What to know about the partial government shutdown and its impact

The partial government shutdown that started Saturday is vastly different from the record closure in the fall.

That is mostly because the shutdown may not last long.

The House will try to pass funding legislation quickly when lawmakers return Monday, and that would end the shutdown. Congress already has passed half this year’s funding bills, ensuring that several important federal agencies and programs continue to operate through September. Nutrition assistance programs, for example, should be unaffected.

Funding will lapse, at least temporarily, for the Pentagon and agencies such as the departments of Homeland Security and Transportation. Essential functions will continue, but workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on. Some could be furloughed.

Why is there another shutdown?

The government funding process had been going smoothly, with key lawmakers in the House and Senate finding bipartisan agreement. But the shooting deaths this month of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renée Good, by federal agents in Minneapolis, changed the dynamic.

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Most of the U.S. government is shut down but is expected to reopen early next week

Democrats were incensed after Pretti’s killing and demanded that one of the six remaining funding bills, for DHS and its associated agencies, be stripped from the package passed by the House. They said the bill must include changes to immigration enforcement, including a code of conduct for federal agents and a requirement that officers show identification.

Eager to avoid another shutdown, President Donald Trump’s White House struck a deal with Democrats to temporarily fund DHS at current levels for two weeks while the negotiations play out.

The Senate passed the five-bill funding package Friday, but it must pass the House again before becoming law. The House is not returning until Monday, ensuring funding will lapse for parts of the government, at least temporarily.

Have there been previous brief or weekend shutdowns?

Yes, and typically the effects were not very visible to anyone hoping to use government services.

There were a couple of these in Trump’s first administration.

In January 2018, a dispute over immigration protections resulted in a weekend shutdown. Some federal workers were furloughed or worked without pay. Benefits such as Social Security and Medicare were uninterrupted, many people did not notice the shutdown and federal offices reopened the following Monday after a deal was in place.

In February 2018, the shortest shutdown in U.S. history lasted about nine hours, overnight, and most people did not notice any impact. While agencies technically shut down after funding lapsed, it was so brief that furlough notices were not all sent out, and nothing was closed during business hours.

What funding is impacted?

The funding lapse affects the Pentagon and agencies such as the Transportation Department and DHS, which includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Experts have said FEMA should have enough money to respond to the massive winter storm still affecting large swaths of the country. FEMA would have about $7 billion to $8 billion in a fund for disaster response and recovery efforts and the staff who work on them. An extended shutdown could put more pressure on that fund, especially if FEMA must respond to new disasters.

Other FEMA operations, such as the ability to write or renew National Flood Insurance Program policies, would pause, as they did during last year’s 43-day shutdown.

That shutdown took a toll on the traveling public as delays and cancellations mounted, and there is now a risk of air travel disruptions again: One of the spending bills awaiting House passage covers the Department of Transportation, which is responsible for the air traffic control system and its workforce.

Air traffic controllers would still report for duty, but would be doing so without pay until a funding bill is passed.

Will SNAP and other food assistance programs be affected?

No. That is a major change from the fall shutdown, when many people had to do with little-to-no assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the final weeks of the government closure. The bill to end that shutdown funded the Department of Agriculture and the programs that it administers through the remainder of the budget year, which ends Sept. 30.

That means full SNAP benefits will continue now. The federal food program serves about 42 million people, about 1 in 8 Americans, in lower-income households. They receive an average of around $190 monthly per person.

Another key program fully funded for the year is the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC. It provides pregnant women and young children with healthy food and nutrition counseling.

___

Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C., and can be reached at https://ift.tt/xWjzEri

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Mayor Johnson directs CPD to investigate alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents

Editor’s note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Saturday signed an executive order directing Chicago police to investigate and document alleged illegal activity by federal immigration agents and refer evidence of felony violations to prosecutors.

The “ICE on Notice” executive order employs local authority to ensure federal agents are legally held accountable for misconduct. City officials drafted the measure in response to federal immigration operations that, according to the mayor’s office, have “violated constitutionally protected rights, destabilized communities, and provoked life-threatening confrontations while remaining insulated from local or civilian oversight.”

