Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Monday, November 17
Following the well-deserved fanfare for Jackie Robinson West's win at the Little League National Championships, one player and his family will be receiving free housing for one year courtesy of a funeral home after it was revealed that they are homeless.
Researchers at Northwestern say they have discovered a common cause behind different types of ALS, taking a big step towards finding a cure for the disease.
With Instagram's release of Hyperlapse, be prepared for even more timelapse views of the city to flood your social media feeds.
The New York Times profiles Hyde Park native and U of C grad Sam Kass, personal chef to the Obamas.
The City is filing for a restraining order against the scandal-plagued suburb of Harvey to keep it from collecting water fees because the town owes the city over $20 million.
Anthony's Own, founded by a retired Chicago fireman, employs physically and developmentally disabled adults to produce and package its line of liqueurs. You can find them at Binny's.
Net neutrality and intellectual property activist Lawrence Lessig is lecturing at U of C this fall, on institutional corruption.
The Museum of Holography closed for good in 2009, but the collection and much of its equipment remained in the building. The building has been sold, though, and the museum's holdings is at risk of being sold off as the current tenant prepares to move out. MakeItFor.Us is trying to save it.
Steven Vance analyzed demolition data and found that tear-downs are on the rise again. See also David Schalliol's To Be Demolished project. (Thanks, AJ!)
Is a hot dog a sandwich? This deep dive into sandwich ontology is food for thought as you plan those Labor Day barbecues.
A police commander praised for his "no-nonsense approach" has been stripped of his police powers for allegedly placing his gun in a suspect's mouth.
While urban farms cultivate fresh produce and jobs, they still rely heavily on outside funding and most are not independently sustainable.
Hundreds of people protested Wednesday in response to the police-involved shooting of Roshad McIntosh, while some family members of Desean Pittman, another young man killed by police, are facing jail time after clashing with police at a memorial service.
Jim Romenesko reports that P.S. Mueller was informed (via email) that his cartoons will now run only occasionally in the Reader, "most likely to prevent me from saying I've been sacked."
It's been 10 years since Chris Saathoff, bassist for Chicago band Chin Up Chin Up, was killed by a hit-and-run driver outside the Empty Bottle. Tonight the Bottle hosts a benefit concert for the Chris Saathoff Foundation.
Whitney Young is #151 and Lane Tech is #160 on the Daily Beast's ranking of America's top high schools. Meanwhile, Lake Forest High School was ranked fifth in the Midwest.
On the one hand, we're paying a whole lot to subsidize Divvy. On the other, nobody's died using Divvy or any other US bikeshare service. [via]
PAWS has a live kitten cam showing the latest additions up for adoption; shelters typically receive an influx of young cats and dogs during warm summer months.
Mayor Emanuel is committed to raising the minimum wage to $13 an hour by 2018 regardless of any other wage increase passed by the state.
Thousands of people turned out to cheer on the players from Jackie Robinson West during a celebration stretching from the South Side to Downtown.
Comcast is expanding its reboot of EveryBlock to Philadelphia, with plans to introduce the hyperlocal news site to several more cities in the near future.
Illinois gets brownies (introduced at the 1893 World's Fair) in Slate's map of desserts for every state.
Peggy Gelsomino has been making pizzas at Gino's North since 1992, and has been in the restaurant industry for decades. Her 85th birthday party will be at the Edgewater restaurant this Sunday.
The Circle Interchange will be renamed the Mayor Jane Byrne Interchange by Gov. Quinn on Friday. (Previously.)
Douglas McAuthur McCain, who grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes before moving to Minnesota in his teens, was killed in Syria while apparently fighting for the Islamic State.
"Chicago Tonight" takes a look at how a renewed push for development downtown is lending new life to some buildings.
Protests sparked by the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. are inspiring increased scrutiny of police-involved shootings here in Chicago.
Longtime Alderman James Balcer is stepping down for health reasons, giving a third-generation Daley the opportunity to run for a City Council seat.
Marcin Wichary and a friend followed the raising of all the Chicago River bridges from Ashland Avenue on the South Branch up to the Lake.
A United flight was forced to make an unplanned landing at O'Hare after two passengers clashed over a device that keeps seats from reclining.
Lockdown's The Lockdown Warden burger is at the top of Zagat Chicago's list, edging out competition from Au Cheval and Leadbelly Burgers.
Motorola was once one of the most powerful corporations in America. Chicago magazine takes a look at what happened to the once-mighty brand.
