Stories by Evan Garcia
Web Extra, The Week in Review: Illinois’ Structural Deficit
| Evan Garcia
Paris Schutz and guests discuss Moody’s not-so-rosy reaction to this week’s budget news.
Two Very Different Musicals to Carry You to The Brink of Summer
| Hedy Weiss
Looking for the best way to spend a sultry pre-summer evening aside from taste-testing the latest flavor of gelato? Easy. Catch a musical.
Polsky Center Gives a Leg Up to Young Entrepreneurs in Chicago
| Siobhan Neela-Stock
The “Shark Tank” of the University of Chicago awards some big money to young entrepreneurs. Meet two of the newly minted Polsky prize winners.
New Book Chronicles Path from ‘Hoop Dreams’ to Violent Reality
| Marc Vitali
CPS graduate Shawn Harrington is at the center of a harrowing but hopeful new book by Rus Bradburd, his former New Mexico State basketball coach-turned-author.
Lou Lang Steps Down from Leadership Posts, Calls Accusations ‘Absurd’
| Amanda Vinicky
Longtime state Rep. Lou Lang, a Democrat from Skokie, is the latest of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle besieged by fallout from the #MeToo movement.
American Cancer Society Calls for Earlier Colorectal Cancer Screening
| Nick Blumberg
A disturbing upward trend in incidents of colorectal cancer brings about new guidelines for screenings.
Springfield Lawmakers Pass Bipartisan Budget Deal
| Paul Caine
For the first time since 2015 Illinois may actually have a budget in place before the start of the new fiscal year. And the governor says he will sign it.
‘Race’ Exhibition Challenges Visitors to Rethink the Concept
| Eddie Arruza
What does race mean to you? An exhibit at the Chicago History Museum asks visitors to consider how much we focus on race every day, whether we realize it or not.
Illinois Bill Would Help Agencies Donate Leftover Food
| Alex Ruppenthal
Lawmakers recently approved a bill that would help state agencies donate leftover food in an effort to reduce waste and feed hungry residents.
UChicago Trauma Center Treats 274 in First Month
| Kristen Thometz
UChicago Medicine began offering level-one adult trauma care on May 1—something it hadn’t offered since 1988.
Tobacco 21 Bill Heads to Rauner’s Desk
| Kristen Thometz
Illinois will become the sixth state in the country to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21, if legislation is signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Illinois on the Precipice of a Budget
| Amanda Vinicky
Illinois lawmakers are expected to make a clean break from the paralyzing dysfunction of recent years, and are on the precipice of passing a bipartisan budget.
The ERA’s Revival: Illinois Ratifies Equal Rights Amendment
| Amanda Vinicky
Nearly a half-century after it was first approved by Congress, Illinois on Wednesday night became the 37th state to vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
Mayor Expands Early Learning, But Critics Are Skeptical
| Brandis Friedman
Chicago parents should have more early learning options for their 4-year-olds starting next year.
Illinois Lawmakers Approve Ban on Sale of Ivory
| Alex Ruppenthal
A growing number of states are taking up bans on the sale of ivory in an effort to curb elephant and rhinoceros poaching and undermine the $20 billion-per-year enterprise of wildlife trafficking. Illinois could be next.
South Side Native John Kozlar, 29, Running for Chicago Mayor
| Siobhan Neela-Stock
There are at least 10 candidates eyeing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s job. One of them is Bridgeport native John Kozlar, who ran for alderman of the 11th Ward in 2011 and 2015. Why he now says he wants to be mayor.
Cook County Clerk David Orr: Illinois Needs to Overhaul Its Elections
| Alexandra Silets
The outgoing Cook County clerk has some ideas to boost democracy and to avoid a repeat of the March primary debacle that surrounded the Cook County assessor’s race. David Orr joins us in discussion.
Aldermen on Obama Center, Police Academy and FOP Contract
| Nick Blumberg
To call last week in Chicago City Council “eventful” might be an understatement. We discuss the latest with a panel of Chicago aldermen.
Valerie Jarrett: Roseanne Barr’s Tweet Should be a ‘Teaching Moment’
| Kristen Thometz
In response to Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet, the former senior advisor to President Barack Obama said, “We need to turn it into a teaching moment.”
10 Things to Do This Weekend: May 31-June 3
| Kristen Thometz
Global fare, gospel choirs, craft beer and outdoor art fairs usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.
Scalia and His Clerk Joust Their Way Through Constitutional Arguments in ‘The Originalist’
| Hedy Weiss
It’s a good bet that no one seeing “The Originalist” will undergo a major shift in their opinions, but they certainly will be reminded of how the Supreme Court’s polarization reflects the temper of the current moment in politics.
Is Illinois Close to a Budget Deal?
| Amanda Vinicky
With only two more days before the Illinois legislature’s budget deadline, insiders say a bipartisan deal is within reach.
Alpana Singh to Return as ‘Check, Please!’ Host
| Siobhan Neela-Stock
After a five-year break, the master sommelier and restaurateur is set to return as host of the Emmy Award-winning WTTW series.
Nearly 20 Years Later, ‘Cha-Cha Slide’ Still Gets People Moving
| Erica Gunderson
Meet the South Side native whose line dance became a worldwide phenomenon.
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