Under the order, officers are given a “clear procedure” to follow if they witness or receive reports of federal agents involved in illegal activity. Officers are directed to do the following in such situations:

• Document federal enforcement activities in accordance with CPD policy
• Ensure that any body-camera footage captured during the incident is preserved
• Seek to identify the federal supervisory officer on scene, attempt to verify the supervisory officer’s name and badge number, and record the credential verification using body-cameras—including any refusal to comply
• Complete a report on any violation of state or local law by federal agents consistent with CPD policy
• Immediately summon emergency medical services and render aid to any injured person on the scene

If illegal misconduct occurs, Chicago police supervisors will be required to present evidence and refer any felony matters to the Cook County State’s Attorney Office. The office, in a statement, said it “remains committed to protecting public safety, ensuring accountability and upholding the rule of law alongside our law enforcement partners. We look forward to reviewing the Mayor’s Executive Order now that we have received it.”

According to Johnson’s office, the executive order follows reports the federal government is planning another immigration surge in Chicago and the suburbs this spring.

The directive is the most recent action taken by the mayor to counter the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

In August, Johnson unveiled a plan to counter the then-looming federal immigration crackdown and a possible National Guard deployment threatened by President Donald Trump. That executive order established campaigns to inform people of their rights and utilizes legal action and legislation to prevent civil rights violations.

In October, Johnson signed another executive order aimed at limiting where federal agents can gather, declaring city-owned or controlled parking lots, vacant lots, and garages as “ICE-free” zones.

Federal immigration enforcement teams pulled out of Chicago for other cities in November, but returned the following month and resumed making arrests of allegedly undocumented immigrants.

Protests to enforcement efforts escalated in Chicago and across the country last week, sparked by outrage over the death of 39-year-old Alex Pretti, a protester who was shot and killed by a federal officer on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.

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Sirius XM $28M settlement: Do you qualify? How to file a claim

You could get money as part of a $28 million proposed class action action settlement with Sirius XM Radio, and there’s still time to file a claim.

The proposed settlement stems for a lawsuit filed Nov. 22, 2022 in a Central Illinois courthouse that alleges Sirius XM made telephone calls to people despite them being on either the National Do Not Call Registry or Sirius XM’s Internal Do Not Call Registry, the settlement administrator website said.

According to the initial complaint, Sirius XM was aware its calling practices were “illegal,” and that hundreds have reported the calls to the Federal Trade Commission.

Sirius XM denies any wrongdoing in the case, the site said.

A final approval hearing for the settlement is set for May 11, and eligible class members still have time to file a claim. Here’s how the process works and what to know.

Could you get money in the settlement?

According to the site, any person in the U.S. who is on the National Do Not Call Registry, or Sirius XM’s Internal Do Not Call list, and received a call from the company over the last six years may be eligible, but there are some restrictions.

More details are below:

1. Anyone in the U.S. who received more than one telephone solicitation call in a 12-month period between April 27, 2019 and October 31, 2025 on their landline, wireless, cell or mobile telephone numbers made by or on behalf of Sirius XM, (2) where such calls were received more than 31 days after registering their telephone number with the National Do-Not-Call Registry, and (3) the person was not a self-paying Sirius XM subscriber at the time of the first call or before the start of the second call.
2. Anyone in the U.S. 1) who received more than one telephone solicitation call in a 12-month period between April 27, 2019 and October 31, 2025 on their landline, wireless, cell or mobile telephone numbers made by or on behalf of Sirius XM, and (2) where such calls were received after the person asked to register the landline, wireless, cell or mobile telephone number on which they received those telephone calls on Sirius XM’s internal Do-Not-Call list. 

You can learn more about whether your phone number is on the National Do Not Call Registry here.

More information on Sirius XM’s “Do Not Call” policy can be found here.

How much money could you get?

According to the administrator, members could get a portion of a proposed $28 million settlement after attorneys fees and expenses, court costs and service awards for named plaintiffs are paid. And, the settlement must still be approved by the judge, with a hearing set for May 11, 2026.

How to file a claim

Claims can be submitted online or via mail, and some may have received a personalized notice via mail or email with a Notice ID and confirmation code.

Those who did not receive a notice can fill out an claim form here. The deadline to fill out the form is March, 21, 2026, the site said.

If you were a Sirius XM subscriber between April 27 2019 and Oct. 31, 2025, you may not be an eligible class member, the site said.

The claim form shows recipients could receive their money in a number of ways, including a prepaid Mastercard, via PayPal, Venmo, Direct Deposit or Zelle.

