The spotlight shines brightly these days on Chicago band Brigitte Calls Me Baby. The group just had its national TV debut on “CBS Saturday Morning,” and the influential public radio station WXPN called the band “future rock royalty.”
Stories by
Homecoming for Chicago Band Brigitte Calls Me Baby — Lead Singer Talks Elvis, Pen Pals and a Promising Future
Mar 1, 2024 | Marc Vitali
Invasive Dupes, Part 5: The Common Reed’s Identity Crisis is a Doozy
Mar 1, 2024 | Patty Wetli
For the last in our series on invasive species that can be mistaken for natives, here’s one of the trickiest: phragmites, also known as common reed.
Week in Review: Trump Ruled Ineligible for Illinois Primary Ballot; Multiple Warnings Over Migrant Shelter Conditions
Mar 1, 2024 | Paul Caine
Trump is ruled ineligible in Illinois but will stay on the ballot. And all signs point to the Bears drafting a superstar prospect with the first overall pick.
Older Adults Should Get Another COVID-19 Shot, Health Officials Recommend
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
There are still more than 20,000 hospitalizations and more than 2,000 deaths each week due to the coronavirus, according to the CDC. And people 65 and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates.
What the Heck Happened to February in Chicago? It Was the Warmest on Record, But It Could Have Been Weirder
Mar 1, 2024 | Patty Wetli
It’s official, Chicago: February 2024 was the warmest in 153 years of recording keeping.
US Health Officials Drop 5-Day Isolation Time for COVID-19
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
Most people have some degree of immunity to the coronavirus from past vaccinations or from infections. And many people are not following the five-day isolation guidance anyway, some experts say.
CVS and Walgreens Plan to Start Dispensing Abortion Pill Mifepristone Soon
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
Walgreens will begin dispensing the medication within a week at some locations in several states, including Illinois.
Students Seek Feedback From Transit Riders on How CTA Can Bring ‘Joy’ to Its Stations: ‘It’s a Pipe Dream, But It Gives Us Hope’
Mar 1, 2024 | Eunice Alpasan
Students at the University of Illinois Chicago are conducting the survey as part of a capstone project, which focuses on getting rider feedback on the UIC Halsted Blue Line station, Roosevelt Red Line station and the Clark/Division Red Line station.
Illinois Signed $640K Contract to Review Controversial ‘Invest In Kids’ Tax Credit Program, But Results Are Deemed ‘Inconclusive’
Mar 1, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
Illinois signed a contract for $640,000 for a report that could help legislators determine the value of the state’s recently defunct private school scholarship program, but a lack of data makes its findings “inconclusive.”
Book-to-Film Adaptation Puts Chicago Author on Path to Hollywood With ‘I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter’
Mar 1, 2024 | Sean Keenehan
In 2017, poet and author Erika L. Sánchez published her first novel, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.” Now, Hollywood is calling, with a book-to-film adaptation with award-winning actress America Ferrera on board to make her big-screen directing debut.
What Goes Into Setting Car Insurance Rates and How Illinois May Change It
Mar 1, 2024 | Amanda Vinicky
Illinois’ insurance code prohibits discrimination, but state Rep. Will Guzzardi said there’s a difference between impact and intent. Even if insurance agents aren’t doing it maliciously, Guzzardi said, algorithms end up perpetuating inequities and punishing people of color and low-income drivers.
‘Do You Want to be Informed or You Want to be Influenced?’: Navigating Social Media Misinformation
Mar 1, 2024 | Emily Soto
Nearly half of surveyed Latinos rely on social media sites like TikTok and WhatsApp for their news and information. This has allowed for the spread of misinformation and disinformation, where fact checking in Spanish is less available.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, Feb. 29, 2024 - Full Show
Feb 29, 2024 | WTTW News
Do auto insurance rates discriminate? Advice for navigating the spread of misinformation. And a local author is taking her book to the big screen.
Pilsen’s La Tiendita Connects Families in Need to Free Clothing, Necessities
Feb 29, 2024 | Joanna Hernandez
The free shop is located inside a Chicago Public Schools Parent University, which offers classes and workshops on topics like financial literacy, career development and more.
