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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Tuesday, November 18
Chicago ranks number 7 on the 2015 Global Cities Index conducted by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. The index of 125 cities measures how globally engaged each city is across 26 metrics in five dimensions--business, human capital, info exchange, cultural experience, and political engagement.
Brief footage has appeared online of the raising of the S.S. Eastland from the Chicago River after the 1915 shipwreck that killed over 800 people.
Ready for the weekend? Go ahead and stream the debut LP from Chance the Rapper's group The Social Experiment; the album co-produced by Donnie Trumpet and the group is full of cameos by artists like Busta Rhymes, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu.
You can nominate your favorite parts of Chicago, from burgers to theater companies to yoga salons, for Chicago Magazine's Readers' Choice Poll.
A poster seen warning of nearby "artist bait" in the style of the City's rat bait warnings bears a strong resemblance to "bum bait" posters found in Wicker Park last month.
A Batavia native on "Bachelorette" says he fell in love with a fellow contestant while on the show.
Paying the rent may be a bit easier in Illinois, according to a map of the hourly wage needed to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the U.S.
From ultrasounds to guinea pigs, Chicagoans share the story behind the last photo on their phones.
Last Photo - Chicago from Ivan Cash on Vimeo.
This Saturday is Obscura Day, with events at interesting places all over town, such as a tour of the Busy Beaver Button Company, a walk in the footsteps of Leopold and Loeb, time to write a letter and more.
Formerly homeless and a mother in eighth grade, a high school valedictorian is graduating with more than $600,000 in college scholarship offers.
Rene Descartes' dense but important philosophy could get a 21st century translation by the Philosophy Bro, who's raising money to support the effort.
Not all festivals in the city pay to use public land, as the City waives fees for events like the NFL Draft, Taste of Chicago, and Blues Fest because they're free and provide a "public benefit."
Riot Fest's Chicago lineup is topped by No Doubt, Iggy Pop, Faith No More, and Snoop Dogg, and includes other greatness and weirdness like a performance by the animatronic Rock-A-Fire Explosion.
The majority of Chicagoans now live in rented homes, although rents remain relatively reasonable here.
Chicago Science Fest is giving adults a chance to geek out with events starting tonight and running through the weekend.
CPS left out 22 schools when it estimated the cost of hiring a private company to manage its janitors - and now owes an additional $7 million.
The art exhibitors featured at the massive Expo Chicago this year will include new local additions Western Exhibitions, Volume Gallery, and Regards Gallery.
The King and Queen of the Netherlands will be among the EDM enthusiasts at a lecture and dance party hosted by The School of House at Pritzker Pavilion.
A veteran drove to Chicago to clean away weeds and trash from the Chinese American Veterans Memorial after reading about its sorry state online.
This year's Taste of Chicago will feature 60 vendors including well-known Chicago eateries, pop-up restaurants, food trucks and more.
Kris Bryant hit one of the longest home runs of the year, sending a ball into the Cubs' brand-new video board.
Not for Tourists' new Guidebook to Chicago highlights lesser-known local spots, although we're pretty sure tourists would find it useful too.
If you watched The Grid's recent 360° videos and wanted to know how the immersive videos were made with six synchronized cameras, head over to A/C to read an interview about the process, and see the rig in action.
Two (now former) Chicago cops pose with guns while standing over an African-American suspect wearing deer antlers in a photo taken over a decade ago but recently made public.
Ads shaming commuters for leaving bags on seats, eating on the train, and committing other faux pas are aimed at inspiring better behavior on the CTA.
Iron Heritage's all-natural men's grooming products honor the traditions and aromas of the old-school barber shop.
Strangers standing on the well-lit 606 can probably peek into houses nearby it, but it's unclear whether the nature trail will prevent or encourage crime.
Chicago could actually make money from its maligned parking meter deal through realistic changes like introducing new pricing models, writes Whet Moser.
