WBEZ News

The pandemic has been a challenge for local farmers who have long sold to Chicago businesses and markets. A look at the forecast for those who used to bank on selling their goods to restaurants that are now closed. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Monica Eng

Northwest Indiana officials are worried about their governor’s call to reopen the state in early May before adequate testing has happened. The plan now is to lift the state’s stay at home order after May 1st. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Michael Puente

Suzie and Bob Pschirrer tell us about their daughter, Hayley, who works as a nurse in a level one trauma center where she now mostly sees patients with COVID-19. Host: Melba Lara Producer: Joe DeCeault, Lynnea Domienik

Dr. Regina Benjamin, who served under former President Barack Obama, speaks about racial health inequities and COVID-19. Host: Annie Russell Reporter: Natalie Moore

Howard Brown Health in Chicago has been doing contract tracing for nearly 20 years, and now it's turning its focus to COVID-19. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Kristen Schorsch

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order has not slowed gun violence in Chicago. Chicago Police Department data show shootings are up 10%. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Patrick Smith

Illinois will now announce which nursing home facilities have had deaths recently relating to COVID-19, and the home of the Chicago Cubs has been repurposed into a temporary food pantry.
 
 Host: Mary Dixon
 Reporter: Linda Lutton

Lucy Keating first learned to sew on her grandmother’s Singer sewing machine. Today, she’s reviving her skills to make masks for COVID-19. Host: Melba Lara Producer: Isabel Carter

For many years, Michael Strautmanis distanced himself from his biological father. But with some encouragement from his half-sister, he re-opened the door. Producer: Bill Healy

With remote learning starting off this week for many students in Chicago, teachers are finding unique ways to take care of their students. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Sarah Karp, Adriana Cardona Maguigad

Elections scheduled for next week for the mini-boards that oversee each Chicago public school have been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

As kindergarten through college students adjust to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, one course that can be hard to teach remotely is science. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Kate McGee

In March when coronavirus was beginning to emerge in Chicago, cases came fast. They doubled every 2 days. Now, they’re doubling every 12 days. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Kristen Schorsch

Mayor Lori Lightfoot held Chicago’s first virtual City Council meeting Wednesday. They approved new procedural rules to allow them to meet over video conference. Reporter: Becky Vevea

While the number of Latinos who’ve died of COVID-19 in Cook County remains low, advocates say that number is wrong. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Maria Ines Zamudio

Many Illinoisans are leaving their house every day to fight COVID-19 head-on. Falguni Dave is a nurse who cares for jail detainees being treated at Stroger Hospital on Chicago’s West Side. Host: Mary Dixon Producer: Mariah Woelfel

Local leaders have been using predictive models to try and figure out when the worst of the pandemic will pass in Illinois. It's still been difficult to know in the moment whether the worst of the pandemic is over. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Kate McGee

Chicago parents and students are looking to schools to provide a lot more than just academics, as they face heightened stress during the coronavirus school shutdowns. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Susie An, Sarah Karp

A Chicago photographer was caught in the dust cloud that descended over Little Village Saturday morning when the demolition of an industrial smoke stack went wrong. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Linda Lutton

Harold Davis Jr., a Chicago activist who spent over the last two decades of his life mentoring at-risk teens, died of coronavirus on Sunday. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Becky Vevea

As part of WBEZ's ongoing series 'LIfe Interrupted,' we hear from two neighbors who created an I SPY game to help people in their community stay connected. Host: Melba Lara Producer: Linda Lutton Speaker: Lisa Love, Nikki Moustafa

Before becoming the governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker never bargained on a pandemic or foresaw the state’s well-being hinging on “Trump time.” Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Dave McKinney

A pandemic may have closed churches for Easter. But a West Side preacher still has words to comfort his flock. Host: Annie Russell Reporter: Linda Lutton

Parents with small children at home are juggling jobs and childcare around the clock. WBEZ reporters know that drill. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Natalie Moore

Cook County nurses are warning the virus won’t stop at the jail’s walls as staff travel home and detainees are transferred from the jail to the hospital. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Shannon Heffernan

