Stories by Hedy Weiss

Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has long been the standard-bearer of the December theater season. But a subsequent and far less familiar novella is now receiving a bravura solo rendition courtesy of Remy Bumppo Theatre.

Are the days numbered for the Blackhawks team name and logo? According to the team’s new CEO the answer is no, but some Native American groups are pushing back. Two community leaders debate the issue.

A chocolateria has made its way to Chicago by way of local coffee company Dark Matter. On the menu? Mexican drinking chocolate that just so happens to be made with cacao beans from Mexico. We visit Sleep Walk for a taste.

When a suspect is taken into police custody, they are supposed to have the right to a phone call, but data from the Cook County Public Defender’s office shows that isn’t always the case. A new proposal aims to tackle the problem.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that all of the officers involved in the February 2019 raid that left a Chicago woman handcuffed and naked have been placed on desk duty.

On the first day of winter, Cook County officials touted the benefits of spending time in nature, encouraging people to discover the nearly 70,000 acres of forest preserves this season — safely.

The advisory urging Chicagoans at stay home in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been extended for 21 days, expiring the day before the first Chicago Public Schools students are set to go back to in-person class.

Credit card company Capital One plans to have local employees work in its downtown office or remotely. Crain’s Chicago Business editor Ann Dwyer has details.

Watch the Dec. 21, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The CTA hopes to fund about half of the $2.3 billion project — the largest in the agency’s history — with grant money from the Federal Transit Administration.

Reports from Britain and South Africa of new coronavirus strains that seem to spread more easily are causing alarm, but virus experts say it’s unclear if that’s the case or whether they pose any concern for vaccines or cause more severe disease. 

A divided Supreme Court has dismissed as premature a challenge to President Trump’s plan to exclude people living in the country illegally from the population count used to allot states seats in the House of Representatives.

The president-elect took a dose of Pfizer vaccine Monday at a hospital not far from his Delaware home, hours after his wife, Jill Biden, did the same. The injections came the same day that a second vaccine, produced by Moderna, will start arriving in states.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa says he doesn’t have a drinking problem. He also says he has to prove that with his behavior.

New rules requiring nonprofit organizations to register as lobbyists will not take effect until at least April 1 amid an outcry about the impact of the new regulations and delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal Sunday on an almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package, finally delivering long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and providing money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them.

Planning for college during a pandemic. A victory for opponents of the planned closure of Mercy Hospital. Remembering victims of gun violence during the holidays. Plus, a Kwanzaa throwback.

In any year, applying for college can be a stressful time for high school students. But like so many other things this year, the pandemic has made the application process even more uncertain and difficult. 

A federal advisory panel put people 75 and older and essential workers like firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers next in line for COVID-19 shots as a second vaccine began rolling out Sunday to hospitals.

Craving a Chicago-style dog or a slice of deep dish? A new online pop-up serves artful representations of the city’s most popular eats — and these dishes double as holiday gifts and ornaments that won’t get your fingers greasy. 

Mark Flessner, the city’s top lawyer, resigned Sunday amid a growing furor over Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s handling of the revelation that Chicago police officers handcuffed a naked woman during a mistaken raid in February 2019.

As Illinois reaches another grim milestone in the number of COVID-19 cases, December is on pace to become the state’s deadliest month, an analysis of public health data shows. 

Workers on Sunday began packaging shipments of the second COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S., a desperately needed boost to efforts to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control.

’Tis the season for the delicious coconut drink that’s a treasured tradition for Puerto Ricans. We share a coquito toast with comedian Mike Oquendo and learn how to whip up a batch at home.

What happens when you and your doctor don’t speak the same language. Immigrant teens working illegally in suburban factories. A holiday window display helps artists and businesses during the pandemic.

Communication with your health care providers is crucial for good outcomes, but what happens when you don’t speak the same language? Two local doctors talk about breaking through language barriers in medicine.