Erin Allen: Good morning, happy Monday. I'm Erin Allen and this is The Rundown.

The bitter cold many of us had been dreading this week, definitely started yesterday, but it wasn't enough to keep people away from lighting a Menorah last night, the first night of Hanukkah. The Jewish community center hosted the event with the Chicago cubs at Gallagher, weigh outside Wrigley Field. Leslie Bokor helped her young daughter Vivian — both of them dressed in heavy coats and Chicago-winter wear — light the menorah.

Leslie Bokor: We had the great joy of lighting the menorah this year. Did you have fun, Vivy?

Vivian Boker: Yes!

Leslie Bokor: This is awesome, this is our first time coming to Gallagher way for winter activities. So here we are and this is so freaking awesome. 

Erin Allen: There was also plenty of hot chocolate snacks, games and ice skating. Hanukkah's eight day Festival of Lights continues through Monday December 26th.

Residents of Chicago's Pilsen community continue to deal with the devastation of four teenagers being shot outside Benito Juarez High School on Friday afternoon. 14 and 15-year-old boys passed away from their wounds and two other teens are still recovering. Chicago activists yesterday called for stricter gun laws and better surveillance cameras around schools. A reward for $2,000 is being offered to help police find the teen's killer. This was the third fatal shooting outside the Chicago public school this year. 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho Lopez says all stakeholders for from the school's city, state and federal governments need to come together to address school violence. Police continue to search for the gunman using images from a surveillance video. Meanwhile, students at Benito Juarez High School are returning to school this morning. CPS officials say they're working with the principle and staff to offer them counseling services. 

A newly created research center in Chicago will focus on the scientific and societal impacts of cannabis usage. My colleague Alex Degman has more.

Alex Degman: It's called the Cannabis Research Institute. Even though more states are legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use is it's still federally illegal. So there hasn't been much research into potential benefits. The University of Illinois Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago will be the institute's new home. It'll study areas like crop management practices, the effectiveness of cannabis on medical conditions, demographic gaps in medical programs and more. The idea is to have a wide body of research and data available to inform future cannabis related policy decisions. The cannabis research institute is expected to open within the next few months. The search for its first executive director is underway.

Erin Allen: That was my colleague Alex Degman.

A Chicago area wastewater engineer is speaking out for Black gun owner rights. Elijah Hudson says he was on his way from work to pick up his son at daycare on October 20th when Chicago Police officers pulled him over in the River North neighborhood. Hudson says he told them he had a concealed carry license and a gun in the car. Then he says the cops searched the vehicle without his consent, seized the gun and filed charges including resisting and obstructing officers. Hudson says the cops never showed up in court. Court records show the judge dismissed the charges but also ordered Hudson's gun and ammunition to be discarded. CPD didn't respond in time for this story. 

You may know Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White because his name is on your drivers license, or maybe you've seen the tumbling team that bears his name. Well the Democrat is soon leaving office after a record setting tenure as Illinois' first Black secretary of state. He's been described by friends and one former foe as a political legend whose life has been altered by racism. White's term is up in January and he will be succeeded by Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. 

And before we get to weather a few quick hits. Robert Crimo Jr., the father of the accused Highland Park parade shooter, was released from Lake County Jail over the weekend on a $50,000 bond. The Sun Times reports, he was charged last week with reckless conduct for allegedly helping his son attain weapons ahead of the attack. He is due back in court January 12th.

And Lionel Messi finally won the biggest prize in soccer. Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout to claim a third men's World Cup title. Europe's run of four straight World Cup winners dating to 2006 came to an end. And the mayor's office and the Department of Streets and Sanitation have launched a contest to name six city snowplows. Entries will be accepted at chicagoshovels.org until January 6th. Fifty finalists will then be selected and the final vote happened on January 31st. 

As for weather today, if you're leaving the house right now, bundle up is less than 15 degrees out. The high this afternoon is going up to the mid to upper 20s, for the rest of the day cloudy into the evening, low tonight in the mid twenties. And that's it for now, coming up this afternoon, we're talking about grief. Does it have to be sad? And how do you take care of yourself when it feels like your grief is taking over everything? I'll talk with a grief counselor about all that and a little more today at 2 o'clock on The Rundown. I'm Erin Allen, I'll talk to you then.

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