Stories by Eunice Alpasan

Early voting for the November general election kicked off Thursday at two locations in downtown Chicago, with more early voting locations across the city expected to open later this month.

Gov. JB Pritzker met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and businessman Pat Ryan, who owns a stake in the Chicago Bears, on Thursday in what the governor’s office described as a “productive meeting” focused on keeping the Chicago Bears in Illinois.

The vote comes after journalists at the suburban newspaper announced efforts in August to form a union following the layoffs of a dozen staffers. The layoffs occurred less than two months after the publication was acquired by Tribune Publishing.

The new 1.5-mile dedicated bus lane will be installed on northbound Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt Road and Wacker Drive in an effort to reduce delays along the downtown corridor, the city announced Wednesday.

Vincenzo Vitelli, a physicist at the University of Chicago, and Kaiyu Guan, an environmental scientist at the University of Illinois, were among a group of 20 fellows chosen for this year’s MacArthur Fellows Program. Recipients receive a “no-strings-attached” $800,000 award.

In the fall, bridges along the Main and South branches of the Chicago River are lifted to allow boats to move into winter storage facilities. The scheduled bridge lifts start this week and run through mid-November, the Chicago Department of Transportation announced.

With the November election approaching, the Chicago Board of Elections and Cook County Clerk’s Office are looking for people to serve as poll workers on Election Day. Election judges must be a registered voter or an eligible college or high school student.

The Obama Presidential Center Museum drew more than 175,000 visitors, including visitors from 50 states and 39 countries, according to the Obama Foundation. More than 61,000 visitors were Illinois residents.

While the risk to Illinois residents remains “very low,” according to IDPH, health officials are reminding residents to make sure they are vaccinated against the disease in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The city’s street psychiatry pilot program is administered by teams of specialized healthcare workers who engage with people at shelters, parks, encampments, CTA transit areas and other community locations.

The 1913 artwork “Woman with a Fan” by cubist painter Jean Metzinger is returning to the family of Jewish art collector after the museum discovered it was part of a forced sale during World War II.

The 62nd Chicago International Film Festival takes place Oct. 14-25 across various venues. Highlights include the 30th anniversary of the festival’s “Black Perspectives” program, an inaugural physical media fair, local filmmakers and films from more than 60 countries.

The findings come amid federal cuts to safety net programs like SNAP, along with rising costs and insufficient wages, which are forcing residents to choose between groceries and other essentials like housing and medicine, according to the report.

The Englewood Jazz Festival returns to Hamilton Park on Sept. 17-19. The festival will feature performances honoring the legacies of Oscar Brown Jr., John Coltrane and Miles Davis while also celebrating the next generation of musicians.

Starting this month through November, the Chicago Public Library will present book discussions, science talks, films, creative workshops and cultural experiences tied to the book selection. One Book, One Chicago for the first time will include dedicated programming for children and teens.

This year’s Open House Chicago will feature more than 200 locations across 30 Chicago neighborhoods, including 20 sites that are new to the festival, according to a Wednesday announcement. The festival takes place Oct. 17-18.

The report, “Hunkering Down: The Hidden Economic Cost of Federal Immigration Enforcement in Cook County, IL,” was released by UIC’s Great Cities Institute. The report also found an estimated $107 million was lost in local sales tax revenue.

The planned expansion comes as SkyART gears up to host a free community block party on Sept. 12 in celebration of the organization’s 25th anniversary. The celebration will be held at SkyART West in Garfield Park.

Chicago’s airports are projected to see more passengers than last year, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. For those hitting the road, car traffic is expected to peak Thursday and Friday, according to AAA.

The first death from West Nile virus in Illinois this year was reported in Chicago, the Chicago Department of Public Health announced Tuesday. CDPH also reported the first two human cases of West Nile virus in the city.

The Presidents Cup will be held at Medinah Country Club in the northwest suburbs on Sept. 22-27. It will be President Donald Trump’s first public appearance in the Chicago area since he was elected to a second term.

The Vietnamese Association of Illinois has served as an anchor for the Vietnamese community in the Chicago area for the last 50 years. The organization will hold a 50th anniversary concert celebration Saturday featuring New Orleans–based musical group Saigon Jazz Revival and Vietnamese singer Carol Kim.

The Daily Herald News Guild has filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, according to a news release. The union would represent 20 eligible staff members at the newspaper, according to the organizing committee.

The belugas are the latest to be rescued from Marineland, a shuttered theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which closed to the public in 2024. Last month, a first group of four beluga whales arrived at Shedd Aquarium.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said that it does not recommend adjustments to the childhood immunization schedule based on the recent federal executive order and that the department continues to endorse the immunization schedule put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Chicago Humanities announced its full fall festival schedule, featuring standalone programs and festival days in select neighborhoods, the festival announced Tuesday. The festival runs from September through November.