Stories by 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

Repeal of the Parental Notification Act erases what has been described as Illinois’ last law restricting the procedure.

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.

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.

A 26-year-old father allegedly shook and beat his infant child to the point where the boy suffered injuries consistent with a car crash and will require medical care for the rest of his life, prosecutors claimed.

Cook County and state officials are hosting a one-day mass vaccination clinic at three suburban locations for all eligible residents.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided to more firmly embrace the approach, already used by many school districts, after research of such policies in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas found COVID-19 infections did not increase when using the approach.

Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health officials said Thursday.

A Chicago artist has returned home to make her Broadway debut in a classic romantic comedy-turned-musical. Arts Correspondent Angel Idowu introduces us to a performer who tells us how she made it from the classroom to the stage. 

Chicago’s would-be casino developers show us their cards. Utility giants selling sensitive information to immigration officials. We’re in Grand Boulevard. And a preview of the Bears game.

The area includes part of the Bronzeville neighborhood. And it has a rich history, from its churches to its hospital. We spoke with community leaders about that and efforts to bring people together this holiday season.

Rumors are swirling around the future of the Bears organization as big changes loom. Meanwhile, the team has to contend with all three coordinators possibly missing Monday night's game at home against the Minnesota Vikings due to COVID-19.