Stories by Eunice Alpasan

There were about five times as many emergency department visits for flu as there were for COVID-19, according to IDPH data during the week ending Jan. 25.

Fears and frustrations linger among university researchers around the country whose research work is now in limbo as President Donald Trump’s administration aims to cut what it deems as “wasteful” federal spending.

The campaign aims to educate residents about their rights in the event of being stopped or detained by federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

In an effort to minimize patient disruptions, Planned Parenthood of Illinois leaders said they plan to expand patient care at other locations as needed and through the PPDirect app.

Starting Thursday, three overnight lane closures will be required on the inbound and outbound Kennedy and Edens Expressway to remove the work zone and apply new pavement markings, according to Illinois Department of Transportation.

More than 300 license plate requests in Illinois were denied last year for profanity, offensive language or illegibility, according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office.

Fans can expect game day food, a local DJ and meet-and-greets with Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze and other NFL players, according to Verizon.

Buddy the cat had previously avoided capture from concerned residents for months. He was eventually captured and taken in by PAWS Chicago on Dec. 23.

Local public transit agencies are encouraging residents to celebrate the holiday responsibly by taking advantage of free late-night transit services. Here’s how to hitch a ride.

The movie, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and has since been nominated for several awards, is returning to theaters next week with screenings at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Dec. 23 and 28.

The new ballpark name comes after the mortgage company Guaranteed Rate, which has secured naming rights for the stadium since 2016, announced this summer that it would be rebranding to Rate.

Express lanes are set to reopen Jan. 13 pending successful completion of testing, which will begin Jan. 2, weather permitting, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. 

Public health officials are encouraging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible so they can get some protection ahead of holiday gatherings.

“This has been a dream of ours for many years,” CEO Courtney Sakai said following a ribbon-cutting ceremony for JASC’s new building. “We’ve always envisioned a community destination where we could serve all and expand our programs.”

The four-year driver's license for noncitizens features a standard red banner and replaces “Not Valid For Identification” with “Federal Limits Apply.” Noncitizens who are unable or choose not to drive also have the option to obtain a standardized ID.

The Pennsylvania-based beer company, founded in 1829 and touted as the oldest brewery in America, made the announcement as part of the company’s broader efforts to expand in the Midwest.

Pat Hughes, a play-by-play broadcaster, will celebrate his 30th season as the radio voice of the Cubs next year. Ron Coomer, an analyst, will be alongside Hughes in the booth for his 12th season.

A newly announced program at Cook County Health will connect pregnant patients with doulas in an effort to address high rates of maternal mortality and birth complications that disproportionately affect Black women.

Nearly 1.5 million travelers are expected to pass through O’Hare — an 11% increase in passenger traffic compared to last year, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. Sunday is expected to be the busiest travel day for the city’s airports.

The study found Black women face more than double the rate of severe complications than White women. Additionally, living in high-poverty neighborhoods elevated maternal health risks across all racial groups.

Santa and his elves are returning to CTA buses and trains for the holiday season. The holiday tradition will return starting the week of Thanksgiving and will run through late December, the Chicago Transit Authority announced Tuesday.

A funeral service was held Monday morning for Chicago police Officer Enrique Martinez, who was fatally shot while conducting a traffic stop earlier this month. “The willingness to give your life for the safety of others is the most noble thing you can do,” said Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling.

The holiday-related activities such as holiday markets and tree lighting ceremonies begin this month and run through early January.

Subscription packages will start at $19.99 per month for one team or $29.99 per month for full access to Chicago Sports Network, including all three teams’ live games. CHSN launched in October to replace NBC Sports Chicago, the longtime former home of the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox.

The Illinois Nurses Association represents 1,700 nurses at UI Hospital who have been in contract negotiations since June. Nurses at the hospital system initially went on strike for one week when their contract ended in August. For the current strike, the nurses’ union did not give hospital leadership a strike end date.

The city aims to deliver 3,000 compost bins to residents throughout Chicago's 50 wards. The city initially allocated 20 compost bins to distribute in each ward but increased it to 60 bins per ward due to demand.