The end of COVID-era federal funds approaches this year, and while Lake County has used the majority of its $135 million for infrastructure improvements, pandemic relief and other one-time expenditures, a handful of programs started with federal money are still searching for post-2026 funding.

Those include Lake County’s Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, the Digital Growth Initiative, and two Regional Office of Education programs related to workforce development and student mental health. If funding is not secured, it could mean the loss of programs that local leaders have praised for their positive impacts.

While the pandemic may seem like a distant memory, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act is only just coming to a close when 2026 ends. A Lake County webpage provides a breakdown of investments the county made using its portion of the funds.

About $31 million went to infrastructure projects, largely related to water or sewer services. Deputy County Administrator Matt Meyers said those projects “fit the bill” for the county’s broader goals for the funds.

“One of the guiding tenets that we put together back in 2021 was that there should be a focus on regional investments, especially with our critical infrastructure,” Meyers said. “Things that provide long-term benefits and are non-recurring.”

One of the single largest allotments, $17 million, was for the Regional Operations Center, a major part of the county’s 911 consolidation efforts.

Millions went to various existing programs — such as eviction and mortgage foreclosure mediation — which saw a jump in need during the pandemic. But that increased funding was not planned to be permanent, instead continuing as they had pre-COVID, County Administrator Patrice Sutton said.

Any ARPA-related staffing needs were addressed either through a temporary staffing agency, Sutton said, or absorbed by existing staff.

Funding uncertainties

Meyers said one of their original “guiding tenets” when planning what to do with the federal funds was to take into consideration post-ARPA funding options.

“It’s always top-of-mind to figure out how we’re going to ensure these are going to keep going into the future,” he said.

That meant that very few of the approved projects would face questions about funding after 2026, according to Meyers.

The Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, launched by the State’s Attorney’s Office in 2022 in the wake of the Highland Park mass shooting, has been credited with helping reduce firearm homicides and non-fatal firearm injuries in the three communities in which it has been operating.

Utilizing an increasingly popular violence interruption model, the program has a team of local “credible messengers” who help reduce community tensions and connect high-risk individuals with resources and put them on paths away from violence. The program also does other related work to address the root causes of gun violence.

It’s financially clear for 2026 after earlier this month, the Lake County Board approved a $1.5 million grant awarded to the State’s Attorney’s Office from the Illinois Department of Human Services. The money will cover funding from January through June 30.

Another $650,000 in one-time county funding was approved in the county’s budget last November to fund it through the end of 2026, a move that saw resistance from some board members who called it a departure from the county’s typical policy of letting such programs end if continued funding is not secured.

While the money partially shifted the gun violence initiative to county funding for the time being, it will likely need to find more funding outside of Lake County for the future.

The Digital Growth Initiative will also likely have to find future funding outside of the county. Created to help “bridge the digital divide,” according to Digital Equity Manager Keay Crandall, the initiative has trained thousands of residents on basic digital literacy and computer skills, and given out roughly a thousand laptops.

The initiative also includes efforts to bring public Wi-Fi to downtown areas in Waukegan and North Chicago.

County Administrator Patrice Sutton said that if they don’t secure funding, the programs would have to make a new program request for the 2027 budget to become a part of the county government.

After that, it would be up to the County Board to decide what happens. But that raises “difficult prioritization decisions,” Sutton said, since they are not mandated services for county government.

While both programs will look into future funding as 2026 progresses, they will face challenges. Meyers said that some grant opportunities for the digital equity initiative were lost when the new administration came in.

“We’re looking for what opportunities we can find to ensure that program continues,” Meyers said.

While it was too early to say what the future holds for the digital equity initiative, the “worst case” is having to scale back, he said. “We certainly don’t want to lose the program.”

For the gun violence prevention initiative, inconsistent funding can be devastating, Lake County Chief of Government Relations and External Affairs Steve Spagnolo previously said. Cutting violence interruption programs can see spikes in violence that take years to bring back down.

