City mask mandates return as COVID-19 cases spike. The Chicago Teachers Union on safety concerns ahead of the new school year. Local relief efforts for Haiti. And questions about COVID-19 etiquette.

New research on how the pandemic is spurring anti-Asian violence. A nursing shortage is looming in health care. The latest on Afghanistan. And more businesses are requiring the COVID-19 vaccine.

Why Black students at Chicago Public Schools are so much more likely to be homeless, and what can be done about it. New laws protecting people living with HIV. And a pedal through Big Marsh Park.

Chicago Public Schools requires all teachers and staff to get vaccinated — we hear from the district’s interim CEO. A musical collaboration highlights Puerto Rico. Chicago teens learn camping skills. 

Census numbers are released. Analyzing Chicago’s budget picture. We’re live from Avondale. The delta variant risk for children. And inside the colorful world of freak bikes.

The mayor unveils the city’s projected budget deficit for 2022. Alderpeople talk policing in Chicago. What’s in the federal infrastructure bill for Illinois? Chicago teens learn about outdoor camping.

The latest on the two men charged with killing a Chicago police officer this weekend. Arguments over the state’s mask mandate for students. And vaccine mandates for some health care workers.

The latest in the weekend shooting death of a Chicago police officer. A major new climate change report. New research on the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. And business headlines from Crain’s.

One-on-one with a local nonprofit leader working with young men of color whose stepson was recently killed. A guaranteed income pilot program. How white people can help reduce the wealth disparity. 

Efforts to make transit accessible across communities. A controversial new Target warehouse. And does the city make the cut in clearing weeds from vacant lots?

The latest on new state pot licenses. Live in Rogers Park. More businesses mandate vaccines for employees. A Chicago police officer is charged in a shooting. And preventing drowning off the lakefront.

A mask mandate for all pre-K through 12 Illinois schools. A local study on the effects of COVID-19 misinformation on social media. A new ban on evictions. And a classic Chicago building on the move.

Is a vaccine passport in the works for Chicago? A call for pregnant people to get the vaccine. The lights are flickering on a renewable energy bill. And “Hamilton” is back in Chicago — sort of.

A new lawsuit from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Noisy motorcycles reach a fever pitch downtown. A new law protects people with HIV. The mysterious effect of COVID-19 on your sense of taste and smell.

Building equity in the cannabis industry. Uncovering the lasting impacts of surviving gun violence. And a throwback performance with blues legend Buddy Guy.

A plan of action for climate change in Illinois. An exit interview with a 30-year veteran of the city. And a group of street vendors are now the proud owners of a shared kitchen.