Good morning, Chicago.
With frigid temperatures sweeping into the region, Chicagoans are being asked to take precautions and make alternate plans as the brutal cold closes area schools and sinks plans for a weekend polar plunge.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold warning from 3 a.m. this morning until noon for central Cook County, including Chicago, Cicero, Oak Park, Oak Lawn and La Grange. Weather officials warned residents ahead of the cold stretch to expect dangerously cold wind chills as low as 30 to 35 degrees below zero.
A cold weather advisory is also in effect starting midday, with wind chills between minus 15 to minus 30 degrees possible through tomorrow morning, per the weather service. Forecasts called for a high of around 1 degree today, with gusts as fast as 30 miles per hour. By tomorrow, weather officials say there’s a 50% chance of snow, primarily in the afternoon.
Chicago Public Schools canceled classes today and multiple museums and businesses around the Chicago area will be closed today due to the forecast.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Tess Kenny.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including Illinois finding nearly $500 million in budget reserves, what Chicago Bulls’ Tre Jones, a Minnesota native, said of the ICE crackdown in his home state and the biggest Oscar snubs and surprises.
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Immigrants often don’t open the door to ICE, but that may no longer stop officers
An internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press states immigration officers can forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant, marking a dramatic shift that could upend the legal advice given to immigrants for decades.
The shift comes as President Donald Trump’s administration dramatically expands immigration arrests nationwide under a mass deportation campaign that is already reshaping enforcement tactics in cities such as Minneapolis.
Jury acquits Chicago man accused of soliciting murder of Border Patrol Cmdr. Bovino
A federal jury found a Chicago construction worker not guilty of charges he solicited the murder of Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, delivering a swift repudiation in a case the Trump administration had held up as evidence of violence toward immigration officials.
Iranians in Chicago still struggle to communicate with loved ones in Iran after deadly protests
The first question Mina Rajaei asks her family when she is able to reach them back home in Iran is: “How many of us are killed?”
It’s the grim reality for Rajaei, a computer science student at Northern Illinois University, and others in Chicago’s Iranian community who are facing uncertainty about their loved ones after deadly, anti-government protests erupted in late December.
State finds nearly $500 million in budget reserves amid federal funding uncertainty
Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration announced it has identified nearly $500 million it will keep in budget reserves following the governor’s request last year that state agencies identify 4% of their budgets to hold back amid federal budget uncertainty.
CTA to focus on safety, cleanliness and bus service improvements in 2026, acting president says
The CTA will focus on safety, cleanliness and improvements to bus service in 2026, its acting president, Nora Leerhsen, said.
Leerhsen’s speech at a City Club of Chicago luncheon comes at a critical juncture for the CTA. Until state lawmakers passed a landmark transit funding bill by the skin of their teeth last fall, the agency had spent months planning to make drastic service cuts and layoffs this year. But after lawmakers approved $1.5 billion in annual funding for mass transit, the agency reversed course almost overnight.
Illinois ramping up REAL ID campaign before TSA’s $45 fines begin Feb. 1
The Illinois secretary of state’s office will have its REAL ID supercenter in downtown Chicago at 191 N. Clark St. open for the next two Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to make it easier to obtain the identification before the Transportation Security Administration’s planned $45 fine for all air travelers without one goes into effect.
Chicago Bulls’ Tre Jones, a Minnesota native, saddened by ICE crackdown in home state: ‘It’s tough to watch’
Bulls guard Tre Jones returned to his home state for yesterday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a heavy heart.
The Twin Cities area has been the epicenter of recent conflict around Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, which began in early December and escalated after the killing of Renee Good on Jan. 7. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Minneapolis yesterday with the stated goal of persuading Minnesotans to “stop fighting” against ICE agents, whose actions have included forced entry into homes without a warrant.
Trinity Rodman agrees to record 3-year deal with Washington Spirit, making her the highest-paid female player
Forward Trinity Rodman has agreed to a record three-year contract to remain with the Washington Spirit, ending months of speculation about the Olympic gold medalist’s future in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Oscar snubs and surprises: Ariana Grande, Paul Mescal and Jesse Plemons overlooked in nominations
After such a strong year for movies, the brutal limitations of Oscar nominations were bound to have some big omissions. But there were several genuine shockers Thursday morning, including widely expected nominees like Ariana Grande and Paul Mescal missing out on nods in their respective acting categories. In some cases, that meant room for long overdue recognition, as with Delroy Lindo, who earned his first nomination for “Sinners.” Here are the biggest snubs and surprises.
Chocolate Weekend at Morton Arboretum has everything you wanted to know — and taste — about cacao
There’s a popular quotation from writer Wayne Gerard Trotman: “As long as there is chocolate, there will be happiness.”
But how much does the average person really know about chocolate? The Morton Arboretum’s annual Chocolate Weekend expo, taking place Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, is an opportunity to indulge both the mind and the taste buds. Though the Lisle arboretum has no cacao trees — the Midwest isn’t a hospitable growing climate — there will be a number of workshops and plenty of chocolate on sale.