Regional Office of Education

There are two programs with the Lake County Regional Office of Education started with Lake County’s ARPA money, that the ROE has taken over responsibility to fund — Career Connect and CareLink.

Career Connect is an initiative meant to connect employers and students and provide students with career exploration tools and opportunities. It includes the annual Navig8 career fair, which sees thousands of students learn about more than 100 area businesses.

CareLink provides mental health care for residents, connecting kids and families with mental health resources. According to statistics provided by Regional Superintendent of Schools Michael Karner, more than 700 treatment sessions were funded through CareLink, and over 800 families received care navigation support.

Karner said officials are working to finalize funding, but he guarantees that Career Connect will continue. He also expressed confidence that CareLink’s work will continue as well.

The programs are some of the biggest things he’s done for the county, Karner said, praising their impact. Funding opportunities from state or federal grants are being examined, as well as potentially looking at local fundraising or partnerships.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/covid-federal-funds-lake-county/ 

It’s almost surreal to see what we now know as the Martin Mitchell House sitting all by its lonesome and surrounded by undeveloped land. When this photo was shot in the early 1900s, the home belonged to George Martin, a wealthy farmer and quarry owner who built the 12-room mansion for his family on what was then the rural edge of downtown Naperville. His daughter, Catherine Martin Mitchell, would end up donating the house — which George named called Pine Craig — and 200-plus acres of land to the city of Naperville. Mitchell wanted the house used as a Naperville history museum, and in 1969 it became the centerpiece of the 13-acre Naper Settlement campus. The land surrounding it is occupied by Naperville Central High School and the Naperville Riverwalk and Park, which includes Rotary Hill, Millennium Carillon in Moser Tower, Paddleboat Quarry, Centennial Beach and other amenities. The man who took the picture was Charles Koretke, a prolific photographer who documented almost everything in the city during his time.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/naperville-settlement-martin-mitchell-house-photo/ 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region will be a key focus as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States meet in Abu Dhabi on Friday for talks to end Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion.

The UAE’s foreign ministry said the talks commenced on Friday and are scheduled to continue over two days “as part of ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis.”

The three-way talks come hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during marathon overnight talks. The Kremlin insisted that to reach a peace deal, Kyiv must withdraw its troops from the areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed but never fully captured.

Zelenskyy, meanwhile, reiterated his openness to establishing a free trade zone under Ukraine’s control in the country’s east. He said he discussed the proposal with Trump in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, and told reporters: “I think it will be positive for our business.”

Friday is the first known time that officials from the Trump administration simultaneously meet with negotiators from both Ukraine and Russia. While it’s unclear how the talks will unfold and many obstacles to peace remain, some see it as a sign that the parties are making headway in closing a deal.

Zelenskyy said after meeting with Trump that while the future status of land in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia remains unresolved, the peace proposals are “nearly ready.”

Kremlin insists on ‘solving territorial issue’

“Today’s meeting will be in the format of Ukraine, Russia and the United States, and afterward the Europeans will certainly receive feedback from us,” Zelenskyy told journalists in a WhatsApp audio message.

The Kremlin offered little detail beyond calling Friday’s meeting a “working group on security issues.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Russian delegation, headed by Adm. Kostyukov, is comprised of military officials. Separately, Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev will hold talks with Witkoff on economic issues, Peskov added.

The U.S. has confirmed Witkoff and Kushner are attending the talks in Abu Dhabi along with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and NATO’s top general, U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.

The Ukrainian team includes Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s national security and defense council; Andrii Hnatov, chief of the general staff; and Kyrylo Budanov, head of the presidential office.

Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who participated in Putin’s meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, said “it was reaffirmed that reaching a long-term settlement can’t be expected without solving the territorial issue.”

