We made a suburban speed trap guide. You’re gonna need it.

This week in Chicago history: The 1979 blizzard, Cubs' college of coaches (1961), Ruth Snyder's electrocution (1928), and Illinois v. Wardlow (2000). The week itself is haunted. Read more

Chicago’s middle class is bleeding out

Over the past decade, middle-income households fell from 50% to 39%. Most of the city’s growth is in higher-income North Side families, while Black and Latino middle-class communities are leaving the South and West Sides — fast. The result? A hollowing city core, with less economic diversity and fewer kids in school. Read more

CPS schools are paying to heat ghosts

CPS enrollment dropped by 81,000 students since 2010, but the district still operates nearly the same number of schools. Some have 100 or fewer students. A school built for 960 kids now has 140. They’re spending billions to run buildings full of chairs and hope. Read more

A former Bear is reviving the South Loop, one pizzetta at a time

Israel Idonije now runs three South Loop restaurants, with plans for four more and a Hilton. He’s teamed up with chefs from S.K.Y. and Oliver’s, turning old bars into cocktail-forward spaces with truffle snacks and bittersweet amaro. His pitch: upscale food, same neighborhood, walkable to Soldier Field. Read more

Joliet’s orchestra is doing a full bit

On Jan. 17, the Joliet Symphony Orchestra is staging a “family concert” where the conductor will literally explain what the instruments are. The program includes Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and something called Old MacDonald Had Rhythm. Read more

Bird truthers of Kane County, assemble

February events from the Kane County Audubon Society include an indoor talk about how birds migrate without GPS and a hike through Hannaford Woods. They recommend waterproof boots and binoculars, but vibes are not mandatory. Read more

Naperville police rebrand as DMV with handcuffs

During a 3-week “traffic safety campaign,” Naperville PD handed out 63 tickets — mostly for seatbelts, phones, and speeding. If this feels targeted, it is. We’re building a full speed trap guide. Read more

Today (Tuesday): Wind chills below zero. Hats hurt.

Tomorrow (Wednesday): Feels less violent but still personal.

Thursday–Saturday: Snow starts Thursday just to see what happens. Temps dive Friday and then keep falling. Saturday is the kind of cold where time slows down. Sunday looks worse.

Monday: Might hit 5°F if you believe in miracles. Your radiator has entered its villain arc.

Eat: Dimmi Dimmi (Lincoln Park) — A new Italian corner spot blending tavern‑style pizzas, red‑sauce classics, and bubbling focaccia with ricotta and honey. Cozy booths and old‑school vibes make it worth the trek this winter. Read more

Do: Clip the $7 Bears win coupon in the Jewel app — Works through Jan 16 if you’re a card member. $7 off anything. Tip courtesy of Reddit user u/Smithy232.

Avoid: Speed traps.

We built this no-nonsense guide to suburban speed traps across DuPage, Kane, and Cook. If you’re driving this weekend, read it before they read your plates.Suburban cops are clocking you. This guide tells you where.

We built this: one or more thing to do every weekend of 2026 with kids in Chicagoland. Check before you go — we update it, but the organizers control the chaos. Read more

Why it’s worth your time: This conversation with historian Elaine Lewinnek explains how train lines, white flight, and policy made suburban sprawl a deliberate Chicago export. Over a decade later, it’s somehow more relevant.

The middle class is disappearing, the kids are gone, and your car just got ticketed in Naperville. But at least the pierogi are on you. So there’s that.

Tips please.

We’re always watching the news, but your block sees things first. Reply with your neighborhood and one thing that made you pause, squint, or text someone “???”

Talk Thursday.

-The Chicago Signal