Stories by Heather Cherone

With just two votes to spare after a contentious debate of nearly two hours, the Chicago City Council voted 36-13 to create an elected board of Chicago residents to oversee the Chicago Police Department, enacting the most far-reaching police reform ordinance in the country.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday rejected two Republicans tapped by House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy to sit on a committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, a decision the Republican denounced as “an egregious abuse of power.”

Senate Republicans rejected an effort Wednesday to begin debate on the big infrastructure deal that a bipartisan group of senators brokered with President Joe Biden. But supporters in both parties remained hopeful of a better chance soon.

Drinking at least one cup of coffee per day was associated with a decreased risk of about 10% when it came to contracting COVID-19, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

Reports of athletes, lawmakers and others getting the coronavirus despite vaccination may sound alarming but top health experts point to overwhelming evidence that the shots are doing exactly what they are supposed to: dramatically reducing severe illness and death. 

Moths have been nabbing international headlines of late, thanks to a declaration by the Entomological Society of America that the gypsy moth is no more. The destructive insect hasn’t gone extinct, but it’s common name has been mothballed.

Devontay Anderson allegedly used an AK-47 style weapon to fire more than two dozen shots into a car carrying a 7-year-old girl at a West Side McDonald’s in April, and then fled the state to avoid arrest.

Street festivals, Latin jazz, an artistic run and a modern twist on Shakespeare usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

They are often thought of as a nondescript bugs — or even pests — and are misunderstood in large part because of their nocturnal behavior. But moths are excellent pollinators and play a key role in the food web. Here’s what else you should know about moths’ incredible diversity.

The tradition of artists painting outdoors brings to mind pretty landscapes of lakes and gardens. We meet a Chicago artist who paints on location and finds beauty in unexpected places. 

Coastal repairs and climate change mitigation are a huge concern for cities around the Great Lakes region. The group behind a new survey calls on the American and Canadian governments to fund local efforts to address these issues.

Many survivors of COVID-19 experience long-term symptoms including shortness of breath and fatigue. A new study finds damage to the lungs may not be the only cause.

A federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is unlawful. For now, however, those currently in the DACA program will be allowed to stay in it. Here’s a breakdown of what the decision means.

The bipartisan infrastructure deal senators brokered with President Joe Biden is hanging precariously ahead of a crucial Wednesday test vote as senators struggle over how to pay for nearly $1 trillion in public works spending.

The governor launched his reelection campaign Monday, touting his leadership of the state through the COVID-19 pandemic. But Republican opponents used the occasion to bash what they have called a “disastrous” tenure. 

One-on-one with Gov. Pritzker as he plans his reelection bid. Congress members on whether an infrastructure deal is near. New research on the impact of COVID-19. And Chicago art in unlikely places.

Chicago is on the brink of enacting the most far-reaching police reform ordinance in the country after a proposal to create an elected board of city residents to oversee the Chicago Police Department cleared a key city panel late Tuesday. A final vote is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Despite its diminutive size, the butterfly famed for its iridescent wings is a giant within the conservation movement, cited as the first case of an insect extinction that can be attributed to urban development.

The site of the long-defunct hospital is poised to be transformed into a new Chicago neighborhood offering 4,800 homes, plus offices, research facilities and stores as part of a $4 billion redevelopment. “This has been a long time coming,” said Ald. Sophia King.

The more transmissible delta variant now accounts for approximately 44% of all confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Chicago, said Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Department of Public Health.

During a sentencing hearing Tuesday, family members of the slain teen made clear they feel the man who served as the getaway driver was just as responsible as the man who fired the fatal shots in 2013.

With COVID-19 cases soaring nationwide, school districts across the U.S. are yet again confronting the realities of a polarized country and the lingering pandemic as they navigate mask requirements, vaccine rules and social distancing requirements for the fast-approaching new school year.

The yearslong effort by state and local governments in the U.S. to force the pharmaceutical industry to help pay to fix a nationwide opioid addiction and overdose crisis took a major step forward Tuesday.

Two months after federal authorities posted a $10,000 reward for his arrest, the second man accused of fatally shooting 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams as she sat in a McDonald’s drive-thru on the West Side has been found.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the risk of COVID-19 is low if you’re fully vaccinated, and that you can resume indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or social distancing.

Hazy skies and unusually colorful sunsets in the area are due to smoke in the atmosphere that is spreading over the Midwest, according to the National Weather Service.