Iron Heart Chicago will bring live music to El stops around the city in June, highlighting traditional music from Chicago's many cultures.
Building owners can turn their rooftops into money-making gardens by leasing them out to an urban farming company.
Sports programs are often under-resourced and the first to face cuts at schools in low-income neighborhoods.
Last year, anti-violence efforts like #SaveChicago helped the city go through Memorial Day weekend without a single shooting - this year there were over 50 shootings over the holiday.
A shootout in the street in Albany Park was captured on video by a dashboard camera from a car parked nearby.
Look: over a million people are heading through O'Hare over the next few days, and the roads are going to be packed, so take your time.
Amid a growing national conversation about use of force by police, the Reader takes an in-depth look at some of the 1,600+ police shootings in Chicago since 1986, all of which were ruled to be justified.
CPS may break its promise not to sell closed school buildings to charters as it struggles to find developers interested in them while paying millions on upkeep.
Chicago's streets used to be a chaotic mashup of names and numbers - until one man made it his life's mission to bring order to the grid.
You can get out by the water this weekend now Chicago's beaches are officially open, or just take a stroll by the new stretch of the riverwalk downtown.
American Theater Company artistic director PJ Paparelli died today after being injured in a car accident while on vacation in Scotland. He was 40.
Chicago's population grew by just 84 residents from 2013-2014, according to the census.
NBC Chicago put together a map of where child luring incidents happened in the Chicago area.
A South Loop man who was a contestant on "Bachelorette" said producers coached him on what to say and do on the show.
Police hope speed bumps will keep people from racing illegally on Lower Wacker Drive.
Today GB's documentary video series, The Grid, features three 360° videos shot with a special six-camera rig. The videos, which let you point the "camera" in any direction, are about the April 28th demonstration at the CPD headquarters, droning in the Chicago Park District and the Art Institute's recent MFA show.
Boiler Room's Gabriel Szatan traversed Chicago to examine why house music is flourishing globally but struggling locally.
Food writer Dennis Lee created a "Fart Dip" full of flatulence-inducing ingredients - and braced for the results.
Chicago Magazine credits South Side MC King Louie for coining "Chiraq" back in 2009 before a track by Nicki Minaj and Lil Herb took the term mainstream in 2014.
Residents want to turn a defunct Union Pacific rail line on the Northwest Side into an elevated path like the 606.
Navy Pier is hosting a "surprise" fireworks show tonight to celebrate Memorial Day weekend.
Some of the personalized bricks near Wrigley Field paid for by Cubs fans turned up in a landfill - the team said it was necessary for construction and owners were notified.
Walk a scale model of our solar system at the Adler's Planets on the Path near the lakefront.
Get a compelling glimpse of the history of Humboldt Park, as told by eight current and former residents to the Illustrated Press.
After three overtimes, 60 saves (a record), and one header goal (that didn't count), the Blackhawks defeated the Ducks 3-2.
In a Q&A on The Marshall Project website, University of Chicago Crime Lab co-director Harold Pollack compares recent events in Waco, Texas, with gang violence in Chicago.
A Chicago cop was caught on video sleeping in his squad car while on duty in West Englewood.
The Emanuel administration decided to delay plans Monday to refinance $383 million of the city's debt after Moody's downgraded the city's credit rating by two levels to junk on May 12. The refinancing would have been part of a plan to reduce the level of variable-rate debt to a fixed rate.
Riot Fest is moving to Douglas Park after its return to Humboldt Park faced resistance from Ald. Roberto Maldonado and a group of residents.
The Suburban, a tiny gallery in an Oak Park backyard, is closing this summer as its owners prepare to move to Milwaukee.
A judge banned a man from Wrigley Field after he allegedly scuffled with off-duty cops while they were kicking him out of the stadium.
Two of the weirdest and biggest artists of the '90s -- The Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and Marilyn Manson -- came together for a joint interview with the AV Club ahead of their "End Times" tour.
