The absence of an agreement on how best to protect teachers and students from COVID-19 sets the stage for a strike or lockout — the second work stoppage in Chicago schools in 15 months.

The presidents of the National Urban League and the Chicago Urban League on racial equity. We travel the “U.S. Civil Rights Trail” in our book club. Remembering Bessie Coleman, the original fly girl.

Author and journalist Deborah Douglas said that traveling the civil rights trail is an emotional experience, but one that is worth having in person. “I gained a greater appreciation for the African American experience and what my elders were able to accomplish,” she said.

The Biden administration has released its racial equity agenda. We talk with the leaders of the National Urban League and its Chicago affiliate about their hopes for the next four years.

Interest in houseplants has grown during the pandemic and is helping plant parents new and old thrive during a difficult year. We visit the Plant Salon in Noble Square for a look.

A plan to reopen Chicago schools remained in limbo as last-minute negotiations over COVID-19 safety measures with the teachers’ union stretched into Sunday, amplifying the possibility of a strike. 

State officials announced Sunday that Chicago is ready to relax some restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. See what is and is not changing under the new set of rules.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump, is launching a political action committee to push back against a House GOP leadership team and party that he says have become too closely aligned to the former president.

For the second time in a week, Chicago is digging out after a massive snowfall.

President Joe Biden says he wants most schools serving kindergarten through eighth grade to reopen by late April, but even if that happens, it is likely to leave out millions of students, many of them minorities in urban areas.

Travelers on airplanes and public transportation like buses and subways will be required to wear face masks starting next week to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As COVID-19 mitigations ease, how are Latino communities faring in Chicago? Aldermen debate expanding protections for immigrants. A Cesar Chavez throwback. And the need for Latino mentors.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program has been making matches in Chicago since 1967, but a lot has changed over the years. Many of the kids now come from Spanish-speaking households, and the organization is looking for more “bigs” who speak their language to volunteer.

As the city begins to stir from its COVID-19 slumber, we talk with local journalists about how the reopening is impacting Latino communities.

The Democratic push to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour has emerged as an early flashpoint in the fight for a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, testing President Joe Biden’s ability to bridge Washington’s partisan divides as he pursues his first major legislative victory.