Oak Park was the first town in Illinois to issue a stay-at-home order when a cluster of COVID-19 cases was found in mid-March, just days before the statewide shutdown. Months later, it has started to come to life again.

When Chicago tattoo parlors shut down in mid-March, the artists at Speakeasy Custom Tattoos were already booked up through June. How they — and their customers — are staying safe during the pandemic.

Chicago’s lakefront trail officially reopened Monday after the city closed it down in March in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We visit the lakefront and see how the Edgewater community is gearing up for phase four.

Internet access has been a lifeline for those staying at home. But for the 18% of Illinoisans without a broadband internet subscription, that lifeline is cut off. We discuss ideas for ensuring internet equity.

As Chicago prepares to move into phase four of its reopening plan, playgrounds and pools remain closed, and small music venues are still shuttered, with no end in sight. 

Chicago rapper Matt Muse helped lead a march Sunday from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park to bring attention to to the role of Black musicians and creators in the city’s entertainment and music spaces.

Like many other commercial corridors across the city, Milwaukee Avenue suffered extensive damage just as businesses were about to start welcoming shoppers inside once again.

Low-income communities across the city are bracing for what could be a large number of evictions once a statewide moratorium is lifted. In one of those communities, a fight over housing has been brewing for years as a large tenant prepares to move in. 

Bars, lounges, taverns and brewery taprooms — basically any establishment that serves alcohol on-site, but not food — will be allowed to reopen Wednesday, with a whole slew of caveats.

Despite enthusiasm from transportation advocates and residents eager for more room to roam, some shared streets aren’t ready just yet – and at least one previously announced plan for outdoor dining isn’t happening at all.

Funding will be used to support communities and businesses disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus and the unrest following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.

Illinois has spent close to $600 million so far on COVID-19 relief, much of it going to personal protective equipment.

Communities across Chicago have staged demonstrations in support of Black Lives Matter, and not all of those areas have been Black and Brown. We visit a predominantly White community that held a rally last week.

Amid a pandemic and a renewed focus on police brutality, some say the center’s work is more critical than ever. We speak with the newly appointed president and CEO of the Chicago-based nonprofit.

All across Chicago, communities are rebuilding from the twin crises of COVID-19 and property damage. We speak with residents, business owners and officials in the historic heart of black Chicago culture.

As companies start setting their premiums for the coming year, what can consumers expect — and will health care system see lasting changes prompted by the pandemic?