Stories by Alexandra Silets

Gov. J.B. Pritzker tells his political opponents that his family is off limits as he announces new restrictions designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Our politics team takes on those stories and more in this week’s roundtable. 

Meet a high school student who’s on a quest to see more bird species in Cook County than anyone, ever.

Chicago Public School Local School Council members are up for election this week. What are LSCs and what power do they have?

As COVID-19 continues to surge in Illinois, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are bracing for what’s likely to come. 

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. With one in three Americans at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, we learn about a local initiative that aims to prevent residents from developing the disease.

A plan to borrow $1.4 billion to repair Chicago’s crumbling streets, sidewalks, bridges and shoreline during the next five years advanced Wednesday with a 22-10 vote of the City Council’s Finance Committee.

The Chicago Transit Authority’s Board of Directors approved the agency’s 2021 operating budget of $1.645 billion on Wednesday, but CTA staff warned of drastic service cuts without another infusion of cash from Congress.

“COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death in Illinois, behind heart disease and cancer,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday as state health officials reported 8,922 new COVID-19 cases and 140 virus-related deaths.

The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration represents an important step in U.S. efforts to expand testing options for COVID-19 beyond health care facilities and testing sites. 

As the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook gave assurances of vigorous action against election disinformation, Republicans at a Senate hearing Tuesday pounded the social media companies over political bias, business practices and market dominance.

CPS Chief Education Officer LaTanya McDade said that while the number of A’s given to students this school year is up compared to last year, so too is the number of F’s, particularly among students of color.

Acknowledging that demand for COVID-19 tests has grown exponentially during a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Chicago officials announced Wednesday that the city will open a new testing site at Midway Airport.

Watch the Nov. 18, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The City Council’s Finance Committee advanced Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s $12.8 billion spending plan to the full City Council on a 21-12 vote Wednesday.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced the move early Wednesday, saying it was done after a “comprehensive and methodical” 20-month review process.

Chicago's museums are facing a second shutdown and an uncertain future. Many closures are open-ended or will last at least through the remainder of 2020.

Heidi Stevens is a writer at the Chicago Tribune who taps into many of her own experiences for her “Balancing Act" column. But writing about her COVID-19 diagnosis — and an underlying heart condition — gave her pause.

We explore the latest exhibition from Amanda Williams which responds to the social media trend Blackout Tuesday, in which Instagram users posted black squares to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Aldermen on Tuesday unanimously advanced a proposal backed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to cap fees charged by delivery services such as Postmates, Grubhub and UberEats at 15% in an effort to help struggling restaurants.

The COVID-19 pandemic means this year’s holiday season will be like no other. Dr. Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist at UChicago Medicine, gives advice on how to safely navigate the holidays.

President-elect Joe Biden recently announced longtime confidant Ron Klain as his White House chief of staff. As the president’s gatekeeper and top assistant, Klain will play a crucial role in managing who has access to Biden.

With the city and Cook County under stay-at-home advisories due to COVID 19, the Shedd Aquarium has decided to close its doors through the remainder of the year, targeting Jan. 2 for reopening, the aquarium announced.

Though Illinois will soon see increased restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some Chicago Public Schools students and teachers are set to head back to the classroom. The head of CPS and Mayor Lightfoot discuss the plan.

General Iron’s parent company has applied for its final permit to operate its metal-shredding operation on the Southeast Side, but federal officials have asked the city to hold off on making a decision.

Facing “exponential growth” in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Illinois will soon begin operating under tighter restrictions designed to stop the spread of the virus — and avoid another stay-at-home order, the governor said.

Aldermen from across the political spectrum pressured Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s budget team on Tuesday to come up with a proposal to head off a $93.9 million property tax hike.