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Stories by Heather Cherone

With 3 More Cases of Measles Confirmed in Pilsen Shelter, Total Rises to 7 as CDC Team Arrives in Chicago

City health officials did not immediately identify whether the latest people to contract measles are children or adults, nor did they disclose their condition, as they have with all other cases of measles.

Friends of the Parks to the Chicago Bears: Play Ball With Stakeholders on New Stadium Plans

The parks advocacy group said it isn’t chasing the Bears out of Chicago, but wants an “open, clear and free discourse driven by the public instead of private interests.”

Howard Brown Health Hit With Complaint From National Labor Board

The move comes seven months after the NLRB found merit or partial merit in the Howard Brown Health Works United’s allegations. This complaint reiterates those allegations, including declaring an impasse and refusing to bargain over layoffs.

Cook County Board Set to Approve $17M Settlement With Jackie Wilson, Who Spent Decades Behind Bars Following Wrongful Murder Conviction

The Cook County Board of Commissioners will vote on the proposed settlement with Jackie Wilson, who was convicted of the 1982 killings of Chicago police Officers William Fahey and Richard O’Brien, based largely on a false confession he said he gave after he was repeatedly beaten and electroshocked.

Airport Nasal Swabbing Expanding to Chicago and Miami

The CDC program asks arriving international passengers to volunteer to have their noses swabbed and answer questions about their travel. The program began in 2021 and has been credited with detecting coronavirus variants faster than other systems.

CTA Continues to Rely on Bus and Train Operator Overtime — But Fails to Provide Detailed Information Within Required Time Frame

Illegally delayed responses are a chronic problem with the CTA’s FOIA office. Other news organizations and advocacy groups have also dinged the agency for its FOIA transparency failures. Despite not sending information on operator working hours as required, available information indicates the CTA continues to rely on overtime.

Families of Homicide Victims in Chicago Await Closure Amid Low Clearance Rates

As homicide cases in Chicago remain open, the families of victims are left to cope with the trauma.

Chicago Community Groups Look to Build Support Systems as Part of Violence Reduction Efforts

Local organizations are focusing on those areas in an effort to work directly with those most impacted in an effort to stop cycles of violence

March 11, 2024 - Full Show

A WTTW News Safer City special: Why Chicago sees more homicides than other major cities. And the local organizations working to prevent that crime in their communities. 

As Homicides Drop Nationwide, Chicago Lags Behind Other Major Cities. Why?

Crime overall is falling nationwide. But when it comes to homicides, Chicago’s numbers are not declining as quickly as the two largest cities in the nation — New York and Los Angeles.

2 More Cases of Measles Confirmed in Pilsen Shelter, Bringing Total to 4: Chicago Health Officials

Since the first confirmed case of measles was diagnosed in a shelter resident on Friday, approximately 900 residents have been vaccinated, officials said. 

Real Estate Groups Ask Illinois Supreme Court to Invalidate Ballot Measure That Would Hike Taxes on Sales of Million-Dollar Properties

A coalition of the real estate and development groups asked the Illinois Supreme Court to reverse an appellate court ruling that overturned a decision by Cook County Judge Kathleen Burke that blocked the Chicago Board of Elections from counting votes for and against the proposal, known as Bring Chicago Home.

3 Children and 2 Adults Die After School Bus Collides With Semi in Western Illinois, Authorities Say

Five people, including three children, were killed in western Illinois when a school bus and semitruck collided on a highway Monday, authorities said.

With 2 Vacant Seats, Ethics Board Cancels Meeting, Leaving Case Against Conyears-Ervin in Limbo Before Election

The cancelation of the meeting leaves the pending probe against City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin up in the air, four months after the Ethics Board ratified the determination that she fired two city employees after they warned her she was violating the city’s government ethics ordinance by using city resources to host a prayer service.

The Solar Eclipse Is a Month Away, But the Time to Get Your Viewing Glasses — and Smartphone Filters — Is NOW

If you've been sleeping on the North American total solar eclipse of 2024, it's time to start paying attention. The big event — on April 8 — is fast approaching and folks who haven't prepared could find themselves left out in the dark.

Reports: Bears Planning to Spend $2B on New Domed Stadium in Chicago

Several news organizations on Monday morning reported that the team has backed off possible plans to build a stadium in suburban Arlington Heights and will instead now provide private funding for a new publicly owned stadium in Chicago.

US Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder and Rape in Attack on 2 Recent U. of I. Graduates in Germany

An American man was convicted of murder and other charges on Monday for brutally attacking two American women near Germany’s famed Neuschwanstein castle last summer and pushing them into a ravine, fatally injuring one of them. He was sentenced to life in prison.

1 Person Killed, 12 Wounded in Weekend Shootings Across Chicago: Police

According to the Chicago Police Department, 13 people were shot in 13 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

WTTW News Explains: Why Does Chicago Dye the River Green for St. Patrick’s Day?

There’s no more iconic Chicago St. Patrick’s Day tradition than dyeing the Chicago River green.

‘Oppenheimer’ Crowned Best Picture at an Academy Awards Shadowed by War

After passing over arguably Hollywood’s foremost big-screen auteur for years, the Oscars made up for lost time by heaping seven awards on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, including best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. and best director for Nolan.

2nd Case of Measles Confirmed in Pilsen Shelter, Chicago Health Officials Announce

A team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is on its way to Chicago to assist the Chicago Department of Public Health respond to the apparent measles outbreak, Chicago health officials said.

Week in Review: Lawmakers Approve Hybrid Elected School Board; Measles Reported at Migrant Shelter

State lawmakers overwhelmingly approve a hybrid elected school board for Chicago. More trouble at an embattled migrant shelter in Pilsen. And the race for Cook County state’s attorney heats up.

Illinois Man Accused of Firing Gun From Scaffolding During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Arrested

John Banuelos, 39, of Summit, Illinois, was captured on camera footage scaling the scaffolding that had been put up for the inaugural stage and waving the crowd toward him. He pulled what appeared to be a gun from his waistband and fired two shots into the air, prosecutors said.

Interim President Among 15 Chicagoans Nominated to Serve on Permanent CPD Oversight Board

Mayor Brandon Johnson faces an April 7 deadline to pick seven members to serve on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.

Sundays on State to Return This Summer; Loop Alliance Seeking Artists and Organizations for the Free Block Party

Everyone’s favorite downtown block party is back. Chicago Loop Alliance organizes Sundays on State with the goal of cultivating community and amplifying art and culture within the Loop.

Expect Delays: Next Phase of Kennedy Expressway Construction to Begin Monday — With Reversible Express Lanes Closing Until Fall

The construction is part of the second phase of a three-year, $150 million project to rehab the I-90/I-94 Kennedy Expressway from the I-94 Edens Expressway junction to Ohio Street.
 

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