Redhead Days Chicago will bring the red-haired and those who love them to the suburb of Highwood. (via)
Last night, President Obama demolished the record for the fastest time to reach one million followers on Twitter with the creation of his personal account, @POTUS. The account reached one million followers in less than five hours. #recordbreaker
Demonstrators calling for a higher minimum wage for restaurant workers used fake badges to get into the National Restaurant Association Show and stage a protest there.
Spending 24 hours in O'Hare sounds like the worst vacation ever, but writer Jeff Ruby dedicated a whole day to documenting life in the world's busiest airport.
A new "Greetings from Chicago" mural in Logan Square done in classic postcard style is sure to become a social media standby.
12-year-old Emily Beazley, whose battle with cancer inspired many in Chicago and beyond, passed away Monday night.
Deaths caused by respiratory infections are more typical in Illinois than in most other states, according to a map of "most distinctive" causes of death in the U.S.
We're grooving to a playlist of Chicago soul from the '60s and '70s by Spotify user Jazzwhat Ever. What will be your soundtrack for the Summer? [via]
The City will use radar to search for thousands of bodies possibly buried in a forgotten Dunning cemetery before rebuilding a street that now passes over the site.
Chicago was again ranked the second-worst city for mosquitos in the country, according to a study by Orkin on the number of treatments done by the pest-control company.
Artist Jeffery Goldstein shared his side of the epic battle over Vivian Maier's photography; he's suing her estate, arguing his work popularized the outsider artist's works. Read Gapers Block for more in-depth coverage of this ongoing struggle.
Thousands of hackers came to an undisclosed location in Chicago for the THOTCON convention, although the majority were "white hat" hackers working in technology security.
It's inauguration day for the mayor, aldermen, and other city officials - their four-year terms begin with a swearing-in ceremony at the Chicago Theatre.
Service on the CTA Yellow Line is suspended after an embankment gave way near the tracks in Skokie.
Superdawg founder Maurie Berman passed away Sunday. Much remains the same since he founded the original location in the 1940s, including the giant papier-mache hot dog people modeled after Berman and his wife that stand atop its roof.
Sadly, the owners of The Hideout have announced they won't host their annual Hideout Block Party this year, as they rest and prepare for the venue's 20th Anniversary next year.
A TEDx talk by Ald. Ameya Pawar outlines his big idea for keeping parents from moving to the suburbs: improving and better integrating neighborhood K-12 schools.
Jackie Robinson West is set to start a new season after losing its championship title, this time as part of a different youth baseball league.
A reputed gang leader was arrested after he posted videos of himself shooting guns on Instagram, which as a convicted felon, he's not allowed to do.
Summer means more bike rides -- and more bike thefts. The Chainlink has some tips for keeping your cycle safe.
The Marijuana Business Conference & Expo is in town next weekend. U of C economics professor Steven "Freakonomics" Levitt is the keynote speaker. [via]
B.B. King, one of the greats of Delta Blues, has passed away. He was 89. King recorded his classics Live in Cook County Jail and Live at the Regal in Chicago.
An 18-year-old Mather High School student headbutted a security guard trying to remove him from a classroom, breaking his nose.
Curious City answers the question, Were Chicago's public schools ever good? The answer, as you'd expect, is complicated. Meanwhile, Whet Moser explores how Big Business has pushed school reform over the past 100 years in Chicago.
Director Spike Lee, Fr. Michael Pfleger, parents of murdered children and John Cusak defended the name of Lee's movie Chiraq -- which is apparently going to be a musical comedy based on the ancient Greek play Lysistrata -- at a press conference today. Rivet Radio has the full press conference.
One-time Chicago resident and "99% Invisible" host Roman Mars talked flag design on a recent TED Talk, using our city's flag as an example of a great one.
Jeni's Ice Cream, which shut down production and closed its scoop shops last month over a listeria outbreak, is now back in production. Scoop shops will have a "grand reopening" next Friday, May 22 at 7pm for your ice cream needs.
