Good afternoon! Thank you so much for reading the newsletter — even during this last week of December. We’re committed to keeping you up-to-date. If you’d like to support our work and keep The Rundown free, consider becoming a WBEZ member.

1. December is on track to be one of the warmest in Chicago history

The average temperature this December could reach 39 degrees, which would be tied for the fourth warmest December in Chicago history, according to the National Weather Service.

The monthly average for December in the city is 30.5 degrees.

El Niño has been the driving force behind the unseasonably warm weather, according to the weather service. El Niño leads to episodic warming of waters in the eastern and western Pacific, and impacts weather around the world.

However, Chicagoans should expect a return to typical winter conditions and normal temperatures in January. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2. Chicago Skyway tolls will increase on Jan. 1

The rate for passenger vehicles and some light trucks on the 7.8-mile shortcut from Chicago to Indiana will rise from $6.60 to $7.20.

Fares for vehicles with more than two axles — such as semis or trucks towing trailers — are also increasing.

Tolls for the Skyway have steadily increased since the city started leasing the roadway to private operators in 2005. The toll was just $2 in 2004.

You can check the new fares for your vehicle type on the Chicago Skyway website. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. Here’s why your flight to Midway Airport may be delayed

Midway Airport has one of the highest rates of late arriving planes among the country’s busiest airports, trailing only the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The late arrivals at Midway, a hub for Southwest Airlines, can in part be attributed to Chicago weather and the airport only having four runways, said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of the Atmosphere Research Group, told the newspaper.

This Christmas Eve travelers saw cancellations and major delays thanks to heavy fog, which Southwest Airlines said stopped planes from landing.

But the most common reason for delayed arrivals were delays from a previous flight or upkeep and maintenance, the Trib reports. [Chicago Tribune]

4. Two buses of migrants were dropped off at Naperville’s Metra station

The passengers boarded a train for downtown Chicago immediately afterward, the Naperville Sun reports.

A spokeswoman for the western suburb told the newspaper that officials weren’t notified about the drop-offs before they happened.

Naperville isn’t the only suburb experiencing unannounced busloads of migrants as Chicago tightens its rules regarding where and when drop-offs can take place. Lockport, Kankakee, Fox River Grove and Elmhurst have also reported buses arriving with migrants.

In Chicago, buses can be taken or fined for dropping off migrants outside of specific times and locations. [Naperville Sun]

5. Chicago’s 11 best new restaurants of 2023, according to critics

What do you get when you bring together three Chicago dining experts? Top-shelf recommendations for where to eat.

Reset’s Sasha-Ann Simons invited Louisa Chu, the Chicago Tribune’s food critic; Rochelle Trotter, founder and CEO of R’Culinare; and Mike Sula, the food and drinks writer at the Chicago Reader, to share their lists of the city’s best restaurants that opened in the past year or so.

Among their selections are Akahoshi Ramen in Logan Square, Bonyeon in the West Loop and The SoulFood Lounge in Lawndale. [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

• Actor Lee Sun-kyun of the Oscar-winning film ‘Parasite’ was found dead. [NPR]

• Michigan’s Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on the state’s 2024 primary ballot. [NPR]

• Online retailer Zulily said it is going out of business. [AP]

• U.S. officials visited Mexico today to ask for more help bringing down border crossings. [CNN]

Oh, and one more thing …

Whether you walk down Halsted, which was once “Lithuanian Downtown,” or wander 32nd Place, which was nicknamed the “Polish Patch,” you can still see architectural reminders of Bridgeport’s rich past.

The neighborhood clings to its blue-collar attitude. But Bridgeport looks a little more diverse than it once did — and it offers an increasing array of dining, shops and cultural experiences, S. Nicole Lane writes for WBEZ.

In WBEZ’s insider guide to Bridgeport, three residents give a tour of the must-see spots for dining, drinking, shopping and everything in between. [WBEZ]

Tell me something good …

What are your goals for the new year?

Linda says:

“We are thinking of downsizing sometime in the next five – ten years, so some serious ‘culling’ of possessions and slimming down my over-loaded office credenzas is among my highest priorities for the new year.

I also intend to indulge myself in more of the arts (including museums, like the MCA, featured in today’s newsletter). I’d like to do at least two ‘creative’ outings (museums, dance, photography) every month! There! I’ve written it down. First step to meeting new goals! Next is to specifically make the plans achievable: dates, times, etc.”

Feel free to email me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.