Stories by Evan Garcia
Former Skinhead Writes of His Descent Into Hatred, and How He Got Out
| Evan Garcia
Christian Picciolini talks about his life within the white supremacist movement and his subsequent efforts to combat racism, as told in his new book “White American Youth.”
Can Apple and Facebook Make Their Products Less Addictive?
| Nick Blumberg
After a public call for Apple to make its smartphones less habit-forming, we take a look at internet addiction in a digital age.
Durbin, Trump Spar Over Vulgar Language Used to Describe Immigrants
| Paris Schutz
Two GOP senators say it didn't happen, Sen. Dick Durbin says it did. More on the fallout from the president’s reported comments about Haitian and African immigrants.
Study: Brain MRI Predicts How Well Deaf Children Learn Language
| Kristen Thometz
Researchers have created a tool that can predict language learning in deaf children after they receive a cochlear implant. Prediction is just the first step, says Dr. Nancy Young. “We’re trying to create precision therapy.”
‘Rainbow’ Dinosaur Revealed in Field Museum Study
| Alex Ruppenthal
The colorful display of feathers common among hummingbirds has roots in a bird-like Chinese dinosaur from 161 million years ago, a new study finds.
Surfers Prepare to Sue U.S. Steel Over Lake Michigan Pollution
| Evan Garcia
A nonprofit group working with the University of Chicago is poised to sue U.S. Steel over Lake Michigan pollution if a deal is not reached by Sunday between the company and environmental regulators.
CPS Adding 65 New Special Education Positions Amid Calls for Reform
| Matt Masterson
As Chicago Public Schools faces a state-led public inquiry into its special education practices, it announces dozens of new positions to bolster its diverse learning supports at more than 50 schools across the city.
Gray Seal Pup Born at Brookfield Zoo
| Alex Ruppenthal
Brookfield Zoo welcomed a newborn gray seal on Dec. 26. The male pup weighed 36 pounds at birth and is expected to weigh more than 120 pounds by the time he is weaned at three weeks.
The Week in Review: Oprah Stirs Speculation
| WTTW News
Is Oprah serious about a run for the White House? Will Garry McCarthy run for mayor? Karen Lewis laughs at a draft of her obit. And the Bears have a new head coach.
Safety Tips for Exercising Outdoors in Winter
| Kristen Thometz
Don’t let frigid weather derail your outdoor exercise routine. With the proper precautions and gear, you can keep it up all winter long, says orthopedic surgeon Dr. Diego Villacis.
Early Voting for Illinois Primary Election Less Than a Month Away
| Amanda Vinicky
The Illinois primary is March 20, but you don’t have to wait until then to cast your ballot.
Field Museum Scientists Help Protect 2 Million Acres of Rainforest
| Alex Ruppenthal
A team led by Field Museum conservation ecologist Corine Vriesendorp has worked for 15 years to protect one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. This week, it was designated as a national park.
Art Institute Highlights Revolutionary Art from Soviet Union
| Dan Andries
An exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago features the artistic outpouring of Russian artists after the October Revolution of 1917, the coup that brought the Soviet Union into being more than a century ago.
Dick Simpson on His Life as a Chicago Progressive
| Paul Caine
He has seemingly been part of the Chicago political scene forever, first as an activist but then as an alderman, political science professor and twice as an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. Dick Simpson talks about his new book.
Julia Sweeney Makes Second City Debut with ‘Older and Wider’
| Alexandra Silets
The author, actor and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member tells us about her new stand-up residency at The Second City.
What DNA Testing Kits Can – and Can’t – Tell You About History, Health
| Erica Gunderson
The commercials for do-it-yourself DNA testing kits promise a bounty of self-discovery about your history and health. But are you prepared for the results?
School Funding Formula in Limbo After Rauner Veto
| Nick Blumberg
Gov. Bruce Rauner used his veto pen this week to rewrite a bill making minor technical changes to the state’s new and much-debated school funding formula. State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith joins us.
Chronic Pain Advocacy Group Seeks Revision of CDC Opioid Guidelines
| Kristen Thometz
Are chronic pain patients losing access to opioids? One advocacy group says yes, and now it’s pushing for “more reasonable” guidelines from the CDC on opioid prescriptions.
Dolphins, ‘Fitbits’ and the Deep Data Dive to Transform Animal Research
| Alex Ruppenthal
Brookfield Zoo is leading a first-of-its-kind study to collect data from dolphins and other aquatic mammals using a Fitbit-like device that figures to revolutionize human understanding of the animals’ behavior.
New Plumbing Promised for Quincy Veterans Home
| Amanda Vinicky
In the face of mounting criticism over his handling of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a veterans home, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday promised additional upgrades to the facility.
‘Too Hot to Handel’: Jazz-Gospel ‘Messiah’ Reaches into State Prisons
| Marc Vitali
Classical music gets a soulful twist in a show that reaches from Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre to a notorious prison in Louisiana.
Revised Obama Presidential Center Plans Submitted to City Hall
| Paris Schutz
The Obama Foundation says it revised plans for the Obama Presidential Center after extensive community input. But are they enough to silence critics of the center, and will city officials OK the plans?
A Homebuyer’s Market? Redfin Says Chicago Neighborhoods ‘Have It All’
| Evan Garcia
If you’re looking to buy an affordable home near public transit, highly rated schools and other neighborhood perks – one real estate website says look no further than Chicago.
Area Hospitals Race to Keep Up With a Demanding Flu Season
| Brandis Friedman
Health officials say the flu is peaking early this year, with 100 more flu outbreaks statewide than at this time last season. How hospitals are handling the increased volume of patients.
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