Stories by Erica Gunderson
ProPublica Investigation Shines Light on Immigrant Teens’ Dangerous Night Shifts
A recent investigation finds immigrant teenagers are illegally employed working night shifts in suburban factories. ProPublica reporter Melissa Sanchez joins us with the story.
Scaled-Back Plan to Legalize Coach Houses, Granny Flats Advances
Aldermen on Tuesday advanced a scaled-back effort to test whether Chicago’s affordable housing crisis could be eased by permitting basement, attic and coach house dwellings in five areas of the city.
Pritzker Outlines $700 Million in Budget Cuts
COVID-19 in Illinois: 7,359 New Cases, 117 Additional Deaths
Facing a nearly $4 billion budget hole, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday outlined millions in cuts that he called a “first step” toward balancing the state’s budget.
City Officials Broaden Quarantine Order to Include All States Except Hawaii
Travelers coming to Chicago from nearly every U.S. state, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, must quarantine for 10 days or record a negative test for COVID-19, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced Tuesday.
Ethics Board Admonishes Elected Official For Leading Prayer Service on City Social Media Accounts
The unanimous opinion issued Monday is the first public enforcement of rules governing the use of social media by elected officials in Chicago. In keeping with the ethics board’s rules, the official was not named.
Monarch Doesn’t Make Endangered Species Cut, Gets ‘Wait-Listed’
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the monarch butterfly warrants inclusion on the endangered species list but due to a lack of resources is being wait-listed behind higher-priority plants and animals.
US Agencies, Companies Secure Networks After Huge Hack
Plus: Analysis of the attack on ‘Chicago Tonight’
U.S. government agencies and private companies rushed to secure their computer networks following the disclosure of a sophisticated and long-running cyber-espionage intrusion suspected of being carried out by Russian hackers.
Over-the-Counter Home Test for COVID-19 Gets US Green Light
The first home test for COVID-19 that doesn’t require a prescription will soon be on U.S. store shelves.
Illinois Marks ‘Beginning of the End’ as First COVID-19 Vaccines Are Administered
Plus: IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on ‘Chicago Tonight’
The state’s first round of COVID-19 vaccinations outside of Chicago took place Tuesday morning in Peoria, where five health care workers rolled up their sleeves to get their first dose.
6 More Men Have Convictions Tossed in Cases Tied to Ex-Chicago Police Sergeant
In all, 80 men and women, who were sentenced to 256 total years in prison across more than 100 cases tied to ex-CPD Sgt. Ronald Watts, have had their convictions dismissed over the past three years.
Five Nurses, Doctors First to Get Vaccine in Chicago at West Side Hospital
A COVID-19 vaccination was administered for the first time Tuesday morning in Austin, a Chicago neighborhood ravaged by the virus. Mayor Lori Lightfoot called it “history in the making.”
Hershey Felder’s Dive Into the Music of Debussy Is A Fervent Elegy For His Mother
For several decades, Hershey Felder has created a series of richly theatrical biographies of great composers. His latest work, “A Paris Love Story,” follows that essential pattern but adds a heartbreaking layer of autobiography.
Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count Is the Research Gift That Keeps on Giving
The National Audubon Society’s annual bird count is underway. Now in its 121st year, the tally gives researchers and conservationists a good picture of how North America’s bird populations are changing.
Electoral College Makes It Official: Biden Won, Trump Lost
Plus: ‘Chicago Tonight’ on the Electoral College process
The Electoral College decisively confirmed Joe Biden on Monday as the nation’s next president, ratifying his November victory in an authoritative state-by-state repudiation of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede he had lost.
Push to Rename Lake Shore Drive for DuSable Faces Bumpy Road
Renaming 17 miles of Lake Shore Drive for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, Chicago’s first permanent non-Indigenous settler, would be a massive undertaking without precedent in the city’s history, city officials told aldermen Friday.
Illinois’ Electors Cast Their Votes for Biden at Socially Distanced Ceremony
Illinois’ 20 members of the Electoral College played their part Monday in getting former Vice President Joe Biden to the White House, despite President Donald Trump’s continued attempts to overturn last month’s election results.
Coronavirus-Inspired Songs From Paul Cherry at Livestreamed Chicago Show
We catch up with local songwriter Paul Cherry, who recently performed his first show in nearly a year at Lincoln Hall — for a virtual audience.
Ethics Board Fines Ald. Brookins $5,000 For Violating Ethics Ordinance
The board voted unanimously on Monday to fine the 21st Ward alderman $5,000 for violating the city’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance by defending clients in criminal cases involving the Chicago Police Department.
Push to Require CPD to Allow Those Arrested Access to a Phone Within An Hour Remains Stalled
An effort to require Chicago police officers to allow those arrested access to a phone within an hour of being detained remains stymied, nearly 19 months after Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th Ward) called on police brass to follow state law.
Cook County Officials Expect to Get 20K Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine This Week
Suburban Cook County health officials outlined their vaccination plans Monday as they await the shipment of 20,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.
How to Manage Your Mental Health During Stressful Times
Winter is on its way, and with it comes holiday stress, seasonal depression and — this year — concerns about COVID-19. We get advice on staying mentally healthy during the pandemic.
Illinois Receives Its 1st Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccine as Officials Urge Patience
COVID-19 in Illinois: 7,214 New Cases, 103 Additional Deaths
“Today is a very special day that should instill us all with optimism and hope,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday as the state received an initial shipment of about 43,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer.
How Essential Workers Who Rely on Transit Have Handled the Pandemic
Over the last nine months, the ways in which people are getting around Chicago — and their need to do so — have shifted dramatically. But the demand for public transit from essential workers has remained steady.
Jeannie Morris, Groundbreaking Sports Journalist and Author, Dies at 85
Trailblazing sports reporter Jeannie Morris, the first woman to cover the Super Bowl who is perhaps best known for her book “Brian Piccolo: A Short Season” that was later turned into the film “Brian’s Song,” died Monday.
Crain’s Headlines: Mag Mile Tax Proposal Fails
Mag Mile landlords dodge a new tax aimed at revitalizing the shopping strip following this summer’s unrest. Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker has details on this story and more.
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2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
CPD Officer Arrested for Domestic Battery Day After Ex-Top Cop, Police Board Said He Should Be Fired
Property Taxes in Suburban Cook County Continue to Soar Past Rate of Inflation: Report
Sean Grayson, Former Illinois Deputy Convicted of Killing Sonya Massey, Dies in Prison, Lawyer Says
Mayor Johnson Continues Push for State Funding as Chicago Public Schools Students Head Back to Class Monday
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