Stories by Heather Cherone

The poll of 700 likely Chicago voters was conducted Nov. 10 to Nov. 17 by Impact Research, a firm that includes President Joe Biden and other prominent Democrats among its list of clients.

The city must match an expected federal grant of $2.16 billion before the first track can be laid — and the City Council is set to give the project signal clearance Wednesday.

Edwin Lagunas, 18, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and an additional count of aggravated battery with a firearm stemming from the Nov. 20 shooting that left Ruby Navarrete and Lynner Hawkins dead.

A final vote on the city subsidy for the high school set to be built at 24th and State streets, once home to the demolished CHA Harold L. Ickes homes, is scheduled for Wednesday’s full City Council meeting.

The European carmaker said it will “idle” the assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois on Feb. 23 and said the layoffs are expected to exceed six months. 

Anabel Abarca, a McKinley Park resident and attorney, was the only one of the four people to apply to fill the vacant seat on the City Council who is also running for the spot in the Feb. 28 election. 

Coronavirus-related hospital admissions are climbing again in the United States, with older adults a growing share of U.S. deaths and less than half of nursing home residents up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 20 people were shot in 17 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. That included a triple homicide following a fight at a bar in the 5500 block of West School Street.

The Chicago Archdiocese released a letter Saturday saying that a review board found “no reason to suspect” that the Rev. Michael Pfleger was guilty of the allegations. Pfleger had stepped away from his duties as pastor of St. Sabina Church in October during the review.

Many Cook County residents received an unwelcome surprise this month when their new property tax bill arrived with a hefty hike. The increase was especially noticeable for those living in largely Latino communities, according to an analysis by the Cook County Treasurer’s office.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository estimates that while food insecurity is overall 19% higher compared to pre-pandemic levels, it’s 37% higher for Black households.

Manasseh, the singer, songwriter and native South Sider, credits the gospel soundtrack of his childhood for creating the foundation for his sprawling, kaleidoscopic sound. 

The “South Side” is back on the grind. Season three of HBO Max’s hit comedy set in Chicago debuted this week — and the jokes are as fast and furious as ever.

In less than a month, Illinois will become the first state in the nation where those arrested for crimes will not have the option of paying cash bail. Instead, whether someone stays in jail as they await trial will be based on a series of metrics used by judges.

Poetry Foundation Creative Director Fred Sasaki says the exhibition grew out of the discovery of a collection of Diana Solis’ photographs and other items abandoned in a basement.

Some residents see a spike in their property taxes. Pushback over CPD’s new gang database. And a local boxing club helping kids pack a punch in and out of the boxing ring.

Pilsen Gourmet organizer Esmirna Garcia says in its second year, the event’s plate is overflowing with the flavors, colors and culture of Chicago’s diverse Latino cuisine scene.

What changes to the SAFE-T Act mean now that changes have been signed into law. Food insecurity as a public health crisis. And the hit series “South Side” is back.

Let the games begin as mayoral candidates try to knock each other off the ballot. The governor quietly signs the revised SAFE-T Act. A landmark movie theater on the chopping block. And renewed calls to take down the Trump sign.

Illinois state Sen. Scott Bennett, a Democrat who represented Champaign and surrounding areas in central Illinois, died Friday from complications of a brain tumor. 

The federal government has just announced its most significant investment to date in nature-based projects aimed at creating "climate-ready" coastlines, and Chicago is among the communities that will benefit from this latest round of funding.

Cook County prosecutors are enacting new changes to an existing search warrant policy this month, with an aim at improving communication and accountability while eliminating mistaken raids at incorrect locations.

"A birth represents preservation of a species that has faced many challenges in the wild,” said Mike Murray, curator of mammals and animal behavioral husbandry.

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago has revoked an honorary doctorate awarded to Kanye West, as the fallout from the rapper’s offensive remarks about Black and Jewish people continues.

“So happy to have Brittney back on U.S. soil. Welcome home BG!” tweeted Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.

It’s been another wild week on the nature beat. The United Nations’ biodiversity conference kicked off Tuesday in Montreal with the UN Secretary-General calling humanity a “weapon of mass extinction.” Nowhere to go but up from there.