Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Mayor Rahm Emanuel discusses CTA crime statistics at the Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line Station Wednesday morning.

Welcome to the Reader's morning briefing for Monday, February 1, 2016.

Weather—A little bit of sun

February will start out nicely, with partly sunny skies, a high of 43, and a low of 35. Luckily for us, the sun will make it feel even warmer. [AccuWeather]

Homicide rate skyrocketed in January

It was the deadliest January since 2000. There were 292 shootings during the month and 51 murders, a 75 percent increase in murders over January 2015. Earlier in the month the Chicago Police Department blamed the huge spike in violence on gang conflicts and retaliation. [ABC7 Chicago]

Meanwhile, police officers blame deadly January on "ACLU effect"

Some cops are blaming the huge rise in shootings in January on the Chicago Police Department's agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois to document police stops. Rather than fill out the paperwork and face scrutiny, many officers are avoiding routine stops. [Sun-Times]

A new low for Rahm

A new poll shows that Mayor Rahm Emanuel has not recovered from the Laquan McDonald video crisis. A majority of Chicagoans—63 percent—disapprove of his job performance and a measly 27 percent approve. It's also a big blow for the mayor that nearly 75 percent of Chicagoans don't believe his account of how he learned of McDonald's death. [Tribune]

A fitting obituary for groundbreaking restaurant Moto

It's hard to imagine the West Loop before it was a foodie hotspot, but Moto was one of the first cool restaurants to open in the neighborhood. As it prepares to close on Valentine's Day, Fooditor gives it recognition for changing the city's food scene. [Fooditor]

FOIA requests reveal Chicago Police Department's surveillance techniques

The public radio show On the Media delves into CPD's surveillance tactics and possible slush fund with Freddy Martinez, director of the local Lucy Parsons Labs. He's discovered some interesting information through a lawsuit and FOIA requests. [On the Media]