Lisa Dent is joined by Illinois State Representative Marcus C. Evans Jr. (33rd District) to discuss a report which showed that there are a number of Illinois school busses that are not insured. What can be done to prevent this from happening and ensure that buses are undergoing a routine safety inspection?

Steve Dale, filling in for Lisa Dent, checks in with the Newsroom team for their top stories today.

Isaac Reichman, Director of Communications at Choose Chicago, joins Steve Dale, filling in for Lisa Dent, to talk about Chicago Restaurant Week. Over 500 restaurants are participating in this year’s event. For the full list of restaurants and their menus, you can click here.

Karen Conti, Partner at Conti & Dolan and host of The Karen Conti Show on WGN Radio, joins Steve Dale, filling in for Lisa Dent, to talk about the recent TikTok ban. Despite the ban going into place on January 19th, TikTok became available in US again after a 14-hour blackout when President Trump claimed that he would give the company a 90-day reprieve to avoid a ban.

Dr. Matthew Kippenhan with emergency medicine at Northwestern Medicine joins Steve Dale, filling in for Lisa Dent, to discuss how the cold affects our health. While it’s not directly responsible for illnesses, those with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to getting sick from the cold.

Bill Snyder, weather producer at WGN-TV, joins Steve Dale, filling for Lisa Dent, to talk about the frigid temperatures hitting Chicago. On the anniversary of the coldest day in Chicago history, the city is facing negative temperatures reaching -20 degrees with wind-chill. The cold spell is expected to short, but very dangerous for those exposed to the elements.

Ellen Rosenfeld, Elected Chicago Board of Education Member of District 4, chats with Lisa Dent as one of the first newly sworn in members of the Chicago Board of Education. Being involved with Chicago Public Schools for years, she says she is thrilled to take on the challenges in the face of budget concerns and is committed in her mission to prioritize the success of students.

Sam Toia, President of the Illinois Restaurant Association joins Lisa Dent ahead of Chicago Restaurant Week to encourage locals to try something new from one of Chicago’s finest restaurants. He also addresses the question of the service charge that has popped up on your bill in the last few years and how the restaurant industry has been affected by the economy over the years.

Stephen Gillanders, Chef of Egg Bunni, talks to Lisa Dent to talk about his partnership with former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije, the mastermind behind Egg Bunni, one of the many features for Chicago Restaurant Week. The South Loop pop up restaurant is made possible by their shared passion for food, service and creating an incomparable culinary experience for Chicagoans.

Lisa Dent and the Newsroom cover some of today’s most unusual stories. Mary Van De Velde reports on racing pigeons being stolen, Kevin Powell tells us about Chef Charlie Trotter’s legacy being honored by his son, Dylan, and Steve Bertrand tells us about a politician’s marijuana story that led to a cigarette habit.