WBEZ explores how Chicago's changing grocery store mix is affecting how we live and shop.
New regulations would take away the right of Illinoisans to kill wild carnivores on sight, although people can still defend themselves against dangerous wildlife.
Gov. Quinn vetoed a bill that would have imposed new regulations on ridesharing services like UberX, Sidecar and Lyft.
With a scaled-down version of the Great Chicago Fire Festival less than six weeks away, some are skeptical of whether the fiery river spectacle will be as majestic as originally envisioned.
You asked for it. The heat index might reach up to 110 degrees in some areas of Chicago today.
Couples trying to mark their love by fastening a lock on a bridge in Chicago like they do in Paris usually find their symbols are snipped off by the City.
A Loyola student expresses his frustrations over a housing lottery number in a creative (yet overblown) way.
The Lyric Opera is hosting a sale of more than 3,000 of its costumes next week.
An alleged ISIS operative tweeted a message appearing to threaten Washington DC and Chicago, including photos of the White House and 307 N. Michigan Ave., aka the Old Republic Building.
#AmessagefromISIStoUS
We are in your state
We are in your cities
We are in your streets
You are our goals anywhere pic.twitter.com/1EYMgCWJse
— قهر الطواغيت (@Sunna_rev) August 9, 2014IDOT is in hot water for patronage hiring. Meanwhile, CTA pension officials held important meetings far from the city -- in Hawaii, New Orleans and Las Vegas.
Jackie Robinson West was the top team in the Little League World Series US bracket, but couldn't overcome the South Korean team in the world championship game, falling 8-4.
SocialCon is bringing dozens of stars from YouTube, Vine, Instagram, and other platforms to Rosemont so kids can pay to see their favorite social media stars in person.
WGN found a threatening reference to Chicago among the digital chatter by supporters of the extremist Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
A River North bar with predominately black clientele was recently tagged with racist graffiti, while its owners are considering a discrimination lawsuit against the City.
Political hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation continued even after Gov. Quinn replaced Rod Blagojevich, according to a state ethics investigator.
A Chicago Soujourn identifies "wallpaper buildings," an architectural shortcut that predates the "facadectomy."
Trunk Show, the "mobile exhibition space" consisting of artist-designed bumper stickers on the back of a '99 Ford Taurus, is accepting subscriptions for the 2014-2015 season, and hosts a reception for Bryce Wilner's solo exhibition this Saturday.
Jackie Robinson West is going to the Little League World Series US championship. If they win, they'll face the winner of the international series on Sunday.
Chicago Magazine put together a guide for local parents considering private schools for their kids.
While redistricting will leave Ald. Bob Fioretti without a ward, he may have a chance as the "anyone-but-Emanuel" mayoral candidate in February.
Steven Strafford based the musical comedy "Methtacular" on his own struggles with sex, drugs, and addiction.
A drug dealer who wasn't convicted of murder may end up serving time for it when he's sentenced for a different crime, according to the Reader's Mick Dumke.
Schiller Park's Continental Baking Company, the first manufacturer of the Twinkie, will be closing and laying off 400 employees this October; the company claims that Twinkie sales have fallen dramatically due to competing Twinkie impostors that flooded the market following the brief closure and sale of the Hostess Brand in 2013 following a labor dispute. The snack cake will continue to be produced, but without local cred.
Divvy announced a 175 station expansion to take place in Spring 2015, giving Chicago the most bike share stations and largest service area in North America with a total of 475 stations that cover 87 square miles.
Wilco's drummer, Glen Kotche, is doing a four-day residency at Old Town School in November, including three classes and a performance Nov. 7.
Designer Milton Glazer collaborated with the School of Visual Arts and Busy Beaver Button Co. to produce It's Not Warming, It's Dying, a set of buttons intended to raise awareness of climate change.
A small candy chain in the Twin Cities filed a lawsuit against Garrett and two other companies, claiming trademark on "Chicago Mix" popcorn, which they registered in 1991.
As the co-owner of a two-flat, I found Curious City's investigation of the two flat's history in Chicago particularly interesting.
A long-awaited hearing on Mayor Emanuel's closure of half of the City's mental health clinics showed opinions remain divided on whether it improved care or left many mentally ill without treatment options.
"TV everywhere" service NimbleTV is coming to Chicago, and Chicago-based "Pandora for news" Rivet Radio recently raised $1.7 million from investors including the Associated Press.
More billionaires are born in Chicago than in any other U.S. city except New York, according to research; it helps if your last name is Pritzker.
