Stories by CNN
CDC Asks Unvaccinated Not To Travel This Weekend and Says Even Vaccinated Need To Weigh Risk
| CNN
Due to the surge of COVID-19 cases, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking unvaccinated Americans not to travel during the Labor Day holiday weekend.
2 Chicago Police Officers Charged With Battery in Alleged Beating of Teen
| Matt Masterson
Officers Jeffery Shafer and Victor Guebara face felony charges after they allegedly beat a teenage boy as he laid on the ground following a pursuit in a stolen vehicle in Woodlawn earlier this year.
Chicago Outpacing 2020 Shooting, Homicide Totals Through End of August
| Matt Masterson
Crime data released Wednesday by the Chicago Police Department shows the city has recorded 524 homicides and 2,344 shootings so far in 2021. Those totals are up 3% and 9%, respectively, over the same time period last year.
Illinois Democrats Advance New Legislative Districts With Little Public Review
| Amanda Vinicky
Democrats have a stranglehold on the Illinois General Assembly, and Tuesday they muscled through legislation that will help the party maintain power for the coming decade despite objections from community organizations and Republicans.
In Ida’s Aftermath, No Quick Relief In Sight for Louisiana
| Associated Press
Louisiana residents still reeling from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Ida scrambled for food, gas, water and relief from the sweltering heat as thousands of line workers toiled to restore electricity.
Non-Fan of R. Kelly Describes Still Falling Prey to Him
| Associated Press
A woman who wasn’t a fan of R. Kelly ended up getting exposed to a sexually transmitted disease after he enticed her to join him on the road, she testified on Tuesday at the R&B entertainer’s sex-trafficking trial.
Gold Coast Dessert Bar 1st to Open Under New Rules Designed to Cut Red Tape
| Heather Cherone
Scoops Dessert Bar is the first restaurant in Chicago to open as part of the city’s Expedited Restaurant Licensing Pilot Program, which is designed to help fill restaurants shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As US Military Leaves Kabul, Many Americans, Afghans Remain
| Associated Press
As the final five U.S. military transport aircraft lifted off out of Afghanistan, they left behind up to 200 Americans and thousands of desperate Afghans who couldn't get out and now must rely on the Taliban to allow their departure.
Through Photos and Oral Histories, Gage Park Youth Reclaim Community Narrative
| Marissa Nelson
A new outdoor exhibition in Gage Park tells the neighborhood’s history from the perspective of its residents. It’s part of a new program from the Gage Park Latinx Council that invites young people to reclaim their community’s narrative. We go for a look — and a local history lesson.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Children Expected by End of Year
| Paul Caine
As the highly infectious delta variant continues to spread rapidly throughout the country, more children are testing positive for COVID-19. Could the return of in-person learning trigger even more cases?
Biden Praises Airlift, Defends Departure From ‘Forever War’
| Associated Press
Addressing the nation, a defensive President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the U.S. military airlift to extract more than 120,000 Afghans, Americans and other allies to end a 20-year war an “extraordinary success,” though thousands of people looking to leave remain.
Why ‘Candyman’ Continues to Hook Audiences Nearly 30 Years Later
| CNN
Nearly 30 years after “Candyman” was released, people are still daring one another to say the title character’s name in the mirror to summon this hook-wielding ghost. Some urban legends don’t die, they’re just reborn.
August 31, 2021 - Full Show
| WTTW News
Redistributing political power through the state’s remapping process. More cases of COVID-19 in children. Making Gage Park youth into oral historians. And the scoop on new rules for new restaurants.
Illinois Dems Set to OK New Legislative Maps Over Criticism
| Associated Press
Illinois Democrats on Tuesday are expected to approve new legislative boundaries over objections from Republicans and some community groups that the process was unnecessarily rushed and maps were drawn behind closed doors.
Illinois to Require Insurance Coverage for Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders
Advocates: “Mental health care is health care.”
| Kristen Thometz
A new law in Illinois will require health insurers to cover medically necessary services and treatments for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Advocates say the legislation comes at a critical moment and will help remove obstacles to such care.
Officer Involved in Physical Altercation Captured on Video Placed on Administrative Duties
| Matt Masterson
The Chicago police officer seen in a video grabbing a woman as she attempted to leave North Avenue Beach with her dog Saturday has been placed on administrative duties while the incident is investigated.
Rogers Park Alderwoman Asks Neighbors to Put Pressure on Park District After Lakefront Life Ring Removed
| Nick Blumberg
After a drowning in Lake Michigan near a Rogers Park beach earlier this month, longtime community activist Jim Ginderske decided to take action in the name of public safety. Now, a local alderperson is joining the effort.
Chicago’s Travel Advisory Updated to Include Every State Except Vermont
| Heather Cherone
The city’s travel advisory now covers 48 states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, officials said Tuesday.
‘Latino Voices’ Community Conversation: Small Businesses
| Marissa Nelson
From mom-and-pop outfits to big-box stores, the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted businesses in Chicago and beyond. We talk with local Latino business owners and entrepreneurs about their experiences. Watch the full discussion.
Ida’s Aftermath: No Power, No Flights, Scant Drinking Water
| Associated Press
Louisiana communities beginning the huge task of clearing debris and repairing the damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida are facing the dispiriting prospect of weeks without electricity in the oppressive, late-summer heat.
Last Troops Exit Afghanistan, Ending America’s Longest War
| Associated Press
The United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending America’s longest war and closing a chapter in military history likely to be remembered for colossal failures, unfulfilled promises and a frantic final exit.
Hurricane Ida Traps Louisianans, Shatters the Power Grid
| Associated Press
Rescuers in boats, helicopters and high-water trucks brought hundreds of people trapped by Hurricane Ida’s floodwaters to safety Monday and utility repair crews rushed in, after the furious storm swamped the Louisiana coast and ravaged the electrical grid.
How Communities Facing Food Insecurity Are Creating Equitable Systems
| Blair Paddock
As part of our “Firsthand: Living in Poverty” series, we hear about the current state of food insecurity in Chicago — and possible solutions to the problem.
Amazon Delivery Lockers in Chicago Parks Create Controversy
| Acacia Hernandez
The e-commerce giant recently began installing lockers inside Chicago parks, and says the lockers are a “secure and convenient” option. But that so-called convenience has proven controversial.
In-Person Learning Resumes at Chicago Public Schools
| Brandis Friedman
For the first time in 17 months, Chicago Public Schools students returned to the classroom for full-time, in-person learning Monday. At some schools, the mayor was there to welcome them back.
Chicago Immigration Groups Scramble to Resettle Afghan Refugees
| Paris Schutz
The White House says more than 116,000 people have so far been evacuated, but not everyone has been able to escape. Hundreds of Afghan refugees could settle in the Chicago area, and local immigrant groups are working around the clock to try and make that happen.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Trending
2026 Chicago Summer Festival Guide
Obama Presidential Center Unveils Official Portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama
Obamas Celebrate Chicago Roots, Power of Community During Presidential Center’s Opening
Supreme Court Expected to Hand Down Rulings on Birthright Citizenship, Presidential Power and More
EF-2 Tornado Near Midway Among 20 Tallied So Far From Last Week’s Storms, Weather Service Says
Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter