Afternoon Edition: Jan. 26, 2022

A memorial for 8-year-old Melissa Ortega at the corner of W 26th St and S Pulaski Rd in Little Village on Monday. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 11 degrees and wind chill values as low as minus-8. Tonight will see increasing clouds with a low near 7 degrees and win chill values as low as minus-7 degrees. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a high near 30 degrees and a slight chance of snow showers.

Top story

16-year-old boy charged with fatally shooting 8-year-old girl in Little Village, man charged with driving getaway car

Murder charges have been filed against a 16-year-old boy and a man in the apparent gang-related shooting that killed 8-year-old Melissa Ortega over the weekend in Little Village.

The 16-year-old is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said at a news conference this afternoon. His name wasn’t released.

The getaway driver, Xavier Guzman, 27, is also charged with murder and attempted murder as well as unauthorized use of a weapon, Brown said.

They are expected to appear in court tomorrow.

“Our city has been shaken and we can’t make sense of this tragedy,” Brown said in announcing the charges.

Guzman was taken into custody Monday after homicide investigators pulled over a Toyota Camry believed to have been used in Saturday’s shooting on 26th Street near Pulaski Road.

The suspect was behind the wheel and a loaded gun was found in the driver’s side door, according to a police report.

The fatal shooting shook the Little Village neighborhood and prompted a large response from police. Officials had said Monday that they were following promising leads.

Tom Schuba and Clare Spaulding have more on the tragic shooting here.

More news you need

1. A Little Village elementary school lost heat and electricity as temperatures plunged below zero this morning. Engineers were called early in the morning to Corkery Elementary School after a local power outage and restored power by 9:35 a.m., CPS said.
2. On the same day Arne Duncan appeared before the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to push his four-point plan to curb violence in the city, the former U.S. Education Secretary and CPS chief said he’s “absolutely thinking about” challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2023. Duncan, who said earlier this month he’s being urged by local business leaders to run, advocated for a plan to rethink the role of police.
3. Thirty-one small businesses on the South and West sides were recently awarded grants from the city’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund. Recipients include a new restaurant, a studio space, a neighborhood store and more.
4. More grants! Six Chicago-area creatives have each been awarded $50,000 grants by the Chicago-based arts funding organization United States Artists. The local winners include T. Ayo Alston, Jenn Freeman “Po’Chop,” Nicole Marroquin, Andrea Carlson, Assia Boundaoui and Awardee Andy Slater.

A bright one

Kids and ice fishing: Some advice from parents with experience around the Chicago area

It’s incredibly cold in Illinois, so naturally, many outdoorsy parents are taking their kids out for ice fishing around the Chicago area.

Our Outdoors columnist Dale Bowman recently reached out to some ice-fishing-experienced parents to get their advice on how to best make the activity a family affair.

Two weekends ago, Tom Shumowsky had four of his six children, aged 12 years old to 4 months, ice fishing on Channel Lake.

Asher Shumowsky with a yellow bass caught ice fishing on Channel Lake. Provided

“The keys to getting them out is to just have fun,” Shumowsky said. “It’s not all serious when we are out. I let them run around and just be kids. Also lots of snacks. I usually go out for four hours with them but sometimes on longer trips we will make an entire day of it.”

For Nick Mertins, whose “almost 3-year-old” son J.J. caught his first fish ice fishing two weekends ago, it’s important to embrace test runs.

“One thing I have done as a parent, now of three boys all of whom I’ve taken I’ve fishing, was to start somewhere local and not too far of a drive!” Mertins messaged. “This gives us parents the ability to see if the kids were really into it before committing to a long drive and finding out the kids were not up to it.”

Dale Bowman has some more advice from parents here.

From the press box

• A high school basketball event billed as “Donda Homecoming” that’s scheduled for Feb. 5 in Chicago had not been sanctioned by the Illinois High School Association as of 11 a.m. this morning. The event is supposed to include several top local teams and Donda Academy, Ye West’s prep school.
• If Aaron Rodgers indeed leaves the Packers this offseason, new GM Ryan Poles’ arrival to the Bears couldn’t have come at a better time.
• Poles was slated to talk today to coaching candidates Dan Quinn and Matt Eberflus. He interviewed Jim Caldwell yesterday.
• The Bulls’ latest player to get bit by the injury bug is Derrick Jones Jr., who fractured his right index finger in a workout and could miss six to eight weeks.
• UIC will join the Missouri Valley Conference starting with the 2022-23 season.

Your daily question ☕

Dibs season is in full swing. Aside from the classic chair, what other items have you seen — or used — to stake your claim?

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday we asked you: What advice do you have for the Bears’ new GM?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Thicken your skin. These guys are brutal.” — Karin Weidman

“Do what you have to do for us to win another ring. It’s been a long time.” — Clara Washington

“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” — Ken Liddell

“Ketchup doesn’t belong on a hotdog!” — Victor Serritella

“Don’t unpack. Keep everything in your luggage.” — David Bibian

“Do not become George McCaskey's puppet. Best of luck in this new chapter of your life and I hope you can turn these guys around to at least bring them to the playoffs.” — Joyce Flaherty

“Bears fans will eat whatever garbage you put in front of them.” — Patrick Dorgan

“Thin crust cut on a grid, not deep dish.” — Brendan Murphy

“Chicago Bears fans are passionate about the team. Don't let George push you around. You are the GM. Good luck. Wish you the best on your journey.” — Chris Bowden

“Convince the McCaskeys that it’s a seller’s market.” — Craig Barner

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