From Nazareth to NFL: CJ West looks to make impact with San Francisco 49ers
By Will McLernon Medill Reports At Nazareth Academy, CJ West didn’t just wreak havoc on the football field as he helped lead the Roadrunners to the 2018 Illinois 7A state championship; the 6-foot-1, 316-pound defensive tackle also wowed crowds on stage with his voice in the Catholic school’s musicals. “It really helped me step out […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Season 5, Episode 7
Medill Reports This week in Chicago: Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Plus, the Crosstown Classic and Cowboy Carter come to town. “Chicago This Week” is a half-hour show that features news, sports, business and entertainment stories from around Chicago. All the producing, reporting, writing, shooting and editing are done […]
PHOTOS: Danceworks 2025 interpreters explore energy, identity, societal pressure at Northwestern
By Frances Mack Medill Reports Danceworks 2025: “signal::transfer” was an interpretative dance performance held at Northwestern University’s Louis Theater between March 14 and 16. Undergraduate and graduate students, along with professional dancers, acted as “interpreters” for the show themes. According to Artistic Director Thomas DeFrantz, “signal::transfer” explored themes of energy exchange, identity formation, societal pressure […]
Many Puerto Ricans face community harm from vacant buildings, loss of community centers following school closures
A 2022 report from the Office of the Ombudsman of Puerto Rico details mismanagement of closed school buildings. By Katherine Dailey Medill Reports Documents with Social Security numbers and addresses scattered across rooms. Horses living in abandoned classrooms. Unofficial security guards standing watch outside locked buildings. This is the fate of scores of Puerto Rican […]
Latvian hip-hop: ‘It’s music without boundaries’
By Austin Zeglis Medill Reports RIGA, Latvia — Decades ago, Helmuts Steins discovered his love for American rap music by connecting with the beats he heard on the radio despite not being able to understand the English lyrics. When the young Latvian boy decided to pursue music production, he made his first songs by renting […]
Puerto Ricans use culture and community to combat environmental issues
By Autumn Coleman Medill Reports San Juan, Puerto Rico — Walking into one of the many forests, beaches or towns of Puerto Rico, it’s impossible to tell how much work is put into preserving its natural beauty. With Puerto Rico’s national debt being more than tens of billions of dollars, very little government money goes […]
Chicago’s Willy Wonka of Flowers, Bruce Jasinski, keeps business blooming across 3 decades
By Autumn Coleman Medill Reports Bruce Jasinski, 65, gives me a handmade bouquet with eucalyptus and orange lilies. Then, he serenades me on his flute with Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” and “Good as Hell.” His compact flower shop transforms into a private party for the two of us. Jasinski explains this is typical for his […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Season 5, Episode 6
Medill Reports This week in Chicago, we bring you a special show: “From Chicago to the Vatican: The Making of Pope Leo XIV.” Our reporters take you from his childhood into priesthood and finally to the Sistine Chapel. Have an inside look at the new pope’s Chicago roots. “Chicago This Week” is a half-hour show […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Season 5, Episode 5
Medill Reports This week in Chicago: A local cardinal heads to the conclave. Plus, Illinois honors fallen officers and a high school softball pitcher with a remarkable story. “Chicago This Week” is a half-hour show that features news, sports, business and entertainment stories from around Chicago. All the producing, reporting, writing, shooting and editing are […]
Inside Vienna’s small, persistent crypto community
By Janani Janarthanan Medill Reports VIENNA — The Viennese cafe Das Delicious in the 11th district was packed on a Saturday evening. Near the billing counter was a big table, with more than 10 patrons — most of them wearing glasses, all of them men clad in T-shirts and jeans. But they had more in […]