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Multiple rounds of snow spark winter storm warnings, alerts. What to expect and when

Snow began falling in parts of the Chicago area as many were under winter storm warnings and advisories, but which areas will be hit hardest, how long will the snow last and how much can residents expect?

The “intense band” of lake effect snow started falling across the Chicago area late Friday morning and was expected to continue into the weekend before another round of snow could take shape.

The system could result in “prolonged” periods of snowfall and extended travel concerns.

Here’s a look at what to expect and where:

Which areas will see the most snow?

A winter storm warning was issued for parts of Cook County and northwest Indiana, with the National Weather Service warning “travel could be very difficult to nearly impossible at times” and “bands of snow may stall for hours at a time.”

Other parts of the region were under a winter weather advisory, with the potential for accumulating snow in a matter of hours.

“A quick 1 to 3 inches of accumulation is expected within just a 2 or 3 hour period,” the NWS warned.

Track the snow LIVE here

In Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana, a winter storm warning will go into effect at 3 p.m. Friday. There, as much as six inches or even a foot of snow could fall, with travel conditions “very difficult to nearly impossible at times.”

In parts of Cook County where the winter storm warning was in effect, a “burst” of accumulating snow was expected through the early afternoon, at rates of 1-2 inches per hour at times, the with NWS warning of hazardous travel conditions as the snow band wobbles.

“Locally higher amounts possible with lake-enhanced snow over Lake County,” the NWS added.

Because lake effect snow is often localized, conditions will vary across short distances. The biggest impacts will be felt in areas immediately along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from near white out conditions in very heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away,” the NWS said. “Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”

Travel warnings in place across the area

The snow bursts could lead to slick, slippery roads and hazardous conditions, with the NWS warning the conditions could impact the afternoon and evening commute.

“During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from near white out conditions in very heavy snow to dry weather just a few miles away,” the NWS warned. “Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road
conditions. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.”

While a short break in the heavy snow was possible for a period in the afternoon, another round of “intense” lake effect snow was expected to snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour Friday evening and into Saturday morning, the NWS.

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications urged motorists to “take extra precautions to winterize vehicles and have necessary supplies on-the-go.”

The Illinois Department of Transportation also issued an alert to drivers, asking them to “please take it slow and use extra caution during your commutes.”

The Indiana Department of Transportation told drivers to “be prepared for rapidly changing travel conditions – visibility will be greatly reduced and travel conditions will quickly deteriorate under the lake effect band.”

Some airlines have issued alerts to travelers warning of the potential for travel impacts due to the winter weather conditions.

United Airlines alerted travelers of the possibility of “operational delays, including flight delays or cancellations.”

How long will the snow last?

The initial wave that began Friday morning in northeast Illinois is expected to continue through early afternoon, but the main impact from the snow is expected to move in early Friday evening and continue overnight.

“Snowfall rates may reach 1 to 2 inches per hour or higher and lead to dangerous travel within the main lake effect snow area,” the NWS warned.

The lake effect snow band will continue for several hours and could shift back to northeast Illinois Saturday, the NWS said, bringing “a period of heavy lake effect snow for several hours.”

That snow was expected to come to an end by evening, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.

In Central and Southern Cook County, a winter storm warning was in effect until midnight. That will transition to a winter storm watch through Saturday morning, the NWS said.

In DuPage, Lake and Northern Cook County, a winter weather advisory was in effect until 6 p.m. Friday

In Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana, the winter storm warning will continue through 6 p.m. Saturday.

How much snow could we get?

Snow totals will vary depending on where you live, Roman said. The NWS warned of anywhere from 1 to 8 inches across the area.

East of the Dan Ryan and I-57 and in northwest Indiana, six or more inches of snow was expected, and isolated totals of up to a foot were possible.

In Illinois, counties to the west could see just a trace of snow, while counties along the lake could see between one to three inches.

To the southeast, more snow could fall, with between three and six inches possible.

What’s next?

Another round of snow is possible Sunday evening and into Monday morning as temperatures begin to warm into the upper 20s.

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‘Home Alone' and ‘Schitt's Creek' actor Catherine O'Hara dies at 71

Actor Catherine O’Hara, best-known for roles in “Schitt’s Creek,” “Home Alone,” “SCTV” and other TV and film productions, has died at age 71, according to her representative.

Details about a cause of death for the beloved award-winning actor were not immediately available.

