Kids in Iowa get involved in the 2020 presidential campaigns
By Ellen O’Brien Medill Reports Kathleen McKean stood in the back corner of a Joe Biden campaign event, listening to the former vice president’s stump speech. At McKean’s feet, her two young children alternated between scribbling with crayons on “Go Joe!” coloring sheets and playing iPad games. For McKean and her husband, Ryan, if both […]
New mural at Bronzeville Mariano’s helps community reclaim history
By Arnab Mondal Medill Reports A new mural in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side is inspiring the black community to come together to reclaim their history and re-establish their connections with the neighborhood. The mural, located at the Mariano’s store in Bronzeville, is the brainchild of Chicago-born muralist Dorian Sylvain.
Ninja Warrior joins obstacle course racing to set sights on Olympics
By Junie Burns Medill Reports Acclaimed athletes such as gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. But behind the scenes, Ian Adamson and Bob Clark are hard at work to introduce a new sport to the Olympics: obstacle course racing joined by Ninja Warrior athletics. Every season of […]
iO’s new show breeds space for fresh, diverse voices in comedy
By Junie Burns Medill Reports Six brand new performance teams took the stage in iO Theater’s two-night New Team Smell Season 2 premiere on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. These new groups of students are selected by audition, and earn a spot performing at iO on Tuesday nights throughout the eight-week season. Lincoln Park’s iO […]
Kids take Ninja Warrior to new heights
By Junie Burns and Selah Holland Medill Reports Most people view Ninja Warrior as an entertaining sports competition where strong, agile athletes compete. But to the kids of the Ultimate Ninjas Chicago Elite team , it’s more like life outside of school. Across the nation, kids are taking the American Ninja Warrior world by storm. […]
Pumpkins in the Park 5k celebrates 20th Anniversary
By Junie Burns and Zachary Fishman Medill Reports More than 1,300 people took their Halloween costumes for a test run at the 20th annual Pumpkins in the Park 5K on Oct. 19. Runners enjoyed unusually warm temperatures as they looped through Lincoln Park for the race. Real estate agent Joel Bendtsen was the first across […]
American Ninja Warrior local leagues host ninja competitions
By Junie Burns Medill Reports After swinging, balancing, climbing and flying through the first 10 obstacles of the ninja warrior course, pro competitor Derrick Pavoni paused for a brief moment to stare down the final obstacle: the infamous American Ninja Warrior Warped Wall. The crowd watched eagerly as Pavoni, a 26-year-old pizza maker nicknamed “The […]
American Ninja Warrior growth sparks Olympic bid effort
By Junie Burns Medill Reports Initially, American Ninja Warrior structured its TV presence so that the top Americans could compete in Japan. But as the show gained popularity and athletes became more skilled and aggressive, the show catapulted into a larger market, leaving NBCUniversal affiliate G4 for a new home on NBC ‘s prime time […]
Chicago Marathon runner Brigid Kosgei sets a new women’s world record
By Junie Burns Medill Reports It took 17 years to the day for Brigid Kosgei of Kenya to set a new women’s world record in running this year’s Chicago Marathon in 2:14:04. On October 13, 2002, Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe set the Chicago Marathon course record and a world’s record for a woman runner with […]