Those talks, which began just before midnight in Moscow, lasted nearly four hours past 3 a.m. Friday. They came hours after Zelenskyy sharply criticized his European allies Thursday for what he cast as their slow and fragmented response that he said has left Ukraine at the mercy of Putin amid an ongoing U.S. push for a peace settlement.

Ushakov noted that Trump’s envoys informed Putin about Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy, as well as earlier discussions they had with Ukrainian and European officials. He described the talks with the U.S. as “frank, constructive” and “fruitful.”

Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy met with Trump behind closed doors for about an hour at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing the meeting as “productive and meaningful.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington from Davos, Trump said his meeting with Zelenskyy went well, adding that both Putin and Zelenskyy want to reach a deal and that “everyone’s making concessions” to try to end the war.

He said the sticking points in talks remain the same as they’ve been during talks held during the past six or seven months, noting “boundaries” was a key issue. “The main hold-up is the same things that’s been holding it up for the last year,” he said.

Russia’s bigger army has managed to capture about 20% of Ukraine since hostilities began in 2014 and its full-scale invasion of 2022. But the battlefield gains along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line have been costly for Moscow, and the Russian economy is feeling the consequences of the war and international sanctions.

Ukraine is short of money and, despite significantly boosting its own arms manufacturing, still needs Western weaponry. It is also short-handed on the front line. Its defense minister last week reported some 200,000 troop desertions, and draft-dodging by about 2 million Ukrainians.

Zelenskyy blasts European allies

Addressing the World Economic Forum after meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy listed a litany of grievances and criticisms of Europe.

European countries, which see their own future defense at stake in the war on its eastern flank, have provided financial, military and humanitarian support for Kyiv. But not all members of the 27-nation European Union are helping. Ukraine also has been frustrated by political disagreements within Europe over how to deal with Russia, as well as the bloc’s at times slow-moving responses.

“Europe looks lost,” Zelenskyy said in his speech, urging the continent to become a global force. He contrasted Europe’s response with Washington’s bold steps in Venezuela and Iran.

The former comic actor referred to the movie “Groundhog Day,” in which the main character must relive the same day over and over again.

“Just last year, here in Davos, I ended my speech with the words: Europe needs to know how to defend itself. A year has passed. And nothing has changed. We are still in a situation where I must say the same words again,” Zelenskyy said.

He chided Europe for being slow to act on key decisions, spending too little on defense, failing to stop Russia’s ”shadow fleet” of oil tankers that are breaking international sanctions, and balking at using its frozen assets in Europe to finance Ukraine, among other things.

Hrabchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine and Manenkov from Davos, Switzerland. Josh Boak on Air Force One, Meg Kinnard in Houston and Ali Swenson from Washington contributed to this report.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/ukraine-russia-us-territorial-concessions/ 

An owner of the Signature Room shuffled its assets around to avoid paying workers who were abruptly laid off when the iconic restaurant and lounge shuttered in 2023, a lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court this week alleges. 

The Signature Room closed suddenly in September 2023 after decades near the top of the former John Hancock Center. More than 100 workers lost their jobs. The Signature Room’s parent company, Infusion Management Group, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy shortly thereafter. 

Victor Valentine, center, and Gabriel Montesinos, right, former workers at the Signature Room with Unite Here Local 1, celebrate outside 875 N. Michigan Ave., March 28, 2024, the building formerly known as the John Hancock Center, after the owner of the restaurant was found liable and ordered to pay over $1.5 million in back pay and benefits. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

In 2024, a federal judge ruled the Signature Room workers were owed $1.52 million in back pay and benefits under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which requires businesses to give two months’ notice of certain mass layoffs and business closures. 

But Unite Here Local 1, the union representing the former Signature Room staffers, said in the lawsuit that the workers never got paid. 

Infusion Management’s bankruptcy case was closed in 2024 with the trustee assigned to the case reporting he had not paid out any money on behalf of the estate, according to court records.

Unite Here’s lawsuit, filed Thursday, seeks to hold the Signature Room’s owners, Richard Roman and Nick Pyknis, personally liable for the Signature Room’s debts to its workers. 