Today may be the "golden era" of Chicago's public schools, according to an investigation about whether CPS was ever "good" by WBEZ's Becky Vevea.
Three sommeliers critiqued the "piney, astringent" flavor of Jeppson's Malort - and even suggested some food pairings.
This weekend, Slow Food Chicago is selling heirloom tomato seedlings at Bang Bang Pie Shop. Pick up five and get a free biscuit!
The Illinois State Police are planning to use drones in some vague way that they swear won't be surveillance. Meanwhile, the Chicago Park District is seeking to limit drone use in the city's parks without a permit.
On Tuesday, Moody's Investors Service revised Chicago's credit rating to junk. They followed up Wednesday by downgrading CPS and the Park District to junk status, too.
The planned Taco Bell in Wicker Park could be the first in the world to serve booze.
Help no-kill dog rescue group One Tail at a Time open their first adoption center in West Bucktown this summer! They aim to raise $70K before their proposed open date of Aug. 1. Previously relying on foster homes to take care of pooches before adoption, this will enable the group to rescue more dogs from Chicago Animal Care & Control before they're euthanized.
Wonder Woman's new half-brother Milan bears a strong resemblance to deceased outsider artist Wesley Willis. [via]
Local watchmaker Oak & Oscar's handmade timepieces pay homage to Daniel Burnham and Chicago, including hiding the city's flag among the gears.
The new Daytrip Music Festival promises EDM-fueled insanity -- including a paint party, foam party, ball pit and more -- spread over four weekends.
Starting today from noon-1pm, enjoy free house music from the Chosen Few DJs under the Picasso in Daley Plaza downtown. The "Hot Mix Lunch" will take place once a month this summer by the same awesome collective who bring you The Chosen Few Picnic on July 4 in Jackson Park.
The diagonal runways at O'Hare have begun to be dismantled, despite several state bills aimed at saving them and an earlier promise that they wouldn't be touched until next spring.
Moody's reduced Chicago's credit rating to junk status on the heels of the Illinois Supreme Court's ruling that cuts to state workers' pensions were unconstitutional.
Illinois ranked 14th in a League of American Bicyclists list of bike-friendly states. See our report card, and where we can improve.
A Lakeview woman whose "Tinder Games" went viral spoke with Chicagoist about using the dating app to get men to send her food - and why she deleted her account.
Jana Kinsman from Bike a Bee had a setback this week when 3 of her beehives were stolen from the McKinley Park Community Garden. Help her raise a small amount of cash for a new secure location and support a local community farmer with a Go Fund Me campaign.
Chicagoans are coming together at On the Table events today to share a meal and ideas for improving the community; join us tonight at the Hideout for soup and a conversation about ways to bring neighborhoods together.
Weezer, Erykah Badu and Spoon are among the headliners of this year's Taste of Chicago.
The Barack Obama Foundation announced this morning that they've selected the South Side as the future location of their museum and presidential library. A more formal press conference will be held at noon today. The President and First Lady gave their thoughts on the decision in a YouTube video.
Kanye West and Vic Mensa surprised high schoolers with a performance during an open mic poetry event sponsored by Chance the Rapper.
Chicago's official tree pollen count reached the highest in the history of the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the scale used to rate the severity of allergens in the Midwest.
The stinky, onionlike plants Chicago is probably named for are increasingly rare as foragers hungry for local foods pull them from woods in the area.
USA Today readers selected Riot Fest as the best music festival in the country, even as neighborhood groups ramp up their opposition to the festival.
Kanye West is receiving an honorary doctoral degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago today.
Entrepreneur Katy Lynch is taking over as the new CEO of Techweek, almost a year after the event faced criticism for using sexy images of women to promote its events.
Chicago Magazine revisited its investigation alleging Chicago police routinely reclassified crimes so overall statistics would show crime going down, and found not much has changed.
Videographer Max Wilson made a sequel to his wildly popular timelapse video of Chicago at night from 2013.
