Stories by Heather Cherone

William Sommerfeld, 63, of Western Springs, faces two felony charges of theft of government property as well as a felony charge of wire fraud. He is free on bond, and due back in court on Jan. 29.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said the additional doses will bring their total current commitment to 200 million doses for the U.S. That should be enough to vaccinate 100 million people with the two-shot regimen.

The latest figure, released Wednesday by the Labor Department, shows that many employers are still cutting jobs as the pandemic tightens business restrictions and leads many consumers to stay home.

More stimulus checks will be coming to most Americans after Congress passed a $900 billion coronavirus relief package late Monday. But critics, including President Donald Trump, say it’s not enough.

Just days before Christmas, a trio of high-profile doctors, including U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, made a plea for people to follow public health measures designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, even as two vaccines are being distributed across the U.S.

Nursing homes have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. One Chicago-based foundation is trying to change the way these facilities are ranked — a move they say will put the focus on the care of residents.

Chicago police Superintendent David Brown says he will tighten the rules governing the department’s use of search warrants as furious aldermen demanded answers about the February 2019 raid that left a Chicago woman handcuffed and naked.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is offering a last-minute gift before 2020 is over: a concert with renowned pianist Jorge Federico Osorio filmed at Orchestra Hall that you can enjoy at home.

Nearly a half-dozen large parties have been shut down by city officials in three weeks, even as Chicago remains under a stay-at-home advisory designed to prevent people from contracting COVID-19.

President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday assailed the Trump administration for failing to fortify the nation’s cyber defenses, and called on President Donald Trump to publicly identify the perpetrator of a massive breach of U.S. government agencies.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to leaders in Washington — and especially our Chicago delegation — who have prioritized the needs of public school students throughout the country,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson said in a statement.

Whether you loved it or hated it, a school picture day was something everyone had growing up. But that isn’t the case for some Chicago-area students during the pandemic. How one local couple is recreating the tradition.

Despite Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city attorneys backing off their request for sanctions, the lawyer representing Anjanette Young may still find himself in hot water with a federal judge.

Experts say employers can require employees to take safety measures, including vaccination, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you would get fired if you refuse.

Watch the Dec. 22, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Retired Judge Ann Claire Williams of the Chicago-based law firm Jones Day will lead an outside investigation of the February 2019 raid that left a Chicago woman handcuffed and naked as well as the city’s handling of the raid’s aftermath.

Chicago officials failed to consistently evaluate the way the city repaired and rebuilt roads, bridges, bikeways and other infrastructure since 2019, according to a new audit by Chicago’s watchdog.

Final mortality data for this year will not be available for months. But preliminary numbers suggest that the United States is on track to see more than 3.2 million deaths this year, or at least 400,000 more than in 2019.

Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package Monday night that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has long been the standard-bearer of the December theater season. But a subsequent and far less familiar novella is now receiving a bravura solo rendition courtesy of Remy Bumppo Theatre.

Are the days numbered for the Blackhawks team name and logo? According to the team’s new CEO the answer is no, but some Native American groups are pushing back. Two community leaders debate the issue.

A chocolateria has made its way to Chicago by way of local coffee company Dark Matter. On the menu? Mexican drinking chocolate that just so happens to be made with cacao beans from Mexico. We visit Sleep Walk for a taste.

When a suspect is taken into police custody, they are supposed to have the right to a phone call, but data from the Cook County Public Defender’s office shows that isn’t always the case. A new proposal aims to tackle the problem.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that all of the officers involved in the February 2019 raid that left a Chicago woman handcuffed and naked have been placed on desk duty.

On the first day of winter, Cook County officials touted the benefits of spending time in nature, encouraging people to discover the nearly 70,000 acres of forest preserves this season — safely.

The advisory urging Chicagoans at stay home in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been extended for 21 days, expiring the day before the first Chicago Public Schools students are set to go back to in-person class.