Stories by Patty Wetli

Officials put out a call Friday for nominations for Chicago’s official Christmas tree. Pines need not apply.

Restrictions designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the Metro East area of Illinois near St. Louis will be lifted at 5 p.m. Friday after the number of confirmed cases has dropped significantly, state officials announced.

Kyle Rittenhouse appeared on a video stream and wore a face mask during a brief court hearing Friday morning in Lake County, Illinois. Judge Paul Novak scheduled an Oct. 30 hearing on the extradition request.

A pandemic, civil unrest and an increase in violence. How community organizations in Greater Grand Crossing are helping young people cope with adversity.

In normal times, vice presidential debates don’t matter much. But in an election year as wild as 2020, everything is magnified. Here are key early takeaways from the only vice presidential debate ahead of the Nov. 3 Election Day.

Health care, the environment and the economy were among the issues that got top billing Wednesday when the running mates of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced off at their sole debate.

We meet some of the first ladies – and the young theater makers who carry on the tradition of a theater troupe called the Neo-Futurists.

Geoffrey Baer traces the half-century story that cost at least one preservationist his life, in this week’s Ask Geoffrey.

“At this point, there’s no diagnostic test that tells you whether a person that’s infected remains infectious,” said Dr. Benjamin Pinsky, who leads Stanford University’s virology labs. 

“As a city, we must ensure every child, regardless of their ZIP code, receives a high-quality early education, providing them the tools and opportunities they need to thrive,” said Mayor Lightfoot in a statement.  

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday that President Donald Trump bears at least a measure of responsibility for inspiring anti-government groups to plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation found that between 2010 and 2019, 80-90% of sexual harm reports made to the police department did not result in an arrest.

Many doctors and nurses find themselves in a world where the politics of the crisis are complicating treatment efforts, with some people even resisting getting tested.

Watch the Oct. 8, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The kerfuffle involving a fictional character insulting Lou Malnati’s, by name, has earned national attention. 

The fund will be used to help Black and Latino neighborhoods, which continue to see disproportionately higher rates of infections and deaths as compared with citywide rates and those in primarily white and affluent communities.

Prosecutors say Dawn Moore set out to commit “as much mayhem and damage as she could” when she allegedly used a Jeep to chase down multiple Chicago police officers and squad vehicles during an unrelated traffic stop Wednesday.

President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to skip next week's debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden after organizers said it would be held virtually because of the president's COVID-19 diagnosis.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to a still-high 840,000, evidence that job cuts remain elevated seven months into the pandemic recession.

Cozy "cabins," modular blocks and heated tables that borrow a concept from Japan are the winners in the city's competition for outdoor dining designs. Now the race will be on for restaurants to implement these before cold weather hits. 

Oak was once the predominant tree in the Chicago area. Now most of them are gone. Ecologists have a plan to make sure they don’t disappear from the region entirely, and they need our help.

Michael Madigan has had a virtual lock on his position as the leader of the Illinois House, serving as speaker for all but two years since 1983. Could his job now be in jeopardy?

Mayor Lori Lightfoot this week painted a grim picture ahead of her Oct. 21 budget address as the city tries to close a massive budget gap. Our politics team tackles those stories and more in this week’s roundtable.

Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man left paralyzed after he was shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer in August, was discharged from a Milwaukee hospital and is now undergoing treatment at an Illinois rehabilitation clinic.

For 48 years, the Chicago Reporter has investigated issues of race and poverty. But last month, the publication was abruptly put on hiatus by the faith-based nonprofit that owns it. Now, dozens of former staffers are demanding answers.

Chicago officials on Tuesday announced $8 million in grants for expanded mental health care services across the city, including for some of Chicago’s most vulnerable residents: those experiencing homelessness.