Stories by WTTW News

Sunday marks the fifth consecutive day in which the state saw an increase of more than 1,000 new cases. So far, more than 28,000 people in Illinois have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in July. 

With the November election 100 days away, more Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction than at any previous point in Donald Trump’s presidency, putting the incumbent in a perilous position.

Little about this pandemic-delayed season is routine — but for fans looking to see major league baseball live, there are few options besides the rooftops along Waveland and Sheffield avenues.

Several hundred people participated in a march against gun violence as neighborhoods across Chicago deal with a recent spike in violence  — and as the city prepares for an influx of federal agents at the behest of President Trump.

The city outlined a laundry list of rules General Iron would have to abide by in order to start up its metal shredding operation on the Southeast Side, while neighbors continue to push officials to deny the company’s permit application — which has yet to be filed.

A coalition of Chicago-area politicians and community groups issued an open letter Saturday demanding that local officials not cooperate with federal agents being sent to the city by the Trump administration. 

McDonald’s says it will be requiring customers to wear face coverings when entering its U.S. restaurants as the number of new virus cases continue to surge in many states.

A week after revoking sweeping new restrictions on international students, federal immigration officials on Friday announced that new foreign students will be barred from entering the U.S. if they plan to take their classes entirely online this fall.

The Cubs were about to open their season at long last against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, and it sure sounded like a packed house at Wrigley Field. Of course, no fans were allowed inside the famed ballpark. The noise was piped in.

Chicago’s Christopher Columbus statues come down. Mayor Lightfoot and the president go toe-to-toe over federal law enforcement in Chicago. Some COVID-19 restrictions return, and baseball is back.

As public health officials warned Friday that the coronavirus posed new risks to parts of the Midwest and South, enhanced federal payments that helped avert financial ruin for millions of unemployed Americans were set to expire. 

The former United States president is expected to appear on “The Michelle Obama Podcast” on Spotify, the Obama’s Higher Ground and streaming service announced Friday. 

While some aldermen praised Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to take down the statues of Christopher Columbus, others said Friday she should not have acted unilaterally in the middle of the night.

The absence of a clear, publicly available plan has left city leaders, residents and even federal agencies to speculate about exactly what will happen and when. Here's a look at what's known so far.

The Chicago Parks Foundation has created a citywide volunteer program to help keep the parks clean.

Federal prosecutors recently indicated Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is a subject of a criminal investigation into influence peddling to benefit an energy utility. Will the 78-year-old be charged and if so with what possible crimes?

A towering likeness of Christopher Columbus no longer stands in Chicago’s Grant Park after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered for its “temporary” removal.

The feel-good music of Fred Rogers inspires a neighborhood musician.

Even though the Obama Presidential Center has yet to receive final approval to break ground, Woodlawn’s real estate market is already bubbling, with the median sale price for single-family homes rising 90% from 2010 to 2019.

Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood sits in two ZIP codes that have seen some of the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the city. 

Three out of four Americans, including a majority of Republicans, favor requiring people to wear face coverings while outside their homes, a new poll finds.

“It’s a different world, and it will be for a little while,” President Trump said, explaining his decision during one of his newly resuscitated White House briefings on the coronavirus. “To have a big convention is not the right time.”

It’s not so glamorous anymore, but there was a time when people clamored to enjoy the novelty of eating fast food from the comfort of their cars. Geoffrey Baer serves up some fast food history with a side of super signs in this week’s Ask Geoffrey.

A family of artists is encouraging communities to reclaim their neighborhoods through the art of storytelling. We check out their work at 71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard in South Shore.

Organizers are pushing for the Chicago Police Department to release officer misconduct records, saying publicly available top-level data omits the public’s narrative and prevents them from seeking “narrative justice.”

Organizers are moving forward with the outdoor event, which showcases urban livestock and agriculture in its many forms. Prospective hosts have until July 26 to apply to be part of the September 2020 tour, no chickens required.