Stories by Blair Paddock

More than 5,600 people are hospitalized with COVID. And COVID patients are occupying 34% of the state’s ICU beds.

In Chicago, neighborhoods with higher shares of residents of color retained far more ridership than predominantly white communities—and that trend was similar in other cities. 

Chief Judge Timothy Evans announced Tuesday that his office — which covers the courts and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center — will impose COVID vaccine mandates. This after the Chief Judge was criticized for previously not mandating the vaccine for all employees.

Holiday travel and gathering has begun. The Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of Pfizer’s pill to treat COVID-19. A local physician weighs in on that and more.

NASA prepares to launch the most powerful space telescope ever. Local astronomers share some up-close details. 

The city’s public health department has been distributing the tests since October to try and reduce the number of deaths due to the drug. The city has distributed somewhere between 14-1500 kits.

Citing investigations from the Environmental Protection Agency, local residents and activists say their neighborhood cannot withstand the pollution they believe the new Southside Recycling facility will bring.

This time last year, many people celebrated the holidays virtually, as the COVID-19 vaccine was not yet widely available. But this year, the faithful can plan some in-person gatherings to celebrate the holidays.

More than 1,000 homicides have been recorded in Cook County so far this year. In the suburbs, Harvey has seen the highest total of homicides with 30.

Over the past 20 years, 51 Black women and girls have either gone missing or been found dead after disappearing in Chicago, according to WVON, which has produced a new five-part series featuring the stories of these victims’ family members and their efforts to find answers. 

Former Parlor Pizza employees say they were forced to work overtime without pay and under toxic working conditions, according to Block Club Chicago. The restaurant is now under investigation for possible labor and anti-discrimination violations.

Last week, students and officials at a west suburban school district discussed whether the graphic novel should be kept in school libraries. What could that mean for educational freedom?

A far-right paramilitary organization has found success in recruiting law enforcement officers in America’s largest cities, according to an investigation from NPR that shows active officers in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago on membership rosters. 

Mental health challenges for children have reached a national emergency, according to several medical organizations representing 77,000 physicians and more than 200 children’s hospitals. “The pandemic has taken its toll in numerous ways,” said clinical psychologist Mashana Smith.

A recent investigation by the Chicago Tribune found the city has failed to provide the public with easy, consistent access to free toilets, with scant information available about those that do exist. As the story found, it’s not only a public health issue but a public safety one as well.

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Logan Correctional Center is putting together performances about gender-based violence. Twenty-one people will perform over Zoom and share their stories through poems, monologues and more. 

Incarcerated people in Illinois haven’t had the ability to get onto parole since the ‘70s. But a bill in Springfield is working to bring it back, providing parole hearings for inmates who’ve served at least 20 years in prison. 

McKay Coppins, who did a deep dive into Alden Global Capital, shares his insights into the hedge fund that bought the Chicago Tribune.

Discussion and debate over a recently released book that advocates for a “citizen dividend” that would give cash to Americans.

Longtime WTTW fans may remember that back in 1987, our airwaves were hijacked by an unknown TV “pirate.” Now nearly 34 years later, it’s inspired a new film playing Thursday at the Chicago International Film Festival.

The infusion comes on the heels of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Invest South-West Initiative, a three-year program aimed at investing $750 million in developments across 10 neighborhoods, including South Chicago.

Monday marks National Coming Out Day— an annual awareness day aimed at supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. What do that awareness and support mean for leaders in the Latino LGBTQ community? We hear from Julio Rodriguez of ALMA and David Ernesto Munar from Howard Brown Health.

Renters are finding fewer affordable homes and apartments as the city sees a decline in units. A new study from DePaul University shows the city experienced a 5.2% decline in affordable rental units over the past decade.

The Board of Directors of Chicago Public Media— the parent of WBEZ— unanimously approved a non-binding letter of intent for the group and the Sun-Times to explore joining together as a local nonprofit news organization.

Workers are back on the job after last week’s walkout. We hear about their working conditions and the latest on their organizing efforts.

A rift between Chicago Bears leadership and the owner of Soldier Field— the Chicago Park District — may be brewing, as speculation swarms over whether the team is planning to relocate.