Stories by Evan Garcia

Within university programs dedicated to Latino studies, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and brown communities, as well as tensions surrounding police brutality, are emerging in classroom discussions and curriculum.

Brooks College Prep senior Rafael Noriega, 17, shows off the singular sound of the bass trombone in a performance of Concerto in One Movement by composer Alexander Lebedev.

The lesbian singer and feminist activist who appeared in an iconic and recently resurgent 1975 photo wearing a t-shirt that read “The Future is Female,” has died. Alix Dobkin of Woodstock, New York, was 80.

Nearly one-third of federal correctional officer jobs in the United States are vacant, forcing prisons to use cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates.

Virgin Galactic on Saturday made its first rocket-powered flight from New Mexico to the fringe of space in a manned shuttle, as the company forges toward offering tourist flights to the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere.

New coronavirus cases across the United States have tumbled to rates not seen in more than 11 months, sparking optimism that vaccination campaigns are stemming both severe COVID-19 cases and the spread of the virus.

The cease-fire that took effect Friday appears to have halted 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers, without resolving any of the underlying issues in the decades-old Middle East conflict.

The White House put forward a $1.7 trillion infrastructure counteroffer Friday to Senate Republicans, dropping from President Joe Biden’s sweeping $2.3 trillion proposal “in the spirit of finding common ground.”

 Palestinians rallied by the thousands Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as a costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with a “new level of force” to further hostilities.

The mayor gets mixed grades on her two-year anniversary and controversy follows her policy of offering interviews based on race. A dreaded Tribune deal goes through. And Lollapalooza will be back in full force for summer.

It’s crunch time for Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who first promised to introduce her own plan for an elected board to oversee the police department eight months ago.

The alleged shooter, 18-year-old David Contreras, has been charged with four counts of attempted murder, along with single counts of aggravated battery and unlawful use of weapon stemming from the May 14 shooting.

Apps like Hinge, Tinder, Match and Bumble are offering special incentives to people who roll up their sleeves, including badges showing vaccination status and free access to premium content. 

The November trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, an Illinois man charged with killing two people during chaotic protests that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last year, will take up to two weeks, attorneys said Friday.

Liam Durnan has been on a yearlong caper, hiking all 350 miles of Cook County forest preserve trails. “When people picture the forest preserve nearest them, most people think of it being the picnic groves,” he said. “They don’t know how big this thing is. It’s just incredible.”

Chicago aldermen grade the mayor midterm. Live in Logan Square. A new WTTW documentary on trailblazing journalist Ida B. Wells. Preview Art on the Mart. And a calaboose on the loose in Lakeview.

Journalist and activist Ida B. Wells took great risks to expose the horrors of racism and fight injustice through her investigative writings. Wells’ life and groundbreaking work are the subject of a new WTTW Chicago Stories documentary airing Friday.

It’s been two years since Chicago got a new mayor when Lori Lightfoot was sworn into office. For the latest in our community reporting series, we visit Lightfoot’s neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

One of the city’s most public art experiences is back with a trip through the universe. Art on the Mart is working with local cultural institutions to bring their work to Wacker Drive.

A trio of aldermen gave Mayor Lori Lightfoot poor marks for her accomplishments during her first two years in office, citing her record on crime and divisive governing style during an interview Thursday on “Chicago Tonight.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday renewed her campaign promise to breathe new life into neighborhoods that have faced decades of disinvestment. And she acknowledged that she felt “despair” at times during the past two years while she confronted the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest and an economic meltdown.

In yet another sign that Chicago is bouncing back to life, the city’s premiere fountain will be switched on for summer after being sidelined in 2020.

Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire Thursday, ending a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill.

In a video message, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara announced that his union membership spoke “loud in clear” during a general meeting Wednesday in issuing the vote against city leaders.

A month after every adult in the U.S. became eligible for the vaccine, a distinct geographic pattern has emerged: The highest vaccination rates are concentrated in the Northeast, while the lowest ones are mostly in the South.

Chicagoans struggling to make ends meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for grants to cover 15 months of missed rental payments starting Monday, officials said.