The Canadian actor, writer and comedian rose to fame as one of the original cast members on the legendary sketch show SCTV. She starred in several Tim Burton-directed films, Beetlejuice (1988), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Frankenweenie (2012).

O’Hara also delivered laughs in mockumentaries like “Best in Show” (2000) and “A Mighty Wind” (2003).

More recently, she earned two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lead Actress for her work on “Schitt’s Creek.”

O’Hara grew up in the Toronto area and took a job at the improvisational comedy club Second City Theatre. She became a member of the company in the mid-1970s when the group launched what would become the hit comedy TV show “SCTV.” The show was picked up for late-night viewing in 1981 in the United States.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Popular activewear brand FP Movement opening store at suburban Chicago mall

A cult favorite athleisure and activewear brand known for its matching sets will soon open a store at a suburban Chicago mall.

FP Movement, Free People’s popular activewear brand, will open a store at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg in later this year, the mall announced Thursday. The store marks only the third FP Movement retail store in the Chicago area, with one located at Hawthorne Row in Vernon Hills and another in Wicker Park in Chicago, Free People’s website showed.

The brand also has three FP Movement Studios across the country, including one in the West Loop, offering a number of pilates, yoga and sculpt classes weekly.

According to Woodfield, the store, set to open in the spring of 2026, will be located on the upper level of the shopping center near Apple. Popular European brand Mango is also set to open at the mall near Apple, though a timeline on Mango’s opening wasn’t given.

In addition to department stores, the FP Movement brand is also sold at Free People stores, which can be found at Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, at Oakbrook Shopping Center, at Water Tower Place and several other outposts in Chicago. According to the site, Free People stores are also opening in Naperville and in Lake Forest at Market Square.

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Where's my tax refund? Here's how long it could take to see your money after filing

With the 2026 tax season officially underway, millions of taxpayers have started filing their returns. For some, the process can be stressful, while others are eager to find out when their refunds will hit their bank accounts.

This year, many Americans are expected to receive larger refunds. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” included several provisions for 2025, but the Internal Revenue Service didn’t update the tax withholding tables for the duration of the year. As a result, paycheck withholdings stayed the same. That means workers could see higher refunds.

The average projected refund is $3,800 — an increase of nearly 25% compared to last year — according to the Tax Foundation.

Here’s how you can check the status of your refund and when you might expect to receive it:

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How long does it take to get a tax refund?

If you E-file and opt for direct deposit, your return will likely get processed more quickly. But if you file a paper return by mail, the IRS estimates refunds will take about six weeks or more.

Refunds are issued within 21 days after filing your return, though some taxpayers might receive theirs even sooner. For filers with returns that require additional review or corrections, it may might take longer, according to the IRS.

The Treasury Department announced last year that the federal government will stop issuing paper checks for most payments, including tax refunds, on Sept. 30, 2025. For those taxpayers without a bank account, the IRS has resources available to help you open a free or low-cost account or establish an alternate electronic payment method, such as a prepaid debit card. The IRS has carved out limited exceptions to the electronic method, however, paper check refunds will be delayed by around 10 weeks.

How to enroll in direct deposit

You can enroll in direct deposit using one of the following options:

• Select direct deposit as your refund method through your tax software and type in the account number and routing number. Or tell your tax preparer you want direct deposit.
• If you don’t have a bank account, you can access resources to open an account at FDIC: GetBanked or MyCreditUnion.gov. 
• You can also receive benefit payments on a pre-paid debit Mastercard known as Direct Express. Individuals without a bank account can enroll by calling the Treasury’s Electronic Payment Solution Center at 800-967-6857, Monday – Friday 9 a.m. ET – 7 p.m. ET.

What if I claimed the earned income or child tax credits?

Taxpayers who claimed the earned income tax credit and the additional child tax credit can expect to receive their refund by March 2, or sooner, if the return was filed online with direct deposit.

The IRS said it will begin issuing EITC and ACTC refunds around Feb. 21. The delay is due to a law that states those credits can’t be sent out before mid-February.

Step-by-Step: How to check your IRS refund status

Refund statuses are usually available 24 hours after you electronically file your return for this tax season or about four weeks after sending a paper return.

If you are electronically filing a return for a prior year, you can expect updates on your refund status within three to four days.

