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The Chicago Park District’s River Park, located in Lincoln Square. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

Ex-Chicago Park District Supervisor Arrested Again on New Sexual Abuse Allegations

Mauricio Ramirez, previously accused of sexually assaulting an underage lifeguard, has been arrested for a second time in just over a month after media coverage of his initial case led a second victim to come forward, prosecutors said.

Flowers are left in memory of Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton's first Black artistic director, at a church in Miami's Design District, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Miami. Abloh, a leading designer whose groundbreaking fusions of streetwear and high couture made him one of the most celebrated tastemakers in fashion and beyond, died of cancer. He was 41. (AP Photo / Marta Lavandier)

Louis Vuitton Show Pays Tribute to Designer Virgil Abloh

Louis Vuitton’s first-ever U.S. fashion show turned into a somber yet whimsical tribute to groundbreaking designer Virgil Abloh days after his death.

(WTTW News)

Cook County Tops 1,000 Homicides For First Time Since 1994

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed its 1,000th homicide of the year over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, though that total has since grown to at least 1,009, per county officials.

The wrong-way small-billed elaenia, photographed Nov. 28, 2021, in Waukegan. (Courtesy of Geoffrey Williamson)

Why So Much Fuss Over a Plain-Jane Bird That Landed in Waukegan? It’s Half a World Off Course

The sighting of a small-billed elaenia over the Thanksgiving holiday had bird lovers flocking to Waukegan from far and wide to catch a glimpse of this South American flycatcher, thousands of miles off course.

Courtesy CHANGE Illinois)

‘The People’s Map’: Organizations Create Ward Maps Made by Communities

The deadline for a city ward map is Wednesday. CHANGE Illinois believes that map should be independently made by community members who reflect the city’s population and not by alderpeople. 

A proposed Chicago Ward Map from the Chicago City Council's Latino Caucus.

City Council Poised to Miss Deadline to Approve New Ward Map Amid Racially Polarized Debate

Negotiations over a new ward map that will shape Chicago politics for the next decade remained deadlocked Tuesday, with no sign of a possible compromise less than a day before the deadline set by state law.

Greg Harris appears on “Chicago Tonight” on June 3, 2019. (WTTW News)

Greg Harris, Key Proponent of Illinois’s 2013 Same-Sex Marriage Law, Won’t Seek Reelection

Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris, the highest-ranking openly gay lawmaker in Illinois history, said after 15 years, he’s ready to move on. His current term ends in 2023.

Actor Jussie Smollett, center, arrives Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse for day two of his trial in Chicago. Smollett is accused of lying to police when he reported he was the victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in downtown Chicago nearly three years ago, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Detective: Brothers Recounted How Jussie Smollett Staged Hoax

Taking the stand as prosecutors began their case against Jussie Smollett, former Chicago police detective Michael Theis said he initially viewed the actor as a victim of a homophobic and racist attack and that they “absolutely” didn't rush to judgment.

Pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. said Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, that its experimental COVID-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus and that it would soon ask health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize its use. (Merck & Co. via AP)

US Panel Backs First-Of-A-Kind COVID-19 Pill from Merck

The Food and Drug Administration panel voted 13-10 that the antiviral drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, including potential birth defects if used during pregnancy.

Gary Griffin (left), Stephen Sondheim and Chicago Shakespeare Theater Founder Barbara Gaines pose for a picture. (Courtesy of Michael Litchfield)

Unforgettable Moments in Chicago Productions of Sondheim Musicals

In the wake of Stephen Sondheim’s death, a look back at his impact on Chicago theater. 

Pictures of Josephine Baker adorn the red carpet as the coffin with soils from the U.S., France and Monaco is carried towards the Pantheon monument in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, where Baker is to symbolically be inducted, becoming the first Black woman to receive France's highest honor. Her body will stay in Monaco at the request of her family. (AP Photo / Christophe Ena)

Black Artist Josephine Baker Honored at France’s Pantheon

Josephine Baker — the U.S.-born entertainer, anti-Nazi spy and civil rights activist — was inducted into France’s Pantheon on Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman to receive the nation’s highest honor.

People wear face mask to protect against the coronavirus at the public transport station Friedrichstrasse in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. According to local authorities wearing face masks mandatory in public transport and passengers need to be vaccinated, recovered or tested negative of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Omicron Variant May Have Reached Europe Earlier Than Thought

Economic powerhouses Japan and France reported their first cases of the omicron variant Tuesday, while new findings indicate the mutant coronavirus was already in Europe close to a week before South Africa sounded the alarm.

