Good morning, Chicago.

Small Stride Academy has been caring for children in the Beverly neighborhood for about 40 years, but the day care center and preschool isn’t sure how it will keep its doors open if subsidies that help families afford child care in Illinois are cut.

More than half of the day care’s children benefit from subsidies from the Child Care Assistance Program, said center administrator Lisa Griffin. That program is partly funded by federal dollars that President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday night it plans to withhold from Illinois and four other states with Democratic governors over concerns about fraud and misuse of the money.

“It is going to be a problem,” Griffin said of the potential loss of dollars. “Families depend on us. Then you’re expecting this to trickle down to the parents’ employment. How could they not be affected if we weren’t open?”

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Lisa Schencker, Jeremy Gorner and Jake Sheridan.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including Cook County reporting a drop in deaths tied to opioid overdoses, Rome Odunze says he is “planning on playing” in the Bears playoff game and our recommendations for what to do this weekend.

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Mourners place flowers at a makeshift memorial near the site where Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed in her vehicle in Minneapolis, on Jan. 7, 2026. (Jamie Kelter Davis/The New York Times)

Feds’ statements after Minneapolis driver killed by ICE officer echo pattern from Midway Blitz in Chicago

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the federal immigration agent who killed a woman in Minneapolis yesterday had been “fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement officers and the safety of the public” when he shot the woman.

Local and state officials immediately cast doubt on the DHS narrative, based on bystander videos of the shooting and prompted protests across Chicago and suburbs last night.

Minneapolis on edge after fatal shooting of woman by ICE officer
Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis was a mother of 3, poet and new to the city

People yell at U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and other agents while they stop at a gas station while conducting an immigration enforcement action, Dec. 17, 2025, in Evanston. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Feds pull back on gang accusations against man charged in alleged Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino murder-for-hire plot

Federal prosecutors acknowledged for the first time yesterday they have no direct evidence that a Chicago man accused of putting a bounty on the head of Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino is actually in a street gang, let alone a “ranking” member as originally alleged when the high-profile case was filed at the peak of Operation Midway Blitz.

Ald. Brian Hopkins waits for the results of a vote during a City Council meeting about the city’s 2026 budget on Dec. 20, 2025. Hopkins introduced a measure to give the Chicago police superintendent the power to declare a teen curfew anytime, anywhere across the city with at least 12 hours notice. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago teen curfew proposal again advances, Mayor Brandon Johnson mum on veto

Chicago’s police superintendent is once again on the cusp of gaining new teen curfew powers after aldermen advanced an ordinance yesterday aimed at controlling large youth gatherings.

Chicago Public Schools headquarters on West Madison Street, July 10, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

CPS watchdog details sexual abuse, pandemic relief fraud in annual report

Chicago Public Schools’ watchdog released its annual report yesterday, detailing dozens of the more than 1,200 complaints it received between July 2024 and June 2025. The report addressed accusations of pandemic program fraud, excessive overtime, stolen equipment, residency violations and sexual misconduct by district employees.

E. Stevens and Asia Betancourt, in background, both members of Trail of Truth, a substance abuse prevention coalition, speak at Park No. 578 on Aug. 21, 2024, behind signs that represent tombstones of people around the country who have died due to substance abuse. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago and Cook County again see fewer opioid deaths in 2025

Chicago and Cook County saw another steep decline in fatal opioid overdoses last year, records show, four years after a recent peak in such cases during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2025 brought a 40% drop in deaths attributed to narcotics overdoses from the prior year, according to statistics from the Cook County medical examiner’s office. As of this week, the medical examiner’s office found 683 people died of opioid overdoses last year in Cook County, with 500 of those recorded in Chicago.

Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss joins members of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 704 at a rally at Chicago’s Federal Plaza on Aug. 12, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

In backing Daniel Biss for Illinois’ 9th district, US Rep. Jan Schakowsky also warns of ‘out-of-state donors’

In endorsing Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss as her successor in Congress, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky said she did so, in part, because of his strong local support while also warning voters to beware of candidates who have received too much backing from “out-of-state donors.”

Cars are parked near the building where the offices of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Feb. 14, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Pulitzer-winning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to shut down in May

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper will shut down later this year, with a final edition slated for May 3.

Post-Gazette owners Block Communications, a family-owned multi-media company based in Toledo, Ohio, cited financial losses as the reason behind the decision to cease operations.

Horses come and go on the track on April 6, 2024, at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney. (Vincent Alban/Chicago Tribune)

Why Hawthorne racetrack was temporarily shut down over the weekend: ‘This is another embarrassing failure’

Hawthorne Race Course was forced to temporarily halt operations this past weekend for failing to meet licensing requirements, regulators said, and operators in the horse racing industry said its checks have been bouncing.

Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, right, celebrates after running back D’Andre Swift ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the 49ers on Dec. 28, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Rome Odunze is ‘planning on playing’ in Chicago Bears playoff game after missing the last 5 games

Rome Odunze is optimistic he’ll be back on the field with quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense Saturday. The team will hold one more practice today.

5 things to watch for in the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers playoff game — including our predictions
Column: Tyrique Stevenson may get a shot to help leaky Bears secondary: ‘There’ll be a plan in place’

So Young An and Martha Graham Dance Company in Martha Graham’s “Diversion of Angels.” (Melissa Sherwood)

Dance for winter 2026: Our top 10 includes Joffrey, Red Clay and a visit from Martha Graham

The first part of the year used to be slow for dance in Chicago. Not so, recently. And in 2026, the chilly months are teeming with rare appearances and fresh collaborations capable of inspiring a trip to the theater even in the darkest depths of winter.

Mavis Staples performs with her band during her 85th Hometown Birthday Celebration at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on Dec. 6, 2024. (Troy Stolt/for the Chicago Tribune)

What to do in Chicago: Mavis Staples, Bill Murray and the Women’s Jazz Festival in Arlington Heights.

Here are our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/daywatch-federal-funding-freeze-sows-fear-among-child-care-providers/ 

Associated Press

LONDRES (AP) — Reino Unido, ya inmerso en una de sus olas de frío más largas y frías en años, se prepara para soportar fuertes nevadas y vientos intensos más tarde el jueves, lo que las autoridades meteorológicas han advertido podría representar un riesgo para la vida.

El grueso de la tormenta que llega desde el Atlántico se sentirá en el centro de Inglaterra, con hasta 30 centímetros (12 pulgadas) de nieve en solo unas pocas horas, lo que inevitablemente tendrá posibles implicaciones para las escuelas, el transporte y el comercio, especialmente en áreas más rurales.

Se espera que la tormenta Goretti, que ha sido nombrada por el servicio meteorológico francés France Meteo, abandone las costas británicas a última hora del viernes antes de afectar a otras partes del noroeste de Europa, que ya han soportado nieve, hielo y temperaturas bajo cero en los últimos días.

Neil Armstrong, jefe de pronósticos en la Met Office, el servicio meteorológico nacional británico, describió a Goretti como un “evento de múltiples peligros” con lluvias intensas, vientos fuertes y nieve.

La Met Office ha emitido advertencias de color ámbar para muchas partes del Reino Unido. Estas tienen una “mayor probabilidad de impactos por clima severo” en comparación con las advertencias amarillas más bajas, lo que significa que existe la posibilidad de retrasos en los viajes, cierres de carreteras y ferrocarriles, cancelaciones de vuelos, cortes de energía y riesgo potencial para la vida y la propiedad.

La nevada supone que los trenes y aviones podrían retrasarse o cancelarse, las comunidades rurales podrían quedar aisladas, y es probable que haya cortes de energía e interrupciones en la señal d celular.

También la Agencia de Seguridad Sanitaria del Reino Unido ha emitido alertas ámbar de salud por frío para todas las regiones de Inglaterra hasta el 12 de enero, lo que significa que se esperan impactos severos en los servicios de salud y atención social. Los funcionarios esperan un aumento en las muertes, particularmente entre las personas de 65 años o más o con problemas de salud, con impactos también posibles en grupos de edad más jóvenes.

Muchas partes de Gales, el norte de Inglaterra y Escocia llevan varios días cubiertas de nieve, lo que ha llevado a numerosos cierres de escuelas y trastornos en el transporte.

En Holanda, el mal tiempo amainó el jueves, ayudando al Aeropuerto Schiphol de Ámsterdam, que vio cientos de vuelos cancelados en cada uno de los primeros tres días de la semana laboral, a intentar volver a la normalidad. Sin embargo, fue brevemente afectado por un corte de energía en la mañana.

La aerolínea nacional holandesa KLM dijo que todavía había largas filas de pasajeros en el aeropuerto, pero agregó que estaba “haciendo todo lo posible para asegurar que los pasajeros que parten salgan a tiempo”.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/reino-unido-se-prepara-para-fuertes-nevadas-mientras-persiste-la-ola-de-fro-en-europa/ 

Yes, the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has been lopsided in recent seasons, but let anyone tell you that the Packers aren’t as emotionally invested as the Bears in beating their longtime nemesis.

