Today’s Headlines for Friday, February 19

• Metra to buy low-emission locomotives in effort to go green (Sun-Times)
• 2 Chicago police officers hurt in Englewood crash (NBC)
• Driver who critically injured cyclist Alex Betzel had carjacked the vehicle (Tribune)
• Despite national mask mandate, Metra is not kicking people off trains for noncompliance (CBS)
• Better Streets: 1st graders sent letters to Lightfoot asking for municipal snow clearance (Better Streets)
• WTTW looks at efforts to revitalize natural area around Big Marsh bike park
• Chicago Critical Mass cofounder Michael Burton on why The 606 is a great winter commute route (WBEZ)

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