Stories by Eunice Alpasan

The Chicago Transit Authority unveiled its budget proposal for next year. The proposed $1.8 billion budget avoids service cuts and price increases while making investments to upgrade the transit system. 

The Federal Trade Commission is expected to review the $25 billion deal between Kroger and Albertsons to ensure it complies with antitrust laws. Locally, the merger would combine the parent companies of Chicago grocery stalwarts Jewel Osco and Mariano’s.

Chicago biotech company Tempus raises hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from some big-name players. And another apartment building is proposed for what has become Chicago’s hottest neighborhood for multi-family units.

The upgrade is likely to boost efforts by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to convince Chicago City Council members to support her budget, which she hopes to pass on Nov. 7.

More than 50 fencing cages erected to protect plantings of native shrubs have been systematically destroyed, leaving the plants vulnerable to grazing by deer. Within days, tender seedlines were eaten to nubs.

More than 3,600 immigrants, most of them from Venezuela, have arrived in Chicago since Aug. 31, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent the first bus of 75 people to Chicago. 

Almost all children catch RSV at some point before they turn 2 years old, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Most adults who catch it have a mild illness; for those who are elderly or who have chronic heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system, it can be dangerous. But RSV can be especially tricky for infants and kids.

Leslie Jordan, the Emmy-winning actor whose wry Southern drawl and versatility made him a comedy and drama standout on TV series including “Will & Grace” and “American Horror Story,” has died. He was 67.

Democrats have held both chambers of Congress and the presidency for the last two years, but they may not have such consolidated power for much longer. A look at control of Congress and what will happen if Republicans win a majority in either chamber in the election. 

You’ve done your research. Made your choices. Cast your ballot. What happens next? WTTW News explains the ballot counting and storing procedure used in Chicago. 

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona doubled down on the administration’s commitment to providing student debt relief in an op-ed published Saturday, and encouraged those eligible to continue applying through the live online application.

Approximately 62% of applicants have jobs, and nearly half have sought medical attention at a hospital’s emergency room in the past year, officials said. An initial lottery will identify 10,000 applicants to verify the information contained in their applications.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 51 people were shot in 43 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The shooting happened about 4 a.m. Sunday in Brighton Park after the caravan blocked streets leading to the intersection for illegal street racing, Chicago police Cmdr. Don Jerome said during a news conference. 

Health professionals push flu and COVID vaccines — what you need to know. Calls for more Latino political representation. And exploring mental health through dance.

The impact of the federal student loan debt relief program on Black borrowers. Support for families impacted by the building explosion in Austin. And how you can catch the film “Punch 9 for Harold Washington.”

A building explosion in the Austin community last month left one person dead, several injured and more families without a place to live. Neighboring organization Circle Urban Ministries is planning a concert to raise funds for those families as they work to rebuild.

In many ways, the story of Mayor Harold Washington’s rise to City Hall is distinctly Chicagoan. But the makers of the documentary “Punch 9 for Harold Washington,” say his election had reverberations far beyond the city’s borders.

“There’s no one thing,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday when questioned about his top priority. “There’s multiple, multiple, multiple issues, and they’re all important. ... We ought to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. You know, that old expression.”

Pending the outcome of several lawsuits, borrowers can qualify to have up to $10,000 forgiven if their loan is held by the Department of Education, and they make less than $125,000 individually or $250,000 for a family.

Despite a growth in population size, the Latino community is underrepresented in politics, with less than 2% of Latinos in elected positions nationwide. 

Winter is on the way, and with it come respiratory illnesses like cold, flu, and COVID-19. And nationwide, hospitals are seeing an alarming rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Gubernatorial candidates punch hard in a final debate. Bailey scores big deposit from conservative billionaire and we dig into other big races. In sports, the Bulls tip off the season as the Bears try to stave off collapse.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay while it considers a motion from six Republican-led states to block the loan cancellation program. The stay ordered the Biden administration not to act on the program while it considers the appeal. The order came just days after people began applying for loan forgiveness.

During the Chicago Police Department’s annual budget hearing, under intense questioning from members of the Chicago City Council, Brown said he had “zero tolerance” for police officers who are members of hate groups or associate with members of hate groups.

The two people — about whom no other information was shared — both had underlying health conditions, including weakened immune systems, and were diagnosed with the virus more than six weeks ago, officials said.