What is Gapers Block? Gapers Block is a Chicago-centric web publication providing information on news, events and other interesting stuff around town. Gapers Block wants you to slow down and check out your city!
OK, what's a "gapers block"?
There are many terms for the slowdown in traffic that occurs when there's an accident on the side of the road. Some people call it rubbernecking, others a lookie-loo. Here in Chicago (and a few other places where Chicago expats are common) we call it a gapers block or gapers delay. What better name for a site that asks you to slow down and check out all the cool things in the city?
Consider GB an antidote to all those sites infatuated with the coasts. On the front page, you'll find Merge, a collaborative weblog on a wide range of topics updated throughout the day; Slowdown, a calendar highlighting events you may not have heard about; a daily photo in Rearview and a question to ponder and discuss in Fuel. The site also includes topical sections covering arts and culture (A/C), food (Drive-Thru), music (Transmission), politics (Mechanics) and sports (Tailgate).
Our volunteer staff of contributors is made up of Chicagoans both native and imported, with diverse backgrounds and interests but two things in common: a deep love of the city and a wish to share it with you.
Editors
Andrew Huff, Editor & Publisher
Andrew thinks Chicagoland is the best amusement park ever. A lifelong night owl, he works deep into the night at his West Ridge two-flat, writing and editing and playing with the cats. He spends more time online than probably is healthy; follow along at me3dia.com. Email him at .
David Schalliol, Managing Editor - A/C, Rearview
A graduate student in sociology at the University of Chicago, David is involved in far too many non-academic projects for his own good. You can check out some of his diversions at his personal website, metroblossom, and that flickr place. He has South Side pride. Email him at dcs@gapersblock.com
Veronica Bond, Literary Editor - GB Book Club
An Air Force brat, Veronica has lived in Chicago as long as she's lived anywhere else and likes to think of the city as having adopted her instead of the other way around. Her one super power is the amazing ability to read, write, eat, and watch televison at the same time. She reads a lot. Email her at bookclub@gapersblock.com.
Ramsin Canon, Politics Editor - Mechanics
Ramsin Canon works and lives in Chicago. He has worked in and written about local and state politics for the last six years, and currently writes about the big issues at SameSubject.com. Ramsin wrote GB's political column Revenge of the Second City from 2003 to 2008, and Bears in Five for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Email him at rc@gapersblock.com.
Ken Green, Sports Editor - Tailgate
Ken Green is a lifelong Chicagoan, ex-newspaper reporter, editor and sportswriter, a sometimes poet, wannabe playwright and lousy dancer. He was a member of several poetry slam teams, placed third in the Goodman Theater's David Mamet Write-a-like contest, can run a 5K and thinks 2005 is the greatest year in Chicago sports history. Email him at kg@gapersblock.com.
Anne Holub, Music Editor - Transmission
Anne still thinks of herself as a Southerner, even though she moved to Chicago from Montana. During the daylight hours she likes to edit books and pictures, and in her copious amounts of free time she writes poems for no money at all. At night, she enjoys knitting and roving with The Crafty Ladies. Email her at anne@gapersblock.com.
Alice Maggio, Literary Editor - GB Book Club
Alice is a native Chicagoan and a librarian. She reads way too many books, loves opera and early '90s Brit pop with equal passion, and enjoys macrame without irony. She wrote GB's popular Ask the Librarian column from 2003 to 2006. Email her at bookclub@gapersblock.com.
Rose Miller, Calendar Editor Slowdown
Rose came to Chicago by way of San Francisco and St. Paul, pursued higher education, and has been here ever since. Dull is how she rolls in her work life, but when not cheerfully steeped in routine she inhabits a colorful world of comic books, crafting, and saying she'll finally update an often-neglected blog. Email her at inbox@gapersblock.com.
Robyn Nisi, Food Editor - Drive-Thru
Robyn is from Omaha, home of the best pizza in Chicago. She laments the discontinuation of such foodstuffs as PB Max and OK Cola, and continues to fight for sweet treat justice (using elite street justice). Email her at drivethru@gapersblock.com.
Naz Hamid, Creative Director emeritus
Naz is easily irritated by inactivity but is a firm believer in simplicity. He takes a mellow approach to things but thinks a great lot about them. His design work may be found at weightshift.com.
The Party Line
The Party Line is Gapers Block's weekly email newsletter. It's edited by Andrew Huff, and Peter Zelchenko writes a special column for it. You can read past issues and sign up here.
Peter Zelchenko
The Party Line
Peter has been growing up in Chicago all his life. He's also angrily hacked everything from mainframes to iPods over the decades. Today he hacks pretty much anything that gets in his way. He writes for Chicago-based startup The Point, and has a popular column for the Chicago Journal. He also wrote the critically acclaimed exposé, It Happened Four Years Ago: Mayor Daley's Brutal Conquest of Chicago's First Ward.