At hospitals in Illinois, more and more people died of COVID-19 over the weekend. But there are some signs the spread of the disease could be slowing in state. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

University of Illinois College of Medicine graduated students early so they’re available if and when their residency programs need extra doctors to respond to the new coronavirus pandemic. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Kate McGee

Kathleen Valente’s husband Bob needs a lung transplant. As part of our series Life Interrupted she talks about why she’s more worried about him catching COVID-19. Host: Melba Lara Producer: Lynnea Dominik

Chicago Mental health advocates are optimistic the city's next police leader will work to reduce interactions between officers and people with mental illness. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Patrick Smith

The candidates running for president of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police lodge both talk up Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s choice for police superintendent. Host: Lisa Labuz Reporter: Chip Mitchell

The settlements follow a years-long WBEZ investigation into the state’s mishandling of Legionnaires’ outbreaks that killed more than a dozen. Host: Lisa Labuz Reporter: Tony Arnold, Dave McKinney

Social gatherings are the focus of a new CDC case study that traces how the virus spread quickly from one person to several Chicago families this year. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Mariah Woelfel

Illinois prisons have reported over 400 cases of covid-19. The prison healthcare system has struggled, coming under federal control after it was found numerous preventable deaths occurred. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Shannon Heffernan

It’s spring break for Chicago Public Schools. But for many students this time doesn’t come with much excitement. Parents share what their stay-at-home-spring-break looks like. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

Lawsuits have been filed to force Illinois to release more than 10,000 prisoners to slow the spread of the coronavirus. An update on what the state has, and hasn’t, done. Host: Lisa Labuz Reporter: Shannon Heffernan

John Prine was a staple in the early 70's on Chicago’s folk scene. The singer-songwriter died yesterday at the age of 73 from coronavirus complications. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Carrie Shepherd

While Illinois schools are closed during the coronavirus pandemic, districts are responsible for getting out resources. In one community, families were confused and didn’t get the information they needed. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Susie An

Nearly a month after being forced to close down, Chicago Public Schools is finally going to open back up remotely on Monday. Officials say the transition to online learning is going to be uneven and rocky. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Sarah Karp

Resources used to help people overcome their addictions often include therapy or group meetings. But with stay at home orders in place, those services have changed a little. Host: Mary Dixon Interviewee: Maggie Dix Producer: Araceli Gomez-Aldana

Aldermen in the Chicago's 50 wards are leaning into their role even while their jobs at City Hall are on pause. They've been connecting their constituents with city services during the pandemic. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Becky Vevea

12 year old Chloe Langford had a creative take on a homework assignment about life at home during the COVID 19 pandemic. “All Day Long, the Coronavirus Song” now has over 33,000 views on YouTube. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Carrie Shepherd

Colleges in Chicago are becoming increasingly flexible with grading policies as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Kate McGee

The local Jewish community is finding ways to make this year’s holiday meaningful despite the coronavirus crisis. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Monica Eng

Ari Mejia built a fort inside her house to help cope with staying at home. She shares one of many personal dispatches to come from folks who now find themselves alone, together. Host: Melba Lara Producer: Joe DeCeault, Linda Lutton

With schools closed due to COVID-19, this year has been particularly hard on Chicago public high school seniors. The year that usually marks an end of an era, is now marked by loss. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

The coronavirus pandemic has canceled all the big events in the Chicago area. On one block in the northwest suburbs, neighbors have found a way to be together for a little bit, even while they keep apart. Host: Annie Russell Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Not everyone can work from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Some are providing essential services during the outbreak, but they're living on the margins. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Natalie Moore

Meydi Guzman Rivas has been living with her school counselor for over a month now. She moved in after being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Now, she’s hopeful she’ll be given asylum. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Susie An

WBEZ News spent the weekend covering the COVID-19 pandemic. Since most of us were likely trying to relax and forget about this stuff for a short time, a quick catch up on the latest from Illinois. Host: Mary Dixon Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Many schools are using Zoom for online class during the COVID-19 closures. And like many things on the internet, racist trolls have followed. Host: Melba Lara Reporter: Kate McGee