“Yeah, yeah, the thing is real, man,” said Al Harris, who has seen it from both sides. “It’s real.”

Harris, a former two-time Pro Bowl cornerback, played in Green Bay for seven seasons, from 2003 to 2009. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2020.

“Every time we played the Bears, it was a real deal,” said Harris, who joined the Bears this season as pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach. “A real deal.”

Chicago Bears preparing for intense atmosphere in playoff opener — on the field and in the stands

The rivalry doesn’t get much more real than Saturday’s wild-card game between the Bears and Packers at Soldier Field (7 p.m., Prime Video and Fox-32).

The NFC North rivals will meet for the 212th time, including the postseason, the only matchup in NFL history to exceed 200 games.

Yet the Bears and Packers have faced off only twice in the playoffs, with the former losing the most recent meeting 21-14 in the conference finals on Jan. 23, 2011. The Bears’ lone playoff victory against the Packers came so long ago, they hosted it at Wrigley Field. Chicago won 33-14 on Dec. 14, 1941.

The Bears have won two of the last three regular-season meetings — but that’s after 11 straight losses in the series.

Like Harris, Bears defensive back and special teamer Jonathan Owens was a Packer and has seen both sides of the rivalry.

Fans celebrate with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as he does a lap around the field after the win over the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 20, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

He spent a season in Green Bay in 2023 before signing a two-year contract with the Bears in March 2024.

“You can’t get caught up in it being a rivalry game or the history,” Owens cautioned. “That’s important, that’s something that you should definitely educate yourself on, but each game differs. So we’re not getting caught up in rivalry talks. We’re just getting caught up in (the fact that) this is the next opponent (that is) in the way of our ultimate goal.

“So nameless, faceless opponent.”

Still, it’s hard to escape the magnitude of this playoff berth, especially if you’re a player with local ties, such as tight end Cole Kmet (Lake Barrington) or long snapper Scott Daly (Downers Grove).

“To play my first playoff game representing the navy and orange, it’s truly surreal,” Daly said.

It would certainly seem surreal.

Chicago Bears passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Al Harris, left, works with cornerback Kyler Gordon before the game against the Eagles on Nov. 28, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

The Bears, led by a first-year head coach in Ben Johnson, earned a playoff spot for the first time since 2020. They not only won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, but they also landed the No. 2 seed in the conference. And the Bears did it, in part, on the strength of a 22-16 overtime win against the Packers in Week 16.

Saturday will be the first time a team has visited Soldier Field twice within a four-game span.

As a player, Daly has tried to keep it all in perspective and not go over the moon, but good luck convincing his friends and relatives.

“They’re definitely fired up,” he said. “It definitely makes it a little more special having people that you’ve grown up with your whole life, family and friends and to be able to share those memories with. Whether it was a Green Bay game a couple weeks ago, having a ton of family members in the stands for that game was really special.”

Coach Matt LaFleur first learned the full extent of the football feud in his first season with the Packers in 2019.

“Probably that first summer when I went down to Lake Geneva, and I was like, we’re in Wisconsin, and I saw all these Bears fans giving me a hard time.”

The Packers later played the Bears at Soldier Field in the season opener, a 10-3 Green Bay win.

“I think back to that atmosphere, how crazy and the anticipation for the game,” LaFleur said. “It was a great atmosphere.”

Thinking on Saturday at Soldier Field, he said, “I think it’s going to be electric, just like that.”

Here are 5 things to watch — and our predictions.

1. Matt LaFleur versus Ben Johnson, part 3.

Bears coach Ben Johnson celebrates the win with wide receiver DJ Moore after his game-winning catch in overtime to defeat the Packers on Dec. 20, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

While Johnson is a newcomer to the playoffs, LaFleur is already an old hand.

He has made the postseason in six of his first seven seasons. LaFleur has the fourth-highest regular-season winning percentage (.654) among active head coaches (minimum 50 games).

But most pertinent, he’s 12-2 (.857) against Chicago since his hire as Packers head coach in 2019. If Aaron Rodgers once claimed to “own” the Bears, LaFleur’s at least leasing them.

Johnson hopes to change that. He split their regular-season series.

For what it’s worth, in the three seasons when Johnson was Detroit’s offensive coordinator, the Lions went 5-1 against LaFleur.

Last month, Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower reflected on his long work history to justify why he thought Johnson was “special,” enough to be mentioned among the likes of LaFleur and other established head coaches.

“I know what it looks like, fortunately,” Hightower said. “Because I had worked with (Los Angeles Rams coach) Sean McVay. I was an office mate with Sean McVay when we all started together.”

