There’s more freezing cold today but relief is coming, Chicago. Today we bring you more stories from our Firsthand: Peacekeepers project and other top stories from WTTW News. 

While it might not feel like it, we have made it through the worst of the cold. Dare we say it, with next week's relatively warm weather maybe spring is just slightly in sight? (We will not be held liable for any March snowstorms.)

WTTW has launched Firsthand: Peacekeepers, a new documentary project that tells the personal stories of five Chicagoans who are peacekeepers in their communities. All this week, we will be featuring new journalism from the WTTW News team that shines a light on violence prevention efforts. 

The Chicago CRED outreach team listens to outreach coordinator Terrance Henderson on Jan. 28, 2025. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

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Happy Valentine's Day to our beloved Daily Chicagoan readers. We want to hear your thoughts about this newsletter, please take a few minutes and complete this short survey.  (Patty Wetli / WTTW News) By Patty Wetli: Chicago tallied slightly less than 3 inches of snow on Wednesday, but you’d think there’d been a blizzard judging by all the salt on the ground. Walking to work Thursday, as I crossed the Foster Avenue bridge over the Chicago River, I swear the salt underfoot was actually deeper than the snow.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan leaves the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025,. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois) Michael Madigan, once the state of Illinois’ most powerful politician during his decades-long run as House Speaker and leader of the Democratic Party of Illinois, has now joined the long list of local and state powerbrokers convicted on federal corruption charges. But Madigan dodged the top count — racketeering conspiracy — and several other charges.

Get ready to shovel, Chicago. The biggest snowstorm of the season is here.  Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, outside their Chicago home shortly after Blagojevich receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump on Feb. 10, 2025. (Andrew Adams / Capitol News Illinois) When President Donald Trump signed the papers to pardon former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of 18 felonies, the president explained his reasoning. “He was set up by a lot of bad people,” Trump said.

Happy Tuesday. There’s a big snowstorm tomorrow and I’m already seeing dibs chairs in my neighborhood. (WTTW News) Chicago taxpayers spent at least $107.5 million to resolve lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct — including wrongful convictions and improper pursuits — in 2024, setting a new record, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

Good morning, Chicago. You might have been up late watching the Super Bowl (sorry Kansas City fans). We were, too. Let’s all ease into the day with these stories from WTTW News.  President Donald Trump is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News via CNN) President Donald Trump’s move to do away with diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government has made waves in both the public and private sectors.

Today is worldwide “Reverse the Red Day,” which I didn’t know was a thing until a press release hit my inbox. If Reverse the Red is new to you, too, let me explain: It’s a day to spotlight efforts being made to halt extinctions, or more specifically, to reverse the decline of species that have been “red-listed” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. “We know conservation action works, but we need to increase the pace and scale substantially,” said Michael Clifford, director of strategy for Reverse the Red.