According to the lawsuit, Pyknis was removed from his role as an officer with Infusion Management in spring 2023, before the Signature Room shut down, because he was suffering from “cognitive decline.” Roman had Pyknis’ power of attorney when it came to company business, according to the lawsuit. 

The suit alleges that after the bankruptcy, Roman fraudulently transferred assets from Infusion to an LLC in order to pay off his own and Pyknis’ personal debts to the Signature Room’s landlord. 

The Signature Room’s lessor had sued Roman and Pyknis personally after the Signature Room’s closure because they had signed personal guaranties for the lease agreement, according to the lawsuit. 

Then in spring 2024, Roman transferred Infusion’s interest in assets remaining in the Signature Room, including kitchen equipment and liquor, to the LLC, RSR Capital Group, the lawsuit alleges. 

RSR then used those assets to resolve Roman and Pyknis’ individual debts to the Signature Room’s former landlord, the lawsuit alleges. 

“Roman directed and controlled the assets of Infusion and RSR to be used for his own and Pyknis’s benefit rather than to satisfy creditors,” including the former Signature Room employees, the lawsuit reads. “This is an injustice that requires the corporate veil of Infusion be pierced to hold Roman and Pyknis personally liable for the debts of Infusion.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Roman transferred assets, via the LLC, to himself and Pyknis shortly before the Signature Room shut down and Infusion filed for bankruptcy. 

RSR had $500,000 in cash on hand in September 2023, the “sole purpose” of which was to extend a line of credit to Infusion, the lawsuit alleges. 

But on Sept. 25 — days before the Signature Room shut down — RSR paid that $500,000 directly to Roman and Pyknis, the lawsuit alleges. On Sept. 28, the Signature Room announced it was closing.

A person walks by signage for the Signature Room and Lounge inside a lobby of the 875 N. Michigan Ave. building on May 30, 2024. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

In a statement, Unite Here Local 1 President Karen Kent said the Signature Room “will now be remembered as the fairy tale restaurant that vanished overnight, leaving dedicated staff and loyal customers in the lurch.”

“Despite the Signature Room owners’ brazen attempts to cheat their employees and evade the law, our union has continued to pursue enforcement of the federal judgement against these deadbeats so that former Signature Room workers get the justice they deserve,” Kent said. 

Attempts to reach attorneys for the defendants were unsuccessful Friday. 

Also this week, the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint alleging Infusion Management illegally failed to bargain with Unite Here when it shut down the Signature Room. The complaint, which is an amended version of an initial complaint originally filed in December, also seeks back pay for the laid off workers.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/signature-room-assets-lawsuit/ 

Congregation Bene Shalom in Skokie, founded by a popular rabbi 53 years ago and known for being a Jewish congregation focused on serving the deaf and hearing impaired as well as the hearing community, closed on Jan. 6.

Dwindling membership and decreased funding forced the congregation into the very difficult decision, leaders said. Its building at 4435 Oakton St., Skokie, was sold to Congregation Kol Emeth, which had rented space in the building for 2½ years.

The decision to close the congregation, which was founded 53 years ago, was “a process,” said Laura Schwartz, who had been president of the Board of Directors for eight years.

“We’ve been talking about it for about a year. We looked at our funding and we knew we had to make the decision soon. It was heart-wrenching. It wasn’t a rash decision.”

It was apparent to the Board that the congregation couldn’t continue because of three factors, Schwartz indicated: “Lack of funding and low attendance at services, and not a lot of people to do the work.”

The Reform congregation was started by founding Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer, who was considered a master of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), healing prayer and meditation.

Congregation members said there was a sign-language interpreter at every service, and it was the first Jewish synagogue in the United States devoted to serving a primarily deaf and hearing-impaired congregation.

When Goldhamer died in 2022, which was the congregation’s 50th year, many congregation members left.

