🌱 James Beard Award Semifinalists + NASCAR Street Race Music Lineup

Good morning! In today's Chicago Daily, this and more:

• 🚨 The controversial police and fire training facility opens on the West Side
• 🎵 NASCAR announces the music lineup for its first-ever Chicago Street Race
• 🍽️ Chicago has 11 James Beard Award semifinalists

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❄️ The weather:

A little snow at times. High: 32 Low: 19.

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📰 Top 5 stories in Chicago:

1) 1 dead, 9 injured in extra-alarm fire in Kenwood high-rise. An elderly woman died, nine were injured and 47 were displaced after a high-rise fire yesterday at the Harper Square Cooperative residential building. The fire was reported just after 10 a.m. and grew nine floors before being contained. (WGN 9)

2) Controversial West Side police, fire academy opens after years of pushback from activists. Officials gathered yesterday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new $170 million joint-training facility on the West Side. The campus will be used to train first responders from the Chicago Police and Fire Departments, and will feature a "tactical village" that resembles a neighborhood and a six-story tower for fire training. (Block Club Chicago)

3) NASCAR announces music lineup, general admission tickets for Chicago Street Race. Miranda Lambert, The Chainsmokers, The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett will perform at the city's first-ever NASCAR street race in July. General admission tickets to the two-day event go on sale to the public Feb. 2, with two-day prices starting at $269. (NBC 5)

4) Chicago has 11 James Beard Award semifinalists for 2023. The James Beard Foundation released its list of 2023 semifinalists yesterday morning, naming 11 Chicago bars, restaurants, chefs and beverage professionals in the running for the prestigious award. Finalists will be announced March 29, with an awards ceremony June 5 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. (Eater Chicago)

5) 35 Chicago charter schools approved to stay open but with CPS closely watching over them. The Chicago Board of Education renewed contracts yesterday for 35 charter and contract schools, issuing shorter contracts and new conditions for continued approval. The changes come amid demands for greater accountability in charter school finances and performance. (Chicago Sun-Times)

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📌 Today in Chicago:

• Golden Hour feat. Christian Yi at Epiphany Center for the Arts (5:00 PM)
• Business After Hours at PARennial Golf (5:30 PM)
• Blake Lenior at The Promontory (6:00 PM)
• Soundpost — Restorative Resonance: An Immersive Sound Experience with Davin Youngs at Chicago Symphony Orchestra (6:00 PM)
• Max Manticof at Reggies (7:00 PM)
• Paracord Plant Hangers at Art Camp Chicago (7:00 PM)
• Big Picture Chicago: Local Filmmaker Showcase at The Patio Theater (7:00 PM)
• Chicago Opera Theater presents Albert Herring at Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture (7:30 AM)
• Fulcrum Point Presents, Auxin: Connected! For Mingus at Epiphany Center for the Arts (7:30 PM)
• Buddy Guy with MZZ Reese at Buddy Guy's Legends (7:30 PM)
• Magician Trent James at The Den Theatre (8:00 PM)
• Desi Alexander at Zanies Comedy Club (8:00 PM)
• My Best Friend Is Black Show at The Lincoln Lodge (8:00 PM)
• Dogs Or Cats; Augmented Body at Steppenwolf Theatre (8:00 PM)
• Squirrel Flower at Sleeping Village (8:00 PM)
• Jared James Nichols at Beat Kitchen (8:00 PM)
• Trill Winter at The Promontory (9:00 PM)
• Hey Cowboy at Bub City (10:00 PM)

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📱 Social chatter:

• Long-vacant building: "The Gold Coast courtyard building on Dearborn Parkway is a ghost. It's well maintained, but has been locked up with no signs of life for decades." (Crain's Chicago Business via Facebook)
• Puzzling painting: "At first glance, "Self-Portrait of My Sister" (1941) appears to be a straightforward representation of a young woman in hat and gloves. The title's contradictory language, however, reveals that this painting is a riddle. Chicagoan Gertrude Abercrombie was an only child—she had no sister to portray." (The Art Institute of Chicago via Facebook)
• "Banned Book Club": "Chicago Today starts "Banned Book Club." Here is the first read and how to join." (NBC 5)
• 2023 Chicago Polar Plunge: "Registration now open for the 2023 Chicago Polar Plunge. The 23rd annual Chicago Polar Plunge will take place Sunday, March 5th at North Avenue Beach, and will benefit Special Olympics Chicago/SCC." (Chicago Patch)
• Your ward: "What ward are you in? Find your 2023 Chicago ward using your address here." (Block Club Chicago)

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• Business After Hours at PARennial Golf (January 26)
• Block Cinema: ROSA BLANCA (1961) (January 26)
• Block Cinema: ARAYA (1959) on 35mm (January 27)
• "Proclaim Liberty!" | A Choral Festival Honoring the Ideals of MLK & Heralding Black History Month (January 29)
• Creating Engaging Presentations (February 3)
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I'll be back tomorrow morning with another update!

— Nicole Cvetnic

About me: I'm a Midwesterner and very happy to call Chicagoland home. I love the outdoors—especially hiking—performing arts, photography, good food, travel and gardening. You can find me reading to my toddler, watching tv with my husband or cuddling with our rescue dog.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Chicago Daily? Contact me at chicago_il@patch.com