A thief cut down a tree in Wicker Park in order to steal the bike attached to it.
Jackie Robinson West defeated Texas' little league team and will head to the U.S. Championship if they win their game on Thursday.
No, not Anne Murray. Our boy Bill has been awarded Sept. 5th as his own official day up north.
The Cubs were awarded a win against the San Francisco Giants when the game was called due to a sudden downpour causing flooding on the field.
Sept. 2 is the first day of school for CPS. Help underprivileged students start the year right by donating school supplies to Be Alright Chicago.
Michael Muser, GM of Grace, tells Food & Wine how they provide service so good it freaks people out.
Chicagoist introduced a new series, Ask a Scientist, in which they profile a Field Museum researcher and you get the opportunity to ask questions about their field.
The Sun-Times' Michael Lansu opens up about his work chronicling Chicago's violence for the Sun-Times' Homicide Watch blog.
Students are calling for CPS to give them a bigger role in deciding the school system's future.
William H. Macy looks back at starting his career in Chicago theater and his children's program "Captain Marbles" in an interview in Variety.
The City is turning old newsstands into healthy food kiosks run by e.a.t. spots, a local nonprofit focusing on improving access to fresh, healthier food.
Curbed shares the redevelopment plan for the Logan Square Mega Mall property, to be known as Logan's Crossing.
Chicago-based filmmakers Jarrell and Jerome Lucas launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for Bucket, a feature length documentary that "captures the life of many, of the hundreds of bucket boys on Chicago's south-side." The campaign ends today and has already raised $7,500 of their $25,000 goal.
Chicago magazine is looking for nominees for its annual Chicagoans of the Year award. The deadline is Sept. 1.
Chicago Reframed shares portraits and brief interviews with diverse residents of the city in an effort to reframe the narrative away from violence.
Who expected Little League to be the real baseball action in Chicago this year? Jackie Robinson West beat Rhode Island yesterday to advance to the next round of the Little League World Series.
The Chicago Housing Authority is decreasing the value of its "super vouchers" after receiving criticism for helping low-income recipients live in expensive apartments downtown.
While Hot Doug's is closing its doors for good in less than two months, eateries across the city are getting more creative with their encased meat offerings.
Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson is in talks with Tribune Media to bring a daily half-hour talk show to its TV channels.
The rare appearance of fog in August forced organizers to cancel the Air and Water Show on Sunday.
Grantland's Rani Jazayerli makes a case that despite their dismal play this season, the Cubs are putting together a future championship team out of prospects and leftovers.
On Sept. 26, 1957, Field Museum herpetologist Karl P. Schmidt became the first recorded victim of a boomslang snake, at the time thought to be harmless but now known to be one of the deadliest snakes in the world. [via]
The NYTimes' The Upshot blog mapped the percentage of state residents who were born in that state in 1900, 1950 and 2012. Illinois has been fairly consistent.
No EDM concerts are allowed at the Congress now or ever again, according to a new agreement between the City and current owners whose language seems to define any music made with a DJ as EDM.
DNAinfo's Jackie Kostek climbed into the cockpit to capture a pilots-eye view of the city.
If it's not already, it ought to be The Hood Internet's Mixtape Vol. Eight, which came out this week.
The parent company of Jewel-Osco said hackers may have stolen customers' credit card information.
Shaquille O'Neal is curating a booth at EXPO Chicago entitled "SHAQ LOVES PEOPLE," featuring portraits of people from diverse backgrounds.
Rooftop club owners are suing the City for supporting the Cubs' plans to expand Wrigley Field.
This Sunday is Charlie Trotter Day, and several restaurants are offering specials this weekend. It's all in support of The Trotter Project.
Did you hear about how men tend to say "uh" and women tend to say "um"? A linguistics professor mapped instances of the two words in tweets county by county. Based on the original "smoothed" map and one with the raw data in the comments, Cook County appears to be split.
West Ridge and Rogers Park once fought in the streets over a park district.
The Sun-Times mapped concealed carry permits county by county; Cook has the 96th fewest out of 102.
John Greenfield took a 300-mile bike ride around the perimeter of Chicagoland.
Officials announced an $8.2 million overhaul of the city's Animal Care and Control facility amid ongoing investigations into claims of inhumane treatment of animals by the agency.
The majority of pizzerias in Chicago give away 1-liters of RC Cola with pizzas. Here's why.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura was ejected from the team's game against the San Francisco Giants after an out at home plate was overturned by an umpire review.
