Stories by Heather Cherone
As COVID-19 Cases Rise 32% in a Week, Chicago’s Top Doctor Voices ‘Grave Concern’
| Heather Cherone
“This has not been a good week in Chicago,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, urging people to avoid gatherings, wear masks and keep 6 feet of distance from others.
Ex-Top Cop Eddie Johnson Sued For Sexual Harassment By Female Officer
| Matt Masterson
Cynthia Donald, who filed the lawsuit Thursday in Cook County Court, claimed that for more than three years, she was subjected to “unwanted and uninvited sexual advances” from Johnson inside his office at CPD headquarters.
CPS To Bring Back Pre-K, Some Special Education Students For In-Person Learning: Sources
| Brandis Friedman
Under the district’s plan, pre-K and cluster program students would return for full-day learning, five days a week beginning next quarter.
Ask Geoffrey: What to See at This Year’s Reimagined Open House Chicago
| Quinn Myers
Geoffrey Baer takes a look at the redesigned event in the latest Ask Geoffrey.
Preckwinkle Vows to Protect Provident Hospital as Union Blasts Layoffs
| Heather Cherone
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle plans to consolidate two clinics into Provident Hospital and change its full-service emergency room to a stand-by emergency department. “We are strengthening Provident Hospital. It is here to stay. Period,” she said.
South Side Market Box Program Tackles Food Insecurity By Tapping Into Network of Small Farms
| Patty Wetli
Each week, 200 South Side households receive a free delivery of fresh produce, thanks to a collaboration between Star Farm and Experimental Station. To keep the program running through October, organizers need to raise $20,000.
Drugstore Chain Walgreens Rebounds With $373M Profit in 4Q
| Associated Press
The Deerfield, Illinois-based drugstore chain said Thursday it made $373 million in the final quarter of fiscal 2020 after losing $1.7 billion the previous quarter, when millions of shoppers stayed home to avoid the rapidly spreading pandemic.
US Jobless Claims Rise to 898,000 With Layoffs Still High
| Associated Press
Thursday’s report from the Labor Department coincides with other recent data that have signaled a slowdown in hiring. The economy is still roughly 10.7 million jobs short of recovering all the 22 million jobs that were lost when the pandemic struck.
Preckwinkle Unveils Plan to Close $410M Budget Gap in 2021 Without Raising Taxes
| Heather Cherone
The economic collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic presented an “extraordinarily challenging” set of circumstances to the county’s finance team, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said a day before unveiling her $6.9 billion spending plan.
Spotlight Politics: Pritzker Family Feud Over ‘Fair Tax’
| Alexandra Silets
Billionaire Pritzker cousins are hurling cash at opposing sides of the “fair tax” amendment. Our politics team tackles that story and more — including the battle over the Supreme Court — in this week’s roundtable.
Expanded Early Voting Kicks Off in Chicago
| Amanda Vinicky
What you need to know about mail-in voting and voting in person as Nov. 3 — Election Day — approaches.
Takeaways: Pardon Power, Silent Mics on Barrett’s Final Day
| Associated Press
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced a second day of questions Wednesday from the Senate Judiciary Committee as Democrats kept up their focus on health care three weeks before the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Former Trauma Surgeon Using Tech to Cure What Ails US
| Erica Gunderson
Dr. William Yates has made public safety through technology his business, first by developing metal detectors to prevent gun violence, and now, by developing no-contact thermal scanners to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
Transportation Advocates Seek Guarantee Transit Won’t Shut Down In Event of Post-Election Unrest
| Nick Blumberg
With a heated election drawing to a close and concerns about possible post-election unrest, transportation advocates are calling on the Lightfoot administration and Chicago-area transit systems to pledge they’ll continue operations during protests.
Earth Breaks September Heat Record, May Reach Warmest Year
| Associated Press
Earth sweltered to a record hot September last month, with U.S. climate officials saying there’s nearly a two-to-one chance that 2020 will end up as the globe’s hottest year on record.
Vision 2020: Will Mailed-In Ballots Be Delivered on Time?
| Associated Press
If you plan on voting by mail, election officials say it’s best to do it as early as possible so your ballot gets to its destination well before Election Day, which is Nov. 3.
Mother of 2 Boys Accusing Jerry Harris of Sexual Exploitation Asks Judge to Keep Netflix Star in Jail Pending Trial
| Matt Masterson
A federal judge will decide whether “Cheer” star Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris will be held in jail or released as he awaits trial on a single count of producing child pornography.
Candidate Forum: Fricilone, Newman Vying to Replace Lipinski in 3rd District
| Nick Blumberg
For the first time in decades, a candidate with a name other than Lipinski will represent Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District in Congress. We hear from Republican Mike Fricilone and Democrat Marie Newman.
Holidays During COVID-19: Officials Issue Guidelines for Safer Celebrations
| Kristen Thometz
With the holidays fast approaching and positivity rates rising throughout the state, health officials released guidelines to help families celebrate safely amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Mapa: Sitios de Votación Temprana en Chicago Elecciones Generales 2020
Adicionalmente: Preguntas frecuentes del proceso de votación para los residentes de Chicago y los suburbios del condado de Cook
| WTTW News
La votación temprana para las elecciones generales del 3 de Noviembre ha comenzado.
As Property Tax Hike Looms, Officials Expect Surge in Those Who Don’t Pay
| Heather Cherone
In a typical year, approximately 3% of property owners do not pay their taxes, according to Chicago officials. But in 2021, a projected 10% of property owners won’t pay their tax bills, which would cost the city $65.2 million.
Illinois’ Top Doctors Prepare for Winter as COVID-19 Rates Climb
| Blair Paddock
As temperatures drop and the statewide positivity rate climbs, we discuss the coronavirus pandemic with top public health officials Dr. Ngozi Ezike and Dr. Allison Arwady.
Barrett Unscathed By Tough Democratic Confirmation Probing
| Associated Press
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett batted back Democrats’ skeptical questions on abortion, health care and a possible disputed election in a lively Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday.
Good Government Groups Scold Legislators for Putting Ethics on the Back Burner
| Amanda Vinicky
It’s been more than six months since a state commission was supposed to issue a report on proposed ethics reforms and nearly a year since the bipartisan commission was first formed.
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