherford in the Montclare neighborhood belonged to a member of the Chicago Fire Department. The cause of the blaze is being investigated and all four people involved in the fire remained in critical condition as of Wednesday evening. (NBC Chicago)
2. A shortage of liquid albuterol, a medicine used to treat breathing problems like asthma, is expected to worsen after Illinois-based Akron Operating Company LLC shut down last week. Liquid albuterol has been in short supply since last summer and has been on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's shortages list since October. The recent plant shutdown of a major supplier to U.S. hospitals worries doctors as the drug is considered life-saving and vital for people who suffer from breathing problems. (WLS-TV)
3. A winter storm watch has been issued for several counties in nearby northern Illinois. The possibility of six inches or more of heavy wet snow could occur in Lake, McHenry, Winnebago, and Boone counties, and travel in the surrounding areas could be difficult due to the expected nature of the snow. The storm system is still developing, so snow projections may change depending on the storm's path. (NBC Chicago)

Today in Chicago:

• Knitting Circle At Howard Street Makers Studio (10:00 AM)
• Spring Flower Show: Bee's Knees At Garfield Park Conservatory (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Ever wonder what the average intern in Illinois is paid? It's $15.99 per hour – the 25th lowest in the country according to Zippia. (24/7 Wall St. - Chicago)
• SAT scores across the state, including in Chicago, have been declining since 2017. Read more about the history of the SAT scores in the state's school districts at the link. (Illinois Policy)
• Are you a sushi fan? Check out the list at the link of the 12 best places to grab sushi in the Chicago area. (Noms Magazine)

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Featured events:

• Working, Weaving, Filming: Naomi Uman and Laura Huertas Millán (March 10)
• Get your medical cannabis card from home in less than 24hrs! (March 11)
• Free Learn for Life Webinar: Emotional Intelligence (March 22)
• Carnegie Hall Debut Preview Recital (March 25)
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That's it for today! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Kaytlyn Mroz

About me: Kaytlyn Mroz is a copywriter at Lightning Media Partners – a content creation agency. She is a Rowan University graduate where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in writing. Outside of work, Kaytlyn is a dog mom to a boglen terrier named Finn and a golden retriever named Willow.