If you recently purchased premade salad kits at the store, check the label before serving it. Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped salad kits have been linked with an E. coli outbreak.
Stories by kristen thometz
CDC Investigating Fresh Express Salad Kit Linked to E. coli Infection
Dec 10, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Despite Illinois Law, Not All Courthouses Provide Lactation Rooms
Dec 9, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Every county courthouse in Illinois is now required to provide a publicly accessible space – other than a bathroom – for women to express breast milk. But a survey of 77 facilities finds that nearly 25% lack a designated lactation space.
Report Reveals Stark Racial Disparities in Maternal Deaths in Chicago
Dec 6, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Each year, an average of 19 women in Chicago die within 12 months of pregnancy, according to a new report that identifies racial and socioeconomic disparities in mortality rates. “This is wake-up call to all of us and a call to action,” said a local health official.
Survey: Half of US High School Students Report Having Tried a Tobacco Product
Dec 5, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
More than 50% of high school students and nearly 25% of middle school students in the U.S. have tried a tobacco product in their lifetimes, according to the latest National Youth Tobacco Survey. “It’s really disappointing,” a local pediatrician said.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Dec. 5-8
Dec 4, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
A festive CTA train, winter markets, irreverent attorneys and holiday hounds usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Report: Local Transit Fails to Meet Needs of Disabled, Elderly Riders
Dec 3, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
A new report outlines barriers faced by the elderly and people with disabilities when using public transportation and makes recommendations for improvements. “Access benefits everyone,” said one disability advocate.
150 Artists, Friends Bring Chicagoan’s Graphic Novel to Life
Dec 2, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Chicago comic artist Ed Siemienkowicz died before he could complete his nearly 250-page graphic novel. For the last two years, more than 150 artists and friends have donated their time and skills to finish what he started.
Illinois Attorney General Releases 2019 Safe Shopping Guide
Nov 29, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
This year’s list highlights 30 items that have been recalled over the past year because they pose safety hazards to children, including two infant sleepers linked to more than 30 deaths.
10 Things to Do This Thanksgiving Weekend: Nov. 28-Dec. 1
Nov 27, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Vintage holiday decor, helium balloons and a holiday train usher in the holiday weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Report: 15 Years of Cuts Hampers Illinois EPA’s Ability to Protect
Nov 26, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
In 2003, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency had 1,265 employees. By 2018, that number had fallen to 639, according to a new report that a former IEPA director describes as “both a wake-up call and call to action.”
Thanksgiving Recipes: Turkey, Side Dishes and Desserts
Nov 25, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Thanksgiving’s so close you can almost taste it. In anticipation of the marathon day of eating, we asked local chefs, foodies and staff for their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Dig in!
Romaine Lettuce Linked to E. coli Outbreak, Health Officials Say
Nov 25, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
If you recently purchased lettuce at the store, check the label before serving it. Romaine lettuce harvested in Salinas, California, has been linked with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 40 people in 16 states, including Illinois.
Chicagoan Jenny Doan ‘Relieved’ After 100 Hours of Hula-Hooping
Nov 23, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
The 29-year-old Wicker Park resident completed her Guinness World Record attempt for longest marathon hula-hoop session Saturday morning. “I’m so relieved,” Jenny Doan said.
Illinois Leads Nation with 5 Vaping-Related Deaths
Nov 22, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Across the country, nearly 50 have people died after experiencing serious vaping-related illnesses. In Illinois, there have been five deaths – the most in any state, according to the latest data released by health officials.
New World Record for Hula-Hooping Set by Jenny Doan in Chicago
Nov 22, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
The 29-year old Wicker Park resident has been hula-hooping for more than 75 hours straight, breaking the Guinness World Record for longest marathon hula-hooping session, but she’s not giving up until she reaches her personal goal of 100 hours.
World Record Attempt: 31 Hours In, Hula-Hooper is Sore But Optimistic
Nov 20, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Jenny Doan is planning to hula-hoop for 100 hours straight in order to break the Guinness World Record. We check in with her 31 hours into the challenge. “It’s been tiring,” said the 29-year-old Wicker Park resident.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Nov. 21-24
Nov 20, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Holiday lights, art fairs, new toys and hot rods usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Chicago to Offer Free Home Nursing Services to Families with Newborns
Nov 19, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
A new initiative called Family Connects Chicago will provide free home nursing services to families with newborns, offering “support that is so vital in those first few weeks of a baby’s life,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday.
Illinois Clinicians Fighting Opioid Crisis Get $2.5M in Loan Repayments
Nov 18, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
As part of federal efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, the National Health Service Corps has awarded $80 million in student loan repayments to clinicians working to treat addiction, including 41 in Illinois.
World Record Attempt: Chicagoan Jenny Doan to Hula-Hoop for 100 Hours
Nov 15, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Jenny Doan wants to break the Guinness World Record for marathon hula-hooping. In addition to “sheer resilience and grit,” it takes a little planning – and a lot of motivation. Here’s how she’s planning to tackle the challenge.
Vaping-Related Illness Claims 4th Life in Illinois
Nov 14, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Four people have died in Illinois since March after experiencing serious vaping-related illnesses. The state is now among those with the most fatalities linked to the outbreak, according to health officials.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Nov. 14-17
Nov 13, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
An open-air holiday market, musical performances, art books and screen printing usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Report: Illinois Has One of the Best Lung Cancer Survival Rates
Nov 13, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Illinois has one of the best lung cancer survival rates in the country, yet it also has one of the highest incidence rates of lung cancer, according to a new report from the American Lung Association.
Illinois Earns a ‘D+’ on March of Dimes’ Premature Birth Report Card
Nov 11, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Preterm birth rates have been increasing in Illinois since 2013, according to a new report from the nonprofit March of Dimes.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Nov. 7-10
Nov 6, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
Circus acts, a prison tour, barrel-aged brews and a powwow usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Nonprofit Equal Hope Aims to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Chicago by 2040
Nov 5, 2019 | Kristen Thometz
After helping to reduce racial disparities in breast cancer deaths in Chicago, the local nonprofit Equal Hope is aiming to eliminate cervical cancer in the city. “No woman should ever die of cervical cancer,” said the group’s executive director.