Stories by Associated Press
Biden-Trump Counting Presses Ahead 2 Days After Election Day
| Associated Press
Joe Biden’s victories in Michigan and Wisconsin put him in a commanding position, but President Trump showed no sign of giving up. It could take several more days for the vote count to conclude and a clear winner emerge.
Pritzker Says Madigan Needs to Go as Head of Illinois Dems
| Matt Masterson
“The Republicans, and the billionaires who sided with them, were effectively able to use the speaker as their foil and that hurt our ability, our state’s ability to get things done,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday.
COVID-19 Cases Reach All-Time High in Chicago: Officials
| Heather Cherone
“If we don't slow this down, and soon, we will have hundreds of thousands of new COVID cases by the end of the year in Chicago,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Lightfoot: Use $10M in Federal Funds To Help Restaurants, Bars Threatened by COVID-19
| Heather Cherone
Struggling restaurants and bars would be able to apply for $10,000 grants from the city under the plan Mayor Lightfoot unveiled at a Thursday afternoon news conference.
Illinois Reaches Grim Milestone, Tops 10,000 COVID-19 Deaths
| Matt Masterson
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 9,935 new cases of COVID-19, a single-day record, and 97 deaths. In Illinois, 10,030 have now died as a result of the virus.
City Official: No Funding for Taste of Chicago, Air and Water Show in 2021
| Patty Wetli
The coronavirus pandemic has devastated Chicago’s cultural landscape, and that pain is likely to continue into 2021, Mark Kelly, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said during Thursday’s budget hearings.
Fed Signals Readiness to Do More for Economy as Virus Rages
| Associated Press
The Fed announced no new actions after its latest policy meeting but left the door open to provide further assistance in the coming months.
Biden Pushes Closer to Victory in Race For the White House
| Associated Press
With just a handful of states still up for grabs, President Donald Trump tried to press his case in court in some key swing states. But it was unclear if any legal maneuvering over balloting would succeed in shifting the race in his favor.
November ‘Heat Wave’ Brings Record High Temps to Chicago
| Patty Wetli
Chicago tied a record Wednesday for high temperature when the mercury hit 74 degrees at O’Hare Airport, and more records could fall in the coming days.
Biden Wins Michigan, Wisconsin, Now on Brink of White House
| Associated Press
Joe Biden has won Michigan and Wisconsin, pushing him closer to 270 Electoral College votes and narrowing President Donald Trump’s possible path to reelection.
Congressional Winners: Casten, Davis and Newman on What Lies Ahead
| Quinn Myers
U.S. Reps. Sean Casten and Rodney Davis, and Rep.-elect Marie Newman talk about their respective wins and agendas, and the 2020 presidential election.
Cook County State’s Attorney Foxx Doubles Down on Reform Agenda After Victory
| Paul Caine
“Moving forward, we want to double down on our efforts of focusing our attention on violent crime, on gun crimes that have devastated our communities this year and has been a stubborn issue for years past,” Kim Foxx said Wednesday.
Iris Martinez to be 1st Latina to Lead Cook County Circuit Court
| Marissa Nelson
The current Democratic state senator ran on a promise to reform an office plagued by a reputation of inefficiency and corruption.
‘We Paid a Heavy Price’: Durbin on Madigan’s Leadership, the Presidency and the Senate
| Nick Blumberg
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says embattled House Speaker Michael Madigan’s leadership of the Illinois Democratic Party hurt Democratic candidates and causes statewide in Tuesday’s election.
Trump Sues in 3 States, Laying Ground for Contesting Outcome
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s campaign filed lawsuits Wednesday in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia, laying the groundwork for contesting battleground states as he slipped behind Democrat Joe Biden.
COVID-19 Cases Increasing ‘Exponentially’ Across Illinois, Officials Say
| Heather Cherone
“This amount of disease in our community, it’s hard to think you could go anywhere and not be exposed,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state’s top doctor.
Public Health May be US Election Loser as Coronavirus Surges
| Associated Press
Regardless of the presidential election outcome, a vexing issue remains to be decided: Will the U.S. be able to tame a perilous pandemic that is surging as holidays, winter and other challenges approach?
After Defeat of ‘Fair Tax’ Pritzker Says There Will Be Painful Cuts
| Heather Cherone
The defeat of a constitutional amendment to overhaul how Illinois taxes income will mean painful cuts and will not avert tax increases, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday.
Behind-the-Scenes Virtual Tour Showcases MWRD at Work, Chicago River Reversal
| Patty Wetli
An upcoming virtual tour will offer insights into the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s inner workings and will revisit the reversal of the Chicago River.
Michael Toomin, Other Eligible Cook County Judges Appear to Earn Retention
| Matt Masterson
With more than 98% of precincts reporting by Wednesday afternoon, each of the 61 Cook County judges seeking retention in Tuesday’s election appear to have surpassed the 60% voting threshold necessary to remain on the bench.
Presidency Hinges on Tight Races in Battleground States
| Associated Press
The fate of the presidency hung in the balance Wednesday morning, as President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden battled for three familiar battleground states: Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Illinois Voters Reject ‘Fair Tax’ Amendment
| Amanda Vinicky
In a blow to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and to his hopes of injecting billions of dollars more revenue into the state budget, Illinois voters on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment to overhaul how the state taxes income.
Illinois Congressional Races: Dems Look to Cement Gains in Suburbs
| Heather Cherone
Two years after challengers ousted long-serving suburban Chicago Republican congressmen, helping Democrats to seize control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats are looking to cement those gains.
CPS to Purchase 20K Air Purifiers Before In-Person Learning Resumes
| Matt Masterson
With a return to in-person learning nearing for some groups of Chicago Public Schools students, the district has announced it will spend $8.5 million on air purifiers for classrooms and staff spaces to protect against the coronavirus.
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