The IRS’ online tool “Where’s My Refund?” allows taxpayers to check their refund status by entering the following information:

• Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
• Tax year
• Filing status

Once you’ve entered your information, the tool will display one of three possible refund updates:

• Return Received: The IRS has received your return and is processing it.
• Refund Approved: The IRS has approved your refund and is preparing to issue it on a specified date.
• Refund Sent: The IRS has sent your refund to your bank account or by mail. It may take up to five days to appear in your bank account or several weeks to arrive by mail.

You can also check your refund status using your phone via the IRS2Go app.

The IRS updates refund information overnight, once a day, so note that the tool is typically unavailable early in the morning — usually between 4 a.m. ET and 5 a.m. ET.

Why is my IRS refund delayed?

If your refund is delayed, it may be because your tax return needs corrections or additional review by the IRS. The IRS will contact you via letter if further information is required.

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Federal Reserve may keep rates unchanged for months despite Trump pressure

Federal Reserve officials are expected to keep their short-term interest rate unchanged Wednesday after three cuts last year, ignoring huge pressure for lower borrowing costs from the White House in favor of waiting to see how the economy evolves.

The central bank’s rate reductions last year were intended to shore up the economy and prevent a sharper deterioration in the job market, after hiring slowed to a near-crawl in the wake of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs last April. Yet there are signs that unemployment has stabilized and the economy could be picking up. At the same time, inflation remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target. All those trends argue for keeping rates where they are.

A key issue that Chair Jerome Powell will likely address at his news conference Wednesday is how long the Fed will remain on hold. The rate-setting committee remains split between those officials opposed to further cuts until inflation comes down, and those who want to lower rates to further support hiring.

In December, just 12 of the 19 participants in the committee’s meetings supported at least one more rate cut this year. Most economists forecast the Fed will cut twice this year, most likely at the June meeting or later.

Fed officials meet this week in the shadow of unprecedented pressure from the Trump White House. Powell said Jan. 11 that the Fed had received subpoenas from the Justice Department as part of a criminal investigation into his congressional testimony about a $2.5 billion building renovation. Powell in an unusually blunt video statement said the subpoenas were a pretext to punish the Fed for not cutting rates more quickly.

And last week, the Supreme Court took up Trump’s attempt from last year to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud, which she denies. No president has fired a governor in the Fed’s 112-year history. The justices at an oral argument appeared to be leaning toward allowing her to stay in her job until the case is resolved.

At the same time, Trump has suggested he is close to naming a new Fed Chair, to replace Powell once his term ends in May. The announcement could come as soon as this week, though it has been delayed before.

The president’s efforts to pressure the Fed may have backfired, economists say, as Republicans in the Senate voiced support for Powell and threatened to block Trump’s replacement chair.

“The last couple of weeks have been pretty positive for Fed independence,” said Patricia Zobel, a former official at the New York Fed and now head of macroeconomic research at Guggenheim Invesments.

Even so, all the turmoil may have led Powell to hunker down as he nears the end of his term as chair. Vincent Reinhart, a former Fed economist and now chief economist at BNY Investments, noted that Powell has given just one speech touching on the economy since September.

He could be letting other Fed officials take on the job of explaining why the central bank may hold off on rate cuts in the coming months, Reinhart said. It also underscores that the chair does not make decisions on rates alone, he added,

“The contribution of Chair Powell to news about our understanding of the next Fed move has been as small as it’s ever been, over his tenure,” Reinhart said.

Only 12 of the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee have a vote, including all seven members of the board of governors, the president of the New York Fed, and a rotating group of four presidents from the regional Fed banks.

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This year, Beth Hammack, president of the Cleveland Fed; Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Fed; Lorie Logan, president of the Dallas Fed; and Anna Paulson, president of the Philadelphia Fed, will vote on rate decisions. All have recently expressed some skepticism of the need for further cuts anytime soon.

In a speech earlier this month, Paulson said an improving economy should allow more rate cuts later in the year.

“I see inflation moderating, the labor market stabilizing and growth coming in around 2% this year,” she said. “If all of that happens, then some modest further adjustments” to the Fed’s key rate “would likely be appropriate later in the year.”

Larger-than-usual tax refunds over the next few months should help fuel more consumer spending, economists expect. And faster growth could eventually boost hiring, which has been noticeably weak even as the economy is expanding.

With businesses barely adding jobs, consumers remain gloomy about the economy. The Conference Board’s measure of consumer confidence dropped to an 11-year low in January, the business research group said Tuesday.

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Super Bowl 2026: Who is playing, where is it, who's performing and when?

