Stories by Associated Press
AP Exclusive: ‘Strike for Black Lives’ to Highlight Racism
| Associated Press
A national coalition of labor unions, along with racial and social justice organizations, will stage a mass walkout from work this month, as part of an ongoing reckoning on systemic racism and police brutality in the U.S.
Wanna Beat the Heat? Some Splash Pads Are Open, But Check Before You Go
| Patty Wetli
The Chicago Park District has turned the water on at some, but not all, of its splash pads.
Gov. Pritzker: ‘We Need a National Masking Mandate’
| Kristen Thometz
Testifying before a U.S. House committee on Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker outlined steps the federal government can take to respond to the worsening coronavirus pandemic, including a mandate on wearing face masks.
City Allows General Iron to Partially Reopen After Explosions That Rattled North Side
| Heather Cherone
Five weeks after two explosions rattled General Iron, city officials allowed the North Side metal recycler to partially reopen June 24 — but its shredding facility remains shut down as investigations continue into the May 18 blasts.
Small Business Aid Went Beyond Hard-Hit Companies, Data Show
| Associated Press
A federal program designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms. Which companies benefited in Illinois?
Activity in Services Sector Shows Record Rebound in June
| Associated Press
Activity in the U.S. services sector rebounded strongly last month, but those gains are now being threatened by the resurgence of coronavirus cases in many parts of the country. Local economists weigh in.
Coalition Calls on Governor to Move Nursing Home Residents to Hotels
| Kristen Thometz
Advocacy groups are calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to move residents from nursing homes and other congregate care settings into community settings, like hotels, to allow for proper social distancing and to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Chicago Writer, Shooting Victim: Treat Crime Scenes Like Trauma Scenes
| Dan Andries
As the city mourns victims of gun violence, we talk with Charles Woodhouse Jr., a survivor calling for healing.
How a Community Group is Using Art to Help Children Heal
| Angel Idowu
A community art center is making sure kids have an outlet to express themselves as the pandemic not only limits their activities, but also their resources. We visit the nonprofit SkyArt.
Former Neo-Nazi Christian Picciolini on Combating the Rise of Extremism
| Quinn Myers
Since 2017, the number of white nationalist hate groups has increased by 55%, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. What’s behind the resurgence? We ask a former skinhead.
Youth Sports Come Out Swinging (Safely) for Summer
| Erica Gunderson
After a long spring indoors, many kids are ready to get back outside. But the pandemic means this year, the boys and girls of summer are practicing social distancing along with catching and hitting.
No Bond for Alleged Getaway Driver in Fourth of July Shooting That Left 7-Year-Old Dead
| Matt Masterson
Reginald Merrill will be held in jail on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery following his first appearance in court on Tuesday, three days after a shooting that left 7-year-old Natalia Wallace dead and another man injured.
All the Planets Visible to the Naked Eye on View in July
| Patty Wetli
July is a great month for planet watching. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars and Mercury will all make an appearance.
Protective Gear For Medical Workers Begins to Run Low Again
| Associated Press
The personal protective gear that was in dangerously short supply during the early weeks of the coronavirus crisis in the U.S. is running low again as the virus resumes its rapid spread and the number of hospitalized patients climbs.
As Tollway Transactions Dive Nearly 28%, Drivers Given Latitude on Skipped Tolls
| Amanda Vinicky
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the Illinois Tollway projected its revenues in 2020 would reach $1.5 billion, a 3% increase from 2019. But with people staying at home, that means fewer drivers on the roads – including the tollways.
Children’s Book ‘The Skin You Live In’ Back in the Spotlight
| Marc Vitali
There is renewed interest in a children’s book written and illustrated by a couple of Chicagoans. We speak with author Michael Tyler and illustrator David Lee Csicsko.
How COVID-19 Has Affected Spending, Revenues in Illinois
| Amanda Vinicky
It was clear as soon as the coronavirus was classified as a pandemic that it was going to take a heavy toll on the finances of many individuals and businesses – and therefore on their governments’ finances, too.
‘Senseless Crime’: The Victims of July Fourth Shootings
| Associated Press
From San Francisco to South Carolina, a spate of shootings claimed the lives of people celebrating or just taking a drive over the Fourth of July weekend. Chicago saw one of its bloodiest holiday weekends in memory.
The Best Chicago Film Archive You’ve Never Heard Of
| Erica Gunderson
If you’ve ever marveled at archive footage of old Chicago in a WTTW documentary, chances are good it came from Walt Keevil’s north suburban basement.
A Virtual Tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie
| Marc Vitali
When Nazis sought to march in Skokie in 1978, they did not get their wish. Residents resisted and six years later opened a storefront museum whose mission remains to “take a stand” against bias.
New Analysis Shows Large Swaths of Chicago at High Flood Risk
| Erica Gunderson
This spring, Chicago saw record rainfall for the third May in a row – and with it, the return of flooded streets, parks and basements. A new analysis finds many more Chicago properties are at risk of flooding than previously thought.
Lightfoot Orders Visitors to Chicago from COVID-19 Hot Spots to Quarantine for 2 Weeks
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday ordered those traveling to Chicago from states where confirmed cases of the coronavirus are surging to quarantine for two weeks starting Monday.
Even as Temperature Soars, Beaches to Stay Closed: Lightfoot
| Heather Cherone
Chicagoans hoping to beat this week’s oppressive heat and humidity won’t be able to head to Chicago’s beaches to cool off “any time soon,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.
5 Businesses Fined, Party Boat Shut Down for Violating COVID-19 Restrictions
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned businesses before the 4th of July holiday weekend that city inspectors would be out in force, and officials on Monday announced they had made good on those threats.
Officials Report Lowest Number of Coronavirus-Related Deaths in Illinois Since March
New statewide COVID-19 totals: 147,865 cases, 7,026 deaths
| Kristen Thometz
As the number of deaths linked to COVID-19 surpasses 130,000 across the U.S., Illinois officials on Monday reported fewer than 10 deaths for the second consecutive day.
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