Charlene Brooks, who had served as the congregation’s cantor for almost 30 years, had been encouraged by Goldhamer to attend the seminary he founded. Brooks became a rabbi in June of 2022 and was asked to lead the congregation when Goldhamer died.

“It was a great honor. It was a challenge because he was one-of-a-kind,” Brooks said of taking over the leadership of the congregation. “And it was a wonderful opportunity because I felt I’d been exposed to so much spirituality and knowledge that you can only gain from working with someone like him. It was wonderful to lead the congregation.”

The decision to close the synagogue was “incredibly difficult” for her, Brooks said, even though they had been talking about the financial situation for a very long time.

Knowing that the building will remain a synagogue is “a great comfort because the opportunities for it to change dramatically were there,” Brooks said. She appreciates the fact that the bimah, the raised platform where the torah is read and services are led, is “still maintaining the magic and history that it has.”

Brooks said she is not retiring and plans to keep doing funerals. “As long as I can remember it was important to me to bring honor and comfort to families who have lost loved ones.”

Though Jewish Congregation Bene Shalom in Skokie has closed, its Rabbi Charlene Brooks said she will continue to perform funeral services and spiritual counseling. (Congregation Bene Shalom)

She added that, because her parents were both Holocaust survivors, when it came to their relatives, “they never had the opportunity to mourn them in any kind of comforting way.”

In addition, Brooks is continuing to be available to members of the congregation for whatever they need from her.

The building will continue to be a place for Jewish people to gather and pray.

Hazzan Sarah Alexander joined Congregation Kol Emeth in June as spiritual leader of the Conservative synagogue. She joined Rabbi Emeritus Barry Schechter, who has served Kol Emeth since 1981, first as cantor, then rabbi.

Alexander said that the synagogue decided to purchase the Bene Shalom building because, “We had been renting from them for about two and a half years. When they approached us and said that they were going to be shutting their doors, it offered us the opportunity to purchase the building. It fit right in with our plans for future growth.”

They had already made steps in that direction.

“We have three classes a week now,” she said. “We’re doing social action outreach programs. We’re becoming a more active synagogue. One of the ways that we can be more present in the community is having our own building, being able to put our name out front so people can actually find us and know we exist.”

There will be services every Friday night and Saturday morning.

Congregation Kol Emeth is not planning to make any changes to the building but they will be redoing the parking lot, which is located behind the building.

To get assistance regarding the many aspects of closing a synagogue, the Congregation Bene Shalom Board worked with the Jewish Community Legacy Project, which offers support to small Jewish congregations. Board President Schwartz said that Noah Levine, President and CEO of the Legacy Project, suggested that they put the funds from the sale of the building into an endowment fund and use it for charity.

“That made me feel a whole lot better that with the closing the money would continue to do good for many years and help people,” Schwartz said.

The Board carefully chose recipients for those proceeds, including funds for interpreter services so that Jews who are deaf can attend services.

“We’re going to give scholarships to Jews who are deaf who want to go to college,” Schwartz added.

Funds are being provided in perpetuity and on a one-time basis to a variety of organizations that support the deaf as well as needy local organizations.

In addition to encouraging Bene Shalom to establish that endowment fund, the Legacy Project assisted the board in decision-making about other aspects of closing the congregation.

“They have a big network of synagogues,” Schwartz reported. “There’s a small temple in Colorado that needed a torah,” she said, so one torah was sent there. In terms of the other two torahs, Schwartz related, one will be picked up by someone from a congregation in Upstate New York. The third torah, which survived the Holocaust, is being returned to London for repairs, and will afterwards either be lent out again or put in a museum.

Many other items, including kitchen supplies, were donated, some going to immigrants.

“The prayer books have to be buried,” reported Schwartz, who plans to bury them on the grounds of property that she owns in Michigan.

Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/skokie-jewish-congregation-deaf-hearing-impaired-closed/ 

Trump Says US ‘Armada’ Moving Towards Iran

Tyler Durden
Fri, 01/23/2026 – 15:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-says-us-armada-moving-towards-iran 

Both as an assistant coach and now as the head coach, St. Charles North’s Grant Oler has seen the evolution of senior guard Sydney Johnson throughout her four high school seasons.

Johnson has turned into the most impactful player on the court for the North Stars. What’s impressed Oler the most, however, is everything else she brings to the program.

That includes leadership, for which Johnson is uniquely suited.

“Honestly, it’s a lot of hard work,” she said. “Every day, I’m in the gym, getting up shots. But it’s also knowing I can make mistakes. I’ve obviously made a lot of mistakes through the years.

“I’ve been able to learn and grow from them.”

The North Stars are reaping the benefits of all that hard work. She put it on display once again Thursday, scoring a game-high 15 points in a 41-27 DuKane Conference win over host Geneva.

St. Charles North’s Sydney Johnson (20) gets past Geneva’s Lelanie Posada (30) in the fourth quarter of a DuKane Conference game in St. Charles on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)

On a rough shooting night for both teams, the 5-foot-11 Johnson added five rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal for St. Charles North (15-5, 6-2).

Emma Peterson paced Geneva (9-12, 4-4) with 13 points and nine rebounds.

To Oler, Johnson skills as an outside shooter and as a long, rangy defender stand out on their own. But that’s not all he will miss when she graduates.

“It’s a credit to her work,” Oler said. “She’s been a tremendous leader this year. The number of hours that are unseen that kid puts in, to see her flourish is special.”

St. Charles North’s Sydney Johnson (20) corrals a loose ball against Geneva during a DuKane Conference game in St. Charles on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)

Johnson is best known for the program-record 36 points she scored last season in a regional win over Proviso West. What often goes overlooked, though, is her defense.

Opponents thinking she’s not as quick or as bouncy as she is are often in for a rude awakening.

“We challenged her at a young age to play with high hands,” Oler said. “Doggone it if she hasn’t mastered that. She’s got those long limbs that extend forever.

“People don’t think she’s as fast as she is but she is. She’s going to get tips.”

St. Charles North’s Sydney Johnson (20) points out defensive coverage against Geneva in the second quarter of a DuKane Conference game in St. Charles on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)

Her defensive work is another byproduct of four years in the same system.

“Coach Oler always talks about anticipating and everything like that,” Johnson said. “Playing this defense for four years, I kind of have an idea of where the ball is going to be and when.

“It’s just a lot easier to get those kinds of blocks.”

Johnson only shot 6 of 19 from the floor Thursday and St. Charles struggled at 19 of 54, but defense carried the North Stars.

After back-to-back layups from Peterson, Geneva had a chance to cut the deficit to two possessions in the third quarter. The Vikings only scored five points the rest of the game, though.

“We put the press on in them in the third,” Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. “That probably helped us a little bit. Then I think we got tired. We just have to make baskets.

“We had opportunities. We just have to score. It’s hard to beat a team when you have 27 points.”

St. Charles North;s Sydney Johnson (20) drives into Geneva’s Emma Peterson (15) and Heidi Clesen (11) during a DuKane Conference game in St. Charles on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)

Johnson’s basketball future beyond this season is still unclear. An exemplary student in multiple AP classes, Johnson will have plenty of academic options.

She has learned to balance both.

“It’s a lot, but I just know where it’s going to take me in the future,” Johnson said. “That’s just motivation. I have goals for myself.”

Those goals may not line up with a chance to also play basketball at the next level, however.

“For college, my main focus is my academics,” Johnson said. “Getting a good education is my first priority. Obviously, if I get a chance to play with the academics, it’s going to be good for me.

“For the past year, that’s what I’ve been weighing. I guess it’s just a matter of time and trying to figure out what works best for me.”

Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/sydney-johnson-st-charles-north-geneva-ihsa-boys-basketball/ 

An 81-year-old Evergreen Park woman was found dead of cold exposure at her home Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Mary Savisky’s neighbor and friend called the police for a well-being check when she did not see Savisky for several days, according to an Evergreen Park police report. Savisky lived on the 9600 block of South Francisco Avenue.

The neighbor typically shoveled Savisky’s sidewalk and became concerned when she did so and Savisky didn’t come out to say hello as she normally did, police said.

The responding officer found Savisky unresponsive in her unheated garage.

Savisky was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. Monday. The medical examiner’s reported the cause of death cold exposure, with cardiovascular disease as a factor.

With the extreme cold, several warming centers have been opened at libraries and village buildings in the south suburbs. The Evergreen Park Public Library is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The Cook County courthouse in Markham is open as a 24/7 warming center until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, according to the Cook County Department of Public Health.

To call in a well-being check for a neighbor or relative, people can call their local police department’s non-emergency number.

elewis@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/evergreen-park-woman-dies-cold-exposure/ 

Loyal Devotion started his journey as an artist, doodling on his schoolwork while a sixth grader at Neal Math and Science Academy middle school in North Chicago. He liked what he saw and, a year later, was selling his artwork at a table on Genesee Street in downtown Waukegan.

Deanna Cruz, the founder of the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan, said when Devotion was in seventh grade, he walked into the gallery with some of his artwork. He wanted to show the artists there what he can do.

“He walked into the gallery and introduced himself,” Cruz said. “He was only a kid when he came through the door, but he put himself out there. It’s one thing to say you want to sketch, but it’s something else to create art and follow their journey. He became part of our community.”

After completing his freshman year at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan last spring, where he could not take an art class until he was a junior, Devotion is now a sophomore — and a Daniel Murphy Scholar– at Beacon Academy in Evanston.

“It’s pretty cool,” Devotion said of both the art and academic training. “I can do my art in the annex, and they have all the tools I need.”

Devotion is one of 43 artists whose work is on display during the fourth-annual Youth Art Exhibition continuing through Feb. 14 at the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan, showing the work of artists between the ages of 3 and 18.

Creations of 43 artists, ranging in age from 3 to 18, are on display at the fourth-annual Youth Art Exhibition through Feb. 14 at the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

Cruz said the show opened Jan. 17, when each artist had the opportunity to talk about their entries. There were also music and dance performances. Some of the artists did their work at the gallery while others came from schools and other area organizations.

“We want to show the creativity, the voice and the talent of these young people in a safe space amongst the community,” Cruz said. “This is a way to support our youth and make them feel empowered where their talent is seen and celebrated.”

Though Devotion did not take an art class while at Cristo Rey, he had a part-time job — all students there do to become comfortable in a workplace and earn money toward their education. He worked one day a week at Kids Rank, a not-for-profit helping military children.

Part of Devotion’s duties was graphic design. He also had the opportunity to work there over the summer at a camp for the youngsters. He put his talent to work helping the campers with projects.

A Girl Scout troop from Vernon Hills added to the fourth-annual Youth Art Exhibition through Feb. 14 at the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

Some of the youngest artists came from Tim Flynn’s first-grade art class at Most Blessed Trinity Academy in Waukegan. He provided them with cutouts to make collages. There were 15 entries.

“They’re free,” Flynn said of his first-grade students. “The older kids become too self-aware. I want the kids to know there are art shows and have this experience. What they did was open and refreshing.”

Sachi Kamath, a third grader in Vernon Hills, participated in the art show for the third time. This time, she said she organized members of her Girl Scout troop so they could enter as a group, with each one contributing their own creation.

Using plaster and paint, Sachi said each of the eight scouts created something that represented a different part of the world, showing how the Earth and the universe look to them.

Fifth and sixth graders from Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest were part of the fourth-annual Youth Art Exhibition through Feb. 14 at the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

“I felt excited to show my work,” Sachi said, “At first I was nervous, but I became more comfortable once I started my speech.”

