Stories by Heather Cherone

Officials granted double the number of COVID-19 vaccine exemptions to members of the Chicago Police Department than they did to members of any other city department, according to a WTTW News analysis of data provided by the mayor’s office.

Friends of the Parks is re-starting the conversation surrounding the gaps in Chicago’s lakefront park system and what those four miles could mean for shoreline protection, promoting biodiversity and delivering green space to areas where it’s in short supply.

As a pair of wildfires skirt Flagstaff, the flames are crossing land dense with reminders of human existence through centuries — multilevel stone homes, rock carvings and pieces of clay and ceramic pots that have been well-preserved in the arid climate since long before fire suppression became a tactic.

The administration is increasingly looking for ways to spare the public from higher prices at the pump, which began to climb last year and surged after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Gas prices nationwide are averaging just under $5 a gallon, according to AAA.

In the coming week, about 70% of the U.S. population will see temperatures in the 90s, and almost 20% of people in the country will experience temperatures greater than 100 degrees. Many major metro areas, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, New Orleans and Atlanta, may experience temps near or above 100.

The Supreme Court seems poised to take on a new elections case being pressed by Republicans that could increase the power of state lawmakers over races for Congress and the presidency, as well as redistricting, and cut state courts out of the equation.

Juneteenth is officially a federal, state and local holiday. The latest in the local push for reparations. And the tradition of quilting in the Black community.

For the last several years, the University of Chicago has faced calls to make reparations for its ties to the slave trade. The university says it was a prior iteration of the school that benefited from slavery, not its current incarnation. As Chicago Tonight’s Nick Blumberg reports, that claim hasn’t quieted calls for the university to acknowledge history and make amends.

As we commemorate Juneteenth, calls are growing louder for reparations, but here in Chicago, there’s been very little movement on the issue. A City Council subcommittee was created two years ago to examine how the city could pay reparations to descendants of enslaved African Americans. But since then, it’s met only twice.

The Africa International House is exploring the impact quilting has had on the African American community in a celebratory symposium this Juneteenth weekend. Arts Correspondent Angel Idowu learned about why the practice is about more than just a needle and thread, but documenting history instead.

After years of advocating and campaigning, Juneteenth is being recognized as a federal, state and local holiday for the first time this year. The day recognizes June 19, 1865, that's when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were freed, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Roughly 18 million kids will now be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November.

Some changes are coming soon for Chicago’s workers. July 1, a scheduled increase to the minimum wage takes effect, as well as enhancements to the Fair Workweek Ordinance.

Preventing health issues in Latino men. A look at upcoming changes for the city's workforce. A taste of Chilean music. And Class of 2022 high school graduates reflect and look ahead.

Like all of the nation’s high school graduates, the Chicago Public Schools class of 2022 has spent more than half of their high school experience navigating the pandemic. But CPS students also had to contend with contention between the Chicago Teachers Union and CPS administration, including two strikes.

Composer, singer, accordionist and pianist Pascuala Ilabaca and her band Fauna are playing in Chicago for the first time next week. The band’s music blends traditional instruments and rhythms with lyrics reflecting a feminist perspective.

Former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and Senator Dick Durbin announced the formation of a new immigration reform organization called “Our Nation’s Future.” 

This weekend, many Latinos will come together to celebrate the men who hold a cherished place in their families. It may be a good opportunity to give them a nudge to see their doctor. 

With the pandemic still bedeviling live performance these days understudies have become heroic figures. Now, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has its very own “last minute hero” story, too. 

Prime time for the primary: Campaigns enter the final stretch. Illinois loses Caterpillar. And revelations from hearings on the Capitol insurrection. 

The Chicago Department of Transportation said Friday that it’s launching a new community engagement effort. It will take the place of the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council, Mayor’s Pedestrian Advisory Council, and the Vision Zero Advocacy Group.

Chicago Park District officials acknowledged to WTTW News that it had not been able to hire enough lifeguards to allow its 49 outdoor pools to open as scheduled on June 24, blaming a “national shortage” and “several other factors.” 

Performed earlier this month, a trio of Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts led by guest conductors and featuring guest violinists deserve to be chronicled.

 Gov. J.B. Pritzker officially added the eastern milksnake to the list of state symbols Thursday.

Fuller Park is a small community area on the South Side of Chicago, located right off the Dan Ryan Expressway. Despite being considered one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago, community leaders have been investing in the neighborhood for years. 

U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.