Stories by Associated Press

The massive protests sweeping across U.S. cities following the police killing of a black man in Minnesota have  elevated fears that the huge crowds will lead to a new surge in cases of the coronavirus.

A rocket ship built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company thundered away from Earth with two Americans on Saturday, ushering in a new era in commercial space travel.

Another 1,462 Illinoisans tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials reported Saturday, as many communities across the state begin to emerge from the governor’s stay-at-home order.

Chicago police arrested more than 100 people Friday night who took to downtown streets to protest the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.

A divided Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency appeal by a California church; an appeal from two churches in the Chicago area was also rejected.

Demonstrators marched, stopped traffic and in some cases lashed out violently at police as protests erupted Friday in dozens of U.S. cities following the killing of George Floyd after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck while taking him into custody in Minnesota.

Illinois partially reopens Friday as the state surpasses more than 115,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 5,000 deaths. Chicago is planning its reopening for June 3.

A planned demolition of a building at the former Crawford Power Plant will take place June 5, after being delayed nearly three weeks after protests erupted and the local alderman objected, company officials announced Friday.

The stay-at-home order put in place on March 21 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker officially expired Friday. Here’s what is now open — and what will be different in Chicago as compared with the rest of the state.

President Donald Trump announced Friday he would withdraw funding from the World Health Organization, end Hong Kong’s special trade status and suspend visas of Chinese graduate students suspected of conducting research on behalf of their government.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the time for his stay-at-home order has come to an end as several businesses across Illinois began to reopen Friday – the first day under phase three the governor's Restore Illinois plan.

Chicago’s restaurant scene has been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic. A new episode of the Netflix series “Somebody Feed Phil,” which filmed in the city in 2019, serves as a reminder of why these businesses are worth saving.

Some city restaurants will be allowed to create socially distanced, outdoor seating through a pilot program that will allow Chicago residents “a little rest and relaxation in an incredibly stressful time,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

The police officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday and charged with murder.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the president’s statements about those protesting the death of George Floyd “profoundly dangerous” and were part of an effort to stoke racial tensions for his own political benefit.

U.S. consumer spending plunged by a record-shattering 13.6% in April as the viral pandemic shuttered businesses, forced millions of layoffs and sent the economy into a deep recession.

The Illinois Native Plant Society is hosting a Facebook Live virtual hike through James Woodworth Prairie Preserve on Saturday.

Ride-hailing giant Uber will allow customers to book its cars and drivers by the hour in Chicago starting Tuesday as the coronavirus pandemic continues to reduce demand for one-way trips.

A new guidebook showcases the region’s best hiking trails accessible via the CTA, Metra or the South Shore Line. Because someday, we’ll ride trains again.

Nestled on the coast of Lake Michigan, St. Joseph is one of many small communities in the southwest Michigan that relies heavily on summer tourism to support its many small businesses. 

Birthday celebrations during the pandemic have gotten creative, but there haven’t been too many birthday concerts. Chicago jazz composer and pianist Ramsey Lewis is adding that to the list this weekend.

Longtime Chicago Ald. Roman Pucinski once said, “There’s nothing as crucial to an alderman as garbage.” So how did garbage cans become a source and symbol of political power in this city? Geoffrey Baer talks trash.

Summer in Chicago means escaping to some of the beach towns around Lake Michigan. But how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted those areas that rely on tourist dollars?

The head of Chicago Public Schools said the district will continue honing its remote learning program over the summer as it prepares for the possibility of additional classroom closures in the fall due to COVID-19.

After two months of performing only emergency procedures, dentist offices in Illinois are now fully reopening. But the experience will be very different — for both patients and dentists.

“As a state we’re definitely headed in the right direction, we’ve successfully met the metrics to move into phase three, but we must proceed with caution,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.