A video showing a group of Marist High School students kneeling during a Spanish song played at a school dance has gone viral. And some students want action to be taken.
Stories by acacia hernandez
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Revitalizing North Lawndale
Located on Chicago’s West Side, North Lawndale is a neighborhood that has dealt with decades of disinvestment and vacant spaces. Community members have taken things into their own hands by creating community gardens and safe spaces for the next generation.
Airline Industry Sees Divide in Vaccine Mandates Ahead of Holiday Season
Airline employees refusing COVID-19 vaccines could lose their jobs. What impact could that have on the airline industry?
DACA Holders See Delays in the Renewal of their Status
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has given immigrants who were brought here as youth an opportunity to work and study in the U.S. lawfully. But recently, DACA recipients have been reporting longer delays in the renewal of their status, putting many of their employment eligibility at risk.
Latinos Make Huge Impact on White Sox Playoff Roster
Players from Minnie Miñoso to Luis Aparicio to Ozzie Guillén have been fan favorites on Chicago’s South Side for decades. Never has the Latino presence on the White Sox roster been more important than this year, when the Sox could have seven or more players of Latino heritage starting in the playoffs.
Play Ball: Chicago White Sox Rebuild Comes to Fruition
“This year we’re on the precipice of something fairly special,” said Chicago White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn, who was the chief architect of the team’s five-yearlong rebuild that saw dozens of strategic trades, draft choices and free agent signings.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights is a suburban neighbor to O’Hare airport and about a 40-minute drive from downtown Chicago. The village is one of the largest in the northwest suburbs and is home to what was, until last weekend, the world-renowned Arlington International Racecourse.
State Partners With Legal Aid Network To Expunge Cannabis-Related Records
More than two years after a state law legalizing recreational marijuana was passed, an estimated 34,000 Illinoisans are still waiting to have their cannabis records expunged, according to the Sentencing Policy Advisory Council.
‘Too Hot to Work’ Report Looks at Impacts of Extreme Heat on Health, Earnings
A new study finds that extreme heat could threaten nearly $2 billion a year in earnings for outdoor workers in Illinois. We learn about the impact of these increasing temperatures on working conditions.
Chicago Sky to Host Dallas Wings in First Round of Playoffs
The two teams have met each other three times during the regular season, with the Wings taking two of those games. We get game-day predictions from the head coaches of women’s basketball at Loyola University and the University of Chicago.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Little Village
The vibrant Little Village community has been bustling with Mexican Pride as celebrations are in full force for Mexican Independence Day.
Some Push Back on Federal Vaccine and Testing Mandate for Businesses
The mandate is intended to push about two-thirds of American workers to get vaccinated, but some are claiming it's government overreach.
Chicago’s Workforce After More Than a Year Into the Pandemic
Illinois has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Federal pandemic unemployment benefits ended on Labor Day, cutting off weekly payments to more than 300,000 people in the state.
Illinois Students Can Soon Take 5 Days Off for Mental Health
Starting in January, students ages 7-17 can take up to five mental or behavioral health days off from school without having to provide a doctor’s note. Under the new law, students are referred to school staff for professional help after their second mental health day.
Animal Shelters Expect Influx of Pets When Eviction Ban Lifts
Illinois’ eviction moratorium is in place for one more month, but many residents fear they’ll be out of a home once that ban lifts. And now animal shelters are preparing for what could be an influx of pets in need of homes, too.
How Health Care Workers Are Handling COVID-19 Vaccine Concerns
Despite the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, some people are still hesitant to roll up their sleeves. A local medical professional talks about the reasoning behind some of this reluctancy and how it’s being addressed.
College Students on the Return to In-Person Classes, Activities
There are lots of familiar sights on college campuses across the state as students return to lecture halls and activities. But what exactly has this transition from largely virtual instruction to in-person been like?
Amazon Delivery Lockers in Chicago Parks Create Controversy
The e-commerce giant recently began installing lockers inside Chicago parks, and says the lockers are a “secure and convenient” option. But that so-called convenience has proven controversial.
Chicago Public Schools Parents on Return to In-Person Learning
Chicago Public Schools students are scheduled to return for in-person classes Monday. But what will that return look like amid an ongoing pandemic? CPS parents join “Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices” for a panel discussion.
Cook County Public Defenders to Represent Immigrants in Removal Cases
A pair of bills signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker provides not only legal counsel, but also public information campaigns so immigrants and refugees will know their rights.
Here’s What to Expect When Chicago Theaters Reopen
To open or not to open: That's been the question for Chicago’s performing arts community over the last year and a half. Now, the League of Chicago Theatres has announced new COVID-19 restrictions and safety measures as productions are set to fill up stages once again.
City Colleges to Provide Over 60 Free Short-Term Programs This Fall
New fall programs offered by the City Colleges of Chicago system aim to help city residents start or resume their college education amid the pandemic.
Addressing Unemployment: City Initiative Seeks to ‘Jump Start Local Economy’
The Chicago area has seen a 6.6% unemployment rate decrease, from 15.1% in June 2020 to 8.5% in June of this year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. How a new program aims to get even more job seekers employed.
Remittance Flow From Chicago Increases, Pandemic Heightens Need
For families around the world and especially in Latin America, receiving money transfers from relatives working in the U.S. provides a critical line of support. With a large immigrant population, Chicago has been a significant source of these money transfers.
Critics of Property Tax Appeals Board Say It’s Time to End the Experiment
There are four ways to appeal property tax assessments in Cook County. But is that a good thing? Former state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie and Assessor Fritz Kaegi weigh in.
Communities and City Collaborate for Safer, More Accessible Transportation
The city’s transportation department has been installing a new grid of bike routes in Belmont Cragin and Hermosa as part of the Chicago Works Capital Plan to modernize infrastructure and improve access to and safety of transportation.
