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A South Side football coach is making history as the first Black woman to lead a boys’ football team in the Chicago Public League. (WTTW News)

CPL Coach Makes History as First Black Woman to Lead Boys Football Team

A South Side football coach is making history as the first Black woman to lead a boys' football team in the Chicago Public League. And she’s making a difference on and off the field.

The third annual “Love and Nappyness Hair Care Drive” kicked off Nov. 16 and runs until Friday Dec. 17.  It was launched in 2019 by Chicago hip-hop artist Matt Muse. (WTTW News)

Love & Nappyness 3rd Annual Hair Care Drive Runs Through Dec. 17

The Love and Nappyness Hair Care Drive collects unused natural hair care, skincare and personal hygiene products. Anyone can drop off items at six locations across the Chicago area. The products will then be donated to Ignite, a shelter for youth facing housing insecurity, and Saint Leonards.

Cat Mahari is a street dancer and visual artist. (WTTW News)

Dancer Cat Mahari One of Dozens Receiving Historic Grant for Artists

We've introduced you to a couple of local artists receiving cash grants from the Chicago-based nonprofit 3 Arts to help pursue their careers. This week, we're featuring another winner: Cat Mahari, a street dancer and visual artist who identifies as autistic.

CSO Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn performs Dvorak’s Violin Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by guest conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada. (Credit: Anne Ryan)

At the CSO, Bravura Turns by Violinists Ray Chen and Hilary Hahn, and Much More

Two different concerts by the ever-remarkable Chicago Symphony Orchestra arrived on the Orchestra Hall stage. Each came with a fascinating CSO-commissioned new work, a superb visiting conductor, and breathtaking performances by the phenomenal virtuoso violinists.

An aerial view of the Chicago Area Confined Disposal Facility, a 45-acre site on Chicago’s Southeast Side that has been in operation since 1984. Inset: The CDF is outlined in red. (Credit: Army Corps of Engineers)

Illinois EPA OKs 1-Year Extension for Waste Dump on Lake Michigan

Environmentalists Vow to Keep Fighting

A 20-year extension of the dump, operated by the Army Corps of Engineers to hold toxic sludge dredged from Lake Michigan, is still under review. The dump was supposed to be retired in 2022 and turned over to the Chicago Park District for redevelopment.

Jussie Smollett is found guilty on five out of six counts of lying to police, filing a false police report and disorderly conduct in his hate-crime hoax case. (WTTW News via CNN)

The Week in Review: Jury Convicts Smollett on 5 of 6 Counts of Lying to Police

Cook County jury convicts Jussie Smollett for faking a hate crime. Business leaders blast the mayor for downtown crime. High-stakes debate over sports wagering. And omicron is here in Chicago.

President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as President in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci, File)

Jan. 6 Panel Subpoenas Six Who Helped Plan Trump Rallies

The rallies before and during the Jan. 6 riot are a major focus of the committee’s investigation. Committee members have said they want to know who financed the events and whether organizers were in close touch with the White House and members of Congress as they planned the events.

The Supreme Court is seen on the first day of the new term, in Washington, Oct. 4, 2021. (AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Court Won’t Stop Texas Abortion Ban, But Lets Clinics Sue

The court acted more than a month after hearing arguments over the law, which makes no exceptions for rape or incest.

(WTTW News)

Cook County Hosting Mass Vaccination Sites Sunday for COVID-19 Boosters

No appointment necessary. All three approved vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson – will be available for adults who can mix-and-match their booster. Only the Pfizer vaccine has been authorized for 16- and 17-year-olds.

President Joe Biden walks to speak during the funeral of former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, at the Washington National Cathedral, Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin)

Bob Dole: ‘Genuine Hero’ Paid War’s Price, Triumphed in Senate

Displaying a bipartisanship rare in modern government, politicians in office and out came together to pay homage to Bob Dole’s hard-scrabble rise from wounded war veteran to Senate stalwart to three-time, unsuccessful presidential candidate.

(Tina Nord / Pexels)

It’s Time for the Christmas Bird Count

What It Is. Why It Matters. How To Take Part.

One of the country’s longest-running community science projects is about to get underway. We’ve got all the details on Audubon Society’s 122nd annual Christmas Bird Count, including how to join the effort. 

In this courtroom sketch, actor Jussie Smollett stands with his legal team in a Leighton Criminal Courthouse courtroom, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in Chicago, after a jury found him guilty on five of six charges he staged a racist, anti-gay attack on himself and lied to police about it. (AP Photo / Cheryl Cook)

After Jussie Smollett Verdict, More Court Cases Await

A jury’s guilty verdict that Jussie Smollett faked a racist and homophobic attack isn’t the end of legal proceedings for the former “Empire” actor or others.

