Stories by Patty Wetli

Though it may have been one of the quirkier bills passed by the General Assembly, the designation recognizes the role Illinois played in the development of one of the world’s greatest wonder drugs: penicillin.

Legislators finally pass a budget, among other laws, in Springfield—we’ll have a rundown. The latest on COVID-19 reopenings. The holiday weekend’s violence toll. And ride-share driving comes up short.

New rules for Chicago’s home-sharing industry are set to take effect Tuesday, including a ban on short-term rentals that last only one night, in an effort to block huge parties that have become a regular nuisance in some neighborhoods.

For the first time in nearly a year, visitors to Chicago from anywhere within the United States do not have to quarantine for 10 days or record a negative test for COVID-19, city officials announced Tuesday.

The Supreme Court is leaving in place a $2 billion verdict in favor of women who claim they developed ovarian cancer from using Johnson & Johnson talc products.

The homicide total over the holiday weekend was the lowest in 10 years, police Superintendent David Brown said Tuesday, as department officials credited the city’s newly announced summer safety plan with helping to limit violence.

A DePaul University study of nearly 280 long-haulers — people who experience symptoms of COVID-19 months after their initial diagnosis — found that while most of the symptoms improved over time, some lingered or even got worse.

Illinois Democrats used their supermajorities in the General Assembly to full advantage this weekend as their spring session reeled toward an end, pushing through a progressive agenda, a $42 billion budget with no tax or fee hikes on individuals, and legislative maps.

Illinois’ primary date next year is moving from March 15 to June 28, giving candidates for the U.S. House time to organize their campaigns and petition drives, given that legislators will not finalize a new map of congressional districts until fall.

The pandemic’s effect on veterans’ health. Remembering one of America’s greatest cartoonists. A guide to summer festivals. And a close encounter with a large insect. 

On Memorial Day, Americans remember and celebrate members of the military who made the ultimate sacrifice. But living veterans have fought another enemy over the past year: the coronavirus pandemic.

By the age of 23 he had fought in World War II, tangled with Gen. Patton, and won his first Pulitzer Prize. Cartoonist Bill Mauldin created artwork for magazines, books and newspapers from the 1940s into the ‘90s. We explore a new exhibition of his work.

With just one day remaining before they’re scheduled to adjourn until fall, Illinois legislators have a heaping set of issues left to tackle: a state budget, ethics reform, a follow-up to the major criminal justice overhaul signed into law in February, and legislation to fix issues with Illinois’ gun licensing system.

Barring quick action from the General Assembly, a requirement that health insurance companies treat virtual visits as they would regular, in-person appointments will soon lift. Lawmakers appear to be on the verge of extending that mandate before Monday’s planned adjournment.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot kicked off a firestorm of criticism when she announced that interviews about her second anniversary as mayor would only be given to reporters of color. We speak with leaders of local journalist associations on the role of diversity in newsrooms.

Leaders of local journalist associations on newsroom diversity. The 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. And a local puppeteer’s experience with racial profiling.

U.S. history is filled with dark events — often involving racism and racial violence — that haven’t been made part of the national fabric. Many involved Black Americans, of which the Tulsa Race Massacre is considered among the most egregious in its absolute destruction.

Vietnam has discovered a new coronavirus variant that’s a hybrid of strains first found in India and the U.K., the Vietnamese health minister said Saturday.

All legal gun owners would need to be fingerprinted under legislation that narrowly passed the Illinois House on Saturday – a practice that gun rights advocates say will prevent violence, but which critics say is an example of excessive government overreach.

Is it safe to ditch your mask? Local doctors on why it may be premature. Plus, Latino veterans pushing for a new American Legion post. And summer jams for your next road trip.

The American Legion counts all who served active duty in any branch of the U.S. armed forces as members. But for young Latino veterans like Marcos Torres and Daniel Del Rivero, it didn’t seem like a place for them.

Some local doctors say scrapping mask mandates is premature, and increases the risk of COVID-19 for essential workers, many of whom are Latino.

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer in Chicago and for many that means it’s time to visit the city’s lakefront beaches. But fun in the water can also lead to tragedy.

Music journalist Sandra Treviño shares five new songs perfect for a road trip or beach day to get your summer playlist started.

More than 1.8 million people went through U.S. airports on Thursday, and the number was widely expected to cross the 2 million threshold over the long holiday weekend — that would be the highest mark since early March 2020.

President Joe Biden on Friday unveiled a $6 trillion budget for next year that’s piled high with new safety net programs for the poor and middle class, but his generosity depends on taxing corporations and the wealthy to keep the nation’s spiking debt from spiraling totally out of control.