Laura Washington: Chicago’s elections are nearly here, and many races remain a toss-up
I am not in the prediction business, but here's a safe bet. The 2023 mayoral race will be decided in the April 4 runoff. As we head for the first...
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Laura Washington: Early voter turnout in Chicago elections is high. Will the interest persist?
Chicago voters are turning out. A little more than a week away from the Feb. 28 municipal election, that's a bright oasis in these democracy-challenged times. In this year's elections...
Laura Washington: Democrats may be stuck with Biden as their candidate in 2024
The Democratic Party sits on the horns of a dilemma. While President Joe Biden has not yet announced his reelection plans, he is already off and running. He said so,...
Laura Washington: Behind Wilson’s ‘rabbits’ comment is an uncomfortable truth about crime in Chicago
The rabbits have landed Willie Wilson in hot water. I am not talking the cuddly, hopping kind. The business owner, philanthropist and Chicago mayoral candidate recently sparked an uproar when...
Laura Washington: The digital age is destroying the art of the letter
A "Collection of Chicago Postal History," an assemblage of thousands of letters, will be auctioned in March by H.R. Harmer Fine Stamp Auctions of New York City. Nearly all were...
Laura Washington: Black voters are Mayor Lightfoot’s natural base. They could make or break her.
The Feb. 28 mayoral election is less than six weeks away. The landscape looks rocky for Chicago's mayor. Do the math. Seven of the nine candidates are African American. Traditionally,...
Laura Washington: Illinois’ assault weapons ban is a huge win — but it won’t fix Chicago’s violence
On Jan. 10, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which prohibits the sale and distribution of assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines and gun switches in Illinois,...
Laura Washington: PBS’ hoped-for gain is Chicago’s loss
On Jan. 23, "Chicago Tonight," WTTW-Ch. 11's flagship news and public affairs program will move from 7 to 10 p.m., the station has announced, and be cut from an hour...
Laura Washington: Crime in Chicago has become ‘our’ problem. How do we tackle it?
Chicagoans are a diverse and feisty bunch, but these days, we are all concerned about crime and public safety. Violent crime is the grave, existential quandary facing cities across the...
Laura Washington: ‘Do we need AR-15s?’ Mother who lost a daughter to gun violence demands action.
Mary Dieudonne-Hill, a mother who lives in south suburban Homewood, knows all about the pain gun violence inflicts on a family. In 2016, her daughter, Alisia, was attending North Carolina...