Stories by Acacia Hernandez

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.

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.

The vibrant Little Village community has been bustling with Mexican Pride as celebrations are in full force for Mexican Independence Day.

The mandate is intended to push about two-thirds of American workers to get vaccinated, but some are claiming it's government overreach. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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?

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It is expected to provide up to 2,000 jobs, but a new Target warehouse in Little Village — on the site of a botched coal plant demolition in April 2020 — has sparked protests among some community members.

Many unknowns about COVID-19 remain more than a year into the pandemic, among them the mysterious loss of taste and smell. But new research offers insight into the cause of this common symptom.

The City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance to create an Urban Forestry Advisory Board — charged with strategically caring for Chicago's urban tree canopy.

After a challenging year, Chicago’s street markets are adapting to new health and safety standards, and showing signs of recovery.

In her new book, author and psychologist Inger Burnett-Zeigler examines the stress, trauma and unacknowledged emotional suffering Black women have faced for generations, while offering a new way of being strong that includes being comfortable with vulnerability.

What will the fall semester look like on college campuses? We discuss reopening plans with the leaders of three area universities.

Gun violence is on the rise in Chicago and across the country, and its impact is felt not only by victims, but their families and communities, too. We learn about a new series from The Trace, a national news organization covering gun violence in the U.S.