First Stop: Coronavirus and COVID-19

Data: Virus Overwhelming Illinois, Chicago

City and state approaching peak for coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths. Data show minorities, nursing homes and prisoners among the hardest hit. Full coverage

• National: Illinois, other states working to slow the spread
• Testing: Kits hard to come by | Prevention | Safety tips
• Chicago: Small business | Food safety | Pet adoption
• Crime: Chicago rates hold steady during pandemic | Domestic violence
• Trends: Quarantine and chill: What are people searching for?

Photo: National Institutes of Health

Second Stop: Election 2020

Homeless Struggle with Voter Registration

Many homeless people cannot register in person, which leaves them with the option of registering by mail. But when registering by mail, identification is required in order to be counted. 

• Data: Only 6% of Chicago polling places fully accessible
• Database search: Is your polling place ADA compliant?
• COVID-19 impact: Map and poll — Illinois polls stayed open, others closed

Third Stop: Census 2020

Avoiding the Undercount: New Census Strategies in Illinois

At least 439 Illinois organizations or government entities have received grants for Census 2020. Instead of hiring many short-term workers as the census traditionally has, Illinois committed $29 million of state money to existing community orgs to engage in census outreach.  

• Database: Who receives census grants?

Fourth Stop: Gentrification

Gentrification Near the 606: Logan Square and Humboldt Park

Prices for one- to four-unit buildings near the 606 Bloomington Trail have more than quadrupled since 2012. Experts say the city's desire for more property-tax revenue is driving the gentrification movement in many of Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods.

• Humboldt Park: Rents on the rise | Graphic
• Pilsen gentrification: For better or worse?  | Not all on board