Stories by Associated Press

The Migration Policy Institute found that 20% of the U.S. workers in vulnerable industries facing layoffs are immigrants, even though they only make up 17% of the civilian workforce. 

With coronavirus restrictions dragging on, interest in bird-watching has soared as bored Americans notice a fascinating world just outside their windows. 

The governor’s latest stay-at-home order will expire at the end of May. But Mayor Lori Lightfoot did not take the possibility of an extension off the table. “We’re going to stay in the status quo as long as we need to,” she said. 

“Don’t make us treat you like a criminal,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Saturday, “but if you act like a criminal and you violate the law and you refuse to do what is necessary to save lives in this city during a pandemic we will take you to jail, period.”

The steady rise of cases is “really is a function of doing more tests,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Saturday as labs processed 15,208 specimens in a single day – more than double the tests that were being processed a month ago.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a mask adorning one of the iconic lion statues near the Michigan Avenue entrance to the Art Institute disappeared about 24 hours after it was applied.

Farmers, growers and operators of open-air markets are heading into one of their busiest times of year while facing the added challenge of the coronavirus.

Illinois records more than 3,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, which officials attribute to an increase in testing. McCormick Place is winding down operations as an alternate care site. And as a new modified stay-at-home order begins, hundreds protest.

The FDA said in a statement that Gilead Science’s intravenous drug would be specifically indicated for hospitalized patients with “severe disease,” such as those experiencing breathing problems requiring supplemental oxygen or ventilators.

“Today, we are pleased to report that the curve is flattening, and our local hospitals and health care systems continue to operate with capacity,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a joint statement.

The operation will begin with a slow rollout, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that at its peak, there could be about 30 workers per 100,000 Illinois residents – a total of more than 3,800. The governor estimated the cost could reach $80 million.

Several hundred protesters swarmed the Thompson Center in the Loop and the Capitol in Springfield on Friday, calling for Gov. J.B. Pritzker to end the stay-at-home order he says is necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Show of Hands was scheduled for this weekend in Ravenswood. As the next best thing, the craft fair’s organizer has created a virtual platform where makers and shoppers can meet.

The race is more methodical marathon that mad dash to the finish — though the victor can win at the line by a turtleneck rather than a nose — and is just one more offbeat sport that has had a moment during the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision to cancel the season was made with the “health and safety of the festival’s artists, staff and neighbors,” in mind, Ravinia’s President and CEO Welz Kauffman said in a statement.

The rate of new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections has continued to slow during the past two weeks, representing “major progress,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Elected in 2019, Gary Mayor Jerome Prince promised to bring much-needed economic development and growth to the struggling Northwest Indiana city. But just a few months into his first term, things have changed.

The city of Gary has struggled mightily, even in economic good times. The COVID-19 pandemic and statewide shutdown have only exacerbated existing problems. 

The coronavirus has permeated every aspect of Dr. Roland Walker’s life. As health commissioner of Gary, Indiana, he oversees the city’s response to the pandemic. But it has taken a toll on his personal life, too.

With remote learning in place through the rest of the school year, the district is telling students they won’t be negatively impacted by “circumstances beyond their control” as in-person instruction has been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are high school students really learning during this time of stay-at-home orders and remote learning? Maybe more than lesson plans intended.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot faces a divided City Council determined to help shape the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic that has likely created a financial crisis for Chicago, four aldermen said Thursday during an interview for “Chicago Tonight.”

As part of our series of virtual art tours, we visit a collection of artwork that highlights the richness of Mexican art in Chicago.

The city is asking residents to donate handmade face masks for the city’s most vulnerable populations ahead of a statewide requirement for people to keep their faces covered in public.

A onetime tree nursery became a bucolic place of rest and recovery for tuberculosis patients on Chicago’s North Side. Geoffrey Baer has the story of a decadeslong battle against a contagion.

A day before a modified stay-at-home order takes effect in Illinois, officials used their daily press briefing to discuss efforts to ramp up coronavirus testing across the state, and to urge residents to stay home and wash their hands frequently.