Stories by Erica Gunderson
Changing Times: What to Expect from Biden Administration
| Erica Gunderson
Jesus del Toro, director and general manager of La Raza newspaper, and Jackie Serrato, editor-in-chief of the South Side Weekly newspaper, discuss Inauguration Day and the big changes already underway.
Meet Your Neighbors, Chicago: The Rodriguez Family
| Erica Gunderson
For more than four decades, the Rodriguez family has run a community food pantry out of their East Side garage with little more than their own hands.
Judge: Kenosha Shooter Can’t Associate With Supremacists
| Associated Press
An 18-year-old Illinois teen charged with fatally shooting two people during a protest in southeastern Wisconsin last year is prohibited from associating with known white supremacists under a judge’s recently modified bail conditions.
Capitol Attack Reflects US Extremist Evolution Over Decades
| Associated Press
Right-wing extremism has previously played out for the most part in isolated pockets of America and in its smaller cities. The deadly assault by rioters on the U.S. Capitol, in contrast, targeted the very heart of government.
Limited Indoor Dining Can Resume in Chicago, Suburban Cook: Officials
| Heather Cherone
After 85 days, limited indoor dining and drinking can resume in Chicago and suburban Cook County on Saturday, officials with the Illinois Department of Public Health announced. But the long-awaited news came with a warning.
Larry King, Broadcasting Giant For Half-Century, Dies at 87
| Associated Press
Larry King, the suspenders-sporting everyman whose broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary Joes helped define American conversation for a half-century, died Saturday. He was 87.
The Week in Review: An Inauguration Like No Other
| Alexandra Silets
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are sworn in at a heavily fortified inauguration. Biden starts his term with executive orders on COVID-19 and immigration. Partial indoor dining is set to resume in Chicago.
Schumer: Trump Impeachment Trial to Begin Week of Feb. 8
| Associated Press
Opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial for Donald Trump over the Capitol riot will begin the week of Feb. 8, the first time a former president will face such charges after leaving office.
6 in 10 CPS Students Who Opted For In-Person Learning Returned to Schools in First Week
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools said 60% of the 5,352 pre-kindergarten and special education cluster program students who opted for in-person learning showed up at their school last week. That amounts to about 3,200 students.
The Nod to Illinois Nature You May Have Missed in Jill Biden’s Inauguration Fashion
| Patty Wetli
The first lady’s dress and matching coat, worn during the “Celebrating America” televised special, were embroidered with the official flower from every state and territory in the U.S.
Alarmed Aldermen Split on Solution as Carjackings Soar 135%
| Heather Cherone
Members of the Chicago City Council are deeply split on how to stop a barrage of carjackings that has Chicagoans throughout the city terrified to leave their houses for fear of becoming the latest victim.
Biden Ordering Stopgap Help As Talks Start on Big Aid Plan
| Associated Press
President Joe Biden took executive action Friday to speed a stopgap measure of financial relief to millions of Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic while Congress begins to consider his much larger $1.9 trillion package.
Biden Orders Review of Domestic Violent Extremism Threat
| Associated Press
President Joe Biden has directed law enforcement and intelligence officials in his administration to study the threat of domestic violent extremism in the United States, an undertaking being launched weeks after a mob of insurgents loyal to Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Chicago, Suburban Cook Remain On Track For Limited Indoor Dining: Officials
| Heather Cherone
Limited indoor dining and drinking is set to resume in Chicago and suburban Cook County on Saturday under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s revised plan to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to data released Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
CPS Will Begin Vaccinating Teachers, School Staff for COVID-19 as Soon as Next Month
| Matt Masterson
The state of Illinois is expanding vaccine eligibility beginning Monday, meaning school-based staff and other front-line employees will be able to start getting inoculated
Art Institute Reopening in February, Extending Popular Monet Exhibit
| Patty Wetli
The Art Institute of Chicago will reopen Feb. 11, joining the list of museums preparing to welcome back visitors now that coronavirus restrictions are being loosened.
Police: Spike in Carjackings Continuing into 2021 With Nearly 150 Cases Already Reported
| Matt Masterson
In just the first three weeks of 2021, there have already been 144 carjackings across Chicago, according to police, continuing the spike seen throughout last year.
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Archer Heights
| Marissa Nelson
The Southwest Side community is home to many essential workers and has been a hot spot for the coronavirus throughout the pandemic.
Breaking Down Illinois’ COVID-19 Mitigations
| Amanda Vinicky
Metrics. Warnings. Phases. Tiers. What does it all mean? We break it all down.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Seeking Black, Latino Mentors
| Erica Gunderson
The more than 50-year-old organization is seeking to make cultural connections that help kids achieve their full potential.
McConnell Seeks to Push Impeachment Trial to February
| Associated Press
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is proposing to push back the start of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial by a week or more to give the former president time to review the case.
Distribution Centers Are Growing Fast, But Some Worry About Inequitable Impact
| Nick Blumberg
The number of distribution centers being built in the Chicago area is on the rise. Supporters say they can create jobs in places that have long faced disinvestment and unemployment. But critics say they aren’t always good jobs.
‘Just Move On’: Republicans Grapple with Post-Trump Future
| Associated Press
The shift to minority status is always difficult, prompting debates over who is to blame for losing the last election. But the process is especially intense as Republicans confront profound questions about what the party stands for without Donald Trump in charge.
Basement-to-Tiki Bar Conversion Wins Bungalow Association’s ‘COVID Creativity’ Award
| Patty Wetli
The Driehaus Bungalow Awards were established in 2005 and honor the best in bungalow restoration and renovation. “COVID Creativity” was added to the association’s annual award categories. Two winners were announced — check out the ingenuity.
Limited Indoor Dining On Track to Resume in Chicago
| Heather Cherone
Limited indoor dining and drinking is set to resume in Chicago under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s revised plan to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Suburban Man Charged With Threatening Violence at Biden Inauguration Held Without Bond
| Matt Masterson
During a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Gabriel Fuentes pointed to the “very explicit and concerning” voicemails allegedly left by Louis Capriotti in ordering the Chicago Heights man held without bond during his case.
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