And on smart devices worldwide Our next RVD group station 38° at two o'clock good morning I'm James Sears A productive first day at the Jussie Smollett trial and tensions are high in Chicago's ward redrawing WGN traffic looking at our expressways and tollways 1980 accidents out there just watch out for road construction Japan's confirming today its first case of the new amaran coronavirus variants in a visitor who recently arrived from Namibia the man in his 30s tested positive upon arrival at an airport Sunday and was isolated and is currently being treated at a hospital Japan announced yesterday that it will ban all foreign visitors beginning today as an emergency precaution against that new variant In Illinois state health officials report more than 4500 newly confirmed COVID cases yesterday along with 8 new debts The positivity rate is now 4.1% nearly 72% of state residents over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated and there are more than 2200 people hospitalized in Illinois with COVID related illness That's a 1000 more than a month ago but a third from the worst days of the pandemic last November Former empire actor Jesse Smollett's trial has begun in Chicago He faces 6 felony charges of filing a false police report WGN's Dana rebic has more A very long day in court that dragged into the evening 12 jurors have now been selected with two alternates We heard opening statements from both sides The prosecution saying that testimony from key witnesses will prove that Jussie Smollett staged a hate crime against himself while his attorney says this was a real attack and that he is a real victim The judge expects the trial to last about a week Republican representative Rodney Davis says he's not running for governor next year and will announce his plan to seek a 6th term in Congress Earlier Davis said the redrawing of the state's congressional districts would decide his future the new map favors his reelection likelihood since he's in a new and heavily Republican central Illinois district Behind closed doors influential Chicago aldermen are deadlocked over new ward map boundaries The city councils Latino caucus wants two more wards with a Latino population increase but the black caucus doesn't want to give up more than one seat The rules committee met yesterday alderman Gilbert villegas slammed the map making process They're Matt rose been sitting there All you had to do and all the meetings we beg you on the public meeting where we were doing the hearings to come in and be a part of the process And that was a mere lightfoot's floor leader Michelle Harris pushing back against villegas Here's what he said Here we are two days before this body is going to take action on it And we that are being asked to try to support this haven't even seen the full map yet Harris says all the aldermen and the public will see the map soon The Chicago auto show will be held that it's traditional time in February after moving to the pass of July July because of the pandemic more interactive activities are coming back for next year as well The show starts February 12th through the 21st tickets are now on sale The Chicago auto show is the longest running auto show in North America Notre-Dame football coach Brian Kelly is reportedly leaving South Bend to become the new head coach at LSU Kelly spend the coach at Notre-Dame for 12 seasons the Irish are 11 and won this season in our 6th and the AP poll Kelly's had 7 ten win seasons since taking over in 2010 No comments yet from Kelly or Notre-Dame WGN sports the Blackhawks visit Washington Thursday the pregame with Joe brand at 5 30 the face off at 6 with John whiteman on 7 20 WGN and W Chan radio dot com The bulls beat Charlotte last night a 133 to a 119 in college.