Hightower overlapped with McVay, LaFleur and several other high-profile coaches on Mike Shanahan’s Washington staff between 2011-13.

“It was Matt LaFleur, myself, Mike McDaniel … all in one office,” Hightower said. “Kyle Shanahan was on that staff. I’ve worked with a lot of different guys and have been lucky to be around and a lot have become head coaches. And either you have it. Or you don’t have it. And Ben has it.”

2. Player in the spotlight: Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) winds up to throw downfield in the third quarter against the Bears at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7, 2025, in Green Bay. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Jordan Love is 4-2 all-time against the Bears, though he didn’t finish either of the starts that he lost. Love was injured, and backup Malik Willis finished both of those games.

The latter came Dec. 20 at Soldier, when Love was concussed in the second quarter during a sack attempt by Bears defensive end Austin Booker.

Booker was flagged for roughing the passer, his second in the game, and he was later fined by the NFL.

In six games against the Bears, Love has thrown nine touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback rating against Chicago is 116.6, higher than any other division opponent.

Green Bay Packers’ QB Jordan Love believes he’s learned from previous playoff disappointments

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is wary of Love’s third-down proficiency.

On third down, Love leads the league with 9.2 yards per attempt and has seven passing touchdowns. He’s seventh with a quarterback rating (99.0)

“I think the quarterback does a really good job getting the ball out and getting it to the right people,” Allen said. “He sees the field really well and understands the coverage and knows where to go with the ball and he throws the ball with timing and accuracy.”

Bears safety Jaquan Brisker said the defense has to “show him different looks, show him different disguises and things like that.”

3. Pressing question: Can the Bears stop the Packers on third down?

Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds fails to bring down Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. on his own during the fourth quarter on Nov. 9, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Green Bay’s offense ranks second in third-down percentage at 48.78%.

The Packers average a league-high 7.9 passing yards per play on third down and rank second in expected-points-added per pass on third down (plus-0.22).

“They’ve got a great offense,” Brisker said. “They do a lot of motions, they do a lot of shifts and things like that.”

He said the Bears defense, which ranks 22nd on third down (40.84%), has to stay disciplined and stay on top of Green Bay’s speed.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds added, “A lot of it comes down to fundamentals and understanding our assignments.

“A lot of times you do get caught up into what the offense wants to do. Obviously, you want to have awareness of what they do, but you want to make sure you execute our assignments, our leverage, knowing where our help is.

“Once we understand that, you look at how the offense wants to attack, you look at formations, you look at if concepts are repeating themselves, and trust what you’ve seen throughout the week on tape and going out there and execute.”

Column: Tyrique Stevenson may get a shot to help leaky Chicago Bears secondary: ‘There’ll be a plan in place’

Allen said he’s looking for more consistency in getting off the field on third down.

“That’s probably been the biggest issue that we’ve had,” he said.

The San Francisco 49ers were 70% efficient on third down and the Lions were 46%.

“Part of it is we’ve played some really good teams the last couple weeks, some really good offenses,” Allen said. “And yet last week, we played a team and we held them to 19 points.

“Ultimately, that’s what the goal is, is to limit the points and give yourself a chance to win.”

4. The Bears offense has struggled lately with slow starts.

Bears running back D’Andre Swift runs the ball in the first quarter of a game against the Lions at Soldier Field on Jan. 4, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Think back to the first two games of the season — the offense scored touchdowns on opening drives.

In the last five games, the Bears have usually stumbled in the first few series and have been outclassed in first-quarter time of possession:

Week 18 vs. Lions: punt, punt, turnover on downs (possession: 10:04 to 4:56)
Week 17 at 49ers: punt, punt, touchdown (10:37 to 4:23)
Week 16 vs. Packers: downs, punt, punt (9:04 to 5:56)
Week 15 vs. Browns: punt, touchdown, touchdown (5:40 to 9:20)
Week 14 at Packers: punt, punt, punt (10:27 to 4:33)

Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson said, “It’s not like guys plan on starting slow, you know? It’s just a matter of things clicking. Sometimes you get curve balls that maybe slows up the train a little bit. The defense throws something at you that you didn’t necessarily know or plan for.”

Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said he “can’t point at one specific thing that’s causing that and yet it’s a huge point of emphasis for our guys, really going into this game knowing what kind of game this is.

“In these playoff games … if you start slow, a lot of times you give the ball back to them, you can put your defense in a really challenging position.”

Coaches and players said a big emphasis has been placed on fast starts this week.

“We’ve got to get going, and we can’t wait till the second half or anything like that,” said running back Kyle Monangai. “We’ve got to, from the gate, just come out flying, come out swinging. And I know we can. We’re capable of doing it.”