A majority of Chicagoans polled by the Chicago Tribune blamed former Mayor Richard M. Daley for the city's current financial problems.
The local event for National Moment of Silence (#NMOS14) is tonight at 6pm in Daley Plaza. Wear something red.
StreetsBlog shares six car-free beach destinations you can reach by bike or train.
This Saturday Chicago Detours is leading a walking tour of Bridgeport's history as a creative production center, from old factories to current art studios and performance spaces. Space is limited, so get a ticket soon.
After a petition and fan pressure to respect female fans more, Blackhawks president John McDonough tells the Sun-Times' Mark Lazarus that "The Stripper" will no longer be played during the Shoot the Puck halftime game, but wouldn't commit to retiring the Ice Girls' skimpy outfits.
A video of what appears to be bedbugs crawling on a Red Line train seat is circulating on social media. The CTA says it hasn't received any reports, but would pull train cars for decontamination if notified. [via]
Time Out suggests 16 rules of living in Chicago, two of which are about what to call the city. (Gapers Block kind of goes both ways on "Chi," because hey, we're complicated.)
Mott Street and Nico Osteria are on Bon Appetit's 2014 Best New Restaurants nominee list.
The City today announced recipients of its new Fifth Star Awards, "honoring exemplary Chicago artists and arts institutions who have made significant contributions in arts and culture." Hubbard Street Dance founder Lou Conte, sculptor Richard Hunt; jazz pianist and DJ Ramsey Lewis, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lois Weisberg and the Auditorium Theatre will be honored at an event in Millennium Park on Sept. 17.
If you have a fear of heights or suffer from vertigo, you might not want to watch this video of ironworkers preparing to remove a portion of the John Hancock Tower's west antenna. [via]
A judge told city officials he has been dismissing 70 percent of red light camera ticket cases, saying cameras or lights are often set up incorrectly, including yellow lights taking less than the three seconds required by law.
Creative writing nonprofit 826CHI is raising money on Kickstarter to build a better spy supply store in Wicker Park that would also include more room for kids to learn how to write.
New shit has come to light! Lebowski Fest is returning to Chicago October 17-18.
Chicago-based Packback Books digital textbook rental company has raised $1 million in angel investments, including some seed money from Mark Cuban on "Shark Tank" this spring.
Kimball David Paul, an artist and former bouncer once known as "the King of Neo," has passed away. He was 56.
Supporters of a new TIF in Washington Park say it would support growth in the area, but some local property owners fear subsequent gentrification would force them out.
SLAM put together a list of the area's 50 greatest basketball legends, often remembered more for their play at parks, high schools, and gyms across the city than for their professional career.
A Cubs fan made an impressive catch on a home run ball on its way out of Wrigley Field, and then slyly threw a different ball back on the field to satisfy the home crowd.
The Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's annual Out of the Darkness community walk is Sept. 20 in Grant Park, and is currently $500,000 short of its fundraising goal. If you were touched by Robin Williams' life and work, consider donating or participating.
The site selected for the Lucas Museum sits atop a garbage dump that includes debris from the Great Chicago Fire, with soil that could potentially contain harmful chemicals.
The bizarre new flavors of Lays Potato Chips have a local connection; the artwork on the "Cappuccino" flavor depicts a latte from Wicker Park's Wormhole. From what I've read, the packaging is better than the product inside.
After more than 100 years in North Chicago, Jelly Belly (née Herman Goelitz Candy Co.) is moving most of its candy production to California and laying off 66 people. (You'll still be able to go on warehouse tours in Wisconsin.)
Lots of fruits and veggies are ready for harvest now. It's a great time to hit your local farmers market, but you might also be up for a weekend trip to one of the pick-your-own farms in the area.
Jamie Kalven of the Invisible Institute released several documents related to police misconduct. And in unrelated news, Dan X. O'Neil and Scott Robbin are parsing the data from the FCC public comments regarding Net Neutrality.
Chicago-born comedian and actor Robin Williams died Monday of an apparent suicide. He was 63.
While there are over 40 Harold's Chicken Shacks across Chicago, not all of them are supposed to be using that name.
Unlike most YouTube pranksters, Blake Grigsby goes for feel-good smiles instead of cheap laughs.
Major renovations of the Damen, California, and Western stations on the Blue Line will force them to close for several weeks starting in September.
Professors, architecture enthusiasts and reporters share their favorite Chicago buildings with TimeOut.
Hackers may have stolen Chicago Yacht Club members' credit and debit card information.
