Stories by Heather Cherone

Amid the pandemic, Chicago employers will still be forced to give their workers two weeks’ notice of their schedules starting July 1, but will be spared lawsuits for an additional six months under a measure that advanced Monday.

With consumers seeking personal protective equipment and companionship amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Better Business Bureau is reporting a surge in scams for fake masks, gloves and even puppies.

The Navy squadron will salute front-line workers with a 15-minute flyover on Tuesday, starting at 11:45 a.m.

The only drug given emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with the coronavirus has arrived in Illinois. But there’s not enough to go around – in Illinois or elsewhere.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, in a Sunday appearance on CNN, said he “has not been counting on the White House” for help reaching new virus testing goals “because there have been too many situations in which they’ve made promises and not delivered.” 

It’s not meant to be a trick question, but many filling out their 2020 U.S. census form struggle to answer: How many people were staying at your home on April 1?

Chicago’s new and outspoken police union President John Catanzara said Sunday there’s been mixed reaction to his election, but he’s coming into the job with backing at the highest level: the White House.

As the pandemic persists in keeping families indoors or a safe social distance apart, online searches have increased for creative ways to still make moms feel special. 

Tens of millions of Americans live in multigenerational homes where one of the main strategies for avoiding infection — following social distancing protocols — can be near impossible. The problem reverberates deepest in communities of color.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 announced Friday night that John Catanzara had won a runoff election with 55% of the vote – earning 4,708 votes to incumbent Kevin Graham’s 3,872.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said it conducted 16,617 tests in the 24-hour period from Friday to Saturday — down from Friday’s total surpassing 20,000. But on both days, the statewide infection rate was the same: 14%.

With business plans rerouted by COVID-19, a Chicago floral designer has transitioned from special events to special deliveries.

The federal government is sending supplies of the first drug that appears to help speed the recovery of some COVID-19 patients to six states, where it will be distributed by health departments.

Just a few short months ago, President Donald Trump planned to campaign for reelection on the back of a robust economy. That’s a distant memory after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot details how she plans to reopen Chicago days after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker details the state’s blueprint. And the state’s unemployment system is overhauled to handle the deluge of people filing for benefits.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced that Illinois is fifth among all 50 states in the total number of tests completed, and also ranks second among the 10 most populous states in the number of tests completed per capita over the past week.

Chicago will reopen gradually once the number of confirmed coronavirus cases begins to decline and hospitalizations drop, according to a plan released by Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday.

The Howard Elliott Collection has provided 1 million protective masks, 300,000 face shields, 119,000 gloves and 37,500 cloth masks to the city, officials say. But at least one alderman wants to know why a Chicago-based firm wasn’t selected for the work.

The organization had to cancel its Chicago River Day cleanup due to the coronavirus. Instead of bringing thousands of volunteers together for a one-day event, the new Summer Challenge encourages people to pick up litter in their neighborhoods.

The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, a level last seen during the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record — stark evidence of how the coronavirus has brought the economy to its knees.

The coronavirus pandemic put conventional campaigning on hold just as campaigns were ramping up, forcing candidates to scrap plans, rewrite budgets and find new ways to connect with voters and show they are the right person to lead in a crisis no one anticipated.

In the midst of uncertainties brought on by the pandemic, Chicago screenwriter Sylvia L. Jones is celebrating one of her biggest achievements yet: her first feature film.

As new numbers show COVID-19 rates among Chicago Latinos have surged in recent weeks, 26th Ward Ald. Roberto Maldonado is pushing for more testing in the community. But that’s not the only problem residents are facing.

Sheriff Tom Dart informed Cook County court and elected officials in a letter Thursday that his office has “no additional equipment to assign” after the electronic monitoring program saw a 30% surge in recent months.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently highlighted the high rate of COVID-19 in Latino communities. As part of our reporting series, we spent the day in a predominantly Latino neighborhood on the city’s Near West Side.

Illinois has spent more than $238 million on resources related to the pandemic, even entering into occasional bidding wars with other states for supplies. We ask Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza about state spending — and budget shortfalls.