Stories by Patty Wetli

Tony Grammatis, owner of Snappy Printing and Graphics, is offering free banners to small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.

Chicago’s plan to reserve at least 1,000 hotel rooms through partnerships with five hotels is the first such sweeping strategy unveiled in the U.S. aimed at relieving the pressure on hospitals that are the only option for the seriously sick. 

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois doctors are increasingly seeing their patients online, and executive actions last week by President Donald Trump and Gov. J.B. Pritzker make it easier than ever.

The nation’s academic institutions are shifting operations online to bring instruction to students at their homes all over the country — and even the world. We check in with some local universities.

Among those most vulnerable to the coronavirus are jail and prison populations, where people live in tight quarters, with potentially limited health care and access to basic needs like soap.

Half-priced Divvy memberships, credit for unused CTA passes and free rides for paratransit customers are all part of Chicago’s plan to keep its transportation network rolling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As people increasingly stay home, many social service agencies are adapting in order to continue serving their communities. We check in on the Indo-American Center in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood.

Along a 2-mile stretch of Devon Avenue in Chicago’s West Ridge community, you’ll find one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country – and one dominated by small businesses, many of which are now closed.

Panic-buying is taking hold of shoppers across the country. Already, toilet paper and hand sanitizer are flying off store shelves. How are grocery stores maintaining their supplies? And will their supply chains hold up under the strain of the crisis?

While the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois is rising, hospitals across the state are meeting the demand for beds and ventilators. But on Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker outlined what could have happened without preventive measures to slow the spread of the virus.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago has seen a rise in disinfectant wipes stuck to filtering screens at its water reclamation plants, and it now has some advice for residents.

With lives and the economy hanging in the balance, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is hoping the United States will be reopened by Easter as he weighs how to relax nationwide social-distancing guidelines.

TipsySpace has created a toilet roll cake that’s worthy of bingeing, not hoarding, and it’s so authentic looking, customers have nearly mistaken it for the real thing on pickup.

Watch the March 24, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Chicago Public Schools is seeking to spend up to $75 million to address and maintain “critical services” during the COVID-19 pandemic. But that request and the rest of the board’s monthly meeting will be heard online rather than in person.

Food continues to create a sense of community even during these days of social isolation, with strangers swapping free sourdough starter.

A day after a public feud on Twitter over management of the coronavirus crisis, Gov. J.B. Pritkzer said President Donald Trump “seemed like he was very responsive” when the two spoke on the phone. What they discussed.

The various state and city coronavirus restrictions are having a dramatic impact on local businesses, especially mom-and-pop restaurants and stores. We visit Chinatown to see how businesses are coping with the changes.

We talk about the state of the restaurant industry with Alpana Singh, host of the WTTW restaurant review show “Check, Please!” and the owner of Terra and Vine restaurant in Evanston.

Will the lack of in-person outreach lead to a census undercount in Chicago’s greater Chinatown community?

Illinois state Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago) says some constituents are telling her they’re afraid of racist repercussions because of President Donald Trump’s insistence on using the phrase “Chinese virus.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a stay-at-home order for the entire state just a few days ago, but there are already concerns over how it will be enforced – particularly in communities of color.

The new coronavirus has upended lives across the globe. We take a look at the mental toll of social distancing, isolation and the fear of illness – and ways to cope.

Rhine Hall Distillery is known for its high-end fruit brandies, but business has slowed because of the coronavirus. Now, the distillery is one of several that’s shifting its production from spirits to sanitizer. We go for a look.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has launched a task force to ramp up production of personal protective equipment, or PPE. Meanwhile, cases in Illinois grew Monday to a total of 1,285, with 12 deaths. 

The two detainees, ages 18 and 42, each began exhibiting flu-like symptoms last Friday. They are each being held in isolation at the jail’s Cermak Hospital, officials said Monday.