Former Cubs pinch hitter Adrian Cárdenas writes in the New Yorker(!) about why he quit professional baseball.
A documentary on bucket boys, upgrading 826CHI's Boring Store, a "Cooking with Drag Queens" video series, and a comic about warring woodland creatures are some of the projects currently funding on Gapers Block's curated Kickstarter page.
According to a new Harvard sociology study, the blacker the neighborhood, the less likely it is to be gentrified in Chicago.
The Jackie Robinson West Little League team is going to the Little League World Series tournament after beating a team from Pennsylvania over the weekend. The first game of the tournament is Thursday.
Chicago Tonight looks back at how real estate brokers took advantage of African Americans looking to buy a home in the 1950's- and how the community fought back.
An effort to rehab and renovate homes in the Pullman neighborhood will be paid for with money received by the state as part of a settlement with banks accused of mortgage fraud.
Chicago Rarities Orchard Project (CROP) is planning to transform a vacant property in Logan Square into an apple orchard, the city's first.
A study found people who talked to strangers on the train were happier, so why not look up from that smartphone and say "hi?"
Park visitors actually spent more on snacks after Chicago Park District switched to vending machines only offering healthy options.
While crime is trending down citywide, factors like families, wealth, housing, and immigration may provide insights into whether crime in a neighborhood is likely to go up.
Today is the 10 year anniversary of the day the Dave Matthews Band became synonymous (for Chicago residents, anyway) with the phrase "800 pounds of raw sewage." [via]
An organized effort is afoot to get the Blackhawks to embrace its large and growing female fanbase stop playing "The Stripper" when woman plays Shoot the Puck at halftime, call the "ice girls" "ice crew" like the rest of the ice crew and put them in warmer uniforms, and other sexist practices. Sign the petition here.
Since school choice was expanded in 2000, fewer kids are going to the elementary schools closest to them, WBEZ found.
Pipeworks, Half Acre, Revolution, Haymarket, Goose Island and Three Floyds are among the "100 American craft beers every beer lover should drink, according to Paste magazine.
No, it wasn't a UFO hovering over Lollapalooza, but rather a drone capturing an aerial view of the festival.
Alleged patriarch of the Gangster Disciples Johnny "Goo" Herndon and more than 30 others were arrested for their roles in heroin and crack dealing operations on the West Side.
Artist Chris Knight can't keep up with demand for his three-dimensional Chicago flags and sports team logos made out of distressed and reclaimed wood.
Chicago delivers a knockout blow to New York in a Yahoo Travel post that pits the rival travel destinations against one another.
The Bears owe $4.1 million in delinquent Cook County taxes, according to a state appeals panel ruling.
Astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted a picture of an illuminated Chicago he took while floating over the city on the International Space Station. [via]
The Green City Market will be opening a second location at the corner of Halsted and Fulton Market every Saturday through October, starting this weekend (7am-1pm).
In light of the Center for Tax & Budget Accountability's fiscal review of the Chicago Housing Authority, which found that the CHA has $432 million in unused federal money, activists are calling for more oversight of the agency by City Council.
The Reader's Jake Malooley visits the party boat flotilla in the Lake Michigan no-wake zone known as "the Playpen."
Still a little time to adopt a duck in today's Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby, benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The ducks hit the Chicago River at 1pm.
A potential University of Illinois professor lost the job before he started after he made "uncivil" remarks about Israel on social media.
"Surge teams" of llinois State Police officers will patrol four neighborhoods in Chicago and seek out any wanted fugitives living there.
While Ald. Bob Fioretti hasn't announced whether he will run for mayor, he's already recruiting staff members to help with the campaign.
Columbia Journalism Review takes a look at coverage of violence in Chicago, including efforts to tell stories beyond crime scene photos and murder statistics.
Rare color photos of Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Chicago Freedom Movement protest provide a vivid glimpse of the Civil Rights movement's push for housing equality.
Chef John Formica was selected by a traveling team of "mustacheologists and beardisticians" to represent Chicago in the Wahl Man of the Year contest for his Leonidas-style beard.
With nearly 850 music festivals in the US alone -- and what, a dozen big ones in Chicagoland, not including neighborhood fests -- the festival industry may be on the cusp of a contraction.
How bad was last night's Sox game against the Rangers? Bad enough that designated hitter Adam Dunn pitched relief in the ninth inning of the 16-0 shutout.
Once again, the Internet's favorite cats are in town. Lil Bub is at the Metro tonight (with Jesus Lizard's David Yow), and Grumpy Cat is at the Old Orchard Barnes & Noble Friday.
Last week, Rep. Jan Schakowski tried the Minimum Wage Challenge, along with several other congressmen, to live on $77 for the week. She failed.
Many people in Cook County are spending excessive amounts of time traveling to low-paying jobs, according to a study, with about one in ten lacking fast and frequent access to buses and trains.
Redfin listed Humboldt Park as one of America's "red hot" neighborhoods due to rapidly-rising prices for homes in the area.
In one of the weirder altercations at Lollapalooza this past weekend, Ben Lenet was minding his own when he was attacked and bitten by a stranger. Police suspect the biter might have been high on PCP or bath salts. Lenet posted photos on Reddit in hopes that the man who bit him comes forward. So far, Lenet says, he hasn't developed any taste for brains.
Congress approved a $35 million grant for the CTA to rebuild the Red and Purple lines.
The haze hanging over the city is caused in part by smoke and debris from wildfires in Canada blowing into the area and partially blocking out the sun.
Hollymatic helped standardize hamburger portions, for better or worse. The Distance profiles the 77-year-old company.
Derrick Rose was selected as one of 16 players on Team USA's World Cup roster, giving Bulls fans a chance to see him in action when they play at the United Center.
A 19-year-old suburban woman was kicked off a Metra train at the so very scary Jefferson Park station at 11pm recently because she didn't have enough money for a ticket home. While that's apparently against Metra policy, NBC 5 felt the need to cite Chicago's "violent summer" to somehow make this seem like a dangerous situation.
Thanks to the rain Sunday, Grant Park is in worse shape after this year's Lollapalooza than in 2011.
Love letters sent during World War II finally made it to their destination in Little Village, although the intended recipient is long gone.
A program which directed public funds towards murals in Pilsen, Chinatown, and Little Italy has stalled due to a lack of funds from the city.
150 cops who usually do administrative work are heading into the streets to help patrol high-crime areas on the South and West sides.
Fifth-graders from the South Shore wrote an op-ed for the Tribune, partially addressed to the media, saying "This isn't Chi-raq. This is home." [via]
Spinning off the Tribune and other newspapers into Tribune Publishing may allow the company to dedicate more resources to them as they try and find their way in a digital media environment.
The Maywood studio where Styx recorded "Mr. Roboto" and other hits is up for sale on Craigslist.
Researchers at U of I and UIC published a study last week finding that 64 percent of researchers in social, life, and earth science had experienced sexual harassment during field research, and that 20 percent reported being sexually assaulted. The problem is severe enough that it may be causing female scientists to abandon the profession.
Charles Joly of the Aviary won the 2014 Diageo World Class Champion Bartender in London this weekend. Add that to the World's Best Cocktail Menu award the Aviary won at the Sprited Awards earlier in July and Joly's having a very good year.
A Chicago family is visiting relatives in Liberia amid the Ebola outbreak. Chicago's hospitals are preparing for potential patients, and O'Hare is scanning international passengers for the virus, just as they did in 1995.
After his (great) set at Lollapalooza last night, Dev Hynes of Blood Orange took to Twitter after he and his girlfriend were assaulted by the festival's security staff; posts to Lollapalooza's Facebook page about the incident are promptly being deleted.
The Reader's Michael Gebert bids farewell to Serious Eats: Chicago, which still exists but is shifting towards more SEO-friendly and non-local recipe and "best of" posts.
Photographer Anthony Souffle captured some pretty dramatic images of firefighters battling a blaze in Little Village.
Today through Sunday, grab a special Lollapalooza cupcake at the State Street Magnolia Bakery location and $1 of each goes to the non-profit Foundations of Music, which provides music education programs to Chicago Public School students.
While house music has been popular in Europe for years, it's just starting to break through where it all started: right here in Chicago.
United Airlines hopes a "humorous" inflight safety video will attract passengers' attention; I still think this guy did it better.
Folk That poses a musical challenge: Every couple months they pick a song and invite submissions of folk versions of that song. The most popular submission wins a prize.
The Chicago Yarn Crawl runs this Saturday through the following Sunday, Aug. 10. Visit any of 28 stores across Chicagoland and get your passport stamped for deals and discounts
Samuel Walker Sr., a member of the Vice Lords gang, was shot and killed yesterday morning in Homboldt Park, less than a week after his 13-year-old son, Samuel Walker Jr., was shot and killed.