Chicago Timelapse Project, Windy City Nights II from Max Wilson on Vimeo.
Loyola's men's volleyball team beat top-seeded Lewis University to win the NCAA championship for the second year in a row.
The Puerto Rican Fest Committee ousted its president after he expressed support for Riot Fest taking place in Humboldt Park; the group is now planning a protest against the music festival.
... yet another glass and steel skyscraper. For comparison, take a look at the re-use proposals offered in the Chicago Architectural Club's competition, and, of course, the original.
Chicago-based Restaurant.com could owe up to $1 million to customers in New Jersey after judges ruled expiration dates and other fine print on its gift certificates violated laws there.
DNAinfo profiles the star of the ubiquitous Tile Outlet commercials, who did them all in one take when filming 10 years ago.
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled legislation cutting government worker benefits was unconstitutional, seriously complicating any efforts to address the state's $105 billion pension debt.
Are you a maker of industrial 3D objects or would you like to be? If so, and if you live on the north side, then you're likely to be thrilled by the opening of the Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center. Their grand opening is Monday, and they'll be expanding to fully serve people who work with wood, metal, casting, and digital fabrication. I got a sneak peek a few weeks ago and it seems very promising.
Cam Booth has restored a map of downtown Chicago circa 1898. Prints are available. [via]
Martha Lavey, the artistic director of Steppenwolf, suffered a stroke Monday night. A statement from the theater said she's making "clear improvement every day."
The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt has begun. This year's list [PDF] includes holding a wedding, emoji charades, a two-person cocktail-shaking routine ala Cocktail, and a properly balanced breakfast ice cream. You have until Sunday.
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago is negotiating a possible sale to avoid the closure at the end of the month.
A man accused of trafficking a 16-year-old girl was arrested after the Cook County Sheriff's Office received a tip on Twitter from a student who saw the girl in an ad.
Chicago's lone velodrome won't be demolished thanks to an anonymous donor, but now the cycling track's supporters need to build a league to support its future.
Leor Galil commemorates the life of underground music fan Ray Ellingsen, who will be honored by some of the bands he loved at a tribute show at the Empty Bottle.
Lilly the Shih Tzu is heading back to its owner, who lives in Denver, after running away four years ago and somehow making the 900-mile journey to Chicago.
McDonald's just reintroduced the Hamburglar with an updated look. It's not going over well.
City Council approved an ordinance creating a reparations fund for victims of police torture under the former commander Jon Burge. In addition to $5.5 million for victims and their families, there will also be a public apology and the history of the case will be taught in CPS schools. The ordinance borrows from the UN's Convention against Torture and other international reparations plans.
Chicag Public Schools ask the Teachers Union for a 7 percent pay cut in their next contract. The CTU filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board yesterday.
See which red light cameras issued the most tickets on a map assembled by DNAinfo.
Early warning: Starting May 14th you are entering Chibeeria-a magical place for one week where Chicago focuses its love on craft beers. The map and a schedule at Chicago Craft Beer Week will keep beer lovers busy hoofing all over town to the tasty events.
A man who was arrested for posing as a police officer as a teenager is accused of pretending to be a cop once again, this time driving around wearing a bulletproof vest.
New music festival Mamby on the Beach will bring a dance party to Oakwood Beach in July, with Empire of the Sun and Passion Pit headlining the two-day event. (via)
While tax increment financing is one of the most convoluted parts of Chicago politics, at least a new map shows where they are and what projects they're funding. (via)
Some communities are turning to private police and security cameras to fight crime, funded by additional property taxes paid to "special service areas."
Chicago History Today explains why parts of the Brown Line (and some other lines) aren't elevated. [via]
A 63-year-old serial airplane stowaway, was caught loitering at O'Hare without a ticket recently.
Staff, clients and supporters marched Tuesday in protest of the closure of C4, one of the city's largest mental health services agencies.
