CPS Teacher Shortage Hits Black and Special Needs Students Hardest
Each year, hundreds of Chicago Public Schools are having to make do without teachers and substitutes because of a teacher shortage. But according to new reporting from WBEZ, that shortfall does not impact all schools and students equally.
Pot Prohibition in Illinois Will Persist, Even After It’s Legal
Marijuana will be legal in Illinois in five months, but a growing number of communities across the state are considering saying “no” to cannabis sales within their borders, including suburban Naperville.
Beyond Good Books, Semicolon Bookstore Aims for Sense of Community
As a writer, publisher and general lover of literature, opening a bookstore was never in the plans for Danielle Mullen. But when faced with a tumor, she was forced to answer a question she hadn’t thought much about: her own legacy.
Gun Control Proponents Demand Action in Wake of Mass Shootings
After a weekend of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, as well as nearly 60 people shot in Chicago – seven of them fatally – gun control proponents are once again calling for action.
Descendants of John Dillinger Get Permission to Exhume His Body
Descendants of the notorious Depression-era bank robber claim they have evidence that the body in his grave in Indiana may not be his. We examine the enduring fascination with the legendary outlaw.
Terra-Cotta Treasures Tell Chicago’s Neighborhood Stories
To truly appreciate the charm of a terra-cotta lavished building, Chicago author and photographer Lee Bey says to put on your gym shoes and go for a walk. We join him for a look at some of the city’s early architecture.
Bud Billiken Parade Celebrates 90 Years on the South Side
Every second weekend in August, a stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Bronzeville is taken over by one of the largest parades in the country. We talk legacy and tradition with parade organizer Myiti Sengstacke-Rice.
Record-High Lake Swallowing Up Chicago Shoreline
Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, talks about the area’s shrinking and disappearing beaches this year, and why it matters.
Chicago Responds to Weekend Carnage With Condolences, Calls for Action
Dozens were killed and wounded in mass shootings over the weekend. And in Chicago, it was the most violent weekend of the year, leaving seven dead from shootings. How local leaders are responding.
A Conversation About Domestic Terrorism, Mental Health and Racist Rhetoric
President Donald Trump condemns hate, but says hateful rhetoric and mental illness are to blame for mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso – not guns.
‘An Arm and a Leg’ Podcast Tells Alarming Stories of Health Care Costs
As political candidates spar over health care, a local journalist gathers startling personal stories about medical costs. We speak with Dan Weissmann, host of a podcast about the high cost of health care.
Social Media Sans Metrics: One Artist’s Quest to Hide ‘Likes’
Could you imagine life without the “like” button? Ben Grosser, an arts and design professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, tells us about “demetrication.”
Tax Credit Extension Aims to Cement Film Industry’s Local Foothold
Chicago has become a major player in attracting TV and film productions of all shapes and sizes. The heads of the Illinois and Chicago film offices discuss the role a tax credit extension plays in getting productions made locally.