James Robson, a biomedical engineering graduate student, holds a swab and specimen vial in the new COVID-19, on-campus testing lab, Thursday, July 23, 2020, at Boston University in Boston. (AP Photo / Charles Krupa, File)

US Tracking of Virus Variants Has Improved After Slow Start

Viruses mutate constantly. To find and track new versions of the coronavirus, scientists analyze the genetic makeup of a portion of samples that test positive. It’s a global effort, but until recently the U.S. was contributing very little.

(WTTW News)

CPS to Begin COVID-19 Test-to-Stay Pilot Program for Students This Week

Under the pilot, an unvaccinated student who is exposed to COVID-19 would be allowed to stay in school if they agree to testing on the first, third, fifth and seventh day after their exposure.

(Pixabay)

Cook County Government in the Market for a Power Player as It Aims for 100% Renewable Energy Goal

Cook County is aiming to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030, but can’t get there on its own. So it’s looking for a renewable energy developer, who would front the costs of building a solar or wind farm to generate green electricity for county buildings. 

(WTTW News)

‘Black Voices’ Community Conversation: Black Small Businesses

Brandis Friedman and a panel of guests talk about how Black-owned small businesses are navigating the holiday shopping season amid supply chain issues and labor shortages. Watch the discussion now.

November 30, 2021 - Full Show

City Council members sound off one day ahead of the ward remap deadline and still no agreement. One-on-one with retiring lawmaker Greg Harris. The life and legacy of Stephen Sondheim.

(WTTW News)

‘The Sky Is Not Falling, At This Point’: City Officials Brace for Omicron COVID-19 Variant

Chicago's updated travel advisory includes 38 states, announced Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

(Patty Wetli / WTTW)

Watch Where You Park Tuesday Night: Snow Route Parking Ban Set to Start

Every year, the start of the snow route ban catches hundreds of drivers unaware, forcing them to travel to the city’s auto pound — and pay at least $235 — to retrieve their cars, officials said.

Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty at Leighton Criminal Court Building, Thursday, March 14, 2019. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Pool / Chicago Tribune)

Smollett Hatched ‘Secret Plan’ For Hoax Attack, Per Prosecutors, But Defense Says He’s ‘Real Victim’

Jussie Smollett faces six counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly making false reports to multiple different Chicago police officers about being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in 2019.

A homeless encampment in Chicago. (WTTW News)

Advocates Concerned About City’s Homeless Population Amid Emergency Bed Shortage

The city of Chicago has been partnering with Hotel Julian downtown, paying for 175 rooms to house those experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. Alderpeople recently extended this partnership into February. But is it enough?

(Kristina Tripkovic / Unsplash)

‘The Invisible Ones’ Radio Series Follows Cases of Missing Black Women

Over the past 20 years, 51 Black women and girls have either gone missing or been found dead after disappearing in Chicago, according to WVON, which has produced a new five-part series featuring the stories of these victims’ family members and their efforts to find answers. 

(WTTW News)

City Officials Prep for Winter’s Arrival

“The many challenges of COVID-19, coupled with the inconvenience of life-threatening conditions that cold weather and extreme weather brings every year, that means we’ve got to utilize every tool that we can to protect the health and well-being of our residents,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.

In this Nov. 29, 2010 file photo, a consumer looks at Cyber Monday sales on her computer at her home in Palo Alto, Calif. (AP Photo / Paul Sakuma, File)

Cyber Monday Caps Holiday Shopping Weekend As Virus Lingers

Consumers are expected to spend between $10.2 billion and $11.3 billion on Monday, making it once again the biggest online shopping day of the year, according to Adobe Digital Economy Index.

A proposed Chicago Ward Map from the Chicago City Council's Latino Caucus.

Racially Polarized Debate Over Ward Map Widens Breach, As Deadline Approaches

If 41 alderpeople do not agree on a map, the final decision could be made by voters for the first time in 30 years via a referendum.

Daniel Binelli performs Piazzolla’s Bandoneon Concerto (Aconcagua) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero. (Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg)

Celebrating the Centennial of Tango Master Astor Piazzolla in Grand Style

Two remarkable concerts took place recently in Chicago and were designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Astor Piazzolla – the composer who transformed the traditional tango into an irresistible classical music hybrid.