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Abner Mikva Documentary Delves into Chicago Politician’s Progressive Values, Drive
| Evan Garcia
Chicago politician Abner Mikva had the distinction of serving in all the three branches of U.S. government. A new documentary delves into Mikva’s storied political career and public life.
State Senators Weigh in On Tightening Coronavirus-Related Restrictions
| Marissa Nelson
Illinois Sens. Sara Feigenholtz and Don DeWitte talk about the governor’s decision to halt indoor dining and bar service in regions where coronavirus rates are surging.
Bears Coach Criticized for Poor Play-Calling, Quarterback Questions Return
| Paul Caine
An ugly loss for the Bears Monday night. Can fans hope for anything better against the Saints on Sunday?
‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Kenosha
| Nick Blumberg
Kenosha, Wisconsin, just over the Illinois border, became the epicenter of violent unrest this summer after the police shooting of Jacob Blake. A few months later, Kenosha is in the midst of early voting – and it’s a hotly contested county.
Dr. Anthony Fauci on Current COVID-19 Situation, Vaccine Prospects
| Brandis Friedman
Brandis Friedman sits down with Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to talk about where things stand now with the pandemic and where they’re headed.
Progressive Caucus Objects to Lightfoot’s Budget Plan, Calls for Cuts to CPD
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s $12.76 billion spending plan for 2021 fails to craft a “compassionate, bold” solution to the long-standing inequities that plague Chicago, according to the City Council’s Progressive Caucus.
How Chicago’s Travel Agencies Are Surviving the Pandemic
| Quinn Myers
Airline layoffs, travel bans, quarantine orders – it’s been a calamitous year for the travel and tourism industry. Chicago’s independent travel agencies, scattered in storefronts across the city’s neighborhoods, have been anything but immune.
Des Plaines River Trail Designated National Recreation Trail
| Patty Wetli
The trail, which took nearly 60 years to complete, was one of 30 designated a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Pritzker: As COVID-19 Surges in Illinois ‘People’s Lives Hang in the Balance’
| Heather Cherone
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a grave warning on Thursday as Illinois officials reported 6,363 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, telling residents that the pandemic has entered the most dangerous phase since the spring.
White Sox Reunite with La Russa, Hire Hall of Fame Manager
| Associated Press
Tony La Russa, the Hall of Famer who won a World Series with the Oakland Athletics and two more with the St. Louis Cardinals, is returning to manage the Chicago White Sox 34 years after they fired him.
Criminal Trials Suspended Again in Federal Courthouse Due to COVID-19
| Matt Masterson
Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer on Thursday ordered a suspension of criminal jury trials at the Dirksen Federal Building effective immediately.
Springfield Area Hit with COVID-19 Restrictions Starting Nov. 1
| Heather Cherone
Nine of the state’s 11 regions have triggered the state’s fail-safe metrics designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, with the addition of much of West-Central Illinois, including Springfield and Quincy, on Thursday.
As State Restrictions Take Effect, Lightfoot Allows Businesses to Stay Open to 11 p.m.
| Heather Cherone
Restrictions ordered by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to stop the spread of COVID-19 take effect at midnight Friday. Mayor Lightfoot altered her plan to align with the restrictions laid out by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
It’s International Bat Week! Here’s Why They’re Man’s Best Friend
| Patty Wetli
From eating mosquitoes to restoring rainforests to making tequila (sort of), bats are amazing. The creature gets its due during International Bat Week, running through Oct. 31.
Jobless Claims Fall to 751,000, But New Infections a Threat
| Associated Press
Applications for unemployment aid fell 40,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department said. They fell in 30 states, including big drops in California, Florida and Texas. But claims rose significantly in Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.
Voting at Cook County Jail Sees 40% Turnout for General Election
| Amanda Vinicky
There is little that’s normal about the 2020 election, including the fact that this is the first election cycle in which detainees can cast ballots at Cook County Jail.
Chronicling the Unhappy Lives of America’s First Ladies
| Hedy Weiss
The Neo-Futurists go virtual with “45 Plays for America’s First Ladies,” a 100-minute world premiere collage created by the company of writer-directors that was established in Chicago in 1988.
Chicago Bar, Restaurant Owners Face Uncertain Future as Restrictions Return
| Marissa Nelson
Surging COVID-19 infection rates triggered new restrictions that will take effect Friday in Chicago. What that means for the small business owners who can no longer serve diners and drinkers indoors.
New Documentary Series ‘City So Real’ Profiles Chicago at a Crossroads
| Nick Blumberg
For more than a year, documentary filmmaker Steve James and his collaborators fanned out across Chicago at a pivotal moment. James tells us about the resulting five-part series that premieres this week on NatGeo and Hulu.
Elimination of Library Fines Pays Off, Library Officials Tell Aldermen
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s decision to eliminate library fines in order to coax patrons back to the Chicago Public Library has paid off in spades, aldermen heard Wednesday.
Spotlight Politics: Pritzker Surprises Lightfoot with COVID-19 Rollbacks
| Alexandra Silets
A pandemic rollback battle plays out between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as Election Day draws near. Our politics team takes on those stories and more in this week’s roundtable.
Social Media CEOs Get Earful on Bias, Warning of New Limits
| Associated Press
With next week’s election looming, the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google received a hectoring from Republicans at a Senate hearing Wednesday for alleged anti-conservative bias in the companies’ social media platforms.
Another Ratings Agency Sounds Alarm About Chicago’s Budget
| Heather Cherone
A second Wall Street ratings agency sounded the alarm over Chicago’s budget on Wednesday as aldermen continued weighing Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s $12.76 billion spending plan for 2021.
South Side Coalition Tells Obama Center Obstructionists: Enough Is Enough
| Patty Wetli
Opponents of the Obama Presidential Center care more about trees and traffic than they do about people impacted by decades of systemic disinvestment, proponents of the project said in an open letter.
Shomari Legghette Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of CPD Cmdr. Paul Bauer
| Matt Masterson
A jury found the defendant guilty in March on each of the six charges he faced: two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree murder of a peace officer and two counts of armed violence.
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