Axios Chicago

February 08, 2022
Happy Tuesday! Today is extraterrestrial culture day. So wear your best alien fashion? 🤷♀️
☀️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 37.
Situational awareness: Some suburban parents are lashing out at school boards for continuing to enforce mask rules after the downstate ruling.
Today's newsletter is 794 words — a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Future of snow removal
Chicago side streets (left) on Sunday morning were still lined with snow, unlike in Evanston (right), where the city asks residents to move cars during certain hours for thorough street plowing. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
After digging out from another snowy week, we've heard the usual gripes about dibs and uncleared side streets.
- Ald. Ray López went so far as to remove dibs junk in his ward.
- Some have suggested temporarily banning parking on one side of the street — as they do in Minneapolis–St. Paul and Evanston — to let plows clear it.
Why it matters: Chicago has already made two notably disastrous attempts to do this.
- In 1979, Mayor Richard Bilandic failed to fully clear public lots that were supposed to hold cars while the plows came through.
- In 2000, folks claimed insufficient notice about moving their cars.
What they're saying: Chicago's Chief Snow Officer (aka Streets and Sanitation Commissioner) Cole Stallard says the city's plowing system is getting much more efficient through a navigation app that tracks drivers and shows optimal routes for the streets that need more plowing.
- The city won't try the Evanston/Twin Cities method of moving cars for plowing this year, but Stallard says he will be commissioning "experts to compile data on the number of cars and temporary parking spaces we'd need to make it work."
As for the great dibs debate, Stallard dodged this question like it was a barrage of icy snowballs.
- He said instead that he'll send warnings out at the end of February for people to "take your aunt's favorite chair back inside."
The big picture: Stallard asks Chicagoans to "be neighborly" and help others on the block.
- He also asks that snow be shoveled onto the parkway, not "back into the middle of the street after plows have come through."
What's next: We'll follow up later this year on that feasibility study on moving cars for plowing.

2. Metrics to unmask Illinois still vague
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Ears perked up Friday when Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he'd like to "remove masks as soon as we possibly can."
Why it matters: Falling Illinois COVID-19 cases (down 51% last week) and the controversy around school masking are putting increased pressure on the governor to present clear metrics for ending the state mask mandate.
Context: Illinois' indoor mask mandate is unique in the Midwest and followed by just eight other states: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington.
- Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have similar rules.
Driving the news: Gov. Pritkzer extended his emergency management powers Friday for another month through a renewed disaster proclamation.
- The declaration grants the governor broad powers to deal with the pandemic, including mask mandates.
The bottom line: State officials say a combination of factors, rather than specific metrics, will be considered to end the mandate.
- "We continue to look at the data, especially hospitalizations, to determine the right time to reduce mitigations," Illinois Health Department spokesperson Melaney Arnold tells Axios.
- "We are headed in the right direction and a change could be coming soon."
3. Tips and hot links
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
✈️ According to a new 2021 ranking, JetBlue was the worst airline of the major carriers (9th). United Airlines was No. 4. (Wall Street Journal)
🎹 Did you miss Elton John's farewell tour at the United Center last weekend? Fear not, he'll be saying goodbye again in August at Soldier Field. (Chicago Tribune)
Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul wants to increase penalties and punishments for "smash and grab" thefts. (Crain's Chicago Business)
👚 So far, Chicago fashion in 2022 is … neutral. (Chicago Reader)
🏀 There's something special happening with the Illini men's basketball team. They are now ranked No. 13 with a huge showdown tonight against No. 3 Purdue in West Lafayette. (Sun-Times)
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4. Who wants wings!?
Bird's Nest wings. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Our Food Fight last week was over wings. We asked you to vote on our picks and the overwhelming winner was Justin:
- Bird's Nest: 82.9%
- Great Sea: 17.1%
🍗 Both of these places are great choices for your Super Bowl festivities, but you also gave us some great recommendations:
Luke G.: Reno, across the street from the Logan Square Blue Line stop. Nice heat and nice crisp edges without the heavy slathering of sauce.
Mary G.: I am partial to the smoked wings at Pearl's Southern Comfort in Edgewater. Naked with the Alabama white sauce. Delicious!
Philip F.: I feel like you have to mention Buffalo Joe's wings in this conversation! Their buttery buffalo sauce is the best I have had.
Carrie G.: dak has delicious Korean-style wings.
Austin S.: Not just wings but the fried chicken at Au Cheval is the best in Chicago!!! Crisp on Broadway in Lakeview is also great.
Philip P.: We go to Dong-Ah on Touhy in Lincolnwood. Sticky, spicy Korean wings with lots of meat. Let the finger smacking begin.
5. Where in the world is … Justin
Where am I? Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Can you guess where Justin is standing?
📬 Respond with the correct answer and you could win some Axios swag.
- Hint: Hundreds of years away but only 25 miles from downtown.
- The sport of kings, where forks are forbidden.
Our picks:
🍽 Monica is excited to try a bunch of places for Chicago Black Restaurant Week.
🎤 Justin can't wait to see the new Kids in the Hall documentary that will premiere at SXSW and then head to Amazon Prime video.
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