It is extremely cold.

The big picture: Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials are asking residents to stay indoors if they can.

What they're saying: "We need Chicagoans to check on their neighbors, especially their elderly neighbors," Johnson said yesterday.

State of play: Chicago Public Schools, many suburban schools and some colleges and universities have cancelled today's classes.

• Some Chicago area museums, outpatient centers and courthouses have also closed.
• Some local events have already been called off, most notably the annual Polar Plunge, which was scheduled for tomorrow.

The latest: Metra is running reduced service today, while the CTA appears to be running on schedule, but check the latest service alerts.

• In the past, Metra and CTA have faced service problems because of nasty weather. Metra says freezing temperatures force speed reductions.

Zoom in: Some workplaces are allowing employees to work remotely. Employers can make you go to work in inclement weather, but OSHA says employers must provide a workplace "free from recognized hazards, including winter weather related hazards."

• Cook County has warming centers open until 4:30pm, and Chicago's warming centers are open until 5pm. Plus, libraries, park district field houses and city colleges are available.

Pipes freezing is a big concern with these temperatures, so open utility closets to get heat in and allow your faucets to drip.

• Never use a stove or oven to heat your home, as it could cause carbon monoxide poisoning or fires.
• Remove snow and ice from outside natural gas meters and clear overhead icicles to prevent dripping water from refreezing on your meters and pipes.

Go deeper

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to allow political candidates to sue over mail-in ballots could open the door to more lawsuits challenging election outcomes.

Driving the news: The court ruled last week that U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) has legal standing to challenge an Illinois law that allows ballots to be counted up to two weeks after election day, overturning lower courts' decisions.

Catch up quick: Bost and two other plaintiffs sued the Illinois Board of Elections in 2022 in Illinois' Northern District, alleging Illinois law is a violation of federal law, which designates the first Tuesday in November as the only election day.

Between the lines: The SCOTUS ruling doesn't say Illinois' mail-in ballots law is illegal, just that Bost can continue to litigate it.

Reality check: Mail-in ballots did not affect the southern Illinois Republican who defeated his Democratic opponent with 75% of the vote in 2022.

What they're saying: "There are concerns that this opens the door for more silly challenges by candidates to all kinds of election rules, which we know are fodder for all kinds of conspiracy thinking in our current political environment," Northwestern law professor Michael Kang tells Axios.

Keep reading

🗳️ Gov. JB Pritzker is reportedly co-headlining a February celebration for the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada. The state is traditionally one of the first to vote in the Democratic presidential primary. (Axios)

⚖️ A federal jury acquitted a Chicago man accused of putting a bounty on the head of Border Patrol leader Greg Bovino last fall. (WTTW)

🧑‍⚕️ Lurie Children's Hospital is scaling back it's gender affirming care for patients younger than 18, citing a recent threat of investigation from the Trump administration. (Tribune)

🗞️ The Daily Herald's owners have informed the state and the paper's 120 employees that it is considering a sale of the suburban paper. (Tribune)

🎭 Teatro ZinZanni, the Loop's extravagant dinner theater experience, is closing its show and leaving its Hotel Cambria space at the end of the month. (Newcity)

The Jean Banchet Awards committee is honoring Grant Achatz with a Lifetime Achievement prize on Sunday.

What he's saying: "I have been incredibly fortunate in this career, and it is time to give others opportunities, like the ones I had, to keep moving hospitality forward," the Alinea chef and founder tells Axios.

• "For a long time, the focus was only, 'let's go today, let's create, let's move,' but now it's also, 'OK, remember how it felt to be 25 in this industry, go talk to that person, mentor them.'"
• "And when a committee like Banchet's says what you've done so far has made a major impact on the industry, that's special in a way that's bigger than stars or lists."

To mark this milestone, we asked Achatz how he'd spend his best day ever in his adopted hometown.

☕️ Breakfast: "Assuming brunch counts, I head to The Loyalist for the quiche Lorraine and almond financier with lots of coffee."

🏃🏽 Morning activity: "My morning workout. It is the one hour in the day I have to myself; the headphones go in, and I allow my mind to drift without forcing myself to focus on any specific thing. It's a luxury."

🐟 Lunch: "Gibsons. I usually get the planked whitefish. It's always cooked and seasoned well, and I like the grilled onions and baked tomatoes that come with it."

🖼️ Afternoon activity: "On my days off, I will usually go to the Art Institute or MCA. I still find a lot of inspiration from other artists' works."

Where Achatz goes to dinner

👋 Hello, it's Justin!

In honor of Grant Achatz, The Banchet Awards, James Beard semi-finalists, the closing of Time Out Market and the 40th anniversary of Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, I bring you another restaurant quiz!

• It's Fancy foodies (vol. 2)!

State of play: Last week, we only had one winner on radio stations, which turned out to be harder than I realized.

• Kudos to Andrea D.! It's almost like she should be on the radio! 😝

Dig in: Take the new Fancy foodies quiz here.