Invasive Dupes, Part 4: Two Tiny Mussels, One Big Difference
Feb 29, 2024 | Patty Wetli
In honor of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, we’re posting daily “dupes” — invasives that can easily be confused with native species. Today we’re featuring two tiny freshwater mussels that couldn’t have less in common.
Navy Pier’s New Flyover Experience Offers an Exhilarating View of Chicago’s Beauty
Feb 29, 2024 | Angel Idowu
Utilizing footage captured by a drone, flight members swoop through iconic landmarks in seats engineered to feel every dip and dive of the ride, just as if you were on a rollercoaster.
Donald Trump Appeals Judge’s Decision That Disqualified Him From Illinois Ballots
Feb 29, 2024 | CNN
The ruling from Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter, an elected Democrat, concluded that Trump is barred from office under the 14th Amendment because he engaged in the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
Judge Won’t Dismiss Indictment of Ex-Ald. Carrie Austin, As Her Lawyer Says She Remains Very Ill
Feb 29, 2024 | Heather Cherone
U.S. District Court Judge John Kness has yet to set a trial date for Austin, who pleaded not guilty after her June 2021 indictment. The hearing, which lasted less than 15 minutes, was the first time Austin has appeared in a federal courtroom since her indictment.
‘This Place is Horrific’: Complaint Details ‘Filthy’ Conditions at Downstate Funeral Home
Feb 29, 2024 | Beth Hundsdorfer — Capitol News Illinois
Eight photographs and one video taken late last year purported to show the conditions of the funeral home depict piles of dirty sheets, a dead rodent rotting in a stairway and water running from pipes in the embalming room.
What is Super Tuesday? Why It Matters and What to Watch
Feb 29, 2024 | Associated Press
The elections are a crucial moment for President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who are the overwhelming front-runners for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations, respectively.
‘ComEd Four’ Sentencing Dates Delayed Until Later This Year as U.S. Supreme Court Weighs Separate Bribery Case
Feb 29, 2024 | Matt Masterson
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber on Thursday ruled that the “ComEd Four” will not be sentenced until after the high court issues its ruling in a separate case involving James Snyder, a former Indiana mayor who was found guilty of accepting a bribe.
New Documentary Aims to Shine Light on Health Care Disparities Faced by Black Mothers
Feb 29, 2024 | Emily Soto
The new documentary “The Fight for Black Lives” chronicles the stories of Black mothers who faced racial inequities in the health care system. The film comes as Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proposing $4 million dollars in his new budget proposal aimed at addressing the issue.
Chicago Taxpayers Pay $99K to Ex-CPD Officer Who Said Boss Ordered Her to Protect His Bridgeport Block During 2020 Unrest
Feb 29, 2024 | Heather Cherone
Former Chicago Police Sgt. Cassandra Williams, who worked for the Chicago Police Department for 32 years, said she faced severe harassment and retaliation for filing a complaint against her commanding officer, Lt. Jason Brown, who remains on the force. “I crossed the blue line,” Williams said.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, Feb. 28, 2024 - Full Show
Feb 28, 2024 | WTTW News
A new documentary explores racial disparities in childbirth. How evictions disproportionately impact Black women. And fresh off his third Grammy win, we talk with Chicago poet J. Ivy.
Chicago Poet J. Ivy on His Influences, His Gift and Winning a 3rd Grammy
Feb 28, 2024 | Paul Caine
J. Ivy is one of the most high-profile poets on the planet. He has worked with A-list artists including Jay-Z and Beyoncé. He even gave John Legend his “Legend” name. Ivy’s spoken word album “The Light Inside” just earned him a third Grammy.
Illinois Judge Removes Trump From Ballot Because of ‘Insurrectionist Ban’
Feb 28, 2024 | CNN
Illinois is now the third state where former President Donald Trump was booted from the ballot, after Colorado and Maine. But those decisions were paused pending the appeal of the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court.