Afternoon Edition: Feb. 13, 2020

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a3-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

The coldest temperatures of the season are moving in tonight. Snowfall should pretty much be over for the day, but there’s still a chance for flurries in the afternoon. If you’re leaving work at 5 p.m., it’ll be about 13 degrees, with a wind chill of -3. But don’t worry, we should get a warm-up by the weekend.

Top story

Change still on horizon as first anniversary of Aurora mass shooting approaches

Saturday marks the grim anniversary of the day a disgruntled warehouse worker in Aurora, whose violent past should have prevented him from owning a gun, killed five colleagues and wounded five police officers before dying in a shootout with police.

The gunman, Gary Martin, had his FOID card revoked in 2014 after his history of domestic violence came to light. But he was never forced to give up the Smith & Wesson handgun he used in the Feb. 15, 2019 shooting. How did he slip through the cracks?

And the question remains: What has changed since the massacre at the Henry Pratt Co. exposed a broken state law that revokes the FOID cards of potentially dangerous people and requires them to give up their guns — but has no built-in mechanism to ensure that happens?

The short answer: Not nearly enough. Reporter Mitch Dudek recounts what’s happened since the tragedy took place.

More news you need

1. A Chicago jogger who escaped a run-in with a pit bull recently made national headlines when the jaw-dropping video of him scaling a fence to safety surfaced online. Watch the now-viral video.
2. Businesses in Chinatown have seen a big drop in foot traffic since the coronavirus outbreak. So officials gathered in the neighborhood today urging Chicagoans to not let “stigma, xenophobia or fear” control their decisions. Here’s what they had to say this morning.
3. In September, a Tiffany Studios stained glass window originally installed in a Providence, RI, church in 1917 will be unveiled at the top of the Art Institute’s grand staircase. Here’s a sneak peek.
4. Community activist Andrew Holmes says a tip from the street — and his own investigative work — led police to arrest a suspected hit-and-run driver who injured his sister last month in Park Manor. Here’s his story.
5. Hometown hero Kanye West is bringing his Sunday Service concert back to Chicago for NBA All Star Weekend. Get the details.

A bright one

The winter blues are no match for a hot bowl of menudo — a popular Mexican soup brightened with a sprinkle of cilantro and big squeeze of lime — which includes tripe, hominy and chili pepper as its base.

The delicacy is a fixture at weddings, birthdays and baby showers, but you don’t have to wait for a milestone event to enjoy menudo.

We rounded up the Windy City’s highest-rated spots today to help warm you up. Check out our interactive map of the Chicago restaurants that serve up the good stuff. And if you’re craving tamales instead, we have a map for that, too.

From the press box

NBA All-Star Weekend is about to arrive in Chicago, but Chicagoans won’t see much representation of their city. On a brighter note, a familiar voice from the Bulls’ 1990s championship era could bring back some pleasant memories.

And down in Arizona, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal says his strained calf is not a big deal. 

Your daily question ☕

Illinois’ favorite romantic comedy is John Hughes’ “Sixteen Candles,” which has scenes shot in Chicago, Evanston, Highland Park, Skokie and other local suburbs. What’s your favorite rom-com? (While we’re on the subject, here’s a friendly reminder: Valentine’s Day is tomorrow.)

Email usand we might include your answer in tomorrow’s Afternoon Edition.

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