How South Africa’s energy crisis is stripping food from the table

By Jordana Comiter Medill Reports Editor’s note: A portion of this story has been translated by Cebisile Mbonani. On a Wednesday afternoon, Marvis Tshuna had 12 scones in the toaster oven. As they began taking shape, the aroma of butter and caramelized sugar filled the air. Then, the power cut off. Natural light peeked through […]
From ‘Aa’ to ‘Za:’ Memorize every two-letter Scrabble word with these 5 tips from the game’s experts

By John Volk Medill Reports Does your Scrabble rack leave you feeling like Old MacDonald? Don’t worry — there’s so much you can do with E-I-E-I-O. The game accepts 107 two-letter words, and 67 of them contain E, I or O. Learn all 107 and prepare to win your next family game night. These shorties […]
WATCH: 5 vegan Chicago hot dogs in 5 minutes

By Julia Lowe Medill Reports The iconic Chicago-style hot dog can be found all over the city and beyond. A hot dog dressed in mustard, pickles, green relish, onions, sliced tomatoes and celery salt can be called “dragged through the garden,” but where can vegetarian and vegan Chicagoans find a meatless dog to take part in the tradition? Watch how […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Episode 5

Text by Damita Menezes Medill Reports On the latest episode of “Chicago This Week,” Medill reporters cover Chicagoans working to get Sundanese families out of danger, fake city Twitter accounts, the Northwestern grad drafted in the NFL and more. This episode will air on Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV) Channel 21 on Friday, May 5. […]
PHOTOS: NFL players give Super Bowl tickets to youth leaders, spend day engaging with children in the Valley

By Tristan Tucker Medill Reports PHOENIX — Nominees for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award gave 12 children in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley tickets to the Super Bowl for their efforts in the Valley community on Feb. 10. The 12 children earned the tickets, along with their own […]
Despite record youth investment, Chicago leaders are divided on preventing youth violence

By Damita Menezes Medill Reports After large groups of Chicago teens gathered downtown earlier this month, leading to incidents of mayhem and destruction, city leaders are divided on prevention strategies as warmer days lie ahead. “We must have the will to immediately extricate and arrest anybody seeking to try to incite the crowds to violence,” […]
LISTEN: Art Institute exhibit explores themes of visibility, disappearance in work of Salvador Dalí

By Laura Stewart Medill Reports An exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago is showcasing the work of famed surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. “Salvador Dalí: The Image Disappears,” which opened Feb. 18, features paintings, drawings and other works Dalí created in the 1930s, at the height of the artist’s fame. Transcript With his images […]
WATCH: Chicago This Week — Episode 4

Text by Damita Menezes Medill Reports On the latest episode of “Chicago This Week,” Medill reporters cover the disputes between city leaders on how to tackle teen takeovers, updates on abortion pill Mifepristone, Earth Day and more. This episode will air on Chicago Access Network Television (CAN-TV) Channel 21 on Friday, April 28. “Chicago […]
Chef Rodolfo Cuadros of Amaru, Bloom on stirring up ‘environmentally sound’ Latin cuisine, launching plant-based taqueria

By Julia Lowe Medill Reports Chef Rodolfo Cuadros, who launched Don Bucio’s Taqueria (2763 N. Milwaukee Ave.) on Feb. 25, once nearly accepted an executive chef position in India. “Around 2016, the political climate was rough,” Cuadros said. “We were questioning, because of the rhetoric around that time, whether this was a place to be […]
After tragedy, Shawn Harrington uses platform to give back to community that raised him

By Max Olsan Medill Reports Shawn Harrington is no stranger to facing adversity. He saved his daughter’s life in a shooting that left him severely injured. Now, he is using his platform to give back to the city that raised him. TRANSCRIPT: [COACH HARRINGTON GIVING ADVICE TO YOUNG PLAYER] SHAWN HARRINGTON, Children of Peace after-school […]