Stories by Marissa Nelson
Chicago Fair Housing Advocates Criticize Rollback in Regulations
| Marissa Nelson
Last month, the Trump administration announced it would end an Obama-era housing rule meant to eliminate racial disparities in the suburbs. How that rollback could affect housing in the Chicago area.
85-Year-Old Photographer Steve Schapiro Reflects on Civil Rights Movement
| Marc Vitali
He took memorable pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. and traveled with writer James Baldwin. Steve Schapiro talks about what he witnessed in the United States back then — and what he is seeing today.
Crain’s Headlines: Citibank to Replace Gresham Branch in New Location
| WTTW News
A bank franchise reassesses one of its locations on Chicago’s Far South Side. That story and more with Crain’s Chicago Business Editor Ann Dwyer.
Large Nonprofits Struggle to Provide Services While Locked Out of Pandemic Aid
| Erica Gunderson
Their size and reach allow them to get assistance quickly and efficiently to people in need, but nonprofits with more than 500 employees cannot apply for forgivable loans under the CARES Act.
Field of Dreams Game in Iowa Postponed to 2021 Due to Virus
| Associated Press
The game at a newly constructed ballpark on the cornfield adjacent to the site of the 1989 movie had been scheduled for Aug. 13 in Dyersville, Iowa.
Rising Number of COVID-19 Cases Prompts New Cook County Guidelines
| Kristen Thometz
In an effort to curb COVID-19 infections, the Cook County Department of Public Health is asking bars, breweries and taverns that do not serve food to only serve customers outside.
Elections Officials Dismiss 1 of 3 Challenges Filed to Keep Kanye West Off November Ballot
| Heather Cherone
The Illinois State Board of Elections is scheduled to finalize the Nov. 3 ballot on Aug. 21. Will superstar Kanye West be on the ballot in his home state as an independent candidate for president?
TreeKeepers Course Set to Start Training New Class of Stewards. Sign Up ASAP
| Patty Wetli
The conservation group Openlands started the program in 1991 and has since certified 2,000 TreeKeepers, who play an important role in conserving, protecting and advocating for the Chicago region’s trees.
Visitors to Cook County Suburbs from COVID-19 Hot Spots to Quarantine for 2 Weeks
| Patty Wetli
Anyone entering suburban Cook County from a designated COVID-19 hot spot — including travelers and returning residents — will have to quarantine for 14 days. The list includes 22 states, and could grow more.
Chicago Cracks Down on Large Parties, Events to Stop Spread of COVID-19
| Heather Cherone
Inspectors shut down an illegal party at a Humboldt Park warehouse where revelers were not wearing masks or following social distancing rules, city officials said Monday.
Pritzker Launches $5M Face Mask Campaign: ‘It Only Works If You Wear It’
| Kristen Thometz
Despite a statewide mandate, not all residents are wearing masks. A new campaign aims to encourage folks to do just that. “A mask is like anything that keeps us safe. It only works if you wear it,” the governor said.
Chicago Police: Arrest Made in Friday Murder of 9-Year-Old Boy
| Matt Masterson
Chicago police have a suspect in custody in connection with the shooting death of Janari Ricks near the Cabrini Rowhouses on Friday night. Criminal charges are expected to be filed in the coming days.
Chicago Jumps on Bandwagon to Help Save North America’s Birds
| Patty Wetli
North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds in the last 50 years. A new bird banding station at Big Marsh Park is part of a massive effort to figure out ways to help our feathered friends.
Microsoft Confirms Talks Seeking to Buy US Arm of TikTok
| Associated Press
Microsoft says it is in talks with Chinese company ByteDance to acquire the U.S. arm of its popular video app TikTok and has discussed with President Donald Trump his concerns about security and censorship surrounding such an acquisition.
Free Craft Project by Local Artist Lets Kids Build Their Own Blocks
| Erica Gunderson
Chicago artist Matt Bergstrom wants kids across the city to get to know the homes that make up their neighborhood blocks by building them with their own hands, one free printable model at a time.
Red Onions Linked to Multistate Salmonella Outbreak
| Erica Gunderson
Nearly 400 people in 34 states, including 10 in Illinois, have become ill with a strain of the bacterial disease linked to red onions from a major California producer, according to a food safety alert from the CDC.
SpaceX Capsule and NASA Crew Make 1st Splashdown in 45 Years
| Associated Press
Two NASA astronauts returned to Earth on Sunday in a dramatic, retro-style splashdown, their capsule parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico to close out an unprecedented test flight by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
5 Things to Know About Chicago’s Quarantine Order
| Erica Gunderson
Ready to hit the open road? You might want to rethink those travel plans. Even a simple day trip to Wisconsin could cost you two weeks at home — or a possible fine.
1,467 New COVID-19 Cases in Illinois, 14 Additional Deaths
| Quinn Myers
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Sunday reported 1,467 new cases of COVID-19 — the 12th day in a row the state reported more than 1,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. In total, the state has seen 181,943 confirmed cases of the virus.
Debate Begins For Who’s First in Line For COVID-19 Vaccine
| Associated Press
Who gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine? U.S. health authorities hope by late next month to have some draft guidance on how to ration initial doses, but it’s a vexing decision.
Blackhawks Stun Oilers 6-4 in Series Opener
| Associated Press
Rookie winger Dominik Kubalik scored two goals and added three assists, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a 6-4 win over the host Edmonton Oilers in the opener of their best-of-five qualifying round series on Saturday.
Amid Surge in Homicides and Shootings, CPD Points to Overall Crime Reduction
| Quinn Myers
According to data released by the Chicago Police Department, the city saw 105 homicides in July — an increase of 138% compared to July 2019. Despite that increase, police say overall crime numbers are trending down.
Rent’s Due, Again: Monthly Anxieties Deepen as Aid Falls Off
| Associated Press
Another month passes. The coronavirus pandemic marches on. And Americans struggling amid the economic fallout once again have to worry as their next rent checks come due Aug. 1.
Returning to Work? Here’s How to Prepare Your Pets for Alone Time
| Kristen Thometz
The coronavirus has upended daily routines around the globe, but it’s not just humans who have been impacted. Our pets have grown accustomed to us being home around the clock.
The Week in Review: Pritzker Issues Stern Warning
| Alexandra Silets
The governor warns of a “danger point” as COVID-19 cases rise. Three cops are injured in a shooting. ComEd gets a grilling from aldermen, while House Speaker Madigan says he isn’t going anywhere.
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