Stories by Kristen Thometz

Lush plants, show tunes, hot coffee and cold beer usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Caring for a sick family member, such as a child, is the top reason why parents take off work, according to a new citywide survey. Yet nearly 40 percent of working parents don’t have paid leave.

While the Social Security Administration may contact people by phone, employees will never threaten a person or a promise Social Security benefit approval in exchange for information, according to the agency.

As many as one in seven women experience postpartum depression, which can be life-threatening when severe. But there hasn’t been a treatment specific to the condition – until now.

Superheroes and villains, a springtime run, musical performances and wine flights usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

There are 12 million infants and toddlers living in the United States, but the state in which they spend their first few years can make a big difference in their well-being for years to come, a new report finds.

The Tamara O’Neal MD Scholarship Fund will help support University of Illinois medical students while honoring the life of O’Neal, who was killed in a November shooting at Mercy Hospital. 

Can an app help people stick to their medications? That’s what local researchers hope find out in a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

In a sign that spring is on the way, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation on Monday will begin removing items used to (unofficially) reserve parking spots during winter.

A green river, St. Patrick’s Day parades, nature photos and Indian dances usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is warning patients and health care providers about the risks of stem cell therapies that are not approved by the FDA following a national investigation into their use.

A new South Side facility has increased access to trauma care in Chicago, where in 2015, 73 percent of majority black communities were located at least 5 miles from a trauma center, according to a new study.

For the first time in 30 years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for depression.

Even if discontinued, binge drinking at an early age increases the risk of developing anxiety later in life, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is warning residents about a sophisticated phone scam in which an unsolicited caller claims to be a representative from Apple, Inc.

An April 2 runoff election will determine Chicago’s next mayor, city treasurer and aldermen in more than a dozen wards across the city. Find out when and where you can cast your ballot.

Businessman Willie Wilson, who finished fourth in his bid for Chicago mayor in the Feb. 26 election, announces his endorsement of former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot.

The Chicago Department of Public Health is investigating an outbreak of salmonella after six people who consumed food from the kitchen counter at Supermercado Rivera became sick late last month.

In 2016, the number of young black men killed by a firearm in Chicago was nearly 50 times the national rate, according to a new report analyzing such deaths among 15- to 19-year-olds.

Chocolates, an artisan market and a sweet walk in the woods usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Over the past two years, a newly formed coalition of health care institutions and professionals has raised $10.5 million to fund initiatives it deems vital to improving the life expectancy of West Side residents.

Last month, the big-box store announced a second round of cuts as it phases out store greeters in favor of a more demanding customer host role. A local disability advocate calls the move “shortsighted.”

Soft, flexible sensors developed by Northwestern University researchers measure an infant’s vital signs and allow physical bonding between baby and parent.

An icy dip in the lake, film festivals, Mardi Gras pastries and a shopping cart race usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Chicago parents say gun violence, bullying and poverty are among the top 10 social issues affecting the city’s youth, according to a citywide survey.

Navigating cancer treatment can be overwhelming. A new pilot seeks to improve the process for patients by consolidating all aspects of treatment into one all-encompassing care plan.