Stories by Heather Cherone
Chicago Water Commissioner Randy Conner Retires
| Heather Cherone
The resignation was announced 3 1/2 years after Randy Conner took the top job amid a furor caused by the city watchdog’s determination that the Department of Water Management was rife with “overtly racist and sexist behavior and attitudes.”
CTA Piloting Free Face Mask Dispensers on 20 Bus Routes
| Patty Wetli
Disposable mask dispensers are being installed on 200 buses serving 20 routes, including the No. 56 Milwaukee, No. 91 Austin and No. 77 Belmont. If successful, the program will expand to all bus routes, as well as to rail stations, the CTA said.
CPS: Majority of Pre-K, Cluster Program Teachers, Staff Returning for In-Person Learning
| Matt Masterson
Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday announced that 5,833 of its 7,002 pre-K and cluster program staff members will be heading back to schools when in-person learning resumes for those students on Jan. 11.
Visitors from Wisconsin No Longer Face Mandatory 10-Day Quarantine: Chicago Officials
| Heather Cherone
Travelers from the Badger State can avoid the 10-day quarantine if they record a negative test for COVID-19 within 72 hours, according to the city’s COVID-19 travel order.
Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Site for Health Care Workers Opens at Malcolm X City College
| Heather Cherone
As part of the city’s campaign to convince those skeptical about the coronavirus vaccine to get inoculated, Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, got the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the new clinic.
December 29, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Watch the Dec. 29, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”
Police Seek Help in Identifying Vehicle From Double Fatal Hit-And-Run
| Matt Masterson
The police department late Monday issued a community alert seeking information about the Dec. 23 incident that resulted in the deaths of Araceli Gutierrez and 12-year-old Giovanne Bucio in the Gage Park neighborhood.
Winter Finally Shows Up, Mix of Snow and Freezing Rain Coming Tuesday
| Patty Wetli
Beginning late Tuesday afternoon, a mix of snow that could be heavy at times and freezing rain will descend on the Chicago area, according to the National Weather Service.
Illinois’ Pot Program Falls Short on Social Equity Promises
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois’ recreational marijuana program was set up to right the wrongs of a war on drugs by giving a leg up to those from disadvantaged communities or who had been punished for low-level drug crimes. But nearly a year later, social equity applicants remain locked out.
Northwestern’s Hispanic Organ Transplant Program Dispels Organ Donor Myths
| Evan Garcia
Success rates for organ transplantation have grown through the years, but disparities impacting communities of color remain. A Northwestern Medicine transplant surgeon is providing care curated specifically for the Latino community.
Lawyer: Soldier Charged In Rockford Shooting May Have PTSD
| Associated Press
An attorney for a U.S. Army special forces sergeant arrested in what authorities called an apparently random shooting at an Illinois bowling alley that left three people dead said client may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Boosting Mental Wellness in the Chicago Theater Community
| Marc Vitali
Theater in Chicago shut down in March and won’t be returning anytime soon. A new effort is a reminder of the ongoing support that exists within the theater community.
Firsthand Gun Violence: Victim Advocate Reflects on Chicago’s Violent Year
| Quinn Myers
It’s been an extraordinarily violent year in Chicago, which has seen around 750 homicides, according to police. As part of our series on gun violence, we talk with victim advocate Pastor Donovan Price.
Lightfoot Declines to Commit to Meet with Victim of Botched Raid, Attend Forum
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday declined to commit to a Wednesday meeting with Anjanette Young, who was handcuffed while naked during a botched raid by the Chicago Police Department in February 2019.
Chicago Health Officials Start to Roll Out COVID-19 Vaccine to Clinics, Long-Term Care Facilities
| Heather Cherone
Five staff members at a health clinic that serves Chicago’s Latino community became the first Chicagoans to get the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.
December 28, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Watch the Dec. 28, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”
Former Ald. Joe Moreno Charged with Drunken Driving After Gold Coast Crashes
| Heather Cherone
Former 1st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno was charged with drunken driving in connection with a string of crashes that damaged at least eight cars parked along a Gold Coast street late Sunday, Chicago police announced Monday.
As COVID-19 Ravages US, Shootings, Killings Are Also Up
| Associated Press
In Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and even smaller Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Milwaukee, 2020 has been deadly not only because of the pandemic, but because gun violence is spiking.
3rd Person Charged with Murder in Carjacking that Killed Retired Chicago Firefighter
| Heather Cherone
A 20-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of a retired Chicago firefighter during an attempted carjacking, the Chicago Police Department announced Monday.
Don’t Trash Your Tree. Chicago’s Christmas Tree Recycling Program Starts Jan. 9
| Patty Wetli
Starting Jan. 9, you can drop off your tree for recycling at one of two dozen Chicago parks. Here’s everything you need to know.
Trump Signs Massive Measure Funding Government, COVID-19 Relief
| Associated Press
President Donald Trump has signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package, ending days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan deal that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown.
US Officials: Suspect In Nashville Explosion Died In Blast
| Associated Press
The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion, and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said Sunday.
‘Black Women Matter’: Protesters Call for Reforms Following Botched Raid
| Annemarie Mannion
Dozens of women marched outside Chicago police headquarters on Sunday, demanding police and judicial reforms in response to a botched raid at the Chicago home of Anjanette Young, who was left naked and handcuffed in February 2019.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Dec. 27, 2020 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Some of our favorite stories from the year, including the local ties of the NFL’s first Black team president. Plus, a Red Line expansion, MSI’s new leader and the story of a family owned record shop.
Man Charged In Illinois Bowling Alley Shooting That Killed 3
| Associated Press
A U.S. Army special forces sergeant based in Florida has been charged in an apparently random shooting at an Illinois bowling alley that left three people dead and three wounded, authorities said Sunday.
COVID-19 Cases, Tests Dip in Illinois Over Holiday Weekend
| WTTW News
Amid a weekslong surge in new COVID-19 cases in Illinois that has prompted tightened restrictions and warnings not to travel during the holiday season, public health data shows a dip in the number of cases and tests in the days following Christmas.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
Bill Awaiting Pritzker’s Signature Would Clear Hurdle for People Challenging Sentences on Crimes Committed When Under 21
Minimum Wage to Increase in Chicago, Suburban Cook County Starting July 1
U.S. Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge to Cook County’s Assault Weapons Ban
June 29, 2026 - Full Show
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter