Lisa Schencker – Page 2

A flu vaccine is ready on a tray before being administered at the Esperanza Health Centers Brighton Park North Clinic on Dec. 31, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Illinois issues flu, COVID-19, RSV vaccine guidance, amid confusion over federal recommendations

September 10, 2026 at 6:35 p.m.

Illinois is issuing its own guidance about flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations for this fall — amid continuing confusion over federal vaccine recommendations.

A person walks past the closed Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood on Aug. 6, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Weiss Memorial Hospital loses Illinois hospital license in latest blow to reopening hopes

September 9, 2026 at 4:09 p.m.

Weiss Memorial Hospital has lost its Illinois hospital license, even as its owners and community leaders continue to discuss plans to reopen the facility.

St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital registered nurses, National Nurses United union members and supporters cheer outside the hospital in West Town as registered nurses at the hospital go on a one-day strike on Sept. 3, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

More than 400 nurses at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago go on one-day strike

September 3, 2026 at 4:05 p.m.

Nurses at several Chicago-area hospitals owned by Prime Healthcare took action against their employer with a one-day strike at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital on Thursday and a protest at...

A dose of the measles vaccine is seen on a table at a health center in Lubbock, Texas, on Feb. 27, 2025. (Photo by Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty-AFP)

Illinois health officials responding to measles outbreak in Douglas County

September 2, 2026 at 2:04 p.m.

There have been at least four confirmed, linked cases of measles in Douglas County, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

A Culex pipiens species of mosquito, the carrier of the West Nile virus, at the University of Notre Dame in 2003. (Zbigniew Bzdak/baiduhai)

Illinois reports first West Nile virus death of the year, in Chicago

September 1, 2026 at 2:37 p.m.

A person in Chicago has died of West Nile virus, marking Illinois’ first death from the illness so far this year, health officials announced Tuesday afternoon.

Prime is suspending OB services at Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, shown here in 2020, and two other hospitals, St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and Mercy Medical Center in Aurora. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Prime Healthcare plans to suspend obstetric services at 3 Illinois hospitals, consolidate care

September 1, 2026 at 3:47 p.m.

Prime Healthcare plans to suspend obstetric care at three of its Illinois hospitals – saying it will centralize the services at two of its other hospitals and invest in maternal...

Atif Bawahab, President and Chief Executive Officer of Insight Hospital & Medical Center Chicago, speaks on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, during a public meeting at Malcolm X College in Chicago, about the closures of Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Head of Chicago’s Insight hospital talks about future of West Suburban amid pushback from doctors, lawmakers

September 1, 2026 at 12:50 p.m.

The town hall took place the same day that a group of West Suburban doctors conducted a voted demonstrating that they have no confidence in Insight’s ability to run West...

Weiss Memorial Hospital, in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, was closed in August 2025 after federal regulators cut off Medicare funding over safety issues. (Stacey Wescott/baiduhai)

Illinois ignores rules and red flags as ‘servant leader’ runs up $100M state tab, then closes 2 hospitals

August 30, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

West Suburban and Weiss Memorial's collapse illustrates what can go wrong in a state that largely relies on and subsidizes the private sector to run safety-net hospitals.

The closed Weiss Memorial Hospital along the 4600 block of North Marine Drive on Aug. 20, 2026, in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott/baiduhai)

Judge questions why owner of West Suburban hospital hasn’t finalized settlement

August 25, 2026 at 2:16 p.m.

A Cook County judge questioned on Tuesday why an owner of Weiss and West Suburban hospitals hasn’t yet finalized a settlement agreement that would sell the hospitals and require him...

RN Vraj Kharvari, center, joins dozens of registered nurses and supporters, gathering outside St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital along Division Street in Chicago, May 27, 2026, to rally and protest the alleged crackdown of their employer Prime Healthcare on efforts to unionize. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Hundreds of nurses at Chicago’s St. Mary hospital plan one-day strike

August 25, 2026 at 9:29 a.m.

Registered nurses at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago plan to again go on strike as they try to reach their first contract with owner Prime Healthcare.

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