Stories by Heather Cherone
Flossmoor Trustee Resigns So He Can Keep Lobbying Chicago City Hall
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Paul Braun said he and the Flossmoor Village Board were “extremely disappointed” that Gyata Kimmons resigned his seat.
Can We Eat Our Way Out of the Looming Asian Carp Eco-Disaster? It’s Worth a Try
| Patty Wetli
Efforts to increase demand for Asian carp as a food are aimed at buying time for development of a long-term solution to the threat posed by the invasive fish.
‘It Is Very Serious Right Now’: Pritzker Warns Upcoming COVID-19 Peak Could Be Worse Than Spring
| Matt Masterson
Speaking on a day when Illinois reported nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state will act to punish businesses and establishments that fail to abide by mandated coronavirus mitigation requirements.
Chicago to Return to ‘Scoop-And-Toss’ Borrowing, Chief Financial Officer Acknowledges
| Heather Cherone
“There are points in time when scoop and toss is appropriate” and that is now the case since Chicago is facing a $1.2 billion budget gap, Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang Bennett said.
North Lake Shore Drive’s in Line for an Overhaul, and Planners Want Your Input
| Nick Blumberg
Lake Shore Drive is iconic, but with that status comes aging infrastructure. Transportation officials have come up with potential ways to overhaul the Drive and they’re looking for feedback.
Lightfoot Orders Bars to Stop Indoor Service, Businesses to Close at 10 p.m. Amid Coronavirus Increase
| Heather Cherone
“We are taking these measures to avoid potential catastrophic impacts later,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday announcing new restrictions in the wake of an increase coronavirus cases.
CPS Expanding Voting Options For Upcoming Local School Council Elections
| Matt Masterson
With local school council elections coming next month, Chicago Public Schools has announced it will let families choose between voting in person at their school, submitting their ballot by mail or dropping off their mail-in ballot at their school.
Open House Chicago Extends Its Run By a Week, Adds Virtual Programming
| Patty Wetli
Open House Chicago will now run through Nov. 1, with additional online programming to be made available during the seven-day extension.
CTA To Roll Out PPE Vending Machines at Six Rail Stations
| Patty Wetli
Disposable face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and disposable gloves will be available for purchase later this year at vending machines at CTA stations on the Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines.
Pritzker, Lightfoot Split on Approach to Bars, Restaurants During COVID-19 Surge
| Heather Cherone
As officials scramble to cope with a significant increase in the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot are at odds over the role that bars and restaurants are playing in fueling the spread.
Illinois Towns Ask Pritzker: Where’s Our Money?
| Amanda Vinicky
Towns and cities can’t access COVID-19 relief funding allocated to them by the federal government because the state is holding onto it instead, the Illinois Municipal League said Wednesday as it called on Pritzker’s administration to release the money.
US Officials Call Out Iran, Russia for Election Interference
| Associated Press
Iran is responsible for emails meant to intimidate American voters and sow unrest in multiple states, U.S. officials said Wednesday night in calling out both Tehran and Russia for activities meant to interfere in the upcoming presidential election.
Candidate Forum: Curran, Wilson Outline Visions for US Senate Seat
| Quinn Myers
Sen. Dick Durbin has become one of the most powerful members of the Senate, but challengers say he is the ultimate Washington insider who’s lost sight of what’s best for Illinois. Meet two of those challengers.
Here’s One Reason You Might Start Seeing More Coyotes in the Chicago Area
| Patty Wetli
It's getting to be the time of year when young coyotes strike out from home in search of a mate and a territory to call their own.
CSO’s New Virtual Concert Series a Sheer Delight
| Hedy Weiss
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s newly devised CSO Sessions programming provides ample proof that “adversity is the mother of invention.” And its initial series of five on-demand, beautifully filmed video recordings is a sheer delight.
Spotlight Politics: Lightfoot’s Pandemic Budget
| Alexandra Silets
The mayor’s budget plan, the next coronavirus wave and the final presidential debate. Our politics team takes on those stories and more in this week’s roundtable.
As State Reports Most Daily COVID-19 Deaths Since June, Officials Discuss Vaccine Rollout
| Kristen Thometz
State health officials on Wednesday reported 69 coronavirus-related deaths – the highest number in a single day since June, when Illinois was coming off its initial peak in COVID-19 infections.
Restricted Visitor Policies at Hospitals Lead to Creative Solutions in Patient Care
Planning to visit a patient in the hospital? Check first.
| Kristen Thometz
Like everything else in the era of COVID-19, visiting a friend or family member in the hospital has changed. Here’s what you can expect.
Pilsen’s El Paseo Community Garden Hedges Against Gentrification With Half-Acre Expansion
| Patty Wetli
El Paseo Community Garden is hosting an open house Saturday to celebrate its achievements in 2020, which include the city handing over a half-acre vacant lot that neighbors feared would be developed into luxury condos.
Lightfoot Proposes Slashing Positions, Hiking Taxes to Help Fill $1.2B Budget Gap
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to close a projected $1.2 billion budget gap in 2021 would hike sales and property taxes by $76.4 million, eliminate 1,921 city jobs and dip into the city’s rainy-day fund.
New Pilot Program Will Pair Mental Health Experts With Police on Certain Crisis Calls
| Matt Masterson
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has repeatedly said she’s not in favor of defunding the Chicago Police Department, but with position reductions, budget cuts and investments in a new pilot program, the city may be rethinking the way policing will work.
US Officials: OxyContin Maker to Plead to 3 Criminal Charges
| Associated Press
Purdue Pharma will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges as part of a settlement of more than $8 billion, Justice Department officials told The Associated Press.
Expansion of Pre-K Options in Chicago Led to Jump in Black Student Enrollment: Study
| Matt Masterson
After policy changes were made to improve equitable enrollment, students of color and those from low-income households were three times more likely to enroll in full-day pre-K, according to a new report from the University of Chicago.
Facing Dueling Crises, Lightfoot Set to Unveil Plan to Fill $1.2B Budget Gap
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot will face the biggest test of her time in office on Wednesday when she details her plan to fill the massive budget shortfall caused in part by the coronavirus pandemic.
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