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A falconry hood is placed over the eagle's eyes and ears to help relax the bird and make the exam easier on the bird and handlers. (Courtesy of Willowbrook Wildlife Center)

Bald Eagle on the Mend at Suburban Wildlife Center After Nearly Bleeding to Death From Rat Poison

Eagles don't eat rat poison, but they do eat the critters that take the bait. The powerful toxins keep blood from clotting, and a recently rescued eagle would have bled to death from a tiny cut, said the veterinarian caring for the bird. 

(Andy Watson / Bull Stock)

12 Things to Do This Weekend: Jan. 13-17

Bull riders, Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations, craft cocktails and a musical parody usher in the weekend. Here are a dozen things to do in and around Chicago.

A file photo shows a crime scene blocked off by the Chicago Police Department. (WTTW News)

Off-Duty Chicago Police Officer Shoots 3 in Suburban Bowling Alley

A probationary Chicago police officer who was off duty shot three people at a suburban bowling alley Tuesday night, according to the agency that investigates police shootings.

A child arrives with her parent to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11-years-old at London Middle School in Wheeling, Ill., Nov. 17, 2021. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh, File)

Kids’ Low COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Called a ‘Gut Punch’

As of Tuesday, just over 17% of children ages 5 to 11 were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots for the age group became available.

Housing activists march across town toward New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, calling for an extension of pandemic-era eviction protections, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo / Mary Altaffer, File)

US Inflation Soared 7% in Past Year, the Most Since 1982

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that excluding volatile food and gas prices, so-called core prices surged 0.6% from November to December. Measured year over year, core prices jumped 5.5% in December, the fastest such increase since 1991.

(WTTW News)

As Students Return to Chicago Schools, Tension Remains Between City, Teachers Over Testing

Efforts to use COVID-19 testing to ensure outbreaks could be stamped out before they catch fire was at the heart of the dispute between school officials and union leaders.

January 11, 2022 - Full Show

The latest on CTU labor action as students are set to return Wednesday. Plus, the fight over voting rights. Illinois House speaker's one-year anniversary. And a local radio news anchor signs off after 51 years.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch appears on “Chicago Tonight” on Jan. 11, 2022. (WTTW News)

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch on His First Year

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch reflects on his first year on the job. Welch’s historic win followed Michael Madigan’s decadeslong hold on political power in the Illinois House. 

(WTTW News)

Rank-and-File CTU Members Vote on New COVID-19 Mitigations

Rank-and-file members of the Chicago Teachers Union are in the process of voting on the deal reached by the union and the city on new COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said she expects the vote to be complete by the end of the week. 

President Joe Biden speaks in support of changing the Senate filibuster rules that have stalled voting rights legislation, at Atlanta University Center Consortium, on the grounds of Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo / Patrick Semansky)

Biden on Voting Rights Passage: ‘I’m Tired of Being Quiet!’

Pounding his fist for emphasis, President Joe Biden challenged senators on Tuesday to “stand against voter suppression,” urging them to change Senate rules in order to pass voting rights legislation that Republicans are blocking from debate and votes.

Bindy Bitterman's new book “Skiddly Diddly Skat” is a celebration of limerick writing. (WTTW News)

Local Author’s New Children’s Book Celebrates the Art of a Well-Crafted Limerick

Bindy Bitterman’s new book “Skiddly Diddly Skat” is a celebration of limerick writing.

This undated photo shows Emmett Louis Till, a 14-year-old black Chicago boy, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in 1955 after he allegedly whistled at a white woman in Mississippi. (AP Photo, File)

Senate Passes Bill to Honor Emmett Till and His Mother

Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J. and Richard Burr, R-N.C., introduced the bill to honor Emmett Till and his mother with the highest civilian honor that Congress awards. 

Pat Cassidy has hosted mornings on WBBM Newsradio for most of the last 22 years. (Courtesy of WBBM Newsradio)

Longtime Anchor Pat Cassidy Reflects on Career in Radio News

“I just love breaking news, because I know I’m telling people things they don’t know,” said Pat Cassidy, who after 51 years as a radio news anchor has signed off. 

(WTTW News)

Illinois Attorney General: Be Cautious of Pop-Up COVID-19 Testing Sites

In need of a COVID-19 test? Don’t just go to any site, cautions Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who says pop-up COVID-19 testing sites aren’t licensed or regulated by any government agency. He shares tips for how to choose a testing site. 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot appears on Chicago Tonight on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. (WTTW News)

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Contracts COVID-19

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday that she tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing cold-like symptoms.

(valelopardo / Pixabay)

Suit Highlights Suburban Unease With Addiction Centers

A Chicago-based addiction treatment center, which like others nationwide has faced fierce opposition to opening suburban branches, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to force one suburb to stop blocking its expansion plans.

(Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

Frigid Temps Are Great for Killing Ash Borer Beetles. How Cold? We’re Not Even Close

Studies show temperatures of -30°F will kill 98% of ash borer beetle larvae. Guess when Chicago was last that cold.

(WTTW News)

Students Set to Return to Classroom as Chicago Teachers Suspend Labor Action

Chicago students are set to return to their classrooms this week after several days at home as the city and Chicago Teachers Union have reached a compromise on new COVID-19 mitigations inside schools.

January 10, 2022 - Full Show

The latest on the standoff over in-person learning at Chicago Public Schools. Will there be school this week? The Bears chart a path forward. What local leaders plan to do about homelessness during the winter months.

Source: Illinois Department of Public Health

Illinois’ Top Doc on Omicron Spike, In-Person Learning Debate

Dr. Ngozi Ezike breaks down the latest Illinois COVID-19 numbers and says the debate over the safety of in-person learning is nuanced. 

Nonprofit Aims to Address Homelessness as Housing Insecurity Grows During COVID-19

The leader of a Chicago nonprofit focused on homelessness says the demand for their services has skyrocketed. "We are getting inundated with calls, emails and walk-ins from people that never imagined they would ever need help like this before.”

(Foundry Co / Pixabay)

Doctor Offers Tips for Regaining Sense of Smell After COVID-19 Infection

A common indicator of COVID-19 is the loss of taste and smell, which can last for months after infection, according to recent research.

Much to Fix in the Offseason As Bears Begin Search for New GM and Coach

The Bears’ head coach and general manager are out. James “Big Cat” Williams, former offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears, gives us his thoughts on the offseason challenges the team and the incoming new coach and general manager face.

Youngstown City Health Department worker Faith Terreri grabs two at-home COVID-19 test kits to be handed out during a distribution event, Dec. 30, 2021, in Youngstown, Ohio. (AP Photo / David Dermer, File)

Home COVID Tests to be Covered by Insurers Starting Saturday

Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. 

(Courtesy of Hershey Felder Presents)

Paying Homage to an Artistic Collaborator in Hershey Felder’s ‘Mozart and Figaro in Vienna’

The “musical film” is a fascinating look at the creation of “The Marriage of Figaro,” the first of the composer’s three major operas in Italian.

Dominick Black testifies during Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis, on Nov. 2, 2021. Black, who bought an AR-15-style rifle for Rittenhouse has pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in a deal with prosecutors to avoid prison. A Wisconsin judge accepted Dominick Black's plea on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (Sean Krajacic / The Kenosha News via AP, Pool File)

Man Who Bought Gun for Kyle Rittenhouse Pleads No Contest

The man who bought an AR-15-style rifle for Kyle Rittenhouse pleaded no contest Monday to a reduced charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in a deal with prosecutors that allows him to avoid prison.