The Super Bowl is just days away and as the NFL marks the 60th anniversary of the big game, they’ll be doing it with a notable, yet unexpected rematch.

Super Bowl 60 is shaping up to have some big storylines and major performances as one team gets the happy ending to a storybook season.

Who’s playing, who will take the stage, where is the game being held and how can you watch it?

Here’s what to know:

When is the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl 60 is set to take place on Feb. 8.

What time is the Super Bowl?

Determining the exact time for kickoff isn’t as easy to predict.

Dennis Deninger, who spent 25 years as an ESPN production executive and has taught a Super Bowl course at Syracuse University, said that’s because the NFL and the networks that air its games want all eyes on the broadcast in the half-hour leading up to kickoff.

A story shared by NBC Sports lists the Super Bowl start time as 5:30 p.m. CT, while Peacock presents it as 5 p.m. CT.

The network will also have hours of live pregame coverage, which includes an opening ceremony performance  at 2 p.m. CT.

So, be sure to tune in early, but if you’re not seated at exactly 5:30 CT, you should have a few more minutes.

“I suspect it’s going to kickoff around 6:34 (ET),” Deninger said. “That’s my educated guess.”

Where is the Super Bowl?

The 2026 game will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The stadium first hosted the Super Bowl 10 years ago in 2016, when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers to win Super Bowl 50. 

Who is playing?

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are meeting up once again in a matchup few could have predicted.

Both teams entered the 2025 season as long shots to reach the Super Bowl, especially the Patriots, who were coming off back-to-back 4-13 campaigns. The Seahawks were a respectable 10-7 in 2024, but uncertainty over the offensive line and whether new quarterback Sam Darnold could replicate his impressive performance with the Minnesota Vikings softened their expectations.

Nonetheless, New England and Seattle both finished their storybook seasons with 14-3 records and won their respective conferences. The Patriots will look to win their first Super Bowl title of the post-Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era, while the Seahawks will aim to avenge their devastating loss to New England in Super Bowl 49.

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Who is performing?

Opening Ceremony

Green Day will kick off the big game with an opening ceremony, the league announced Sunday. The performance will celebrate six decades of the championship’s history, with the band helping usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field.

The opening ceremony will take place ahead of the pregame entertainment.

National Anthem

Charlie Puth is set to perform the national anthem.

Puth is a four-time Grammy-nominated singer known for his songs “Attention,” “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and his 2015 breakout hit “See You Again,” with Wiz Khalifa, from the “Furious 7” movie soundtrack. His appearance will come ahead of his fourth studio album “Whatever’s Clever!” due on March 6.

Despite backlash on social media from some who criticized Puth’s selection, the 33-year-old has promised it will be “only of my best vocal performances.”

“I’ll never claim to be as good of a singer as Whitney Houston ever was,” he wrote on X. “But I assure you we’re putting a really special arrangement together—in D major.”

“America the Beautiful” and “Life Every Voice and Sing”

Brandi Carlile will sing “America the Beautiful” and Coco Jones will deliver “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Carlile has won 11 Grammys and won praise for her eighth studio album “Returning to Myself,” which was released in October. She’s nominated for two Grammys with Elton John for their album “Who Believes in Angels?” released in April and their song “Never Too Late” from his documentary film “Elton John: Never Too Late.”

Jones is an R&B star who won a Grammy in the best R&B performance category for her song “ICU” in 2024 and released her debut album “Why Not More?” which is nominated for best R&B album at next year’s ceremony. She also stars as Hilary Banks on Peacock’s television series “Bel-Air,” entering its last season.

The national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” will be performed by deaf performing artist Fred Beam in American Sign Language. Julian Ortiz will sign “America the Beautiful.”

Halftime

Bad Bunny will be the Super Bowl halftime headline performer, putting the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist on the league’s biggest stage.

He performs in Spanish and is expected to do so at the Super Bowl.

He notably made a surprise appearance during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020 alongside headliners Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.

In a historic first, the halftime show will include a multilingual signing program featuring Puerto Rican Sign Language, led by interpreter Celimar Rivera Cosme. All signed performances for the pregame and halftime shows will be presented in collaboration with Alexis Kashar of LOVE SIGN and Howard Rosenblum of Deaf Equality.

How to watch the Super Bowl?

The Opening Ceremony and pregame performances will air on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.

The 2026 Super Bowl will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.

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Giant new Target coming to shopping center in far northern suburb as part of ‘revitalization'

A long-vacant Super K-Mart store in the northern suburbs often referred to by the community as an “eyesore” will soon become new Target as part of a “significant revitalization project” for the shopping center its in.

“It took a lot of time, a ton of work by village staff and village attorneys, but we are delighted to be able to announce the first step of this goal has been completed,” Round Lake Beach Mayor Scott Nickles said in a release announcing the news Monday. “This process has been more than a decade in the making, so we are thrilled to announce something is finally happening with this site. This is a great day for Round Lake Beach.”

The 190,000 square foot property, part of Round Lake Beach’s Rollins Crossing Shopping Center, sits at 400 East Rollins Road. The most recent tenant, the village said, Super K-Mart, has been gone since 2013.

Since then, the village had taken steps to legally condemn the property, officials said. Before those were final, Target acquired the property, and the deal was finalized in late December 2025.

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As part of the redevelopment, Target has submitted permits to demolish the deteriorating building, the village said. A timeline has not been released.

In March of 2025, the village announced the Rollins Crossing Shopping Center had been sold to a New Orleans-based national real estate development firm. According to the announcement, the purchase did not include the former K-Mart store, located on the western edge of the property.

Marketing materials showed the center most recently appeared to have an LA Fitness and Petco. The shopping center also has a vacant Regal Cinema Movie Theater, which the village said in 2025 would be transformed into a 72,000-square-foot entertainment center.

In the Target announcement, Nickles said the village hopes Rollins Crossing would be revitalizationed to become a “true village retail center for the community.”

“We are on the cusp of making it happen,” Nickles added.

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Snowfall totals: See how much snow Chicago got compared to rest of U.S.

The Chicago area was hammered by snow over the weekend, but how did it compare to the rest of the United States?

The city itself was hit by lake-enhanced snow showers late Saturday and well into the day Sunday, with the Loop and several other neighborhoods seeing significant accumulations.

Those accumulations prompted a winter storm warning to be issued for Cook County, and similar warnings were issued in Indiana’s Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties as the lake-effect snow bands shifted toward the south and east.

While the Chicago area saw its primary accumulations because of that lake enhancement, other parts of the U.S. were hit hard by Winter Storm Fern, which cut a swath across the country from the Rocky Mountains all the way to New England.

Places like Boston and New York received more than a foot of snow, while record snowfall was recorded in locations like Cincinnati, Ohio, according to the National Weather Service.

Map: Snowfall Totals From Around the Midwest

Here is a collection of snowfall totals around the Chicago area, as well as around the U.S.

Cook County:

Chicago (Bridgeport) – 9 inches

Chicago (Douglas) – 8 inches

Chicago (Loop) – 10.5 inches

Chicago (North Center) – 7 inches  

Chicago (O’Hare Airport) – 3.5 inches

Evanston – 8 inches

Glenview – 8.8 inches

Niles – 5.3 inches

Thornton – 5.7 inches

DeKalb County:

Cortland – 0.5 inches

DuPage County:

Medinah – 1.2 inches

Will County:

Mokena – 4.5 inches

Peotone – 4.2 inches

Romeoville (NWS Offices) – 2.2 inches

Lake County (Indiana):

Cedar Lake, Indiana – 6 inches

Hobart – 4.5 inches

LaPorte County (Indiana):

Rolling Prairie – 8 inches

Porter County (Indiana):

Chesterton – 6 inches

Porter – 6 inches

Valparaiso – 7.5 inches

Elsewhere around the U.S.:

Belleville, Illinois – 8.6 inches

Indianapolis, Indiana – 10.6 inches as of yesterday afternoon

New York (Washington Heights) – 14.9 inches

Boston, Massachusetts – 16.1 inches

Louisville, Kentucky – 5.9 inches

Cincinnati, Ohio – 9.2 inches

Lubbock, Texas – 7 inches

Washington, D.C. – 7.5 inches

For a full rundown of snowfall totals from around the U.S., visit the National Weather Service’s website.

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Starting next week, some travelers may need to pay a $45 fee to board a flight. Here's why

If you’re planning to board an airplane in the next week, you may need to pay $45 if you don’t have a Real ID, valid passport card or valid passport, the Transportation Security Administration said, but there’s a catch: There’s no guarantee that paying the fee will help you board the flight.

