Today’s Headlines for Thursday, February 18

• Metra leaders upset by plan to give CTA a bigger share of COVID-19 relief (Herald)
• Affordable homes, health center, child care planned for West Side vacant lots (Block Club)
• Neighbors argue that adding 16 affordable units near Morse stop would hurt local merchants (Block Club)
• CTA Elevating Futures scholarship recipients would have a chance to work on RPM (Block Club)
• Block Club looks at Better Streets Chicago's campaign for municipal sidewalk clearance
• Belmont Cragin teens will help design and roll out bike education campaign (BBSP)
• Local business owner buys out street vendors, donates food to community fridges (Daily Northwestern)

Get national headlines at Streetsblog USA.

Here are some tips on preventing the spread of COVID-19, and advice for Chicagoans on what to do if you think you may have been exposed to the virus.

I’d like to give a big thanks to everyone who has donated so far to help Streetsblog Chicago meet our goal of raising $50K. Along with the $75K pledged by the Chicago Community Trust for our 2021 budget, this will allow us to promote assistant editor Courtney Cobbs to co-editor and launch a new weekly series on mobility justice issues impacting Chicago's Latino communities. Can you help us win the grant by chipping in? You can make a tax-exempt donation here.

Thanks for your support, and have a great February.

- John Greenfield, co-editor