Stories by Associated Press
Study Hints, Can’t Prove, Survivor Plasma Fights COVID-19
| Associated Press
Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other patients recover, but it’s not proof and some experts worry if, amid clamor for the treatment, they’ll ever get a clear answer.
‘We Are United’: Lightfoot, Local Officials Announce Plans to Prevent Further Looting
| Matt Masterson
The mayor announced a five-point plan to protect businesses and better identify and respond to looting through analytics, additional police deployments and faster lockdowns in areas where businesses are being burglarized.
Biden Calls for Nationwide Mask Mandate
| Associated Press
Joe Biden is calling for a nationwide protective mask mandate, citing health experts’ predictions that it could save 40,000 lives from coronavirus over the next three months.
2,264 New COVID-19 Cases in Illinois, 25 Additional Deaths
| Kristen Thometz
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday reported 2,264 new coronavirus cases and said 14 counties have reached a warning level for the virus.
Bulls Fire Coach Jim Boylen After Missing Playoffs Again
| Associated Press
The Chicago Bulls fired coach Jim Boylen on Friday, the new front office beginning its remake of a team that missed the playoffs again.
R. Kelly’s Manager Charged With Phone Threats to Theater
| Associated Press
R. Kelly's manager has been arrested on charges that he threatened a shooting at a Manhattan theater two years ago, forcing an evacuation and the cancellation of the screening of Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” series.
Chicago Archdiocese Plans to Provide In-Person Classes This Fall
| Blair Paddock
CPS will start the school year with an all-remote learning plan, but Catholic schools in the city and suburbs are taking a different approach. How will the school system keep everyone safe, and are teachers and parents on board?
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Englewood
| Nick Blumberg
After a tumultuous week, neighbors tell us what they think is good in Englewood.
Senator Charged with Tax Evasion as Colleagues Promote Ethics Package
| Amanda Vinicky
A group of lawmakers proposes a new ethics package as another member of the Illinois General Assembly is charged with a federal crime.
Oranges, Grapefruits and Limes: How One Artist is Creating Jewelry Out of Citrus
| Angel Idowu
What do oranges, grapefruits and limes all have in common? They’re all fruits being used in an art project turning citrus into jewelry.
‘Black Women’s Equal Pay Day’ Spotlights Persistent Wage Gap
| Erica Gunderson
According to census data, women in the workplace, especially Black women, make far less than white men on average. Cherita Ellens, president and CEO of Women Employed, talks about how to close the pay gap.
How a Chicago Filmmaker’s 10-Minute Video About a Downstate Farm Turned into a Documentary About Climate Change
| Patty Wetli
Ines Sommer’s documentary “Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm” shows that climate change is knocking on the door. But that’s not what the movie was supposed to be about.
What’s the Financial Fallout From a Canceled Football Season?
| Marissa Nelson
While the players are students, college football is a major economic engine. It brings in hundreds of millions in revenue for universities and their athletic departments.
Lightfoot Calls for Sweeping Changes to Police Union Contracts As Part of Nationwide Reform Efforts
| Heather Cherone
Led by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a new plan for police reform from the U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for sweeping changes to agreements with police unions in order to allow officers to be held accountable for misconduct.
US Jobless Claims Fall Below 1 Million But Remain High
| Associated Press
The number of Americans applying for unemployment dropped below 1 million last week for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak took hold in the U.S. five months ago, but layoffs are still running extraordinarily high.
Youth Activists March to Lightfoot’s Home to Demand Removal of Police From Schools
| Matt Masterson
Holding signs that read “CPD out of CPS” and “Police Free Schools Now,” dozens of youth activists approached the mayor’s home after an organized rally in Logan Square Park where they called for the removal of officers from Chicago public schools.
Trump Opposes Postal Money That Would Help Vote-By-Mail
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump said he opposes additional funding for the U.S. Postal Service, acknowledging that his position would starve the agency of money Democrats say it needs to process an anticipated surge in mail-in ballots.
230K Chicagoans Apply to Vote By Mail, Shattering Record: Officials
| Heather Cherone
More 230,000 Chicago voters have applied to vote by mail in November, shattering the record set during this year’s primary election with more than 80 days left until Election Day, officials said Thursday.
Spotlight Politics: Kamala Harris Makes History as VP Pick
| Marissa Nelson
Likely Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has formally announced Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate. Our politics team takes on that story and other national and local news in this week’s roundtable.
Is Illinois Prepared for Mail-In Voting Boom? We Ask County Clerks
| Amanda Vinicky
November’s election is sure to be unlike any other — and not just because of who is on the ballot, but because of how people are expected to cast their ballots.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Celebrates 27 Years on Supreme Court
| Marissa Nelson
She is known as the “Notorious RBG.” Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is celebrating a work anniversary this week. We reflect on her career with her son, James Ginsburg, and local attorneys.
The Future of Retail: Where Do Stores Stand After Pandemic, Looting?
| Blair Paddock
There’s a very real anxiety that Chicago’s main shopping districts are on the precipice of falling apart. And without the revenue generated from those areas, the city faces a potentially disastrous fiscal future.
City Hopes 2nd Scooter Pilot Can Boost Transportation Equity
| Nick Blumberg
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, electric scooters are back on Chicago streets. What you need to know about this year’s program.
Park District Board Moves to Change Rules Surrounding How Park Names Are Changed
| Patty Wetli
In a move prompted by the controversy surrounding Douglas(s) Park, the Park District Board of Commissioners voted to begin the process of amending its code in order to establish a clearer two-step policy for renaming parks.
Lightfoot to Keep Downtown Blocked Off Through Weekend; Restrictions Set to End Monday
| Heather Cherone
City officials will restrict access to downtown Chicago through the weekend, even though the city has not seen widespread looting in two days.
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