Stories by Heather Cherone

The fund will be used to help Black and Latino neighborhoods, which continue to see disproportionately higher rates of infections and deaths as compared with citywide rates and those in primarily white and affluent communities.

Prosecutors say Dawn Moore set out to commit “as much mayhem and damage as she could” when she allegedly used a Jeep to chase down multiple Chicago police officers and squad vehicles during an unrelated traffic stop Wednesday.

President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to skip next week's debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden after organizers said it would be held virtually because of the president's COVID-19 diagnosis.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to a still-high 840,000, evidence that job cuts remain elevated seven months into the pandemic recession.

Cozy "cabins," modular blocks and heated tables that borrow a concept from Japan are the winners in the city's competition for outdoor dining designs. Now the race will be on for restaurants to implement these before cold weather hits. 

Oak was once the predominant tree in the Chicago area. Now most of them are gone. Ecologists have a plan to make sure they don’t disappear from the region entirely, and they need our help.

Michael Madigan has had a virtual lock on his position as the leader of the Illinois House, serving as speaker for all but two years since 1983. Could his job now be in jeopardy?

Mayor Lori Lightfoot this week painted a grim picture ahead of her Oct. 21 budget address as the city tries to close a massive budget gap. Our politics team tackles those stories and more in this week’s roundtable.

Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man left paralyzed after he was shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer in August, was discharged from a Milwaukee hospital and is now undergoing treatment at an Illinois rehabilitation clinic.

For 48 years, the Chicago Reporter has investigated issues of race and poverty. But last month, the publication was abruptly put on hiatus by the faith-based nonprofit that owns it. Now, dozens of former staffers are demanding answers.

Chicago officials on Tuesday announced $8 million in grants for expanded mental health care services across the city, including for some of Chicago’s most vulnerable residents: those experiencing homelessness.

Quarterback Nick Foles fails to get the job done against the Colts. Can the Bears find an offense Thursday night? Former Bears offensive lineman James “Big Cat” Williams gives us his take.

Chicago officials now have the power to strip multimillion-dollar tax incentives from companies that “betray the public’s trust” — but lawyers for the city have determined the new rules cannot be used to punish the firm that botched a demolition in April.

Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are set to face off in a debate that will offer starkly different visions for a country confronting escalating crises.

Watch the Oct. 7, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Illinois hit a milestone Wednesday in its battle against the coronavirus, surpassing 6 million tests. But Gov. J.B. Pritzker said regional positivity rates are no longer showing the “promising declines” he touted a week earlier.

Chicago’s Second City comedy theater — where performers including Bill Murray, Steve Carell and Jordan Peele honed their skills — has been put up for sale.

“For many of us, financial ruin is simply one bad day away,” said the head of the union representing 1,000-plus City Colleges adjunct faculty members who are seeking a new contract guaranteeing pay equity.

The Trump administration is pressing for $1,200 stimulus checks and a new wave of aid for airlines and other businesses hard hit by the pandemic.

Students from Village Leadership Academy will be honored Oct. 16 at Friends of the Parks’ “Parks as Democracy?” annual conference, which will include a presentation from the youth activists.

In November, Illinois voters will be making a choice about how the state taxes income. But a last-minute lawsuit claims the ballot itself is flawed and is raising questions about how it may impact retirees.

Chicago artists are paying tribute to the Pointer Sisters in a remake of a song that underscores the importance of working together. We meet the creatives behind the “Yes We Can” project.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us to spend a lot more time indoors this year. But for some, home isn’t always a safe space. Many social service agencies are reporting a spike in domestic violence during the pandemic.

Two proposals to spend $9.1 million to repair the CTA’s Lake Street bridge and the Dearborn Street subway stalled Tuesday amid objections from aldermen about efforts to hire firms owned by female, Black and Latino Chicagoans.

The COVID-19 pandemic has many Americans rethinking how they’re going to vote this year, with huge numbers applying for mail-in ballots. Emmerson Buie Jr. talks about the FBI’s priorities, and what steps they’re taking in Chicago.

What’s the difference between absentee voting and mail voting? There really isn’t any difference.