D’Andre Swift said an effective running game “can help a lot, especially staying efficient on early downs. And whenever the run is called, making sure we stand ahead of the sticks.”

5. Injury update: Rome Odunze plans to play.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze catches a pass during warm-ups before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

The Bears will be monitoring the health of several key players Thursday.

On Wednesday, wide receiver Rome Odunze (foot) stated his plans to play Saturday, though his usage likely will be restricted.

On the defensive side, the secondary would really welcome the return of Kyler Gordon (groin) at nickel cornerback, an area of vulnerability in recent games.

Allen said Wednesday, “I think our plan is to have him be a part of it. Today will really be the first day we go out there and go practice, get a chance to see him move around. But I’m excited about getting him back in the fold and seeing what he can do.”

But Gordon and offensive lineman Braxton Jones are designated to return from injured reserve but haven’t yet been activated.

Meanwhile, DJ Moore has been limited this week with a knee injury and left tackle Ozzy Trapilo has been limited with a quad injury.

Predictions

Brad Biggs (12-5)

This looks about as even as it gets. The Packers scored 44 points in the two meetings. The Bears scored 43. Each team won a game. With conviction, I could list at least three strong reasons why each team will win Saturday night. As close as the two games ended, it’s probably fair to say the Packers held the upper hand for six of the eight quarters played. But they’re trying to piece it together with so many injuries, a list that only begins with edge rusher Micah Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft. I like the Bears’ chances if they can lean into the running game. But all bets are off if they can’t play tough in the red zone like they did last time.

Bears 27, Packers 23

Sean Hammond (13-4)

This game feels like a true coin toss. If Jordan Love takes care of the football, the Packers will win. Love has thrown only six interceptions this season and lost just two fumbles in his 15 starts. The Bears defense is allowing an average of 437.7 yards per game over their last three outings. Matt LaFleur will find ways to exploit the defense and keep the ball out of Caleb Williams’ hands for long stretches. It still could come down to the final possession.

Packers 24, Bears 21

Phil Thompson (10-6)

It’s a troubling trend that the Bears haven’t been able to contain explosive pass plays in recent weeks. It’s one thing to get gashed by Amon-Ra St. Brown, but another when Jake Tonges looks like the second coming of George Kittle. It’s not like Christian Watson can’t do the same. But the Packers have limped into the playoffs, and they have plenty of warts on defense, too.

Bears 23, Packers 21

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-playoff-predictions/ 

T.J. Maxx signed a lease for 26,000 square feet on a prominent retail corridor in Lincoln Park, and will open a street-level store by the third quarter of 2026.

The national retailer will anchor the retail portion of 939 W. North Ave., a 200,000-square-foot building completed in 2002.

The 10-year lease will help the retail and medical office building, along with the Lincoln Park market, continue recovering from the pandemic, said Alex Katz, principal at Farpoint Development, which purchased the building at auction in early 2024.

“This building is the gateway to Lincoln Park, but during COVID many of the retailers vacated,” Katz said.

Farpoint and its partner MCZ Development first concentrated on filling the eight-story property’s office space, now 98% leased, Katz said. The partners also began modernizing the building, which includes hundreds of parking spaces on several levels. They added new amenities, a new facade and building systems, along with floor-to-ceiling windows for the ground-floor retail space.

It’s rare to see a soft goods retailer like T.J. Maxx take over such a prominent Lincoln Park location, Katz said, most likely because few can afford it. Farpoint was able to make the retail space on North Avenue affordable because it got the property at a huge discount.

“We bought it for pennies on the dollar, and that gave us a lot of flexibility to lease up the property,” he said. “Soft goods retailers are not paying $50 to $60 per square foot in rent.”

The previous owner paid $89 million for the building in 2004, and the present owners paid almost $21 million, according to Costar. Other tenants include Fitness Formula Clubs, Iteld Plastic Surgery, and Urban Oasis, a massage spa.

Katz said the foot traffic brought in by a T.J. Maxx will likely attract other new tenants, and the owners have letters of intent from several totaling another 10,000 square feet on the first floor and 35,000 square feet on the second.

“Some tenants can be the trigger for other leases and I think that’s what’s going on here,” he said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/t-j-maxx-lincoln-park/ 

ATLANTA — The Big Ten is marching into the heart of Southern football with a proud swagger, daring any conference to challenge its claim as the power to beat in the College Football Playoff.

Undefeated and top-seeded Indiana (14-0) and No. 5 seed Oregon (13-1) have turned the CFP semifinal in Friday night’s Peach Bowl into a Big Ten celebration.