Theresa Fontana, an art teacher at Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest, said she wanted to give her students an opportunity to experience an art show with their work on display. They could paint a dream treehouse or the ultimate concept car among their assignments, and 15 were selected.

“The kids were really excited to show their creations,” Fontanna said. “I wanted to give them the experience of showing their art like real artists in a professional gallery. They got to make an artist’s statement to people in the audience.”

First graders from Most Blessed Trinity Academy in Waukegan contributed to the fourth-annual Youth Art Exhibition continuing through Feb. 14 at the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/dandelion-gallery-youth-art-show/ 

Good afternoon, Chicago.

Continued enrollment declines at Chicago Public Schools could escalate into a “crisis” that would significantly affect the city’s public education system in the years ahead, according to a new report from Kids First Chicago. CPS’ current enrollment is more than 316,000 students — a nearly 28% decrease of more than 122,000 students since 2002-03.

The change reflects a broader districtwide pattern driven by several factors, including a drop in birth rates over the past decade and a smaller population of school-aged children living in Chicago, according to data compiled by the local education nonprofit.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Bishop John-Michael Villarreal testifies during the Human Rights, Anti-Authoritarianism, Reparatory and Restorative Truth Telling Commission public hearing held at the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago on Jan. 21, 2026. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago faith leaders recount harm from immigration agents: ‘Prayers and thoughts was not going to stop ICE’

During two days of testimony, faith leaders and elected officials shared various harms and civil rights violations they alleged to have witnessed during Operation Midway Blitz, the monthslong aggressive immigration enforcement campaign waged in Chicago. Read more here.

More top news stories:

Governors State University student scammed by caller threatening to report him to ICE
Photos: Dangerously cold weather hits Chicagoland

A loaded Colt pistol sits in a hole in the wall of Thornton Distilling Co.’s historic building, where it was found Monday. (Andy Howell)

Prohibition-era loaded pistol found in wall of historic Thornton brewery

Andy Howell, the founder of Thornton Distilling Co., was trying to find a place to run a new electrical conduit in his brewery’s historic building when, instead, he came across a loaded gun. Read more here.

More top business stories:

Today in Chicago History: ‘Tomorrow’s transit car is here’
TikTok finalizes a deal to form a new American entity

Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks with the media at Halas Hall on Jan. 21, 2026, in Lake Forest. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Bears Q&A: Which players present GM Ryan Poles with the most difficult roster decisions?

Many questions lie ahead for the offseason involving who will — and won’t — be back with the Bears next season. Brad Biggs addresses the first wave of them in his weekly Bears mailbag. Read more here.

More top sports stories:

Chicago White Sox sign reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a reported 2-year, $20 million deal
Josh Giddey’s return sparks Chicago Bulls to win over Minnesota Timberwolves. Can he revive a disrupted season?
Column: Warm thoughts about the Cubs and White Sox to get you through the polar vortex

Perfume Genius performs at Lincoln Hall on Jan. 22, 2026, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Review: Perfume Genius at Lincoln Hall was a night of deep tracks and hushed intimacy

It was a quiet and intimate show last night for Perfume Genius, who performed at Lincoln Hall as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows festival. Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

Review: In ‘Eureka Day’ by TimeLine Theatre, time marches on for a funny vaccine comedy
Review: ‘Clika’ can’t find the cinematic beat

A Nashville Department of Transportation truck applies salt brine to a roadway in the Tennessee city on Jan. 22, 2026, ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend. (George Walker IV/AP)

Massive winter storm threatens heavy snow and ice to more than 170 million people across US

A combination of heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet is in store from the southern Rockies to New England through Monday, the agency said. Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

House approves final spending bills as Democrats denounce ICE funding
‘Heated Rivalry’ stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie to be torchbearers for Winter Olympics

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/23/afternoon-briefing-faith-leaders-recount-harm-from-immigration-agents/