Stories by Heather Cherone

Aldermen Reject Lightfoot’s Proposal to Ease Ban on Lobbying by Elected Officials

A ban blocking elected officials from outside Chicago from lobbying city officials will remain in place after aldermen unanimously rejected a proposal from Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday to ease the ban.

Illinois Surpasses 9,000 Coronavirus-Related Deaths

Health officials on Tuesday reported 29 new coronavirus-related deaths in Illinois, bringing the statewide death toll to 9,026 since the first virus-related death was reported on March 17.

October 13, 2020 - Full Show

Watch the Oct. 13, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Defiant Trump Defends Virus Record in 1st Post-COVID Rally

Defiant as ever about the coronavirus, President Donald Trump on Monday turned his first campaign rally since contracting COVID-19 into a full-throated defense of his handling of the pandemic that has killed 215,000 Americans.

Barrett Vows To Interpret Laws ‘As They Are Written’

Nominee Vows Fair Approach as Justice, Democrats Skeptical

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett presented her approach to the law as conservative and fair on Monday at the start of fast-tracked confirmation hearings, while angry Democrats cast her as a threat to Americans’ health care coverage.

Central Camera Rises From the Ashes After Looting, Fire

For a 121-year-old camera store in Chicago, everything changed on the night of May 30. How the third-generation owner of Central Camera is rebuilding the business after its destruction.

New Data: Top 1% of Americans Wealthier Than Bottom 50%

According to the Federal Reserve, the gap between the rich and the not-so-rich in the U.S. is getting wider. What that new data may mean for economic inequality in America. 

Community Groups Reteach History of Christopher Columbus

After a summer of social unrest and calls to remove some monuments, activists are still pushing for the city to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. How some groups envision reteaching the history of Christopher Columbus.

‘Fair Tax’ or Tax Hike? Debating the Graduated Income Tax Amendment

Perhaps the most hotly contested race on Illinois ballots this year isn’t between two candidates. It’s a fight over income tax rates. We hear from both sides of the hotly contested measure.

Northwestern Study: 1 in 5 Chicagoans Test Positive for Coronavirus Antibodies

Far more Chicagoans may have been infected by COVID-19 than previously thought. We discuss the preliminary findings of a new study with Dr. Elizabeth McNally of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

October 12, 2020 - Full Show

Watch the Oct. 12, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Crain’s Headlines: Southwest to Fly From O’Hare

For the first time since it began flying to Chicago in 1985, Southwest Airlines will begin flying from O'Hare. Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker joins us with that story and more.

Trump vs. Biden: Where They Stand on Health, Economy, More

Amid the tumult of the 2020 presidential campaign, one dynamic has remained constant: The Nov. 3 election offers voters a choice between substantially different policy paths.

COVID-19 in Illinois: 2,742 New Cases, 13 Additional Deaths

Illinois’ seven-day positivity rate is up to 4.3%, nearly a full percentage point higher than it was a week ago, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Facebook Bans Holocaust Denial, Distortion Posts

Facebook is banning posts that deny or distort the Holocaust and will start directing people to authoritative sources if they search for information about the Nazi genocide.

White Sox, Renteria Agree to Split After Breakout Season

The White Sox announced Monday Renteria won't return after he led them to a 35-25 record in his pandemic-shortened fourth year. They ended a string of seven consecutive losing seasons with their first playoff appearance since 2008.

Graham, Harris Share Spotlight as Barrett Hearings Begin

Senate Republicans are vowing a quick confirmation for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, as the party rushes to put conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the high court before the Nov. 3 election.

Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Oct. 11, 2020 - Full Show

With Sen. Kamala Harris on the ticket, advocates discuss the power of Black women at the ballot box. A throwback to funnyman Bernie Mac. And we’ll get a taste of some Black-owned restaurants.

Black Women Among America’s Most Active Voters

Black women are considered the backbone of the Democratic Party, despite what advocates call a resurgence in voter suppression tactics. How they became a formidable force in U.S. elections.

Trump Claims He’s Free of Virus, Ready for Campaign Trail

President Donald Trump on Sunday declared he was ready to return to the campaign trail despite unanswered questions about his health on the eve of a Florida rally meant to kick off the stretch run before Election Day. 

COVID-19 in Illinois: 2,727 New Cases, 9 Additional Deaths

State health officials reported more than 2,700 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, bringing statewide totals to 319,150 cases and 8,984 deaths since the first infection was reported in Illinois in late January.

‘Black People Eats’ Showcases Black-Owned Restaurants in Chicago and Beyond

Restaurants have not had it easy the past few months. But in Chicago, a food blogger is doing his best to elevate Black-owned restaurants through social media. We meet up with Jeremy Joyce, the founder of Black People Eats.

Doctor Says Trump Won’t Transmit Virus, Stays Mum on Tests

Trump Makes 1st Public Appearance Since His Hospital Stay

The White House doctor said that President Donald Trump was no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus but did not say explicitly whether Trump had tested negative for it.

Trump’s Columbus Day Proclamation Includes Stark Warnings

President Donald Trump’s proclamation Friday commemorating Columbus Day veered from a typical White House holiday announcement, with stark warnings of “radical activists” seeking to tarnish the explorer’s legacy.

Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Oct. 10, 2020 - Full Show

Community members in Little Village fight to retain their cultural identity. The need for LGBTQ role models. And in La Ultima Palabra: closing the health disparity gap for Latinos.

La Ultima Palabra: Alice Setrini

The executive director of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Health Law Institute has the last word on closing the health disparity gap for Latinos.
 

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