Atlanta is home to Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the annual site of the Southeastern Conference championship game. Those conferences will be represented in Thursday night’s first CFP semifinal between Miami and Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Peach Bowl winner may be favored in the national championship game Jan. 19 as the Big Ten looks for its third straight title, following Ohio State and Michigan the last two seasons.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning, the former Georgia defensive coordinator who also coached at Alabama and Arizona State, among other schools, says the Big Ten has made a strong claim to national supremacy that will be on display in the semifinal game. Oregon or Indiana will have an opportunity to give the conference its third different national champion in three years.

“I’ve been a part of the SEC, just like Coach (Curt) Cignetti has,” Lanning said of the Indiana coach, who also is a former Alabama assistant. “I’ve been a part of the old Pac-12. I’ve been a part of a bunch of different conferences, and it’s hard to argue that anybody is doing it better right now than the Big Ten. There’s some quality from top to bottom.”

Added Cignetti: “Oregon is a great football team. But the Big Ten is a great conference, a lot of good teams top to bottom. And that’s a great thing about the playoffs. You give 12 teams a chance to win it all, and at the end of the day there’s one standing.”

Rematch

Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones (46) celebrates with linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) after an interception against Oregon on Oct. 11, 2025, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)

Indiana won 30-20 at Oregon on Oct. 11 to hand the Ducks their only loss. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw two interceptions and was sacked six times.

“We just didn’t play up to our standard,” running back Noah Whittington said. “It’s simple as that. We’ve just got to come out, play our brand of football, and we’ll take care of business.”

Hoosiers winning with balance

Cignetti guided the Hoosiers’ surprising climb with the impressive combination of a powerful defense, strong running game and the leadership of quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led the nation with 36 touchdown passes.

QB Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner — Indiana’s 1st winner in 24 years

The Hoosiers rank 10th in the nation with 220.7 rushing yards per game. They rank third in scoring with 41.6 points per game. The defense ranks second with its averages of 10.3 points, 242.6 yards and 73.7 rushing yards allowed.

CFP momentum

Oregon defensive back Brandon Finney reacts after an interception against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Each team is coming off dominant wins in the CFP quarterfinals.

Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl as Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns. The Ducks shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl as freshman Brandon Finney Jr. had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Going for it

Lanning has become known for his bold play-calling, including a proclivity to go for it on fourth down.

The Ducks converted 4 of 8 fourth-down attempts in the win over Texas Tech. Oregon successfully faked a punt on fourth down in the first half. Late in the game, Jordan Davison scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down to pad the final margin.

Earlier this year, Oregon converted 5 of 7 fourth-down attempts in a double-overtime victory over Penn State. Through 14 games, the Ducks have been successful 14 times in 30 fourth-down attempts. In contrast, Indiana has converted 8 of 16 attempts through 14 games.

Lanning solidified his reputation for unconventional plays last year in the Ducks’ 32-31 regular-season victory over Ohio State, in which the young coach exploited an illegal substitution penalty late in the game to take time off the clock. Soon thereafter, the NCAA issued guidance to close the loophole.

Ducks’ RB depth takes a hit

The Oregon depth chart at running back took a hit Tuesday when Davison was listed as out on the availability report.

The report didn’t specify why Davison was ruled out. The Oregonian reported he broken his collarbone against Texas Tech.

Davison has rushed for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns. Whittington leads the team with 829 rushing yards.

AP’s Anne M. Peterson contributed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/indiana-oregon-cfp-peach-bowl/ 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of avoiding interceptions throughout this season.

However, he hasn’t been nearly as effective in that regard during his playoff career.

The Packers’ chances of extending their season beyond this weekend depend in part on how well Love can protect the ball against the Chicago Bears, who had an NFL-leading 23 interceptions and 33 total takeaways during the regular season.

Love was picked off on just six of his 439 passes this season, but he has thrown five interceptions in his past six postseason quarters. Love will try to change that recent playoff trajectory when the Packers (9-7-1) visit the NFC North champion Bears (11-6) in a Saturday night wild-card matchup.

“Every play is something to learn from and grow from,” Love said Wednesday. “That’s the mindset I’ve always taken. I think, like I mentioned going into the playoffs having to win and then having a couple tough losses, it all shapes you going into the offseason.”

Love’s three previous playoff starts have run the gamut.

Chicago Bears preparing for intense atmosphere in playoff opener — on the field and in the stands

He made his playoff debut two years ago and went 16 of 21 for 272 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a 48-32 wild-card victory at Dallas. Love threw for two more touchdowns to give Green Bay a lead at San Francisco the following week before getting intercepted late in the third quarter and again in the closing minutes of a 24-21 loss.

Last season, Love threw three interceptions without a touchdown pass in a 22-10 wild-card loss at Philadelphia while many of his top options got injured either before or during the game.

“You look at the way the 49ers game ended, throwing a pick to end it, it’s a tough way to go out,” Love said. “And I think in that situation, there’s so much good stuff to learn from in a two-minute situation, understanding what the situation is, how much time is left, what the down and distance is, how much we need. And trying not to force the ball right there and make that play. And then, you look at the Eagles game, I had a (few) turnovers in that game.

“So I think it just always comes down to taking care of the ball, playing your best as a quarterback, and then putting the team in the best position.”

Love completed 66.3% of his passes this season for 3,381 yards with 23 touchdowns. He threw multiple interceptions just once, when he got picked off twice in a 34-26 loss at Denver that started Green Bay’s four-game skid to close the regular season.

Saturday will mark the first time Love has played since absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Bears defensive end Austin Booker in the second quarter of the Packers’ 22-16 overtime loss at Chicago on Dec. 20.

Although he missed Green Bay’s final two regular-season games, Love doesn’t expect rust to be an issue Saturday.

Love practiced fully throughout last week after getting cleared from concussion protocol, though the Packers chose to rest him for their 16-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Will Cole Kmet’s sister — who dates a Green Bay Packer — root for the Chicago Bears? ‘I’ll find out after.’

“When you’re practicing throughout the week, you still stay fresh,” Love said. “You’re missing some time playing in the game, but we played a lot of games this season. You’ve got banked reps.”

Love has a history of playing well against the Bears.

He threw for 234 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the Packers’ 28-21 victory over the Bears in Green Bay. Love has nine touchdown passes with two interceptions in six games against Chicago.

“We talk about it whenever it’s Bears week, just understanding the history of the Packers and this and the Bears — the oldest rivalry in the NFL,” Love said. “It’s something that I wasn’t even too familiar with before I got here, and then I think since I’ve been here, it’s something you just learn about.”

The recent history of this rivalry — the past four Packers-Bears matchups have all gone down to the wire — and the circumstances of Love’s exit from the Dec. 20 game have increased the intensity even more.

Booker was penalized for roughing the passer on the hit that sent Love into concussion protocol. Asked whether he thought the hit was a clean play, Love simply replied, “It’s a hit. It is what it is.”

Packers running back Josh Jacobs was more forthcoming on the topic.

“He’s never really rattled in those situations, but I know a lot of guys took that hit that he took a little personal,” Jacobs said. “So I’m not saying we’re going to go out there and play dirty or nothing like that, but we’re definitely going to defend our brother.”

NOTES: WR/CB Bo Melton is going on injured reserve after hurting his knee in the Packers’ regular-season finale. Coach Matt LaFleur said it isn’t an ACL injury and shouldn’t impact Melton’s availability for next season. … Jacobs says he’s feeling “the best I’ve felt probably in the last six weeks” after being slowed by a knee issue late in the regular season. … Jacobs, WR Christian Watson and S Evan Williams received the Tom Mulhern Stand-Up Guy Award given annually to the Packers who best helped reporters during the season.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/green-bay-packers-jordan-love-previous-playoff-disappointments/ 

WASHINGTON — The woman shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday was Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who had recently moved to Minnesota.

She was a U.S. citizen born in Colorado and appears to never have been charged with anything involving law enforcement beyond a traffic ticket.

In social media accounts, Macklin Good described herself as a “poet and writer and wife and mom.” She said she was currently “experiencing Minneapolis,” displaying a pride flag emoji on her Instagram account. A profile picture posted to Pinterest shows her smiling and holding a young child against her cheek, along with posts about tattoos, hairstyles and home decorating.

Her ex-husband, who asked not to be named out of concern for the safety of their children, said Macklin Good had just dropped off her 6-year-old son at school Wednesday and was driving home with her current partner when they encountered a group of ICE agents on a snowy street in Minneapolis, where they had moved last year from Kansas City, Missouri.

Video taken by bystanders posted to social media shows an officer approaching her car, demanding she open the door and grabbing the handle. When she begins to pull forward, a different ICE officer standing in front of the vehicle pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots into the vehicle at close range.

In another video taken after the shooting, a distraught woman is seen sitting near the vehicle, wailing, “That’s my wife, I don’t know what to do!”

Calls and messages to Macklin Good’s current partner received no response.

Trump administration officials painted Macklin Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to ram federal agents with her car. Her ex-husband said she was no activist and that he had never known her to participate in a protest of any kind.

He described her as a devoted Christian who took part in youth mission trips to Northern Ireland when she was younger. She loved to sing, participating in a chorus in high school and studying vocal performance in college.

She studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Virginia and won a prize in 2020 for one of her works, according to a post on the school’s English department Facebook page. She also hosted a podcast with her second husband, who died in 2023.

Macklin Good had a daughter and her son from her first marriage, who are now ages 15 and 12. Her 6-year-old son was from her second marriage.

Her ex-husband said she had primarily been a stay-at-home mom in recent years but had previously worked as a dental assistant and at a credit union.

Minneapolis on edge after fatal shooting of woman by ICE officer

Donna Ganger, her mother, told the Minnesota Star Tribune the family was notified of the death late Wednesday morning.

“Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” Ganger told the newspaper. “She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”

Ganger did not respond to calls or messages from the AP.

Mustian reported from New York.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/woman-killed-ice-agent-minneapolis/ 

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis was on edge Thursday following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer taking part in the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown, with the governor calling for people to remain calm and schools canceling classes and activities as a safety precaution.

State and local officials demanded ICE leave the state after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good was shot in the head. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said agents are not going anywhere.

The Department of Homeland Security has deployed more than 2,000 officers to the area in what it says is its largest immigration enforcement operation ever. Noem said more than 1,500 people have been arrested.

Macklin Good’s killing Wednesday morning in a residential neighborhood south of downtown was recorded on video by witnesses, and by the evening hundreds of people came out for a vigil to mourn her and urge the public to resist immigration enforcement. Some then chanted as they marched through the city, but there was no violence.

“I would love for ICE to leave our city and for more community members to come to see it happens,” said Sander Kolodziej, a painter who came to the vigil to support the community.

The videos of the shooting show an officer approaching an SUV stopped across the middle of the road, demanding the driver open the door and grabbing the handle. The Honda Pilot begins to pull forward, and a different ICE officer standing in front of it pulls his weapon and immediately fires at least two shots at close range, jumping back as the vehicle moves toward him.

It is not clear from the videos if the vehicle makes contact with the officer, and there is no indication of whether the woman had interactions with ICE agents earlier. After the shooting the SUV speeds into two cars parked on a curb before crashing to a stop.

In another recording made afterward, a woman who identifies Macklin Good as her spouse is seen crying near the vehicle. The woman, who is not identified, says the couple recently arrived in Minnesota and they had a child.

Noem called the incident an “act of domestic terrorism” against ICE officers, saying the driver “attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively, shot, to protect himself and the people around him.”

President Donald Trump made similar accusations on social media and defended ICE’s work.

Noem alleged that the woman was part of a “mob of agitators” and said the officer followed his training. She said the FBI would investigate.

But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called Noem’s version of events “garbage.”

“They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense,” Frey said. “Having seen the video myself, I wanna tell everybody directly, that is bullshit.”

Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis was a mother of 3, poet and new to the city

He also criticized the federal deployment and said the agents should leave.

The shooting marked a dramatic escalation of the latest in a series of immigration enforcement operations in major cities under the Trump administration. Wednesday’s is at least the fifth death linked to the crackdowns.

The Twin Cities have been on edge since DHS announced the operation’s launch Tuesday, at least partly tied to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents.

A crowd of protesters gathered at the scene after the shooting to vent their anger at local and federal officers.

In a scene that hearkened back to crackdowns in Los Angeles and Chicago, people chanted “ICE out of Minnesota” and blew whistles that have become ubiquitous during the operations.

Gov. Tim Walz said he was prepared to deploy the National Guard if necessary. He expressed outrage over the shooting but called on people to keep protests peaceful.

“They want a show,” Walz said. “We can’t give it to them.”

There were calls on social media to prosecute the officer who shot Macklin Good.

Commissioner Bob Jacobson of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said state authorities would investigate the shooting with federal authorities.

Dell’Orto reported from St. Paul, Minnesota. Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis, Ed White in Detroit, Valerie Gonzalez in Brownsville, Texas, Mark Vancleave in Las Vegas, Michael Biesecker In Washington, Jim Mustian in New York and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/08/minneapolis-fatal-shooting-woman-ice-officer/ 

Infamous CIA Double-Agent Aldrich Ames Dies At 84

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/08/2026 – 06:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/infamous-cia-double-agent-aldrich-ames-dies-84 

Trump Admin Declares War On Added Sugar, Embraces Real Foods In Massive MAHA Reset

Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/08/2026 – 06:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/trump-admin-declares-war-added-sugar-embraces-real-foods-massive-maha-reset