A war of words ensues as the mayor and police chief blame the courts for the city’s violence. Joe Biden’s first stop in Illinois as president. The list of alderpeople under indictment grows. And the city pension debt swells.
Laura Washington
The city and state are fully reopened after a long 15 months. The remap fights heat up. A former alderman may have secretly recorded former House Speaker Michael Madigan. And an elected school board is on the agenda in Springfield.
The Derek Chauvin verdict brings some relief to Chicago. Ald. Ed Burke allegedly makes anti-Semitic statements. City Council meets in person. And Superintendent David Brown addresses the media about shootings.
President Trump is impeached a second time. A monumental shift in Springfield as state Rep. Michael Madigan relinquishes the speaker’s gavel. The battle over in-person learning continues between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union.
COVID-19, civil unrest, a chaotic election, spiking homicides and the walls close in on House Speaker Madigan. Looking back at a year nobody will ever forget, and what lies ahead in 2021.
A new generation of activists and organizers are working to build on past coalitions and bring Chicago’s Black and Brown communities together to end the systemic inequities that have persisted in our city for decades.
This summer, tensions between Black and Latino Chicagoans threatened to explode into violence before activists restored peace, but the incident underlined the sometimes uneasy history between our city’s Black and Latino communities.
The White House pressures the FDA to grant emergency authorization for Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine, as the virus kills more than 14,000 people in Illinois.
Illinois reports a record 6,943 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, surpassing the previous record set one day earlier. As cases rise so do tensions between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and business owners amid pandemic-related closures.
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.
Illinois Republicans probe Michael Madigan. U.S. Attorney General Barr touts a drop in Chicago crime. Recordings reveal President Trump knew about COVID-19 dangers while publicly saying the opposite.
Mayor Lightfoot tests negative for COVID-19 after appearing with an alderman who later tested positive. Gov. J.B. Pritzker takes aim at businesses flouting public health guidance with new rules designed to enforce capacity limits and the state’s mask mandate.
A federal bombshell alleges a massive bribery scheme involving ComEd and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Has Madigan’s political reign come to an end? And Chicago Public Schools announces a hybrid reopening plan for the fall.
The Chicago Board of Education votes to keep police in schools for now. Chicago and the state enter phase four of reopening. Rumors the city’s top cop is leaving amid spikes in gun violence.
More than 4,000 have died from COVID-19 in Illinois as Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushes the state’s estimated peak to mid-June. Chicago is on pace to move to the next phase at the end of the month, but the lakefront will remain closed.
The latest coronavirus cases and deaths in the state. Lakefront and park closures — what might be next? And what the $2 trillion economic rescue package means for the state budget — and your wallet.
