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Michael Shannon is back to searing, in-your-face Chicago theater
Hollywood’s go-to character man has a star turn in a world premiere at A Red Orchid — an ensemble he says is still “willing to go anywhere and try anything.”
New police stats give Chicago City Council ammo to support keeping ShotSpotter
The statistics, compiled by the Chicago Police Department, show response times over the last six years were more than two minutes quicker with a ShotSpotter alert than when the gunshot detection alert was accompanied by a 911 call.
How one Chicagoan modernized her great-great-great grandfather’s beer recipes
In 2020, Laurin Mack re-opened the Conrad Seipp Brewing Company and is producing 19th century beers again in Chicago.
Could Illinois weed prices drop if the DEA reclassifies marijuana?
The move would ease tax burdens on pot shops. Those savings could be passed on to customers, industry leaders said.
Laufey, the Icelandic-Chinese singer, on reviving jazz for the TikTok generation
Grammy award-winning singer Laufey visited WBEZ’s “Reset” ahead of the first of two Chicago appearances — and performed her song “Bored” in studio.
World Press Freedom Day highlights journalist rights
World Press Freedom Day is May 3. We discuss recent local and national violations of journalists’ rights.
Inside the challenges plaguing the CTA
Unresolved issues with the CTA, some of which started during the pandemic, are coming to a head on the Johnson administration’s watch.
DePaul students pitch tents on campus, join pro-Palestinian protests
The campus joins protests across the country calling on universities to divest from companies supporting Israel.
Former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas urges leniency for Ed Burke
Letters written by Vallas and others in Burke’s case became public Tuesday. Convicted for racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion, Burke is set to be sentenced June 24.
How family members can help identify Alzheimer’s and dementia and support effective treatment
Families are often the first line of defense in the fight against degenerative brain diseases, and experts say early intervention is key.
Andrew Bird, Kelsey Waldon and 10 other great May concerts in Chicago
Our monthly concert list curates great picks mostly from midsize and neighborhood venues.
Chicago will relaunch a guaranteed basic income program
The city has until the end of the year to allocate hundreds of millions of federal COVID relief money or risk losing it.
Weight-loss drug coverage for Illinois state workers could cost hundreds of millions of dollars
Gov. JB Pritzker’s office estimates the drugs — which include Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic — will cost taxpayers $210 million the first year. But others put that number much higher.
Slain Officer Huesca celebrated for his courage and character
Family, friends and fellow law enforcement officers filled St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for the funeral. ‘This day is for Officer Luis Huesca,’ said Police Supt. Larry Snelling. ‘This is his day, nothing else.’
University of Chicago students set up pro-Palestinian encampment on campus as protests spread
Hundreds of University of Chicago students set up an encampment in the Main Quadrangle on Monday, joining groups on over 100 university campuses nationwide in support of Palestinians.
Illinois is considering ranked choice voting. What does that mean?
Ranked choice voting could be an option in Illinois in 2028. We’re breaking down what that change would look like and why it matters.
What’s That Building? Quinn Chapel AME Church
The church’s soaring main space has been the site of speeches by Frederick Douglass, Presidents McKinley and Taft, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Mayor Harold Washington and many others.
Candace Parker announces retirement after 16 seasons, three WNBA championships
‘I promised I’d never cheat the game,’ Parker wrote on Instagram. ‘And that I’d leave it in a better place than I came into it.’
A guide to Chicago’s queer nightlife beyond Northalsted
The area formerly known as Boystown has long been a draw. But Chicago Social Butterflies reporter Jake Wittich says the city offers so much more.
15 migrant couples got married in Chicago: See the prep, ceremony and wedding party
The couples, mostly from Venezuela, gathered at Park Community Church for the nearly two-and-a-half-hour ceremony. The afterparty went on even longer.
The Bears proposed stadium could be an additional $1.2 billion
The Bears put the figure at $4.7 billion. But a state official says the tally to taxpayers goes even higher when you include the cost of refinancing existing debt.
Solitary confinement in Illinois prisons violates human rights, Chicago lawyers group says
“Prisons exist to punish and rehabilitate people — not to torture and destroy them,” says the report from the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, which found that hundreds of people are kept in solitary confinement at any one time across the state.
New legislation would create statewide transit agency, provide additional $1.5 billion for transit
tate Sen. Ram Villivalam and state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado are calling for the creation of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority to oversee all public transit operations and replace the RTA.
When Magic Happens: Cosmetic Enhancements! Better or Botched?
From lip fillers to liposuction, and boob jobs to botches–we’re talking cosmetic procedures, pros and cons, and our takes on the industry.
Astrology-themed sober bar raised $47k in Kickstarter funds, predicts late summer opening
The Kickstarter-backed mocktail bar called Solar Intentions will be joining a growing sober scene in Chicago.
Lion cub returns to Lincoln Park Zoo exhibit weeks after unprecedented surgery
The spinal surgery is common in dogs and older big cats, but it’s the first documented case in a growing lion cub, according to experts at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Cook County Forest Preserves is launching a $10 million makeover of Palos Preserves
Officials say the project is the biggest ecological restoration project ever for the preserves.
Arrest warrant issued for Aurora man charged with killing Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca
Xavier L. Tate Jr., 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the early Sunday slaying of Huesca in the 3100 block of West 56th St., court records show.
Cook County Democratic leaders pick Monica Gordon to run for Cook County Clerk
Gordon will run in the November general election to fill the rest of the late Karen Yarbrough’s term as Cook County Clerk.
Hundreds joined pro-Palestinian protests at Chicago universities
Protesters from the University of Chicago, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago and Roosevelt University rallied in support of people living in Gaza.
Expert says excessive traffic stops and videos of police killings can cause trauma for some
West Side residents near where police killed Dexter Reed share details of their trauma from that incident and their own traffic stops.
Take a Chicago indie bookstore crawl with our transit-friendly guide
The annual event promises discounts, free merchandise and an opportunity for bibliophiles to commune ‘in the wild.’ Here’s our transit-friendly guide to the fun.
For the last year, an army of volunteers has been standing behind migrants arriving in Chicago
Frenzied scenes at police stations where migrants were staying one year ago motivated a network of volunteers across Chicago that persists today.
Facing budget criticism, CPS officials say changes are ‘milestone’ to be celebrated
The mayor’s top ally — the CTU — is among critics of CPS’s lack of transparency and failure to prioritize aides, even though CTU supports the shift to needs-based budgeting.
Mayor Brandon Johnson defends his progressive credentials after supporting the Bears’ new stadium
Johnson’s support of the Bears’ plan raised questions, including from one progressive leader who said they’re not elected to subsidize multi-billion dollar corporations.
Pro-Palestinian students want universities to stop investing in companies with ties to Israel
The demand raises questions about university endowments and how they fit into their educational missions.
Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis pays tribute to Duke Ellington in Chicago
In partnership with the CSO, the trumpeter and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are performing selected works from Ellington.
Chicago rat hole in Roscoe Village removed by city
The Chicago rat hole in Roscoe Village became a viral phenomenon in January. Officials say the concrete slab was preserved, and its destination is being decided.