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Moderna: Initial Booster Data Shows Good Results on Omicron
| Associated Press
Moderna said lab tests showed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies able to fight omicron.
Catch the Solstice Sunset at the Chicago Spot Designed Especially for the Occasion
| Patty Wetli
Celebrate the winter solstice Tuesday at a solar gazing event on the 606 Bloomingdale Trail, which boasts a solstice “notch” to frame sunsets.
December 20, 2021 - Full Show
| WTTW News
New details on the Cook County State’s Attorney’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case. Inside the sale of the Thompson Center. Mayor Lightfoot addresses violence. A $10 billion telescope that could unlock secrets of the universe.
Dec. 15 Storms Across North-Central US Classified as Derecho
| Associated Press
At least 45 tornadoes have been preliminarily confirmed in the Dec. 15 storms that crossed the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures.
Manchin Not Backing Dems’ $2T Bill, Potentially Dooming It
| Associated Press
Manchin told “Fox News Sunday” that after five-and-half months of negotiations among Democrats in which he was his party’s chief obstacle to passage, “I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t. I’ve tried everything humanly possible. I can’t get there.”
No White Christmas as Chicago Continues Record Breaking Snow-Free Streak
| Patty Wetli
Chicago has never gone this late in the year without a measurable snowfall, and there's no sign of the white stuff in sight.
Omicron May Sideline Two Leading Drugs against COVID-19
| Associated Press
For more than a year antibody drugs from Regeneron and Eli Lilly have been the go-to treatments for early COVID-19, thanks to their ability to head off severe disease and keep patients out of the hospital.
Vintage Shops Get Up to Thrifty Business in Logan Square
| Erica Gunderson
Resale is a multi-billion dollar industry and shopping secondhand is growing in popularity as an affordable and eco-friendly way for young fashionistas to carve out a style niche for themselves. Two shops in Logan Square are hoping they can capitalize on that trend.
Shop at the Pop-ups for Last-Minute Artisan Gifts
| Erica Gunderson
If you’ve still got a few names to cross off your holiday gift list, you’re not alone. There’s still plenty of time to find handmade gifts that do good for artists and artisans not only in Chicago but also in countries all over the world.
Las Posadas: On the Road to Bethlehem in Buena Park
| Erica Gunderson
Parishioners of St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church are observing Las Posadas. It’s a Catholic tradition that commemorates the journey Joseph and Mary made seeking refuge where Mary could give birth to the Christ child. The parish adapted the tradition with a procession through the church’s neighborhood.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, December 18, 2021 - Full Show
| Aida Mogos
We dissect the nearly $3 million settlement for Anjanette Young from a police raid gone wrong. New leadership for the Metropolitan Planning Council. And a West Englewood food pantry has the Last Word.
The Last Word on Serving Others
| Aida Mogos
As we celebrate the holidays, many people in need come to rely on local food banks. One food pantry in West Englewood has been around for more than 20 years. It was started by Samella McKenzie who passed away last year. One of her final wishes was for her 10 children to continue her work and serve people.
Agricultural Labor Trafficking Growing Problem in Illinois
| Erica Gunderson
In Illinois, farming is big business. The Illinois Farm Bureau estimates that Illinois’ agriculture industry and related activity contribute more than $50 billion to the state’s economy. But the nature of farm work and the structure of our nation’s migrant labor program make the people who perform long hours of labor in Illinois’ over 72 million farms vulnerable to abuse.
One-on-One with Metropolitan Planning Council’s First Black CEO
| Aida Mogos
The Metropolitan Planning Council just hired its first Black president and CEO. The nonprofit, which began in 1934, is an independent planning and policy organization that seeks to build a more sustainable and equitable Chicago.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, December 18, 2021 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Agricultural labor trafficking is on the rise. Last-minute holiday gift ideas? We’ve got you covered. And a Mexican Catholic tradition takes to the streets of Buena Park.
Anjanette Young Settlement Reignites Calls for Police Reform
| Aida Mogos
Officers left Anjanette Young handcuffed and naked while they raided her home in February 2019, only to find out later they had the wrong home in the first place. The case and video of the raid sparked outrage across the country and once again raised concerns and questions around how police handle incidents in Black communities.
Vicente Fernández, Revered Mexican Singer, Dies at 81
| Associated Press
Vicente Fernández was known for hits such as “El Rey,” and “Lástima que seas ajena,” his command of the ranchera genre and his dark and elegant mariachi suits with their matching wide-brimmed sombreros.
Ransomware Persists Even as High-Profile Attacks Have Slowed
| Associated Press
Even if the United States isn’t currently enduring large-scale, front-page ransomware attacks on par with ones earlier this year that targeted the global meat supply or kept millions of Americans from filling their gas tanks, the problem hasn't disappeared. In fact, an attack on Lewis & Clark Community College, a small Illinois school was part of a barrage of lower-profile episodes that have upended the businesses, governments, schools and hospitals that were hit.
Rahm Emanuel Confirmed as Ambassador to Japan
| Heather Cherone
The 48-21 vote returns the former Chicago mayor to public life more than three years after he announced he would not run for a third term in office amid the continuing uproar over the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by a Chicago Police officer in 2014.
The Week in Review: Infections Rising, City Worker Vaccine Mandate Upheld
| Alexandra Silets
Omicron variant rips through Chicago and the U.S. The city gives the OK to stadium sports betting. Aurora Mayor may be a gubernatorial candidate. And downstate struggles with the aftermath of deadly storms.
Rockford Airport Sues to Dismiss Lawsuit Halting Destruction of Bell Bowl Prairie
| Patty Wetli
On Friday, the Greater Rockford Airport Authority filed a motion in U.S. District Court to dismiss a lawsuit blocking the airport’s planned expansion of its cargo operations, which would destroy a rare five-acre high-quality remnant prairie in the process.
Illinois Again Extends Deadline to Renew Expired Licenses
But Secretary of State Promises This Is It
| Amanda Vinicky
“This extension is necessary as my office continues to address the heavy customer volume caused by the COVID-19 pandemic through expanded online services and the introduction of appointments at select Driver Services facilities,” Secretary of State Jesse White said in a statement Friday.
Christmas Bonus: CTA Adds Special Run of Holiday Train on Monday
| Patty Wetli
CTA announced Friday an added run of the beloved Holiday Train, set to circle the Loop on Monday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Pritzker Repeals Illinois Law Requiring Minors Notify Parents Before Having an Abortion
| Amanda Vinicky
Repeal of the Parental Notification Act erases what has been described as Illinois’ last law restricting the procedure.
More Omicron Cases Detected in Suburban Cook County
| Kristen Thometz
Fewer than 10 omicron cases have been detected in suburban Cook County, according to Dr. Rachel Rubin, co-lead and senior medical officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health. But additional cases are under investigation.
All Chicago Library Branches Open Sunday Afternoons For 1st Time Since 2011
| Heather Cherone
Some Chicago Public Library branches added Sunday afternoon hours beginning in December 2019 after Mayor Lori Lightfoot proposed — and the Chicago City Council approved — an $18 million property tax hike as part of the city’s 2020 budget to fund the expansion.
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