Stories by WTTW News
Exploring the World of Camper Culture With WGN’s Dave Hoekstra
| Marc Vitali
RVs and camper culture hit the highway in a book that celebrates the “moveable American dream.”
New European Law Raises the Bar for Data Privacy Protection
| Paul Caine
A new European Union data privacy law is causing headaches for many American businesses. How General Data Protection could impact U.S. policies.
US Supreme Court: A Look at Today’s Most Controversial Cases
| Alexandra Silets
Supreme Court justices on Tuesday refused to rule on an Arkansas law regulating abortions. We discuss that and other hot-button cases.
New Brookfield Zoo Exhibit Highlights ‘Amazing Arachnids’
| Alex Ruppenthal
Get a close-up look at 100 live eight-legged critters – aka arachnids – including spiders, scorpions, tarantulas and more at Brookfield Zoo.
FDA Approves Non-Opioid Drug for Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
| Kristen Thometz
Opioid withdrawal symptoms have typically been treated with another narcotic, but a newly approved drug offers what a local doctor calls a “clean break” for patients.
Bill to Boost Urban Agriculture in Illinois Heads to Rauner’s Desk
| Alex Ruppenthal
Legislation that could help break up food deserts in Chicago and other cities across the state passed the Illinois Senate last week and now awaits the signature of Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Free Summer Workouts in Millennium Park Return June 2-Sept. 1
| Kristen Thometz
Get fit this summer with free outdoor yoga, Pilates, cardio, strength and Zumba classes on the Great Lawn at Millennium Park.
Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Wiped Out Forests, Too, Study Finds
| Alex Ruppenthal
A research team with a Chicago connection has uncovered new evidence about the devastating impact of the dinosaur-killing asteroid that struck Earth about 66 million years ago.
Chicago Casino’s Bad Odds: Lawmakers Reject Gambling Bill
| Amanda Vinicky
Chicago’s long-held desire for a city-owned casino will continue to go unrequited if an Illinois House panel’s Memorial Day vote against a massive gambling expansion package stands.
Plays by Beckett, Shepard Explore the Human Condition, European and American Style
| Hedy Weiss
Within the span of a single week I saw productions of two plays – Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” and Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child” – that I wouldn’t necessarily have linked together had I not seen them in such quick succession.
Uchida and CSO Put Their Bravura Stamp on Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 3
| Hedy Weiss
Here is the formula for an astonishing evening of music: Take Bela Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and put it in the astonishing hands of pianist Mitsuko Uchida, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Web Extra, The Week in Review: NFL Policy a Fumble?
| Nick Blumberg
Eddie Arruza and guests discuss the NFL’s new policy on kneeling during the national anthem.
The Week in Review: Madigan Faces Retaliation Claims
| Nick Blumberg
A state lawmaker goes up against the powerful Illinois House Speaker. Mayor Rahm Emanuel goes ballistic over an alderman’s parliamentary procedure. And is the NFL’s new national anthem policy a fumble?
130-Million-Year-Old Fossil Provides New Insight on Pangea Division
| Kristen Thometz
The discovery of a fossilized skull in Utah suggests the divide of the ancient supercontinent, Pangea, occurred 15 million years later than previously believed, according to a new study.
Illinois Legislators Optimistic About Meeting Budget Deadline
| Amanda Vinicky
As Illinois heads into the home stretch of its legislative session, lawmakers intimately involved in budget negotiations have an eye on reaching a bipartisan deal by next Thursday’s deadline.
City Extends Deadline for One Summer Chicago Applications
| Matt Masterson
Chicago teens and young adults now have until Monday to submit applications for any one of 32,000 summer employment opportunities.
Archdiocese and Students Team Up on Solutions to Chicago Violence
| Siobhan Neela-Stock
A shooting last week at Santa Fe High School in Texas is the latest in a string of school shootings this year. The Archdiocese of Chicago and local students are now teaming up to address the problem.
130 Artists Unite to Complete Chicagoan’s Graphic Novel
| Kristen Thometz
Chicago comic artist Ed Siemienkowicz died before he could complete his 246-page graphic novel. More than 130 artists donated their time and skills to bring his story to life.
NU Professor’s Joke Tweet Goes Viral But Also Sparks Backlash
| Paul Caine
Lessons learned from a joke that goes viral – and the backlash that follows. We speak with Northwestern University professor Viorica Marian.
Trump Pardons Chicago Boxing Great Jack Johnson Posthumously
| WTTW News
In 1908, boxer Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns for the heavyweight title – at a time when whites and blacks rarely entered the same ring.
What to Make of the NFL’s New Kneeling Policy
| Alexandra Silets
Strong words from the president about kneeling in the NFL as a new policy is unveiled. We get local reaction to the rules.
Bill to Legalize Industrial Hemp Clears Illinois Legislature
| Alex Ruppenthal
The state is one step closer to legalizing the production of industrial hemp after a 106-3 vote in the Illinois House this week.
Chicago to Pittsburgh in 45 Minutes: A Look at the High-Speed Hyperloop
| Evan Garcia
Could the Midwest soon be connected to a futuristic transit option? We visit one company’s hyperloop test site in the Nevada desert.
Chicago Population Drops for 3rd Straight Year
| Kristen Thometz
Of the five most populous cities in the country, only the Windy City saw a population drop in 2017, according to U.S. census data. But the city still has an edge over Houston.
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