Stories by Nick Blumberg
Chicago Rowers Made History as First All-Black High School Crew in US
| Nick Blumberg
The new documentary “A Most Beautiful Thing” tells the story of Manley High School’s rowing team on Chicago’s West Side. We speak with some of the men featured in the film.
With COVID-19 Cases Rising, Pritzker Releases Safety Guidelines for Recreational Sports
| Kristen Thometz
With the number of new coronavirus cases rising in Illinois and a handful of outbreaks linked to youth sports, the governor announced new guidance restricting youth and adults sports in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Chicago Portrait: Dr. Everywoman
| Evan Garcia
During the day, Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald sees patients at her obstetric and gynecological practice in Chicago. But after work, she entertains and educates the public through song parodies.
The Greatest of the Great Lakes Has a Twitter Account With a Superiority Complex
| Patty Wetli
The “greatest lake of all time” has a Twitter account to match its swagger, run by a human who speaks not on behalf of the lake but as the lake in a brash, anthropomorphic way. And we can’t get enough of it.
‘The Jury is Still Out’: Police Superintendent David Brown Marks 100 Days Amid Multiple Crises
| Heather Cherone
After nearly 100 days at the helm of the Chicago Police Department, the superintendent’s tenure has been anything but average, as he faces an ongoing pandemic, protests and a surge in gun violence.
CPS: More Than 400 Daily COVID-19 Cases Could Trigger Full-Time Remote Learning
| Matt Masterson
In order for schools to move to fully remote instruction this fall, the city of Chicago must hit a rolling average of 400 new COVID-19 cases per day, according to new guidance from Chicago Public Schools.
Worried About Democracy? Angry About Police Brutality? Fill Out the Census, Lightfoot Says
| Heather Cherone
Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered a full-throated defense of American democracy Wednesday before urging Chicagoans to safeguard the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights by responding to the 2020 census.
US Is Expected to Report a Record-Breaking Economic Plunge
| Associated Press
Having endured what was surely a record-shattering slump last quarter, the U.S. economy faces a dim outlook as a resurgent coronavirus intensifies doubts about any sustained recovery the rest of the year.
Trump Administration Won’t Accept New DACA Applications
| Associated Press
The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will reject new applications and shorten renewal periods for an Obama-era program that shields young people from deportation.
Could ComEd Customers Get Reimbursed for ‘Wrongfully Inflated Rates’?
| Amanda Vinicky
Commonwealth Edison must pay a $200 million fine to the federal government as part of its deal with the U.S. attorney’s office. That fine will go to federal coffers — not ComEd customers. But a lawsuit is seeking to change that.
A Virtual Tour of the Union League Club of Chicago
| Marc Vitali
It’s home to a massive art collection that includes a Monet and a passel of Paschkes. The latest in our series of virtual tours: a private club with a public focus — and an eye for artwork.
Chicago Tribune Moves Columnists to Reinforce Line Between Opinion and News
| Quinn Myers
How should local newspapers and the media industry at large differentiate between news and opinion? What the Chicago Tribune is doing to clarify its content.
Secret Service Agent Shot in Reagan Assassination Attempt Retires as Orland Park Police Chief
| Paul Caine
The Secret Service agent who took a bullet to protect President Ronald Reagan has spent the last 26 years as chief of police in Orland Park. We speak with Tim McCarthy ahead of his Aug. 1 retirement.
Barr Defends Aggressive Federal Response to Protests
| Associated Press
Attorney General William Barr defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America as he testified for the first time before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime or Quarter? US Mint Asks People to Get Coins Back in Circulation
| Patty Wetli
Whether piled up in change jars, cup holders or couch crevices, coins are not circulating, and that makes it difficult for businesses to deal in cash, the U.S. Coin Task Force says. Here’s how to help.
Northwestern Seeking 5,000 Volunteers for COVID-19 Prevention Trials
| Kristen Thometz
Northwestern Medicine is seeking 5,000 people who are at risk of exposure to the coronavirus and are interested in participating in vaccine studies to join its newly launched COVID Prevention Trials Registry.
As Coronavirus Cases Continue to Increase, State and City Officials Disagree on Key Metric
| Heather Cherone
Illinois and Chicago officials disagree on how to calculate the single most important benchmark for tracking the spread of the coronavirus, even as the number of confirmed cases of the virus continues to rise statewide.
Mayors Want US Agents Blocked From Portland, 5 Major Cities
| Associated Press
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and five other major U.S. cities appealed Monday to Congress to make it illegal for the federal government to deploy militarized agents to cities that don’t want their presence.
Lightfoot Orders Visitors from 4 More States to Quarantine for 2 Weeks
| Heather Cherone
Visitors to Chicago from Wisconsin, Missouri, North Dakota and Nebraska will be required to quarantine for two weeks starting Friday in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, city officials announced Tuesday.
Can You Get the Coronavirus Twice?
| Associated Press
Health experts think people who had COVID-19 will have some immunity against a repeat infection. But they don’t know how much protection or how long it would last.
Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Is Put to Its Biggest Test
| Associated Press
The biggest test yet of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine got underway Monday with the first of some 30,000 Americans rolling up their sleeves to receive shots created by the U.S. government as part of the all-out global race to stop the pandemic.
Critics Say Chicago Police Need to Rethink Tracking Gang Members, Curbing Violence
| Nick Blumberg
After a mass shooting outside a funeral home in Auburn Gresham last week, Chicago’s top cop said the city’s problem with gang violence is huge in scope. But do numbers tell the full story?
Does Mayor Lightfoot’s Air Quality Plan Go Far Enough?
| Amanda Vinicky
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s new report on air quality shows that while air pollution is a problem across the city, it’s worse in some neighborhoods than others. What her administration is planning to do about it.
With Beaches Closed, Experts Warn of Increased Risk for Drowning
| Marissa Nelson
As temperatures soar, you might be tempted to jump into Lake Michigan. But with Chicago beaches closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, water safety advocates say there’s an increased risk of drowning.
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