Good afternoon! Be careful out there. The Chicago area is under a winter storm warning until noon tomorrow. And another heads up: I’ll be taking a short break on Monday and will be back on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. ‘Junk fees’ catch Chicago renters by surprise

Application fees, credit check fees, move-in fees, move-out fees and even fees for trash collection or a maintenance hotline are pushing the true cost of renting an apartment in Chicago far above listed prices, my colleagues Elvia Malagón and Stephanie Zimmermann report.

The rise of corporate landlords is fueling some of the increase in apartment fees, according to a senior attorney at the National Housing Law Project. And small landlords have followed.

Just how expensive are the fees? A two-bedroom apartment in Bucktown was listed at $1,995 per month. But the price ballooned to $2,977 — nearly 50% more — due to extra costs.

The Biden administration over the summer announced a broad initiative to crack down on junk fees. And some states, such as Minnesota and Connecticut, have moved to rein in rental fees. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2. Mayor Johnson will not kick migrants out of shelters amid a winter storm

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced today he will pause a 60-day limit on migrants staying at shelters due to the severe weather that has caused disruptions through the Chicago area, my colleagues Tessa Weinberg and Mariah Woelfel report.

“So to be clear, we’re not evicting new arrivals out in the cold this winter,” Johnson said. “Our mission is to continue to live up to our values as we welcome new arrivals. We will continue to meet this challenge.”

Johnson announced the 60-day limit in November as city officials struggled to find housing for asylum-seekers arriving from Texas. Many migrants at the time had been staying at police stations as they waited for space to open at shelters.

But that bottleneck appears to have shifted to the city’s designated “landing zone,” where migrants say they have been sleeping in crowded buses without basic necessities, including blankets or showers. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, Gov. JB Pritzker urged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to stop migrant dropoffs amid a dangerous winter storm. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. Nearly 245,000 Illinois residents are eligible to apply for a new round of student loan forgiveness

People who took out student loans under the SAVE plan may be eligible to get their debt wiped out under a new program from President Joe Biden, my colleague Lynn Sweet reports.

“Starting next month, borrowers enrolled in SAVE who took out less than $12,000 in loans and have been in repayment for 10 years will get their remaining student debt canceled immediately,” the president said in a statement. [Chicago Sun-Times]

The SAVE plan, also known as Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, has become the Biden administration’s go-to option for debt relief after the U.S. Supreme Court shot down a broader forgiveness plan, NPR reports.

According to the station, “The SAVE plan exempts more of a borrower’s income from the monthly payment math than previous plans, and, under SAVE, interest no longer accumulates beyond what a borrower can afford to pay each month.” [NPR]

4. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen didn’t show up for the Bulls’ Ring of Honor gala

The team’s inaugural Ring of Honor was held last night even though two of the Bulls’ biggest players were absent, my colleague Joe Cowley reports. Dennis Rodman also was an unexpected no-show at the gala.

Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was hoping for a better turnout, one that would’ve included the two main foundation pieces of the dynasty.

Asked about the effort to bring Jordan and Pippen in, Reinsdorf said, “I actually don’t know how much effort went into it. Obviously, it would be better if everybody were here, but we knew going in that not everybody could be here.”

A video message from Jordan was played during the festivities, and said several times that he was “bummed” he couldn’t be there. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Hate the winter tradition of ‘dibs?’ You’re not alone.

The city has received more than 12,000 complaints about dibs since 2019, my colleague Alden Loury reports, citing data from Chicago’s non-emergency 311 hotline.

For those not familiar, dibs is the act of shoveling out a parking spot on the street and placing an item, such as a lawn chair, to reserve said spot. Some Chicago mayors have strongly supported the practice, which is technically a violation of Chicago’s municipal code.

From December 2022 through March 2023, the city received 724 calls to remove dibs objects from the street, Loury reports. That’s down from the more than 4,500 calls received from December 2020 through March 2021.

And the areas with the highest number of complaints are on the Northwest and Southwest sides. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, here’s a look at some of the worst snowstorms in the city’s history. [WBEZ]

Here’s what else is happening

• Israel presented its defense against claims of genocide in Gaza. [BBC]

• Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the gunman who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. [AP]

• The Iowa caucuses are on Monday. Here’s a look at how they work and why they’re the first in the primaries. [NPR]

• Jodie Foster remains at the very top of her game in the new season of HBO’s True Detective, my colleague Richard Roeper writes. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Oh, and one more thing …

Here’s a cool job: M&M’s guru.

Matthew Kradenpoth is the go-to scientist for all things M&M’s, my colleague Mitch Dudek reports.

Kradenpoth is in charge of tinkering with new flavors, troubleshooting at manufacturing plants around the world and making sure that every time you open a pack of M&M’s it’s exactly as you remembered.

He’s also one of seven people in the world who knows the secret of how the little, white, lowercase “m” is printed on the candy.

“I actually talk very little about what I do, I’m not big on going on about myself,” Kradenpoth said during an interview at the Mars Wrigley global headquarters on Goose Island. “I don’t know why because I have, like, the greatest job.” [Chicago Sun-Times]

Tell me something good …

What is a reality-based TV show you enjoy? I ask because my husband and I are still talking about the huge reveal on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City that has sparked an avalanche of amazing memes.

Sarah L. writes:

“I could go on at length about the reality-based TV I enjoy. I’m a big Bravo girlie, especially Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Vanderpump Rules. I think it’s fascinating how reality TV (especially on Bravo) has evolved in recent years to include a breaking of the fourth wall and a whole new level of fan involvement through social media.

“I would recommend unto others the glorious frivolity that is Love Island, specifically the UK and the Australian version. (Trust me on this, the accents enhance the experience.) I appreciate that the contestants on Love Island are extremely honest about their goals. They are not there for the ‘right reasons,’ they are there because they are hot and want to be famous, and it’s a bonus if they find someone to date for a little while. Everyone knows it’s ridiculous — and each season is approximately a million episodes so it’s perfect for a cold weather binge.”

Thanks for all the emails this week! It was nice hearing from y’all!