Stories by Nicole Cardos
In The Wake of Comey Firing, Should a Special Prosecutor be Hired?
| Nicole Cardos
Seventy-eight percent of Americans think a special prosecutor should be appointed to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election, according to a new NBC-Wall Street Journal survey.
Urban Nature: ‘Can Cities Save the Monarch?’
| WTTW News
The monarch butterfly’s remarkable migration is in peril. Its habitat has been decimated by rapid urbanization and changing agricultural practices. Could cities come to the rescue?
‘Robot Revolution’ Returns to Chicago
| Maya Miller
They can play blackjack, dance and climb walls. The Museum of Science and Industry brings back its interactive exhibition – with a few new additions.
Issues Facing Chicago to be ‘On the Table’ Tuesday
| Maya Miller
More than 5,000 conversations across the Chicago area are set to take place Tuesday as part of the Chicago Community Trust’s annual On the Table initiative.
Legislator: Bill Would Trigger $2.2B in Illinois Wind Energy Projects
| Alex Ruppenthal
Tweaking Illinois' landmark energy bill would trigger more than $2 billion in wind farm construction, a state senator says.
Middle Schoolers Get 1st Look at Professional Life at Mock Job Fair
| Matt Masterson
Students at James Madison Elementary may be a few years away from entering the workforce full time, but that isn’t stopping them from getting a leg up on the interviewing process.
Study: Leaving Segregated Communities Reduces Blood Pressure
| Kristen Thometz
Leaving segregated neighborhoods reduces blood pressure in African-Americans, according to the findings of a 25-year longitudinal study.
Lakefront Trail Separation Requires North Side Closure, Detour
| Kristen Thometz
Starting next week, the Lakefront Trail will be closed between Diversey and North avenues as the project to separate the bike and pedestrian paths continues.
Nonprofit Wants Stronger Warning Labels on Reflux Medications
| Kristen Thometz
Each year 60 million Americans experience heartburn. A nonprofit now hopes stronger labeling on over-the-counter medicines for heartburn will increase awareness of its association with esophageal cancer.
Report: Cook County Short Nearly 190,000 Affordable Rental Units
| Maya Miller
Cook County's affordable housing supply has not kept up with demand, according to a report issued by the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University.
CTU Running Full Staff No-Confidence Vote on CPS CEO Claypool
| Matt Masterson
As the city and Chicago Public Schools scramble to find funding to keep classrooms open through the end of the school year, the Chicago Teachers Union is taking up a staff-wide referendum vote of no confidence in district CEO Forrest Claypool.
Mayor Emanuel Reappoints Inspector General, Budget Director Resigns
| Paris Schutz
The city’s top watchdog is coming back for another four-year term, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Friday.
Study: Chicago’s Forests Threatened by Climate Change
| Alex Ruppenthal
A first-of-its-kind study shows that forests in Chicago face significant threats from climate change, with native trees especially vulnerable to increases in temperature, precipitation and other changes.
The Week in Review: Trump Fires FBI Director Comey
| Nick Blumberg
President Trump fires the FBI director investigating his connections to Russia. Lawmakers put Gov. Rauner in a bind on the “abortion bill.” And the Cubs early season struggles continue.
Cook County Jail Settles Hundreds of Lawsuits
| Paul Caine
Cook County has approved hundreds of low-dollar legal settlements in connection with conditions at the Cook County Jail.
Chicago Police Board Cracks Down on Misconduct
| Alexandra Silets
Chicago Police Board President Lori Lightfoot talks about misconduct findings against all 15 officers who faced discipline last year.
Bill Aims to Overhaul Illinois’ Electronic Recycling Program
| Alex Ruppenthal
Legislation proposed this week in the Illinois Senate would require electronics manufacturers to pay for permanent recycling drop-off sites set up by counties.
Is Hate on the Rise in America?
| Evan Garcia
The Chicago Police Department documented 72 hate crimes in 2016 – a 20-percent spike compared to 2015. That increase falls in line with hate crime upticks in other large U.S. cities, like New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
New Bill Would Curb Pre-K Expulsions in Public Schools
| Matt Masterson
How young is too young for a student to be expelled from school? A new bill going through the state Legislature would keep preschoolers from being kicked out of class.
America’s Forgotten ‘Radium Girls’ Take the Lead in New Book
| Nicole Cardos
The author of a new book explores the lives of young factory workers exposed to radium in the 1920s.
Flying Creatures Soar Below Loop ‘L’ Tracks
| Kristen Thometz
The recently installed “Flying Creatures Initiative” on the southeast corner of Wabash Avenue and Randolph Street is part of the city’s Year of Public Art.
‘Aladdin’ National Tour Begins Magic Carpet Ride in Chicago
| Marc Vitali
A conversation with actors Anthony Murphy and Chicago’s own Jonathan Weir from the production “Aladdin.”
Former NASA Engineer’s Interesting Take on Women in Science
| Alex Ruppenthal
Northbrook native Beth Moses, chief astronaut instructor for the world's first commercial spaceline, returns to Chicago to receive Adler Planetarium's Women in Space Science Award.
Virtual Doctor in Development to Explain Test Results
| Kristen Thometz
Annual physicals often come with a roster of tests, and the results of those tests can leave many of us scratching our heads. Scientists at the University of Illinois are trying to change that.
The Surprising Story Behind ‘Whistler’s Mother’
| Marc Vitali
We visit the Art Institute of Chicago to find out more about the 19th century oil painting “Arrangement in Grey and Black, Number One” – commonly known as “Whistler’s Mother.”
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