Stories by Kristen Thometz

Every day, 20 veterans commit suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This weekend, 14 veterans will ride 20 miles through Chicago on horseback, with each mile representing a life lost to suicide.

German brats and beers, aerial acrobats, monster trucks and a bungalow tour usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Sure, you could go to your local grocery store and grab a gourd – but what’s the fun in that? We share a bounty of spots for plucking a pumpkin.

Nearly 70 Illinois residents are among 530 people across the country who have been hospitalized and diagnosed with vaping-related breathing illnesses, according to federal and state health officials. That’s up from 380 a week ago.

International artists, lucha libre wrestling, craft brews and cool jazz usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has nominated Dr. Allison Arwady to become the next commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. Arwady has been serving as acting commissioner since June.

As underage vaping and hospitalizations linked to vaping continue to rise, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is calling for a citywide ban on flavored e-cigarette products. “The dangers are manifesting themselves literally every day. We must act and we will,” she said.

Adam Hergenreder, 18, looks like a typical teenager, but his lungs tell a different story. “I’ve been told by medical professionals that my lungs are that of a 70-year-old,” the Gurnee resident said Friday at a press conference.

The number of people hospitalized with a severe respiratory illness linked to vaping continues to grow in Illinois, with 52 confirmed cases since May, according to new figures released by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Nearly a third of adults in Illinois were obese in 2017, compared to roughly 28% seven years ago, according to a new report that offers recommendations to curb the trend – including a sugar-sweetened beverage tax.

Art fairs, rock bands, sweet treats and an early Thanksgiving celebration usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Opioid manufacturers carried out unfair and deceptive marketing campaigns while distributors flooded Illinois with opioids, according to a lawsuit filed this week by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is calling on Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless to take “decisive action” against the vaping epidemic that has claimed five lives or resign.

Telehealth, or the virtual delivery of health-related services, is on the rise. State and federal officials gave an update on investments supporting expansion of such services at an annual conference, including a $420 million expansion of broadband services in Illinois.

“We hope that our daughter’s life-threatening ordeal can serve as a warning to parents and teens alike. Vaping is dangerous and can kill you,” said Ruby Johnson, whose daughter, Piper, was hospitalized for a week after vaping.

A newly launched website seeks to convey the seriousness of the opioid epidemic locally while providing resources and honoring those who have died, says Dr. Kiran Joshi of the Cook County Department of Public Health.

Street festivals, retro tunes, cultural celebrations, opera under the stars and a jump in the river usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

More than 40 people were shot in Chicago, eight fatally, over Labor Day weekend. Despite that, police say the total number of shootings and murders for August are at their lowest point since 2011.

From iconic Chicago landmarks to neighborhood parks, 350 Chicago-area residents share their favorite local places in the “Voices of the City” art project. Add your voice to the mix.

Nearly a week after an Illinois resident died following hospitalization for a severe respiratory illness linked to vaping, health officials are reporting an additional five cases in the state.

Street festivals, live jazz, handmade gifts, global foods and a football season preview usher in the long weekend. Here are a dozen things to do in and around Chicago.

An Illinois resident who was hospitalized with a severe respiratory illness after vaping has died, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It may be the first death in the country linked to vaping. 

The settlement requires the retailers to pay more than $540,000 in fines for illegally selling and marketing e-cigarette products to minors, according to city officials.

In 2018, Chicago saw an uptick in the number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. A new task force will work to develop strategies to curb STIs across the city, starting with syphilis. 

For years, OxyContin maker Purdue engaged in deceptive marketing practices, according to a lawsuit filed in April by Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Now, Raoul’s office is seeking to add members of the company’s founding family as defendants.

Fancy footwork, street festivals, witty women, sideshow acts and odd flea market finds usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.