Global Christmas traditions, holiday lights, festive floral arrangements and comics usher in the holiday weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
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Local Hospitals Face Hospitalization Surge as Omicron Variant Emerges
Dec 21, 2021 | Acacia Hernandez
The majority of hospitalizations in Chicago continue to be among those unvaccinated, but health officials advised everyone take precautions.
Chicago to Require Proof of Vaccination in Bars, Restaurants and Gyms
Dec 21, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady instituted the requirement Tuesday, as increases in COVID-19 cases have seen the positivity rate rise to 7.3% – past the point of rapid spread.
I’m a Black Woman and the Metaverse Scares Me. Here’s How to Make the Next Iteration of the Internet Inclusive
Dec 21, 2021 | Breigha Adeyemo - University of Illinois at Chicago - AP
Marginalized people often suffer the most harm from unintended consequences of new technologies, according to researcher Breigha Adeyemo who shares ways to make them more inclusive.
Dan Webb: Handling of Initial Jussie Smollett Charges by Foxx’s Office Was a ‘Disgrace’
Dec 21, 2021 | Matt Masterson
The special prosecutor who secured convictions this month against Jussie Smollett said the way the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office first resolved the former “Empire” star’s criminal charges was a “disgrace” and that Kim Foxx and others lied about how it went down.
Ravenswood Artists Show There’s No Place Like Home in Chicago
Dec 21, 2021 | Erica Gunderson
Our city’s towering skyline gets all the press, but for the husband-and-wife artist duo behind Wonder City Studio, it’s the vernacular styles that make Chicago a place worth calling home.
US Population Growth at Lowest Rate in Pandemic's 1st Year
Dec 21, 2021 | Associated Press
The United States grew by only 0.1%, with an additional 392,665 added to the U.S. population from July 2020 to July 2021, according to population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Biden Pledges 500M Free Virus Tests to Counter Omicron
Dec 21, 2021 | Associated Press
In remarks Tuesday at the White House, President Biden detailed major changes to his COVID-19 winter plan, his hand forced by the arrival of the fast-spreading variant, whose properties are yet not fully understood by scientists.
December 21, 2021 - Full Show
Dec 21, 2021 | WTTW News
The latest on Mayor Lightfoot’s sweeping indoor vaccination mandates. A look inside overstretched hospitals. An exclusive one-on-one with the Smollett special prosecutor on his scathing report into Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
‘Latino Voices’ Community Conversation: Latino Holiday Traditions
Dec 21, 2021 | Marissa Nelson
The holidays are typically marked by family gatherings, delicious food and joyful music. We talk with community leaders about celebrating this holiday season amid the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about the omicron variant. Watch the full discussion.
Omicron Casts a New Shadow Over Economy’s Pandemic Recovery
Dec 21, 2021 | Associated Press
A heightened sense of anxiety has begun to erode the willingness of some people and businesses to carry on as usual in the face of the extraordinarily contagious omicron variant, which has fast become the dominant version of the virus in the U.S.
Lightfoot Outlines Crime-Fighting Strategy, Calls for Federal Help
Dec 20, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
“As the mayor of this city, I want to assure you that from day one in my time as mayor public safety has been, is, and will continue to be my highest priority,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday in a special speech to show she’s taking crime seriously.
Many Unanswered Questions Remain About COVID-19 Long Haul Symptoms
Dec 20, 2021 | Acacia Hernandez
Many, including doctors, are still searching for treatment for people whose symptoms continue more than a month after being infected and answers about persistent symptoms.
Crain’s Headlines: Amtrak Increases Speed
Dec 20, 2021 | WTTW News
Amtrak trains now run at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Ann Dwyer has details on that story and more.
Chicago Artist Paints ‘100 Zoom Portraits’
Dec 20, 2021 | Angel Idowu
From February to May, Megan Williamson made one portrait a day. She recreated living rooms across the country and even a few guests seen on “Chicago Tonight.”
Special Prosecutor Found ‘Major Failure’ in How Kim Foxx’s Office Handled Jussie Smollett Case
Dec 20, 2021 | Matt Masterson
Finger-pointing, misleading statements, “substantial abuses of discretion” and a “major failure" of operations were among the findings included in a special prosecutor's investigation into Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx and her office's handling of the Jussie Smollett case.
Embattled Thompson Center Lands Buyer With Plans For Overhaul, Reuse
Dec 20, 2021 | Nick Blumberg
Late last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a deal to sell the love-it-or-hate it state building downtown to the Prime Group for $70 million. The development firm plans to overhaul the Helmut Jahn-designed structure rather than demolish it and start anew, as others had proposed.
Omicron Sweeps Across Nation, Now 73% of US COVID-19 Cases
Dec 20, 2021 | Associated Press
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showed nearly a six-fold increase in omicron’s share of infections in only one week.
James Webb Space Telescope Set to Launch Christmas Eve
Dec 20, 2021 | Blair Paddock
NASA prepares to launch the most powerful space telescope ever. Local astronomers share some up-close details.
Stage Shows Go On Despite Some Cancellations
Dec 20, 2021 | Marc Vitali
Following the long pandemic shutdown, many theaters came back in the fall only to pivot once again in the face of the omicron threat.
Moderna: Initial Booster Data Shows Good Results on Omicron
Dec 20, 2021 | Associated Press
Moderna said lab tests showed the half-dose booster shot increased by 37 times the level of so-called neutralizing antibodies able to fight omicron.
Catch the Solstice Sunset at the Chicago Spot Designed Especially for the Occasion
Dec 20, 2021 | Patty Wetli
Celebrate the winter solstice Tuesday at a solar gazing event on the 606 Bloomingdale Trail, which boasts a solstice “notch” to frame sunsets.
December 20, 2021 - Full Show
Dec 20, 2021 | WTTW News
New details on the Cook County State’s Attorney’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case. Inside the sale of the Thompson Center. Mayor Lightfoot addresses violence. A $10 billion telescope that could unlock secrets of the universe.
Dec. 15 Storms Across North-Central US Classified as Derecho
Dec 20, 2021 | Associated Press
At least 45 tornadoes have been preliminarily confirmed in the Dec. 15 storms that crossed the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures.
Manchin Not Backing Dems’ $2T Bill, Potentially Dooming It
Dec 20, 2021 | Associated Press
Manchin told “Fox News Sunday” that after five-and-half months of negotiations among Democrats in which he was his party’s chief obstacle to passage, “I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t. I’ve tried everything humanly possible. I can’t get there.”
No White Christmas as Chicago Continues Record Breaking Snow-Free Streak
Dec 20, 2021 | Patty Wetli
Chicago has never gone this late in the year without a measurable snowfall, and there's no sign of the white stuff in sight.