People look at televisions during a Black Friday sale at a Best Buy store on Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo / Charlie Riedel, File)

EXPLAINER: Why US Inflation Is So High, And When It May Ease

Economists are now voicing a more discouraging message: Higher prices will likely last well into next year, if not beyond.

(WTTW News)

CPD Canceling Officer Days Off to Prevent Disturbances Downtown

“Everyone is always welcome downtown, everyone is welcome to enjoy all our city has to offer,” Police Superintendent David Brown said. “Chicago belongs to all of us, but if you come downtown or anywhere else, you engage in disorderly conduct or other crimes, you will be arrested.”

(Jplenio / Pixabay)

Tornadoes Possible as ‘Out-of-Season’ Weather System Bears Down on Chicago Region

A strong storm system is moving into the Chicago region, bringing an “out-of-season” threat of thunderstorms and even tornadoes, with the worst expected to hit after 9 p.m. Friday, the National Weather Service said.

Actor Jussie Smollett, center, leaves the Leighton Criminal Courthouse with unidentified siblings, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in Chicago, following a verdict in his trial. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)

Jussie Smollett Guilty Verdict Latest in Polarizing Case

The jury convicted the 39-year-old on five counts of disorderly conduct — for each separate time he was charged with lying to police in the days after the alleged attack. He was acquitted on a sixth count.

WTTW’s sister station, WFMT Radio, is celebrating 70 years on air. Chicago's classical radio station first hit the airwaves in December of 1951. (WTTW News)

WFMT Celebrates 70 Years On Air Monday with a Full Day of Live Performances

WFMT, our sister station, is celebrating 70 years on air. Chicago's classical music and fine arts radio station first hit the airwaves in December 1951. On Monday, the station will be live from Northeastern Illinois University’s Jewel Box Recital Hall for a day full of live performances.

(WTTW News graphic)

Bears Hoping to Prevent More Rodgers’ Boasts in Prime-Time Sunday Matchup

The NFL’s most storied rivalry hasn’t been much of a rivalry in recent years. But the Bears will take another crack at team shareholder Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in prime time at Lambeau Field with rookie quarterback Justin Fields coming back from a rib’s injury.

The South Shore community lies just south of Jackson Park along Lake Michigan – which is also a point of concern for residents.  (WTTW News)

‘Chicago Tonight’ in Your Neighborhood: Concerns in South Shore

The Obama Presidential Center announced Thursday that a number of its spaces will be named for historic human and civil rights figures. But as that center marches closer toward its opening date, one neighboring community has concerns about the center’s impact on longtime residents.

Fly Little Bird’s stuffies come in either woodland, farm, or circus themes ranging from elephants to cows. (WTTW News)

Cashmere for a Cause, Chicago Mom Builds Business on Compassion

A Chicago mother is tapping into her artistic roots with a brand that is inspired by her children, but also pays homage to her mother. 

Although Dr. Cameron Webb is in the D.C. area now, he spent several years in Chicago when he went to law school at Loyola. (WTTW News)

White House COVID Advisor Says Community, At-Home Tests, Vaccinations Key

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging. Doctors believe that’s still due to the delta variant though it’s expected Illinois will soon see more cases of the omicron variant as well. A key White House advisor tells us how the nation’s ready to tackle it with an eye toward equity.

A furious round of lobbying is happening behind the scenes at City Hall over the proposal to allow the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Sky to operate sportsbook operations on their home turf. (WTTW News)

Supporters of Push to OK Sports Betting at Stadiums Double Down as Questions Swirl About Casino Impact

A furious round of lobbying is happening behind the scenes at City Hall over the proposal to allow the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Sky to operate sportsbook operations on their home turf.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady appears on “Chicago Tonight” via Zoom on Monday, July 26, 2021. (WTTW News)

Chicago May Require Proof of COVID-19 Vaccine in ‘High-Risk Settings’: Top Doc

Dr. Allison Arwady said “preliminary conversations” were taking place with representatives of business groups about requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for diners or revelers, but no decision had been made.

(Raftink1973 / Pixabay)

Calling All Gen X-ers: Illinois State Museum Wants Your Walkmans and Trapper Keepers

The Illinois State Museum is planning a “Growing Up Gen X” exhibit and has put out a call for contributions of photos, memories and objects that define the youth of this often-overlooked cohort of Americans.

A medical staff member prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Tudor Ranch in Mecca, Calif. on Jan. 21, 2021 (AP Photo / Jae C. Hong, File)

US Expands Pfizer COVID Boosters, Opens Extra Dose to Age 16

The U.S. and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.

(Free-Photos / Pixabay)

Outdoor Dining Set to be Extended in Chicago as COVID-19 Pandemic Rages Once Again

Restaurants and cafes could continue to serve customers outdoors through 2022 under a proposal set to be considered at Wednesday's City Council meeting.