Stories by Taurean Small

At 30, Monifa Thomas was a health and medicine reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times. Not long after she passed a complete physical, Monifa had a stroke and was paralyzed on her right side and had great difficulty speaking. We revisit the story of her recovery and return to her medical beat.

We revisit our conversation with the scientists behind the discovery of Spinosaurus, the largest predatory dinosaur ever found.

We revisit our conversation with Chicago native actor and comedian Jane Lynch. 

A new exhibition at The Field Museum looks beyond the Hollywood myths about vodou and gets to the heart of a spiritual and social force that remains an important part of daily life in Haiti.

We dive into the research and business development that's bringing cleaner energy to the Midwest.

James “Big Cat” Williams and Ann Kreiter discuss the Bears' lackluster performance against the Miami Dolphins.

The Chicago City Council gets a look at Mayor Emanuel’s improved proposed budget plan. Some budget items have been known for a while, but there are a number of surprises in store for closing the $297 million budget hole. We discuss where Chicagoans can expect cuts, and what payments will be pushed back to next year. 

Metra is proposing fare increases of nearly 11 percent next year to help modernize aging infrastructure and railcars.

Nik Wallenda plans to tightrope walk between Chicago skyscrapers blindfolded. A state law requires all tightrope walkers to have either a safety net or harness, but the City says that law should not apply to Wallenda. 

This summer a toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie led to 500,000 people being cut off from their drinking water in Toledo. Elizabeth Brackett details the latest efforts to protect the Great Lakes drinking water.

The only thing to cheer on Wall Street today was that trading finally ended. The markets take a tumble, dragged down by an Apple.

The MacArthur Foundation recently announced their 21 Genius grants winners, and five have Chicago connections. We sit down with two of  the winners to learn more about their work and their reactions to the $625,000 award. 

Bears star Brandon Marshall speaks out about Roger Goodell, domestic violence, and his past troubles, which have been brought to light in a new complaint against the NFL. Paris Schutz has the latest.

We hear how two organizations are working to expand minority enrollment in top high schools and colleges.

Motorola raises the curtain on the Moto X and its so-called "wearable," while Apple unveils two larger-sized iPhones and an upcoming watch. Two tech reporters give us their reviews of the latest smart gadgets hitting the market.

The Chicago Bears lose their season opening game 23-20 in overtime -- a stunning loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. 

The Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago released a report Friday, Aug. 15 detailing the lack of trust in the police and legal system.

Chief meteorologist at WGN Tom Skilling co-authored an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune regarding climate change and the potential effects of inaction. We discuss the issue with him tonight. 

From invasive species to summer storms, there's a lot going on in the world of science. Museum of Science and Industry's Rabiah Mayas stops by for another Scientific Chicago.

Robert Morris University is the first college to offer scholarships for the best gamers to play the popular online game “League of Legends.”

At 30, Monifa Thomas was a health and medicine reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times. Not long after she passed a complete physical, Monifa had a stroke and was paralyzed on her right side and had great difficulty speaking. We revisit the story of her recovery, return to her medical beat. 

Chicago's Pocket Con convention is set to spotlight black characters in comic books and works from black artists.

In four years since Illinois passed an adoption law, more than 10,000 adult adoptees have received their original birth certificates.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The United States hasn't always understood soccer. But anyone watching the progress of the United States’ national team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil -- and the enthusiastic support of USA fans – can tell the sport is here to stay. We analyze the U.S. team's chances going forward and discuss the growing popularity of the game.

A former jail inmate alleges he was denied food and access to a bed or shower for days at a time in this latest complaint.