Stories by Associated Press
China OKs 1st Homegrown Vaccine as COVID-19 Surges Globally
| Associated Press
The Sinopharm vaccine had already been given to groups such as health care professionals and essential workers under emergency-use guidelines as part of China’s program to inoculate 50 million people before the Lunar New Year holiday in February.
Bid Adieu to 2020 on an ‘Aw’ Note with Brookfield Zoo’s Montage of Animal Cuteness
| Patty Wetli
Both Brookfield and Lincoln Park zoos will temporarily close during January and February, but they have plenty of online content in the works to remain connected with the public.
Hedge Fund Alden Offers to Buy Tribune, Valuing It At $521M
| Associated Press
Alden sent a letter to the Chicago Tribune on Dec. 14, according to a regulatory filing posted Thursday, offering $14.25 per share for the stock of Tribune it doesn’t already own. Alden owns 31.6% of Tribune shares.
Chicago Park District Suspends In-Person Winter Programs Set to Start in 2021
| Patty Wetli
Winter programs have been suspended due to mitigations in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but people are still welcome to enjoy park trails and outdoor spaces.
Changes, Challenges: The Not-So-Secret Life of Pandemic Pets
| Associated Press
Ten months into quarantines and working from home because of the pandemic, household pets’ lives and relationships with humans have in many cases changed, and not always for the better.
Spotlight Politics: Mayor’s Office Releases Emails Related to the Botched Raid
| Marissa Nelson
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office releases emails related to the wrongful raid of Anjanette Young’s home following calls for more transparency about the botched raid. Our politics team takes on that story and more in this week’s roundtable.
Providers Hope Telehealth Becomes the Norm After COVID-19
| Blair Paddock
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid crisis has worsened in Cook County, with more than 1,500 opiate-related deaths this year. To try and bring these numbers down, some groups see telehealth as an accessible way to bring treatment to people.
Fir Real: A Pedicab Will Pick Up, Recycle Your Christmas Tree
| Amanda Vinicky
At some point, Christmas trees get brown, the needles fall off, and it’s time for them to go. But that doesn’t necessarily mean tossing your tree in the trash.
Trump Push on $2K Checks Flops as GOP-led Senate Won’t Vote
| Associated Press
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell all but shut the door Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks, declaring Congress has provided enough pandemic aid.
Era of Horse-Drawn Carriages in Chicago Ends With Whimper
| Heather Cherone
The sound of hoofs pounding the pavement along the Magnificent Mile will be a thing of the past starting Friday, as a ban on horse-drawn carriages takes effect after a yearslong effort by animal welfare advocates.
Lightfoot Told Botched Raid ‘Was Pretty Bad’ in November 2019
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot was told in November 2019 that a raid that left Anjanette Young handcuffed and pleading for help during a mistaken raid of her home in February 2019 was “pretty bad,” according to emails released Wednesday by the mayor’s office.
California Has Nation’s 2nd Confirmed Case of Virus Variant
| Associated Press
California on Wednesday announced the nation’s second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States.
Chicago Independent Music Venues Look for Lifeline in Stimulus
| Marc Vitali
With live music events still on hold, Chicago independent music venues look forward to relief in the Save Our Stages part of the stimulus bill.
Indiana AG: No Charges Recommended in Fetal Remains Case
| Associated Press
Indiana’s attorney general recommended no criminal charges or licensing actions Wednesday after concluding an investigation into more than 2,000 sets of fetal remains found last year at the suburban Chicago garage of a late prolific abortion doctor.
UK Is First to Authorize Easy-to-Handle AstraZeneca Vaccine
| Associated Press
Britain became the first country to authorize AstraZeneca’s inexpensive, easy-to-handle COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, gaining another weapon against the virus amid a resurgence.
After a Year Like This, Expect a Strange New Year's Eve
| Associated Press
If ever a year's end seemed like cause for celebration, 2020 might be it. Yet the coronavirus scourge that dominated the year is also looming over New Year's festivities and forcing officials worldwide to tone them down.
Officials Shut Down 153-Person Party in Austin for Violating COVID-19 Restrictions
| Heather Cherone
More than a half dozen large parties have been shut down by city officials in the past month, even as Chicago remains under a stay-at-home advisory designed to prevent people from contracting COVID-19.
December 30, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Watch the Dec. 30, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”
Chicago’s Tumultuous Year: Looking Back on 2020
| Patty Wetli
From the pandemic to protests to the power of nature, 2020 has been a year for the history books. We take a look back at the year that was — warts and all.
Trump’s $2,000 Checks Stall In Senate as GOP Blocks Vote
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s push for bigger $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks stalled out Tuesday in the Senate as Republicans blocked a swift vote proposed by Democrats and split within their own ranks over whether to boost spending or defy the White House.
First Reported US Case of COVID-19 Variant Found in Colorado
| Associated Press
The first reported U.S. case of the COVID-19 variant that’s been seen in the United Kingdom has been discovered in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis announced Tuesday, adding urgency to efforts to vaccinate Americans.
A Look at Illinois’ Marijuana Expungement Efforts
| Amanda Vinicky
Friday marks one year since it became legal to buy and use marijuana in Illinois. But what about the thousands of people who previously got in trouble for possessing, smoking or selling pot?
Terrorism Specialists Weigh in on Rise of Extremism in US
| Quinn Myers
Many details surrounding the Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville remain unclear, but the incident has renewed concerns about the rise of domestic terrorism, and the proliferation of racist ideology by white supremacists.
‘Black Voices’ Community Conversation: Watch Night
| Marissa Nelson
It’s a New Year’s Eve tradition. Check out our virtual discussion about the history of Watch Night services with Brandis Friedman, host of “Black Voices,” and a panel of guests.
NASA Spacecraft Designed by Illinois Engineer Will Study Solar Flares
| Evan Garcia
A spacecraft designed by an Illinois researcher and professor will orbit Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer to better understand powerful bursts of radiation from the sun, also known as solar flares. Lara Waldrop tells us more.
Local School Council Passes Resolution Seeking to Prevent School Reopening
CPS says councils don’t have authority to do so
| Matt Masterson
Representatives of a Portage Park high school on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure saying students and staff will not be allowed into the building following winter break “until it is safe to return to in-person learning.”
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