The fee process, called “ConfirmID,” begins next month, TSA says. It’s meant to help the TSA verify the identity of travelers who don’t have an acceptable form of ID — like a Real ID or a Real ID-compliant Illinois mobile ID — before they pass through the airport security line and board a domestic flight.

“Starting February 1, 2026, if you don’t have an acceptable ID, you have the option of paying a $45 fee for TSA ConfirmID to attempt to verify your identity,” TSA said. “However, there is no guarantee TSA can do so.”

“If you choose not to use it and don’t have an acceptable ID, you may not be allowed through security and could miss your flight,” TSA said.

For a trip lasting more than 10 days, the Illinois Secretary of State says the fee will be $90.

As the fee rolls out, here’s what to know.

How does it work, and can you do it at the airport?

According to TSA, the identification process takes an average of 10-15 minutes, but it could take 30 minutes or more.

Officials advised travelers to complete the process before arriving at the airport “to avoid delays or missing your flight.”

“You can pay the fee through your computer or mobile device at the airport, but TSA recommends paying ahead of time,” the agency said. Cash will not be accepted.

If travelers are completing the process at the airport, they’ll need to get out of the security line to pay. In addition to the $45 fee, travelers should be prepared to give officials their legal name, address and date of birth for ConfirmID, TSA said.

“After you finish the process, you must go to the end of the line for security screening and be prepared to present your receipt.”

The identity verification will be valid for 10 days once approved. After that period, travelers without a REAL ID or passport will need to pay the fee again if they travel.

Who needs to pay the fee?

Anyone who is trying to board a domestic flight, but does not have any of TSA’s acceptable forms of ID.

Do children need it?

No.

Children under 18 do not need ID for domestic flights, TSA said, as long as they are accompanied by someone 18 or older.

What are acceptable forms of ID at the airport?

As of May 7, 2025, your regular, hard-copy driver’s license or state ID is no longer an acceptable form of ID to board a plane.

The following is a list of IDs acceptable at TSA checkpoints for domestic flights:

• Real ID
• State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced Identification Card (EID)
• Apple Digital ID from the state of Illinois
• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs)
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
• Clear ID

Appointments to get a Real ID are required. As of Last week the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office says only 44 percent of Illinoisans have a Real ID.

More information about the ConfirmID and the fee can be found here.

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As tax filing season begins, a change is coming to the way you receive your refund

The first day you can file your taxes for the 2025 tax year is officially here.

Tax filing season for 2026 opened for business Monday, according to an announcement from the Internal Revenue Service. Officials expect about 164 million individual tax returns to be filed ahead of the Wednesday, April 15 deadline.

According to the agency, several new tax law provisions could “help lower tax bills and potentially increase refund amounts.” But officials are also advising of a change to how refunds are sent.

“In accordance with Executive Order 14247, the IRS began phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30, 2025, meaning most taxpayers must provide their routing and account numbers to receive refunds directly deposited into their bank accounts.”

According to a release issued by the IRS last September, “most refunds will be delivered by direct deposit or other secure electronic methods” as part of the change.

The IRS added that direct deposit is the “fastest way to receive a refund,” which are typically issued within 21 days.

The agency also said most refunds for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit can expect to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 2, 2026, “for taxpayers who chose direct deposit and have no other issues with their returns.”

“Some taxpayers may receive their refund earlier, depending on their financial institution,” the IRS said.

Tax law changes for 2026

For the 2026 tax season, the IRS will be implementing major provisions of Republicans’ tax and spending package package, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law last summer.

According to the IRS, the act will “significantly affects federal taxes, credits and deductions.”

Some standard tax deductions will increase as part of the new bill. Adoption credits also increased, along with an estate tax exclusion, the IRS said. Some senior could also claim a higher deduction, the new provisions state. The act also eliminated tax on tips, overtime and car loan interest.

According to the bill, the Child Tax Credit for 2025 increased slightly, to $2,200 per child, up from $2,000, an H&R Block breakdown says.

The new provisions also stripped taxpayers the opportunity to earn credits from making their homes more energy efficient, or buying electric vehicles.

How long do tax refunds take?

According to the IRS, refunds are “issued in less than 21 days if filing electronically,” choosing direct deposit. Non-electronic payments may take 6 weeks or longer for refunds sent by mail.

How to track your refund

Taxpayers can track refund status using Where’s My Refund?, the IRS2Go app, or their IRS Individual Online Account.

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