Stories by Patty Wetli

Neighbors in Bucktown suggested hanging shamrocks in windows for a DIY scavenger hunt, and Lincoln Square grabbed onto the idea. Who else wants in?

The Chicago Board of Elections is pleading with the public in order to find election judges for Tuesday’s primary. Our politics team takes on that story and more election news in this week’s roundtable.

U.S. stocks plunged nearly 13% Monday. As bars and restaurants in Illinois close to dine-in customers, we analyze the economic impact of the coronavirus.

In the midst of cancelations and closures, an art exhibit remains open, for a limited time, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Black ABCs. Since the 1970s, these letters have been used in public schools around the country. 

Restaurants have closed for dine-in business. Schools are shuttered. Gatherings should be limited. How big a difference will these rules make? We speak with an infectious disease doctor about the new recommendations.

Illinois restaurants and bars are preparing for their last call for dine-in business until at least the end of the month. Meanwhile, grocers big and small are scrambling to restock shelves.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a new mandate Monday in the fight against spread of the coronavirus. Gatherings of 50 people or more should be canceled, he said, citing guidelines announced Sunday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chicago Public Schools buildings will only be open to provide food and enrichment activity supplies to families during COVID-19 closures. 

Concerns over the spread of the coronavirus have a lot of people working from home, schools closed, restaurants shuttered and sports canceled. Can we even go outside? Yes, say the experts, but still practice social distance.

Watch the March 16, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Have pressing coronavirus questions? Tweet them using the hashtag #AskDrArwady daily at 11 a.m. and get answers from Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.

The annual dyeing of the river was canceled downtown, but the waterway flowed emerald green on its North Branch.

In the course of a few weeks, President Donald Trump veered from confidently assuring Americans his administration had the coronavirus outbreak “very well under control” to declaring a national emergency.

On Saturday night, revelers in many parts of the country ignored warnings against attending large gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On Sunday, it became clear that in many places, the party is over.

With no hockey or basketball, delayed baseball and no March Madness, we don’t even have sports to turn to in these times of trouble. Enter the Chicago Showdown, four weeks of Chicago-themed brackets built to fuel friendly arguments – and we need your votes!

The drastic measure comes as officials announced the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois has risen to 93. Restaurants can still serve food via delivery, or curbside pick-up. “This is another hard step to take,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.

Weary travelers returning to the U.S. amid coronavirus-related travel restrictions are being greeted by long lines and hourslong waits for required medical screenings at airports.

President Trump declares a national emergency as the coronavirus prompts event cancellations and school closures across the city and state. And primary races are down to the wire as Illinois voters head to the polls Tuesday.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is ordering the closure of all public and private K-12 schools across the state, including Chicago Public Schools, starting Tuesday. It’s the largest closure to date related to the spread of the novel coronavirus in Illinois.

Here we are a nation on edge, the future uncertain, civilization as we know it seemingly on the brink of collapse. And our very first survival instinct is to hoard toilet paper. 

To help alleviate the impact of coronavirus-related declines in restaurant sales, Chicago-based Grubhub announced a temporary change to its fee structure and a charitable fund to support impacted restaurants and drivers nationwide.

President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency in order to free up more money and resources. But he denied any responsibility for delays in making testing available for the new virus.

A Cook County jury on Friday convicted Shomari Legghette of gunning down Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer outside the Thompson Center, a shocking murder that marked the highest-ranking Chicago officer to be killed in the line of duty in decades.

Complete coverage of the novel coronavirus from WTTW News and “Chicago Tonight.”

Think things are bleak on planet Earth? At lease it’s not raining metal. That’s the kind of bizarre climate scientists recently observed on an ultra-hot exoplanet they’ve dubbed WASP-76b, located 640 million light-years away.

Mass at all Archdiocese of Chicago churches will be suspended starting Saturday until further notice in an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. “This is not a decision I made lightly,” Archbishop Blase Cupich said in a statement.