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Posts published in “Latest News”

What’s Shopping Like For Pandemic Instacart Workers?

The grocery delivery service Instacart more than doubled its labor force in the pandemic. What’s it like to be one of those workers? Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

Like Flu Shots, Will I Need A COVID Vaccine Every Year?

So far, doctors expect immunity to last five months at the very least. It's possible we’ll need another booster, especially to protect against new COVID variants, or if scientists find that immunity wanes. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

High School CPS Families Await Their Reopening Plan

Reopening high schools is a more complicated process than restarting elementary schools, one that will likely come with more disagreements. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Susie An

Can I Choose Which COVID-19 Vaccine I Receive?

Chicago’s Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Allison Arwady, says you won't be picking your vaccine. That's because there are only two authorized, and most places administering only have one or the other. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

CPS Parents Are Losing Faith After School Reopenings

Chicago Public School parents say they are losing faith in the city’s public school system after the recent reopening controversy. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad

Chicago Teachers Union Approves School Reopening Deal

A deal has been made to get some kids back into Chicago Public Schools, and as the Chicago Teachers Union vote to reopen classrooms - bitter feelings still linger. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Karen Lewis, CTU Leader And Activist, Dies At 67

Lewis revitalized the Chicago Teachers Union and helped inspire unions and teachers across the country to fight for quality public schools. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Sarah Karp

What Happens If I Don’t Get A COVID-19 Vaccine?

Since the vaccine provides protection against COVID-19, waiting to get it, or choosing not to, leaves you vulnerable to getting sick. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

Chicago Black Restaurant Week’s Extended This Year

Chicago Black Restaurant Week is beginning amid a devastating time for restaurants, and in the wake of a racial reckoning. Host: Marie Lane; Reporter: Odette Yousef

Trauma Centers Expanding In Illinois for Crime Victims

Three new publicly-funded trauma centers will provide counseling, case management and financial support for victims of violent crime. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Patrick Smith

CPS Says There’s A Tentative Deal With CTU

The deal calls for a delay in the phased-in reopening of classes as some staff get vaccinated and establishes a school closing health metric. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

Can I See People Safely After My COVID-19 Vaccine?

Infectious disease doctor Sadiya Khan says while the vaccine protects you from getting sick, clinical trials are still underway to determine whether it stops you from spreading the virus. Find all our coverage at WBEZ.org/VaccineFAQ

Police Torture Archive Confronts City’s Violent History

A new project called the "Chicago Police Torture Archive" aims to make the city's history of police misconduct better known. It features videos and written profiles of torture survivors, some who spent decades in prison. Host: Melba Lara; Guest: Alison...

#AuthorAtHome: Michael Marshall on “The Genesis Quest”

We often think of the New Year as a time for both reflecting on the past and planning new beginnings. So, as we launch into 2021 in earnest, why not ponder one of the most colossal (or rather, microscopic) beginnings in the history of our planet: the origins of life. Some scientists have argued that life began in the chemical-rich seas of the early Earth, the famous primordial soup, while others are convinced that life began in strange vents pumping hot water out of the seafloor, where the chemical reactions that sustain living cells could get started. Or perhaps life began in volcanic ponds on land, or in meteorite impact zones—or even in beds of clay. Each theory has attracted staunch believers who promote it with an almost religious fervor. But our pursuit of life’s origins is more than a tale of bizarre (and sometimes unscientific) investigative zeal: it is a story that takes in some of the greatest discoveries in modern biology, from cells to DNA, and from evolution to life’s family tree. Stretching from 1920s Soviet Russia to the Manhattan Project and the latest discoveries, Michael Marshall’s The Genesis Quest: The Geniuses and Eccentrics on a Journey to […]

The post #AuthorAtHome: Michael Marshall on “The Genesis Quest” appeared first on The Chicago Blog.

CPS Isn’t Alone With Vaccine Roll-Out Issues

As Chicago teachers try to find COVID-19 vaccination appointments on their own, they say finding one one feels like winning the lottery. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Adriana Cardona Maguigad