Good afternoon. It’s finally looking like winter in the Chicago area. Here are the best places to go cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. And here’s what else you need to know today.

1. A growing number of former gang members are working to prevent violence in Chicago

Cecilia Mannion says she refuses to give up hope in the face of violence that has surged since the beginning of the pandemic.

She is one of many anti-violence workers in Chicago who are trying to prevent shootings while also helping families who have lost loved ones.

And elected officials are hoping this strategy works in bringing down a stubbornly high level of crime. Chicago allocated nearly $85 million for anti-violence workers last year. That followed $150 million from Illinois officials in 2021.

To get a sense of how these efforts are playing out on the streets of Chicago, my colleague Patrick Smith followed Mannion and tracked her successes and frustrations for a new season of WBEZ’s award-winning Motive podcast. [WBEZ]

You can find today’s first episode on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. [WBEZ]

2. Chicago Public Schools told the Lightfoot campaign it could not solicit teachers for student volunteers

A new report from the Chicago Tribune raises more questions over why Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign initially defended efforts to recruit student volunteers even though it had been warned multiple times about potential ethics violations.

A senior CPS adviser told the Lightfoot campaign earlier this month — in a phone call and an email — that it must stop soliciting teachers for student volunteers, according to emails obtained by Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt.

But hours later on the same day, the campaign released a public statement defending its outreach to teachers, arguing it was providing learning opportunities for students. The campaign later backtracked amid mounting criticism, and Lightfoot the next day gave a rare public apology.

In August, the city’s network of community colleges told campaign officials they were violating ethics rules after soliciting staff for student volunteers, according to a statement from City Colleges of Chicago.

Lightfoot’s campaign is now under investigation by the top watchdogs at City Hall and Chicago Public Schools. [Chicago Tribune]

3. Chicago residents can now vote in the city’s Feb. 28 election

Early voting began today for several races that will determine how the city will address a host of problems over the next four years, from the surge in violence to the Chicago Transit Authority’s deteriorating conditions.

Today, my colleague Fran Spielman at the Chicago Sun-Times gives an insightful overview of the mayoral race.

“Forty years ago, the first woman ever to serve as mayor of Chicago was turned into a one-termer by a defeat that paved the way for another first: the election of Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor,” Spielman writes.

“Now, Lori Lightfoot is trying to avoid following in Jane Byrne’s footsteps by suffering a defeat that could set the stage for yet another piece of political history: the election of Chicago’s first Hispanic mayor.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

Spielman also takes a look at how the City Council could be significantly different after this year’s elections. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Meanwhile, here’s a guide on how you can register to vote in the Feb. 28 election and where you can cast your ballot. [WBEZ]

4. Chicago Public Schools will consider science and social studies grades instead of standardized test for advancing students

The requirements for promoting public school students to the next grade are changing, with the district focusing more on core subjects and helping students who are falling behind so they aren’t held back, reports my colleague Nader Issa at the Chicago Sun-Times.

The changes will go into effect in the next academic year, with students being measured for promotion or retention at the end of the second, fifth and eighth grades.

So what does that mean exactly? Second grade students will need at least a “C” in reading. And fifth and eighth grade kids will need to reach at least a “C” in reading, math and, for the first time, science and social studies.

If students miss those marks, they can still advance to the next grade so long as they meet intervention goals, like summer school for fifth and eighth grade students. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Pritzker pushes back against DeSantis after Florida blocks an AP course on African American studies

Gov. JB Pritzker this week slammed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for blocking an Advanced Placement course on African American studies because it includes segments on queer theory and abolishing prisons.

And Pritzker went a step further, warning the nonprofit overseeing the AP program that Illinois will reject a revised African American Studies course if it doesn’t include “a factual accounting of history, including the role played by black queer Americans,” reports my colleague Tina Sfondeles at the Chicago Sun-Times.

“It’s unclear how the course will be changed or if the revisions stem from Florida’s rejection, but the College Board said the new framework would be released on Feb. 1,” Sfondeles reports. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• The U.S. economy grew last year despite fears of a recession. [AP]
• Five former Memphis police officers were charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols. [AP]
• A controversial cop academy on Chicago’s West Side opened this week. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• The fourth season of HBO’s Succession will premiere on March 26. [Variety]

Oh, and one more thing …

An Illinois woman is taking a shot at Fireball Cinnamon.

In a class-action lawsuit, Anna Marquez claims there is no whiskey in mini bottles of Fireball Cinnamon, reports CBS News, and she accuses the drink’s maker of “misleading” packaging.

Instead, the bottles contain a malt beverage to give a whiskey-like taste to the drink, according to the lawsuit.

Her suit seeks to cover anyone in Illinois, North Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Mississippi, Iowa, South Carolina, Kansas, Arkansas and Utah who has purchased Fireball Cinnamon. [CBS News]

Tell me something good …

What’s a small thing that gives you joy?

Barb writes:

“A small thing that brings me joy is my radio — it allows me to tune in to WFMT to listen to their classical music presentations. This is especially important to me during stressful times (like my husband’s cancer battle, too much technology or news I hear on BEZ).”

And Lorraine writes:

“There’s a certain time of day when the sun is low in the sky, maybe an hour before sunset that I call the golden time of day. It varies of course with the seasons, but when the sun is out and it hits my house and comes in through the windows, that’s the most beautiful time of day to me!”

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