Stories by Heather Cherone

Mayor Lori Lightfoot acknowledged that the rise in shootings and murders concentrated on Chicago’s South and West sides has forced her to reset her agenda as mayor. “We have experienced too much bloodshed in this city,” she said Thursday.

Working to reverse a notion that Chicago and Illinois have become false confession capitals in the U.S., Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation Thursday that prohibits the use of deceptive tactics by law enforcement officers when interrogating juveniles.

Overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government reported Wednesday. That estimate far eclipses the high of about 72,000 drug overdose deaths reached the previous year and amounts to a 29% increase.

The child tax credit had always been an empty gesture to millions of parents. That changes Thursday when the first payment of $1,000 hits bank accounts — and dollars start flowing to the pockets of more than 35 million families around the country. 

Jussie Smollett returned to court Wednesday for the first time in a year for a five-hour hearing to determine whether one of the actor’s attorneys should be allowed to keep representing him in his case against accusations that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker heads to D.C. to talk infrastructure at the White House. The nationwide battle over voting rights. The debate over police in schools. And the return of theater critic Hedy Weiss.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker was among a handful of governors and mayors who scored an invitation Wednesday to the White House. His visit comes as the primary for the 2022 governor’s race is less than a year away. 

President Joe Biden made a quick foray to the Capitol on Wednesday hunting support for his multitrillion-dollar agenda of infrastructure, health care and other programs. Our Spotlight Politics team weighs in on this and more.

From Grant Park to Ravinia, music and dance are returning in a big way this summer. Theater critic Hedy Weiss is returning, too, to talk about some recent live shows.

Wednesday marks the deadline for about 50 local school councils with Chicago Public Schools to decide whether they want to keep their school resource officers — Chicago police officers assigned to work on school campuses.

Black and brown communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 — in both their physical and mental health. We take a look at the stigmas surrounding mental health in the Latino community, and what some people are doing to break those generational barriers.

The Texas voting bills that prompted state Democrats’ flight to Washington this week include a raft of tweaks and changes to the state’s election code. Some are dramatic, others highly technical, and a couple could make life easier for voters.

Supporters of the plan told aldermen Wednesday that it will benefit young residents of the West Side and bring much-needed investment to one of Chicago’s most violent neighborhoods. If the plan is approved, it will end a ferocious controversy that has raged for nearly four years.

More than 224,000 renters in the Chicago area said they aren’t confident they’ll be able to pay next month’s rent, according to a recent survey. With the state’s ban on evictions ending soon, organizations serving the homeless anticipate an uptick in the number of people who need help.

Candace Parker grew up playing video games, and now she’ll be the first female basketball player on the cover of one. The Chicago Sky star will appear on the NBA 2K22 cover for the WNBA 25th Anniversary special edition when it’s released Sept. 10.

A former Chicago Public Schools principal who was removed from her post two years ago amid allegations of financial misconduct is now facing federal charges alleging she authorized overtime for her employees and then collected back that cash for her own use.

Caleb Del Toro, 24, will remain in jail after he allegedly wounded an acquaintance and shot at a postal carrier during an incident on the Northwest Side earlier this month.

Tacos and tamales, cars, tribute bands and vintage wares usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Just because Pfizer wants to offer COVID-19 vaccine boosters doesn’t mean people will be lining up anytime soon — U.S. and international health authorities say that for now, the fully vaccinated seem well protected.

Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville has offered to participate in the Chicago Blackhawks’ review of allegations by a former player who says he was sexually assaulted by a then-assistant coach in 2010.

The island nation of Cuba has seen unprecedented demonstrations amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades — and nearly 60 years into the United States’ embargo on the nation.

Prices for U.S. consumers jumped in June by the most in 13 years, evidence that a swift rebound in spending has run up against widespread supply shortages that have escalated the costs of many goods and services.

It won’t be smoke-filled, but members of the Chicago City Council will head to a backroom at City Hall later this month to start crafting new ward boundaries that could shape Chicago politics for the next decade.

Juan Pastor plays a traditional instrument in a modern jazz setting. How many drummers do you see who actually play the seat they’re sitting on? We meet the Chicago-based musician to learn how he imports South American rhythms to the Northern Hemisphere.

Uber and Lyft say they’ve added thousands of drivers in recent weeks to address long wait times and surge pricing. But many passengers are still unhappy and some are turning to taxis — an industry hit hard by the popularity of ride-share services and by COVID-19. 

The school district on Tuesday released its budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year, which includes $672 million for priority facility investments throughout the city and more than $1 billion in federal funding for student supports.