Stories by Patty Wetli

Early voting sites will open to all Chicago voters and voter registration services will be available.

How the city budget proposal affects your wallet. Part three of our Permanent Punishment series looking at formerly incarcerated people finding employment. And how the federal electoral count act could protect future elections.

Michael Kutza was just 22 years old when he launched the Chicago International Film Festival. Decades later, he looks back on a life among the movie stars. 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils a $16.4 billion budget proposal – but bows to political reality and drops a property tax hike linked to inflation. Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

The effort comes after the numerous revelations of a fake elector scheme leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, and as election deniers in many races aim to win positions of power.

A recent report by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless found at least 65,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the city in 2020, which includes those who temporarily stayed with others in addition to people living in shelters and on the street.

There are more than 500 employment laws, policies and sanctions that prevent people with criminal records from accessing employment in Illinois. While those barriers exist in many industries, some employers focus specifically on hiring people who are re-entering society after prison.

Many people who’ve been impacted by the criminal legal system say they frequently face problems finding employment. Some local organizations are helping people build new skills, while others are aiming to address laws and licensing requirements.

The shooting occurred inside the CPD’s 10th District Station located at 3315 W. Ogden Ave. No officers were wounded, but one person was struck and and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, police spokesperson Tom Ahern said.

Kentrell Gayden, 22, was ordered held without bail during a hearing Wednesday afternoon following his arrest on charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery stemming from the Sunday morning shooting.

"Chicago Sings Karaoke," a citywide competition, launches Oct. 9. The winner will receive $5,000.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in Sackett v. EPA, which challenges the scope of the Clean Water Act and could have far-reaching implications for the nation's wetlands.

The latest on the SAFE-T Act. The unique experiences of women affected by the criminal legal system. One-on-one with Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald. And the pandemic’s impact on children’s development.

There are growing concerns about how COVID-19 has affected children’s social-emotional development and wellbeing as students, parents and teachers have navigated the return to in-person learning.

As of Jan. 1, any city employee who’s worked for at least one year will receive 12 weeks of paid parental time off. In a country that has zero guaranteed paid parental leave, Chicago is one of a handful of cities expanding this benefit.

“This is more than just a football stadium. This is going to become, we believe, an amazing community asset,” Coach Pat Fitzgerald said.

The law, known as the SAFE-T Act, will eliminate cash bail come January. But it’s likely the law will see an overhaul of its own — or at least, tweaks — before then.

After the Dobbs Supreme Court decision, the legality of telemedicine abortion in some states isn’t clear for providers and patients.

“Refraction” is the all-encompassing title of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s fall program at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, and it marks the start of the celebrated company’s 45th anniversary “Sapphire” season.

The reasons women commit crimes are different, and often overlooked, researchers say. And since 58% of incarcerated women are mothers to children under 18, the permanent punishments they face affect not only them, but their entire families. 

A spokesperson for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office on Tuesday said it has modified the attempted murder charge filed against 34-year-old Victoria Moreno into a charge of first-degree murder after her 3-year-old nephew Josiah Brown died of his injuries.

The number of available jobs in the U.S. plummeted in August compared with July as businesses grow less desperate for workers, a trend that could cool chronically high inflation.

Judge Robert Dow will be stepping down from his role before the end of the year to take on a new position with the Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

Loretta Lynn, the Kentucky coal miner’s daughter whose frank songs about life and love as a woman in Appalachia pulled her out of poverty and made her a pillar of country music, has died. She was 90.

The announcement came 100 days after the Supreme Court ruling that stripped away constitutional protections for abortions, allowing states to ban the procedure. Illinois didn't institute an abortion ban, but neighboring Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee did, along with several other states in the South and Midwest.

In Illinois, an estimated 3.3 million people have criminal records, which can include everything from an arrest to years spent in prison. But even once their criminal case has run its course, the punishment continues. Those who know the system best are working to make change for those looking to rebuild their lives.