Stories by Patty Wetli

After being hit with a dozen citations from city inspectors in the past year, General Iron has agreed to pay a penalty. Meanwhile, environmental activists continue their fight to block the scrap metal recycler’s move.

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden each have a path to win the White House. Grab the binoculars and focus on these 10 states as election returns start rolling in.

The decision marked the latest turn in a complex legal battle over the rule that has been among President Donald Trump’s most aggressive steps in overhauling the nation’s immigration system. 

A shift to mail voting is increasing the chances that Americans will not know the winner of the 2020 presidential race on election night. But that doesn’t mean the results will be flawed or fraudulent. 

In October, Americans purchased an estimated 1.92 million guns — an increase of 67% from October 2019, according to an analysis of FBI data. Why more Americans are purchasing guns in 2020.

Never before in modern history have voters faced a choice between candidates offering such opposite visions as the nation faces multiple crises.

The majority of North Chicago’s public school students are learning from home. But since September, a nonprofit is offering in-person support to vulnerable children. We go for a visit to learn more.

National and statewide polls show former Vice President Joe Biden leading President Donald Trump ahead of Election Day. But as we learned in 2016, polls are by no means definitive indicators of victory or defeat.

The property tax bill for retail space at Trump Tower has doubled to a million dollars. Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker joins us with that story and more.

Inspector General Joseph Ferguson told aldermen Monday that the Chicago Police Department has delayed his office’s probe of how it responded to the protests and unrest that swept Chicago this year.

If you plan to vote in person on Election Day, state health officials have some requests. “Don’t forget to wear a mask and keep your distance,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday.

The family of Frank Aguilar, a 32-year-old nurse who was gunned down in November 2019, gathered in Little Village on Sunday to commemorate his life and to continue to push for justice in finding his killer.

The largest party shut down by inspectors took place at the Chicago Sports Complex in Brighton Park, where 600 people gathered, none of them wearing masks, city officials said.

Watch the Nov. 2, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

While a record number of Chicagoans have already voted, plenty of others are set to cast their ballots on Tuesday. Have questions about where or how to vote? We’ve got answers. 

With 24 hours to go before polls open on Election Day, Chicago voters have flooded election officials with early ballots and mail-in ballots, deluging records set in 2016 and promising a huge final turnout.

Data from the Chicago Police Department shows there have been 2,768 shootings and 655 murders year-to-date. Those figures are up 51% and 52%, respectively, when compared to the first 10 months of 2019.

President Donald Trump is suggesting that he will fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after Tuesday’s election, as his rift with the nation’s top infectious disease expert widens.

Chicago takes part in a nationwide listening party for a new audio play that uses the words of protesters, activists, immigrants and survivors to explore recent social and protest movements. We go for a listen.

Election Day is just two days away — what you need to know. How some lawmakers in Springfield are doubling down on a Black agenda. And making history in the world of science.  

Chicago gets a lot of attention for its soaring skyscrapers and ornate downtown buildings, but there’s more to Chicago architecture than what’s in the Loop. 

Election Day is around the corner, but if you haven’t yet made it to the polls, don’t fret — there’s still plenty of time to cast your ballot. We check in with Chicago Board of Elections Commissioner Jonathan Swain.

This turbulent year spurred the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to develop an anti-racism agenda. State Sen. Kimberly Lightford tells us how Black legislators hope to dismantle systemic racism.

Community members, parents and officials are voicing their concerns over a proposal to close three elementary schools with dwindling enrollment and replace them with a new, state-of-the-art facility.

For three days in a row, state health officials reported record highs in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Illinois. That streak ended Sunday but the state’s positivity rate crept up to 8%.

America is poised for a presidential election that renders a verdict on the nation’s role in the world and the direction of its economy, on its willingness to contain an escalating pandemic and its ability to confront systemic racial inequity.