Stories by WTTW News

The latest on the City Council’s ward remap process and what it means for voters. One-on-one with Chicago’s top doctor as COVID-19 cases increase. And live in Andersonville for “In Your Neighborhood.”

The drama out of Halas Hall over the rumored departure of head coach Matt Nagy has died down this week — with the Bears coming off a victory over the winless Detroit Lions. But this Sunday a much tougher opponent awaits in the shape of Super Bowl contender the Arizona Cardinals.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood and championed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to invest in quality maternal care for mothers across the country.

The number of new COVID-19 infections has been steadily increasing for weeks and on Thursday surpassed 11,000 for the first time in a 24-hour period since December 2020 – when vaccines weren’t available, according to state health officials.

By filing the map crafted by the Chicago Latino Caucus with the city clerk’s office, the alderpeople ensured that the June 28 primary election ballot could ask voters to decide what the ward map should look like for the first time in 30 years.

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks unanimously approved a landmark recommendation for the 152-year-old Seth Warner house, which boasts layers of heritage.

“Experts say the COVID-19 cases will continue to rise in the weeks ahead this winter, so we need to be ready,” President Biden said Thursday during a visit to the National Institutes of Health in suburban Maryland after a briefing with scientific advisers.

“We’re coming together with one simple message: the time to get your shot is now,” said Dr. Claudia Fegan, chief medical officer of Cook County Health.

The Chicago Police Department released surveillance footage showing the moments before 59-year-old Rae Park was shot and killed by a male suspect at around 7 a.m. Wednesday in the 2600 block of West Catalpa Avenue.

Calling all filthy animals: Airbnb is renting out the “Home Alone” house this month for one hijinks-filled night.

City remap deadline comes and goes. Plus, the Supreme Court hears a major abortion case, how Chicagoans are marking World AIDS day, and Geoffrey Baer’s new special goes above and beyond Chicago.

Geoffrey Baer’s latest special, “Beyond Chicago from the Air,” explores Illinois’ landscape and landmarks from the air — using drone footage to take viewers across the state.

Abimbola Osundairo said Jussie Smollett detailed how Osundairo and his brother should carry out the Jan. 29, 2019, hoax. Smollett planned a “dry run” and gave him a $100 bill to buy supplies, Osundairo testified.

The Supreme Court has never allowed states to ban abortion before viability, the point at roughly 24 weeks when a fetus can survive outside the womb. But the court’s conservative majority may overturn a nationwide right to abortion that has existed for nearly 50 years under the court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

It has been 40 years since the first cases of what’s now recognized as HIV/AIDS were reported. Today, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago estimates that 45,000 people are living in Illinois with HIV or AIDS, 28,000 of whom reside in Chicago.

A group of North Side alderpeople and community organizations are teaming up to recycle non-working holiday lights, which, it should be emphasized, cannot and should not be placed in regular recycling bins.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a statement Wednesday night saying the city had dropped its lawsuit at her discretion following an increase in compliance among Chicago police officers with the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Holiday markets, international music, ice carving and a fairy tale play usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

The infected person was identified as a traveler who had returned from South Africa on Nov. 22, developed mild symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 Monday.

The City Council met briefly Wednesday afternoon, allowing Rules Committee Chair Ald. Michelle Harris (8th Ward) an opportunity to unveil the map drawn behind closed doors and supported by the City Council’s Black Caucus.

The Park District board OK’d a $600,000 budget for the new Office of Prevention and Accountability, which is being established to prevent misconduct and hold wrongdoers accountable. Commissioners questioned whether the amount dedicated to the new office was adequate enough for the task at hand.

Mauricio Ramirez, previously accused of sexually assaulting an underage lifeguard, has been arrested for a second time in just over a month after media coverage of his initial case led a second victim to come forward, prosecutors said.

Louis Vuitton’s first-ever U.S. fashion show turned into a somber yet whimsical tribute to groundbreaking designer Virgil Abloh days after his death.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed its 1,000th homicide of the year over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, though that total has since grown to at least 1,009, per county officials.

The sighting of a small-billed elaenia over the Thanksgiving holiday had bird lovers flocking to Waukegan from far and wide to catch a glimpse of this South American flycatcher, thousands of miles off course.

The deadline for a city ward map is Wednesday. CHANGE Illinois believes that map should be independently made by community members who reflect the city’s population and not by alderpeople.