Stories by Jennifer Cotto

In the Chicago area, Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes is the only accredited milk bank. Despite a slow increase in supply, the bank is still providing this valuable resource.  

Pianist Inna Faliks is an educator, mom and a distinguished concert pianist who is in demand across the globe. But before all that, one of her first television appearances was on WTTW in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.

Property owners will receive their tax bills soon — and homeowners might be a bit let down. Zoro, an e-commerce platform for business supplies, is joining the list of companies moving from the suburbs to the city. And McDonald's is rolling out what they say is their largest global campaign to date for the World Cup.

A staffing agency and the bakery’s then-owner are set to pay more than $1 million to settle the case. Worker advocates say the suit points to widespread problems faced by temp workers, and the possible legislative solutions.

Six community gardens will test the logistics of a compost program that could be expanded if it proves successful and scaleable.

The Chicago City Council is set to pay $5.8 million to resolve three lawsuits alledging misconduct by Chicago Police officers.

Dozens of Chicagoans who waited hours to get their turn to address the Chicago City Council were prevented from speaking because a majority of the Chicago City Council attended Monday's special meeting.

The ruling by the three-judge panel from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis came days after a federal judge in Texas blocked the program, saying it usurped Congress’ power to make laws.

Kenneth Haywood, 30, was ordered held on a $400,000 D-bond during a hearing Monday following his arrest over the weekend in the killing of 56-year-old Shenan Thompson.

The investigation by the states, which officials said was spurred by a 2018 Associated Press story, found that Google continued to track people's location data even after they opted out of such tracking.

The 90,000-member union that represents hospital, nursing home, home care and child care workers throughout the Midwest backed Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner, four days after U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García entered the race for mayor, scrambling the contest.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 28 people were shot in 26 separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Supporters of the proposal say the change will help the nearly 66,000 Chicagoans who are unhoused by generating approximately $160 million annually.

Environmental concerns on the South and West sides. Illinois elects its first Latina to Congress. Meet the Chicago Reader’s new editor-in-chief. And the Irish soldiers of Mexico.

A new study and a new lawsuit on the link between hair straighteners and uterine cancer. Inside a call center helping to transform Chatham. And meet artist, architect and now-genius Amanda Williams.

The ambitious plan included a community center, a technology hub, partnerships to offer free tuition and provisions for contracting with Chatham’s small service businesses.

The mayor came under fire by some alderpeople for not living up to her campaign promise to re-establish a city Department of Environment. 

A study from the National Institutes of Health last month showed women who use chemical hair relaxers or straighteners may have a higher risk of the cancer.

Tasked with the job of maintaining the Reader’s relevance in an ever-changing media landscape is Enrique Limón. He is the Reader’s new editor-in-chief and the first Latino to hold that position in the publication’s more than 50-year history.

It was an evening of sheer, unadulterated delight as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra joined forces with the Joffrey Ballet on Thursday for a pair of world premieres.

In addition to the bravura performances of its dancers, the exuberant works of a number of different choreographers and the excellent group of musicians that gathered for its grand finale, the company attracted an impressively vast, immensely enthusiastic audience.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker wins reelection handily as Democrats sweep the state. National predictions of a Republican wave fail to materialize. Chuy García enters the race for mayor. And the CTA chief gets an earful.

Nearly 70% of voters approved an additional .025% increase in property taxes, which would bring in $40 million dollars in new revenue annually to the preserves.

The state announced it will enter into exclusive negotiations with MAT Limited Partnership to take over the Damen Silos property. The 23-acre property located along the Chicago River has been vacant for years. 

Due to the lack of  CTA-provided parking options, South Side commuters are often forced to park on streets, sometimes illegally, risking a ticket or a tow. If they choose to drive the entire commute, they’ll face a packed Dan Ryan Expressway and expensive downtown parking. 

A local blues legend is receiving her flowers in a new documentary exploring her life. Now 86 years old, Mary Lane says she’s loved singing since she was 12 years old.