Today’s Headlines for Friday, December 31

• Pritzker tries to justify plans to spend billions in federal funds to widen expressways in NPR interview
• Lightfoot defended plans to host NYE fireworks as COVID-19 surges in the city (Block Club)
• 1 dead, 2 injured after driver of car full of teens crashes into parked vehicle, tree in Humboldt Park (Sun-Times)
• Owner of Pedestrian Coffee discusses recent robberies near Belmont station in Lakeview (CBS)
• Saturday snow, winds, and cold could disrupt holiday weekend travel (Tribune)
• June opening of pedestrian bridge in downtown Aurora was one of the top local stories of 2021 (Tribune)
• Reader writer: "My secret Chicago talent is that I always catch the CTA Holiday Train"

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Streetsblog Chicago is operating on a light publishing schedule this week, including Today's Headlines and occasional posts, as we focus on wrapping up our fund drive.

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Thanks for your support, and have a great new year.

– John Greenfield, co-editor, Streetsblog Chicago