1 Sub-zero boogie
The polar vortex that shut down Chicago schools, snarled transit and fueled social media chatter continues this morning. Yesterday the temperature hit a record low of 16 below zero. The good news: Temperatures will climb above zero by midday today. The bad: Many Metra trains are still jacked up this morning. [Sun-Times]
2 Deng’s days as a Bull are over
The Bulls traded do-it-all forward Luol Deng to Cleveland last night. The team gets several draft picks in the deal, including Cleveland’s first-round pick this year. The move also helps clear salary-cap space. [Sun-Times]
3 Rahm’s back
Mayor Emanuel returned from vacation in balmy Indonesia yesterday, and promptly appeared at a press event to discuss the city’s extreme-weather measures. The grandstanding is reminiscent of his predecessor, Richard M. Daley. [Sun-Times]
4 Homeless and cold
Even in record-breaking cold, many homeless people refuse to seek shelter, insisting on toughing it out beneath mounds of sleeping bags. The Sun-Times’ Mark Brown followed a pair of Salvation Army workers as they patrolled the city offering help to the dispossessed. [Sun-Times]
5 Gun law shot down
A federal judge ruled that Chicago’s ban on gun sales in the city limits violates the Second Amendment. The decision, from a federal district court judge here, will be appealed, but it sets the stage for gun dealers to start opening stores as soon as this year. [Sun-Times]
6 How to stop Asian carp
Keeping Asian carp from invading (and conquering) Lake Michigan (and the world) could require separating the Chicago River from the lake entirely. Such a project would cost around $18 billion and take up to 25 years to complete. [Tribune]
7 Alleged rapist walked on similar charges
The man charged with the brutal rape and beating of a 15-year-old Northwest Side girl was charged in another sexual assault last summer. But Luis Pantoja skated on that charge after a Cook County judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence. [Sun-Times]
8 Next fatigue setting in?
Next, the Fulton Market restaurant that has been home to some of the city’s toughest tables, appears to be losing a bit of its appeal. Reservations for the eatery’s steak-based menu are filling up much slower than usual. [Crain’s]
