* ICYMI: Chicago City Council mulls natural gas ban, skips vote on police arbitration. NBC Chicago…

- The council declined to take up a measure that would have called for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, angering protesters who were calling for such a measure in the chamber.
-Lawmakers also deferred a measure that would allow Chicago police officers accused of misconduct to have their cases heard behind closed doors, rather than a public meeting of the Chicago Police Board.

* Related stories…

∙ Sun-Times: Johnson calls concept for Sox ballpark development at The 78 ‘the way new stadiums should and could look’
∙ ABC Chicago: Tensions rise at Chicago City Council meeting during Holocaust Remembrance Day resolution
∙ Block Club: Dollar Store Crackdown Delayed, But Fight To Hold Shops Accountable Isn’t Over

* Isabel’s top picks…

* WBEZ | Illinois OKs plan to revamp how reading is taught: The report outlines seven parts of literacy instruction, including comprehension and writing, but highlights the need for teaching phonics — or understanding the relationship between letters and sounds. This comes as a large body of scientific research details how we learn to read — and that’s through explicitly sounding out words. For some districts, this would represent a shift away from a “balanced literacy,” a broad-swing approach intended to foster a love of reading that includes phonics but doesn’t prioritize it.

* Tribune | Mayor Johnson calls on state to build migrant shelters outside Chicago: Speaking to reporters after presiding over the City Council meeting, the mayor did not directly answer questions about the fate of the next round of migrants whose 60-day deadline to vacate city-run shelters arrives Feb. 1, with harsh winter weather expected to remain. […] “What the state committed to doing back in November, that process has not moved as quickly as this (60-day) policy will hold,” Johnson said. “This policy was really attached to a larger operation that included … 2,200 beds. That’s what the state of Illinois committed to doing.”

* Sun-Times | Advocates make emotional plea for passage of bill aimed at seizing guns from those accused in domestic violences cases: Families of those killed in domestic violence cases joined lawmakers Wednesday in making an emotional plea for the Illinois General Assembly to act on Karina’s Bill — aimed at removing guns from the hands of abusers — following failed attempts to push the bill through in the fall veto session.

Governor Pritzker will be at the Sweet Maple Café at 9:30 am with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for a breakfast meeting.

* Ope…

I’ve been practicing my magic… I made the statehouse disappear. 😬🪄 pic.twitter.com/KflYXotEzk

— Tony Sanders (@TonySandersSupt) January 24, 2024

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

* WICS | Darren Bailey’s name recognition could pave way for congressional election upset: “They’re both strong conservatives, they both won within the territory,” said Kent Redfield, a retired political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield. “This certainly looks competitive.“ In July, a poll showed Bost was up six points on Bailey. A recent internal poll released by Bailey says he’s up 48-44 percent over Bost. While the polls are scarce, Kent Redfield expects a close race, with Bailey cashing in on his name recognition from downstate.

* CNI | State education board to seek $653M increase in upcoming budget year: PreK-12 education spending currently makes up about one-fifth of the state’s entire General Revenue Fund budget. The proposed increase, if approved, would bring the state’s total GRF spending on public education to just over $11 billion.

* WCIA | Pritzker pauses cuts to care for developmentally disabled: A spokesperson for the Pritzker administration confirmed the cuts will not go into effect this fiscal year. The state already delayed the implementation of the cuts multiple times. The current fiscal year will end on July 1st.

* Chronicle | Four vie in 53rd State Senate GOP primary after challenge overturned: The 53rd State Senate District GOP primary ballot will remain crowded after Gridely businessman and farmer Mike Kirkton survived a challenge to his nominating petitions by the slimmest of margins earlier this month.

* WTTW | ‘Night and Day’ Transformation: Arnold Randall is Leaving Cook County Forest Preserves in Better Shape Than He Found Them: In his final days as general superintendent, Randall spoke with WTTW News about his legacy, how the forest preserves will maintain its positive trajectory and what lured him to move on from what he called “the best job I’ve ever had.”

* Daily Herald | Former Mount Prospect mayor has medical scare at state of village address: She later texted Mayor Paul Hoefert, telling him that doctors attributed the episode to dehydration. “And apparently she has COVID,” Hoefert added. Juracek said in a text Wednesday evening that she had no idea she had COVID until she was tested at the hospital. She said she is “drinking lots of homemade turkey soup.”

* Sun-Times | Johnson dodges embarrassing defeat by calling off second vote to reject police arbitration: Johnson wanted the Council to reject that ruling again. His allies filed notice of their intention to seek that vote with the city clerk’s office. The city’s longtime labor negotiator Jim Franczek even told a Circuit Court judge hearing a lawsuit filed by the Fraternal Order of Police that the second vote would be held at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. But Johnson had a problem. He needed two-thirds of the Council — 34 members — to vote to immediately consider the matter because it had not been before a committee.

* Crain’s | City Council unanimously approves Ciere Boatright as planning commissioner: Boatright has pledged to speed up the city’s development approval process to “get far more shovels in the ground and cut more ribbons” and has received praise from the real estate community and members of the council since taking the job on an interim basis last year.

* Sun-Times | City analyst paid $123k a year to do nothing blames power grab by Ald. Jason Ervin: “He took all my credentials and access away. I would love to come to work. I wasn’t allowed to come to work,” Williams, 50, said Wednesday. “I enjoyed what I was doing. It was one of the best opportunities I ever had. I was denied access to come to work. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to come to work. I couldn’t come to work,” he said.

* Block Club | Obama Foundation Gives $500K To Chicago Groups Supporting Girls’ Health, Education And More: The money will be spent to boost programs like free therapy, mentorship, education for refugees, a performance at the Harris Theater and more. All are available to and center young women.

* Daily Herald | DuPage County hires new federal lobbyist: The county will pay McGuireWoods Consulting $8,000 a month or $96,000 total under a one-year contract starting Feb. 1. The board awarded the contract after several Republican members raised questions earlier this month about the cost and whether the federal lobbyist would work across party lines.

* CBS | 2 Chicago nonprofits serving the disabled finally get handicapped parking: Their quest to get handicapped parking in front of their building is finally over. It started more than two years ago with phone calls and letters - and no action - until now. If city signage brightens your day, there’s got to be a story behind it.

* Block Club | Skylark Employees Buy Popular Pilsen Dive Bar, And They’re Keeping It The Same: The new owners are planning to celebrate with a “Grand Staying The Same” party 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at the bar, 2149 S. Halsted St. There will be limited edition Skylark apparel available for purchase, along with its typical and well-loved menu.