Stories by Amanda Vinicky

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted both the importance of access to health care and disparities in access to it, which is why residents who live near Mercy Hospital and Medical Center say they’re furious about its plans to close next year.

At the behest of a trio of Republican state legislators, a special Illinois House committee will investigate whether Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has engaged in conduct that would warrant discipline.

Illinois’ Black legislators plan to capitalize on the intense focus on inequalities instigated by the killing of George Floyd to push forward this fall a robust policy agenda to root out systemic racism.

Illinois’ minimum wage increased from $9.25 to $10 in July, despite a request from business owners to delay the hike during a pandemic. But for employers whose take-home pay is largely dependent on tips, the minimum wage is $6.

Even before the pandemic, Illinois Secretary of State offices in Chicago saw long lines as people sought Real IDs ahead of a fall deadline. That deadline and others have been pushed back. Here’s what you need to know.

We take a closer look at the role race has played in the political conventions — especially at the opening night of the Republican National Convention.

President Donald Trump has the fundraising advantage on Democratic nominee Joe Biden, but in Illinois, Republicans are the underdogs when it comes to both power and cash.

Now that he’s no longer fighting a gun charge, state Rep. Curtis Tarver is considering suing the Chicago Police Department for violating his rights.

Unlike the pier’s shutdown for several months in the spring due to government orders driven by the coronavirus pandemic, directors of Navy Pier are this time choosing to close the cultural attraction for economic reasons.

A weekend protest that turned violent has spurred calls for answers from top cop David Brown — and even a call for his resignation. What’s next after the latest skirmish between law enforcement and those who want to defund the police?

A group of lawmakers proposes a new ethics package as another member of the Illinois General Assembly is charged with a federal crime.

November’s election is sure to be unlike any other — and not just because of who is on the ballot, but because of how people are expected to cast their ballots.

Businesses and residents are bracing for the possibility of future upheaval following widespread theft and property damage on Sunday night. How police are responding — and what else is being done to address systemic issues.

The mayor of south suburban Crestwood is facing federal bribery charges, according to an indictment made public Friday. He’s also charged with filing false income tax returns, and lying about it to the IRS.

A major clean energy package had been one of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s goals for 2020, but that got pushed aside because of the pandemic, and waylaid after a bribery scheme involving Commonwealth Edison came to light.

A central Illinois congressman who’d planned to spend all week touring communities across his district will instead finish it in self-isolation after testing positive Wednesday for COVID-19.

Voting by mail in Illinois isn’t new, but amid the pandemic, the state is encouraging voters to cast their ballots by mail rather than in person. But how do you go about that — and is it safe? Here’s what you need to know.

It’s about the time of year when your mailbox may start to fill up with glossy brochures, pitching you not on a product — but on a candidate. What impact the ComEd bribery scandal might have on the coming election.

“I have no plans to resign,” Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Thursday in a statement as a growing number of Democrats encourage him to step down due to his entanglement in Commonwealth Edison’s bribery scandal.  

On Tuesday, a high-ranking chief in the Chicago Police Department is believed to have committed suicide — and research shows the suicide rate for Chicago officers is higher than the national average.

Commonwealth Edison must pay a $200 million fine to the federal government as part of its deal with the U.S. attorney’s office. That fine will go to federal coffers — not ComEd customers. But a lawsuit is seeking to change that.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s new report on air quality shows that while air pollution is a problem across the city, it’s worse in some neighborhoods than others. What her administration is planning to do about it.

A towering likeness of Christopher Columbus no longer stands in Chicago’s Grant Park after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered for its “temporary” removal.

Chicago police say Tuesday’s mass shooting is a chilling example of gang revenge and retaliation — a cycle that needs to end. They are pleading with witnesses for help, while residents deal with the trauma.

ComEd is set to pay a $200 million fine as it seeks to get a bribery charge dismissed. Where will the money come from?

Longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan denies having done anything criminal or improper despite being implicated Friday in court filings that charge utility Commonwealth Edison with bribery.