Axios Chicago

December 03, 2025
🎂 Happy Wednesday! On this day in 1818, Illinois became the 21st state. No big deal.
☁️ Today's weather: Cloudy with a high of 31. Temperatures will get dangerously cold later tonight.
Situational awareness: The Illinois Secretary of State's Office has temporarily suspended road tests due to icy road conditions after Monday's snowstorm.
Today's newsletter is 1,111 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Social media apps and public safety
Chicago lawmakers are working, yet again, to end "teen takeovers" by pursuing a revived curfew and policies to hold social media platforms accountable.
Why it matters: These takeovers have become an ongoing issue in recent years, often resulting in property destruction, violence and deaths.
Driving the news: Ald. William E. Hall (6th) plans to introduce a proposal that would require online platforms (such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat) to flag when teens are planning disorderly gatherings.
- Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) is revisiting his "snap curfew," which Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed this year. The proposal would subject minors to a curfew put in place by police with as little as 30 minutes' notice.
Catch up quick: Following this year's tree lighting ceremony at Millennium Park, several people were injured and one 14-year-old was shot and killed after large crowds of teens gathered along State Street.
- Before the event, social media posts circulated promoting a "teen takeover" at the ceremony.
How it works: Once the Chicago Police Department receives a possible threat and notifies a social media platform with the information, the online platform would have six hours to comply with their safety guidelines by removing any account that is circulating the threat.
- If they choose not to remove or restrict the content, the platform would need to provide the city with a written justification explaining why the content does not promote a reasonably foreseeable danger to public safety.
- If platform officials do not remove or otherwise disable public visibility of the threat — or provide justification for not doing so — they would be fined $50,000 with possible additional fines.
2. Zillow report goes after private real estate listings
A new analysis by Zillow suggests that private, or "pocket," listings in Chicago reinforce housing segregation, but proponents of these listings say they're better for the housing market overall.
The big picture: Zillow examined 40,000 listings on the MRED (Midwest Real Estate Data), the listing service for sellers and buyers in Chicago, to determine that listings only accessible to agents and brokers rather than a public marketplace were more often posted in majority-white neighborhoods than majority non-white neighborhoods.
Why it matters: Zillow, an online real estate marketplace open to all viewers, claims these closed-off postings don't give buyers a full picture of available inventory, with one Zillow researcher comparing it to "digital redlining," the discriminatory housing practice in the mid-20th century that kept primarily Black homebuyers out of certain neighborhoods.
By the numbers: 7.9% of privately listed homes were located in majority white neighborhoods compared to 3.4% in majority-non-white areas, which were determined by ZIP code.
The other side: MRED pushed back on Zillow's findings, saying their PLN (private listing network) is open to all registered agents, allowing equal access to represented buyers.
Between the lines: The fight over private listings has been an ongoing battle between the MRED and Zillow. The latter announced earlier this year it would not advertise homes that were privately listed, but it hasn't enforced that policy in Chicago yet.
- MRED says the ban is just a move by Zillow to control the marketplace.
3. NBC 5's JC Navarrete reveals cancer diagnosis
NBC 5 reporter JC Navarrete is stepping away from his duties to undergo surgery for kidney cancer.
The latest: Navarrete, a rising star in Chicago news, announced his diagnosis on Instagram Monday, including an intimate video of telling his parents, which he says was one of the hardest things he's ever done.
What they're saying: "I'm comfortable in sharing such an intimate moment with my family because I know there is strength in sharing," Navarette said in the video.
Zoom in: The reporter says he was diagnosed in May. His surgery was scheduled for yesterday.
What's next: It's unclear how long Navarette will be sidelined for recovery, but he said he would be off the air for a few weeks.
4. Tips and Hot Links: Alcala's on "Best Stores" list
🐎 Alcala's in West Town was the only Chicago spot included in the New York Times' "50 Best Clothing Stores in America" list. (NYT)
🏛️ Mayor Brandon Johnson opposes a new alder-driven budget proposal that ditches the head tax, nearly doubles garbage fees, restores some ride share charges and endorses more efficiencies. (Block Club)
🚌 Nearly 14,000 students at predominantly Latino schools stayed home from school the Monday after Border Patrol agents marched downtown in September.
- A new WBEZ analysis points to similar attendance drops during key moments of "Operation Midway Blitz."
✂️ The Evanston/Skokie school board could not come to a decision this week on whether to close one or two elementary schools, likely delaying any decision until next year. (Evanston Roundtable)
You don't want to miss out
🗓️ Mark your calendar with our Event Board.
Glow in the Snow at The Promontory on Dec 20: Chicago, it's time to light up the night. Glow in the Snow offers neon lights, icy vibes, live DJs, and a stylish crowd for a winter experience not to be missed. Attendees consent to filming for promotion. The venue is ADA accessible; call for elevator or seating assistance.$0 – $220.36.
Hosting an event? Email [email protected].
5. Favorite holiday song: Jingle Bell Rock?
WLIT-FM started playing around-the-clock holiday music a month ago and the results are in for which song we love the most.
The latest: New November data from iHeartMedia (parent company of WLIT-FM) says Chicago loves "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms more than any other festive tune.
- No. 2 on the list was "All I Want for Christmas" by Mariah Carey, followed by "Feliz Navidad" by Josè Feliciano, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams and "Little Drummer Boy" by Ray Conniff.
State of (radio) play: It's not surprising to the programmers at iHeart that the same classic songs rise to the top.
What they're saying: "The holiday season is a relatively short period of time, so songs don't burn out," Tom Poleman, iHeartMedia's chief programming officer, tells Axios.
💭 Justin's thought bubble: How in the world is "This Christmas" by Chicago's own Donny Hathaway not No. 1? BLASPHEMY.
6. Final four: Best holiday traditions
The competition is getting stiff in our quest to crown the best holiday tradition in Chicago.
State of play: We started with 16 activities and you've whittled them down to four.
The matchups:
- Walnut Room/Macy's vs. MSI's Christmas Around the World
- Christkindlmarket vs. ZooLights


Vote here! We'll close the polls around 4pm.
Edited by Lindsey Erdody.
🐶 Carrie wants to head to Morton Arboretum tonight for the Illumination lights display. Dogs are allowed on the next three Wednesdays.
🥣 Monica is getting hungry thinking about attending the first Soup & Bread of the season at The Hideout tonight.
🏀 Moyo is headed to the Bulls vs. Nets game tonight with friends.
🎧 Justin dishes on his Chicago media career for the new INBA podcast hosted by Margaret Larkin. He names names.
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