“For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol,” President Joe Biden said. “But they failed.”
Stories by
COVID-19, Political Standoff Disrupt School
Knowing that most teachers wouldn’t show, even with the warning that they would therefore not be paid, CPS canceled class for Wednesday, and now Thursday too.
Rush Hospital CEO on Criteria for Delaying Surgeries Amid Bed Shortage
Illinois is setting record highs for the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalization rates with more than 6,800 now in hospitals due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, hospitals across the state are working to maintain the ability to take patients, and are delaying certain procedures amid a bed shortage.
Spotlight Politics: Omicron Variant Pits CTU Against Mayor, Schools CEO
What’s the political fallout of the standoff between the teachers union and the city? The race for the 1st Congressional District heats up after Bobby Rush announces he's stepping down. And U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger decides his future on the eve of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot anniversary.
How the Omicron Variant is Affecting Young People
COVID-19 hospitalizations for children have reached a record high in Chicago. The city is currently seeing a daily average of about seven hospitalizations. Despite these numbers, some data suggest the omicron variant is causing a milder illness in kids.
CPS Cancels Classes Thursday as Negotiations With Teachers Continue
Chicago Public Schools students will stay at home for a second consecutive day Thursday, as the district has once again canceled classes after the Chicago Teachers Union voted to begin working remotely.
Fourth-Generation Family Business Fries Up a Chicago Classic for More than 40 Years
From saganaki to the jibarito, Chicago’s blend of cultures has resulted in a long and delicious list of culinary innovations. One particular Chicago food favorite started with an Assyrian family who folded together Italian and Mexican ingredients to create a hot dog stand staple.
US Advisers Endorse Pfizer COVID Boosters for Younger Teens
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisers voted that a booster was safe for younger teens and should be offered to them once enough time — five months — has passed since their last shot.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Jan. 6-9
Ice bumper cars, fitness classes, bald eagles and snowshoes usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
COVID-19 Surge is ‘Merciless’ Top Doc Says, Urging Chicagoans to Avoid Unnecessary Travel
“COVID is very real, it’s merciless, and unless you are fully vaccinated, your defenses against it are pretty low,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.
COVID-19 Surge Delays Sentencing for Former Ald. Ricardo Muñoz
The former Little Village alderperson's sentencing on charges of wire fraud and money laundering will be delayed by more than a month due to the latest surge of COVID-19.
CDC Urges ‘Up to Date’ Shots; No ‘Fully Vaccinated’ Change
The decision to keep the initial definition, established more than a year ago when the vaccines first rolled out, means that federal vaccination mandates for travel or employment won’t require a booster dose.
January 5, 2022 - Full Show
The latest on the teachers union’s decision to be out of the classroom. The CEO of one of the city’s largest hospitals on record COVID-19 hospitalization rates. And behind a local fast-food favorite.
No CPS Classes Wednesday After Chicago Teachers Vote to Work Remotely
The Chicago Teachers Union announced late Tuesday that its rank-and-file members voted in favor of a measure to halt in-person work and transition to remote work Wednesday as it continues negotiating a deal with the city and school district over additional health and safety measures.
City’s Top Doc Says Schools Remain Safe Despite COVID Surge
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said it’s rare for children to contract COVID-19 and hospitalizations are similar to that of the flu. “We don’t upend school, we don’t stop for influenza,” she said.
Rep. Bobby Rush Formally Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection
The former Black Panther who first won election in 1992 said in a speech at a Chicago church that he isn’t retiring from public service.
Sun-Times Report Finds Sexual Assault Reports Nearing Pre-Pandemic Levels
Reports of sexual assault in Chicago appear to be returning to pre-pandemic levels, and the Near North police district — which includes River North — reached a 20-year high, according to a recent report in the Chicago Sun-Times.
WFMT Honors the Musical Legacy of Stephen Sondheim
Both traditional and groundbreaking, Stephen Sondheim was a one-man era of musical theater. A new appreciation of his music and artistry from WFMT.
Northwestern’s New Longevity Institute Aims to Decode the Mysteries of Aging
While some people seem to just stay young longer, others age prematurely. Your chronological age of course can’t be changed, but research suggests the biological processes that drive aging may in fact be malleable.
CPS to Cancel Wednesday Classes if Teachers Union Votes to Work Remotely
The Chicago Teachers Union is set to vote Tuesday evening on a labor action that would see its 25,000 members work fully remotely beginning Wednesday. If that measure is approved, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said he’ll have no choice but to cancel classes.
January 4, 2022 - Full Show
Chicago Public Schools parents brace for a potential cancellation of classes Wednesday. The city’s top doc on surging COVID-19 numbers. A long-serving congressman announces his next move.
Why Are So Many Vaccinated People Getting COVID-19 Lately?
A couple of factors are at play, starting with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant. Omicron is more likely to infect people, even if it doesn’t make them very sick, and its surge coincided with the holiday travel season in many places.
Biden Urges Concern, Not Alarm as Omicron Surges
The president emphasized that vaccines, booster shots and therapeutic drugs have mitigated the danger for the overwhelming majority of Americans who are fully vaccinated.
A Record 4.5 Million Americans Quit Their Jobs in November
The Labor Department also reported Tuesday that employers posted 10.6 million job openings in November, down from 11.1 million in October but still high by historical standards.
Time To Undeck the Halls. Chicago’s Christmas Tree Recycling Kicks Off Saturday
Chicago’s Christmas tree recycling event kicks off Saturday and runs through Jan. 22 at 26 parks. The program keeps hundreds of thousands of pounds of trees out of landfills.
Crain’s Headlines: Workers at Starbucks in the Loop Move to Unionize
Starbucks workers at a location in the Loop make moves to unionize. Ann Dwyer has details on that story and more.
