Stories by Associated Press

Tensions Simmer as Newcomers and Immigrants with Deeper US Roots Strive for Work Permits

Across the country, mayors, governors and others have been forceful advocates for newly arrived migrants seeking shelter and work permits. Their efforts and existing laws have exposed tensions among immigrants who have been in the country for years, even decades, and don’t have the same benefits.

With Public Health Systems Largely Leaving COVID-19 Vaccines to Regular Medical Avenues, Officials Say Outreach Is Still Needed

While the public health emergency is officially over, COVID-19 is still making people sick, and health officials say they’ve entered a new front.

COVID-19 Slows Former Ald. Ed Burke’s Corruption Trial For Second Time as Testimony Around Burger King Allegations Continues

Unlike last time when the landmark corruption case was put on hold for a week, proceedings continued briefly Monday before the parties broke until Tuesday.

Chicago Park District Outdoor Skating Rinks Open for the Season, With a New Twist for Gen Xers and Boomers

Outdoor skating rinks at five Chicago parks open Nov. 24, joining rinks at Maggie Daley Park and Millennium Park where skating is already underway.

Sunday’s Snowfall Total in Chicago, All 1.8 Inches of It, Beat the Odds

Dec. 7 is the average date for the city to record its first 1-inch snowfall, according to the National Weather Service. 

Ethics Board Urges Chicago City Council to Tighten Rules to Stop Campaign Cash Pleas to City Employees

The board’s ruling could also complicate efforts to hold public officials or candidates responsible for other kinds of violations, unless the City Council acts to change the law, sources told WTTW News.

Construction to Start Monday to Transform Vacant Brighton Park Lot Into ‘Winterized Base Camp’ for Migrants: Ald. Ramirez

Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th Ward) said Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office informed her late Friday that work would begin Monday on the base camp over her objections and after the discovery of “toxic metals” on the site.

Week in Review: Rahm Emanuel Talks Chicago Politics, Ambassadorship and Gaza in Exclusive Interview

An exclusive one-on-one with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. We talk with Chicago’s former mayor about his new role, the conflict in Gaza and much more.

Candidate Filing Begins Monday, Signaling Official Start of 2024 Election Cycle

Monday morning marks the official beginning of the 2024 election cycle in Illinois, opening up the week-long period when candidates for local, state, congressional and judicial races are required to turn in the signatures they’ve spent the last two months collecting to get on the ballot.

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Nov. 23, 2023 - Full Show

Activist Dolores Huerta on her legacy fighting injustice. The pride and pressure that come with being first-generation. And a local biochemistry professor wants to get more Latinos in laboratories.

Japanese Ambassador Rahm Emanuel Takes Aim at China: ‘Their Economic Power Has Been Shrinking’

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has taken his brash, sometimes controversial style to his current role as U.S. ambassador to Japan. His recent critical remarks about Chinese President Xi Jinping have made waves across the Pacific and here in the United States.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Nov. 22, 2023 - Full Show

What local groups are doing to combat rising food insecurity. A push to enhance the Major Taylor Trail on the South Side. And the creator of the animated series “Young Love.”

‘Not the First Time I Have Ever Dealt With Antisemitism’: Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel After Michigan Home Vandalized with the Word ‘Nazis’

“The most fundamental thing is you don’t allow someone’s hatred to infiltrate how you see people,” Rahm Emanuel said. “There is a fundamental goodness in people. I have seen it, I have been a product of it. Have I had antisemitism directed at me? Yes, but I’ve also had the American story.”

‘I’d Also Like to Get Some of His Law Business’: Jurors Hear Evidence of Former Ald. Ed Burke’s Alleged Attempt to Extort Burger King Owners

Jurors on Tuesday began hearing evidence of the second of four criminal schemes the longtime 14th Ward alderperson was allegedly involved in — this one involving remodeling work at a Burger King restaurant that was located in Burke’s district.

2 New Lawsuits Filed Following CTA Yellow Line Crash

Attorneys from the Chicago-based Clifford Law Offices announced Wednesday they’ve filed two additional lawsuits against the CTA, which allege that the commuter train was operated negligently.

Death, Preterm Labor Reported in Listeria Outbreak Linked to Recalled Peaches, Plums and Nectarines Sold in Illinois, Other States

Three cases were reported in both California and Florida, with other cases reported in Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

Illinois Supreme Court Skeptical Consolidation of 649 Municipal Police and Fire Pension Funds Hurt Retirees’ Voting Rights

The nearly three-dozen pensioners and 17 individual pension funds that sued have already lost twice in lower court. But their attorney was insistent the retired police and firefighters were wronged when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the law – passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Israel and Hamas Agree on a Truce to Free Hostages in Swap, Raising Hopes of Halting War in Gaza

Now in its seventh week, the war has leveled vast swaths of Gaza, fueled a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank, and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across the Middle East.

Let’s Talk Turkey: 10 Wild Facts About America’s Bird

This year, don't head to your Thanksgiving gathering empty-handed. Take these wild turkey fun facts with you, and use them to fill awkward silences.

AAA Predicts Highest Traffic in Years in Illinois This Thanksgiving. See IDOT’s List of Construction Closures

Thanksgiving travelers should expect to gobble up traffic over the next few days, with AAA forecasting 2.46 million vehicles to hit the roads in Illinois — some 60,000 more drivers than last year.

Nov. 21, 2023 - Full Show

Ryan Field is getting a revamp after a narrow Evanston City Council vote. What the city’s new 60-day shelter limit means for asylum seekers. And a historic day for Northwestern University’s newest graduates.

In History-Making Ceremony, Men in Prison Earn Degrees From Northwestern University: ‘We Want to Show What’s Possible’

Last week, the Northwestern Prison Education Program graduated its first cohort of students. The graduates are the first in the country to earn bachelor’s degrees from a top 10 university while incarcerated.

Evanston City Council Approves Northwestern’s Ryan Field Renovation, Zoning Change for Concerts

Evanston residents are getting a new neighbor: an $800 million rebuilt Ryan Field. Evanston City Council on Monday voted yes on the field revamp and on a controversial zoning change to allow concerts.

Iowa-Illinois Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Application Withdrawn, Company ‘Remains Committed’

While portions of the pipeline’s plan have yet to be finalized, it was generally proposed to run from two ethanol production facilities owned by Archer Daniels Midland in Iowa and terminate near Decatur, home to ADM’s North American headquarters.

Turkey Rules the Table. But Poll Finds Disagreement Over Other Thanksgiving Classics

About 3 in 10 U.S. adults (32%) who will celebrate Thanksgiving this year say turkey is their favorite dish in the holiday feast, according to a new poll. Stuffing or dressing (19%) and mashed potatoes (6%) come in second and third.

Calumet Fisheries Suffers ‘Extensive’ Fire Damage Days After Reopening

Calumet Fisheries, the iconic South Side seafood restaurant, caught fire Tuesday afternoon and suffered “extensive” damage.
 

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