The Chicago Architecture Foundation is hosting an architectural scavenger hunt downtown this weekend.
What ever happened to Mayor Emanuel's plans to spend $60 million on a new selective enrollment school on the Near North Side (formerly named after Barack Obama)?
Several James Beard awards went to local foodies, including restaurateur Donnie Madia, Violet Hour, Lettuce Entertain You's Rich Melman, and the firm behind Brindille's design. More in Drive-Thru.
A man who robbed a Subway in Rogers Park walked across the street to a Potbelly shop and ordered a sandwich.
The Distance profiles Richard Bennett Custom Tailors, putting bespoke shirts and suits on clients in the Loop since the early '90s.
The Atlantic takes a look at The Onion's redesign strategy. Surprise: it's serious business.
After years of neglect, the Chicago Defender is returning to relevancy with a new publisher and executive editor.
There's an open casting call for Spike Lee's upcoming Chiraq film this weekend in Englewood. See 4 Star Casting's Facebook page for details.
The City wants to break its sweetheart deal with the Park Grill in Millennium Park and make the restaurant pay more than $8 million in lost rent and fees.
Artist William Dolan captures Chicago's unique alleys in pen-and-ink drawings.
Bearded cooks are technically supposed to confine their facial hair with a beard net or something similar, but most don't because the rule isn't strictly enforced.
Theaster Gates is touring Europe with his art this summer, from London to Venice to Basel. The Guardian profiles Gates and his Dorchester Projects.
Early warning: the Chicago Fair Trade Day Festival hits Daley Plaza Wednesday and Thursday, featuring global shopping, music and a live taping of WBEZ's "Worldview."
Alewives entered Lake Michigan in 1949. To reduce their numbers after a mass die-off in 1967, chinook salmon were introduced to the Great Lakes. Now alewife populations are at an all-time low, and chinook populations -- on which the sport fishing industry trades -- are in danger of being wiped out, too.
A resident of Trump Tower dishes on the culture of living in a high-end building where the security is tight, the dishwashers are loud, there's no party room, and the parking garage is a punishing eight minutes away from your apartment.
After 11 shows in 12 years, the DIY Trunk Show is calling it quits. Gapers Block has been in the show every year since the start; it will be sorely missed.
The City is using data to fight the rat population by analyzing complaints of overflowing trash cans and other contributing factors together with rodent sightings.
White Chicagoans rioting in response to people of color moving into their neighborhoods in the '40s and '50s shaped the racially divided city of today, writes Whet Moser.
The Chicago Zombie Pub Crawl returns to Andersonville Saturday. Tickets are still available.
While Chicago ranks high in diversity, it's also the most segregated major city in the country, reports Nate Silver.
Monday's James Beard Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera will be the first time that the restaurant industry's version of the Oscars will convene outside of New York; this handy infographic of every local Beard award winner since 1991 gives you a picture of the interconnectedness between restaurants, chefs and restaurateurs that contribute to the city's dining scene.
CPS can't find sections of a massive, 480-foot mural painted by artist Keith Haring and CPS students in the '80s, according to the Reader, reporting parts of the work could be worth up to $3 million. Parts of the mural hang in Midway's transit corridor.
One of the owners of SUPES Academy, a principal training company currently under investigation by the FBI for allegedly receiving a no-bid contract with CPS from chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett, was forced out of his job as principal of Niles West High School in 2001 due to allegations of inappropriate contact with minors and other problems. (Read more about CPS's history of corruption at the top in Mechanics.)
There still thousands of kids in Chicago suffering from environmental lead poisoning, but cleanup funds have been cut from the city budget. See if your neighborhood is at risk.
The Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks last night 120-66, setting a new team record for margin of victory in a playoff game. The Bulls advance to play Cleveland in the next round.
After months of waiting, news outlets report that the Obama Presidential Library will be built in Chicago, on the University of Chicago's proposed site in Washington Park. The official announcement is expected today.
