Stories by Acacia Hernandez

At least two brief tornadoes touched down in the Chicago suburbs Monday — one in Joliet and another on the far north side of Naperville. 

Facing eight challengers, it is unlikely Mayor Lori Lightfoot — or anyone else, for that matter — will win more than 50% of the vote. That means the top two finishers Tuesday night are likely headed to an April 4 runoff.

Each of Chicago’s 22 police districts will now have a three-person civilian oversight council made up of people from that community. 

Election Day eve — previewing the mayor’s race and other big contests tomorrow. An explainer on what happens to your ballot after you vote. And a recap of today’s wild weather in the suburbs.

The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan, which impacts millions of borrowers who could see their loans wiped away or reduced.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 14 people were shot in 12 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

A new poll conducted by Northwestern University and a coalition of Black and Latino nonprofits found Black and Latino voters have common ground on key issues in the upcoming Chicago mayoral election.

When the Black-owned hair care company Mielle Organics merged with P&G Beauty earlier this year, it sparked discourse in Black communities about the potential ripple effects that come as Black-owned businesses gain increased attention and support.

With just days until Election Day, what’s on the minds of voters. Black hair care products popular with non-Black women. And an underground lottery that helped Black Chicago bet on itself.

It’s a simple sentiment, but the phrase “sí se puede” or “yes we can” has powered demands for justice around the world. The woman behind those words is Dolores Huerta, one of the most influential labor activists in America and the leader of the Chicano civil rights movement.

What issues are driving Latino voters to the polls? One-on-one with labor activist Dolores Huerta. And supporting Los Toros with a new hat by a local fan. 

Neonatologist, professor and magician Ricardo Rosenkranz performs as the "Physician Magician" or “El Mago Medico," offering performances in English and Spanish at a Rogers Park theater.

For the fifth year running, the Chicago Bulls rolled out their BMO Artist Hat Series: six limited-edition hats featuring local artists’ spins on the team’s iconic logo. Among this year’s hats was a Mexican-tinged design created by artist and Chicago native Abel Arciniega.

A nonpartisan poll from Northwestern University found the vast majority of likely Black voters support more funding for youth programs, more affordable housing and increased funding for all public schools.

“Creating Black hair care products is important because I think most of the hair care on the market isn’t catered to us,” Vash Beauty Labs founder Karlene Davis said.

At a recent concert, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra played Schumann’s “Violin Concerto in D Minor” and Tchaikovsky’s fiercely dramatic “Manfred Symphony.” The beauty and dramatic energy of both works were wholly captivating, critic Hedy Weiss writes.

The proposal could overhaul the way millions of Americans get some prescriptions after three years of relying on telehealth for doctor’s appointments by computer or phone during the pandemic.

Police and faith leaders warn the community ahead of this weekend’s “Day of Hate.” How the top contenders in the race for mayor are faring. And the FOP zeroes in on City Council races with cash — and flyers.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7’s political action committee made an in-kind contribution of approximately $10,000 to the campaign of Julian “Jumpin’” Perez, who used those funds to pay for the flyers. 

White supremacists and neo-Nazis are trying to make Saturday the “National Day of Hate.” Law enforcement agencies and religious organizations are urging people to be cautious and report any incidents.

While polling on the Chicago mayoral race has been somewhat inconsistent, what appears clear from multiple polls is that incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot and challengers Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson and U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García have pulled clear from the pack.

Mayor Lightfoot accuses Vallas of dog-whistle politics as Vallas and Johnson surge. Chicago teachers blast their union over big campaign spending. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes his anti-woke show to Elmhurst.

It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Think you would know an invasive species if you saw one?

​​Ryan Slaski, 36, will be held on a $10,000 D-bond following his arrest Thursday on the hate crime charge, as well as additional counts of criminal damage to property and possession of a controlled substance.

The curators, both working on the Art Institute of Chicago’s first show dedicated to Salvador Dalí, were researching his painting “Visions of Eternity,” which was dated to 1936 and had been held in the museum since the late 1980s. But red flags were mounting.

A report examining the capacity and condition of Illinois’ response to behavioral health in young people has been in the works for nearly a year. It sketches avenues to help families understand mental illness, then make it easier for them to get required care without wrangling among disparate state agencies.