Clashes between police and demonstrators continue in Chicago
By Emiliana Molina A Medill Newsmakers Report The numbers of people killed by police each year are disproportionally Black and Latino. Eight people were killed by Chicago police officers in 2015 and seven of them were African American. The pain, anger and fear felt every time there is a new name involved with police shootings […]
Exploring school security in Lahore, Pakistan
By Patrick Martin Reporting from Lahore, Pakistan “We have our own weapons too,” Rana Mohammad said as he unwrapped the cloth surrounding a long-barreled revolver which he keeps locked in his desk. This high school principal has the number for the local police, the Punjab Highway Patrol and the local army barracks displayed on his […]
With adaptive sports like wheelchair basketball, Chicago is a hub for disabled youths shooting hoops
By Haydee Clotter For disabled young people who use wheelchairs to get around, being on a basketball team may once have been an impossible dream. But now teams like the Chicago Skyhawks allow them to play a version of the game adapted for wheelchair users. The Skyhawks are one of several adaptive sports programs throughout Chicago where young […]
When volunteers help connect beat cops with communities, crime often goes down
By Jasmine Cen A beat facilitator is a volunteer who connects Chicago police officers working a beat with members of the community to help combat neighborhood violence. [vimeo 159123979 w=474] Beat facilitators meet monthly with the officers to talk about safety concerns at Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) meetings. The CAPS program began in 1993. More than 200 meetings happen every […]
Advances in treatment mean ACL injuries are no longer career-enders for athletes
By Benji Cohen Years ago, when an athlete tore their ACL (the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee), they would never be the same athlete or, worse, it may have meant their career was over. New surgical techniques and physical therapy rehabilitation that have developed over the past several years have changed that. It’s now possible […]
A Syracuse stunner: The Orange overcome a 15-point deficit in the second half to defeat Virginia
By Adam Rossow Eleven years after Illinois overcame a 15-point deficit to beat Arizona the last time Chicago hosted a regional final, another team clad in orange and navy mounted its own come-from-behind charge to advance to the Final Four.
A hoops homecoming: a former Niles North star to play in the Sweet 16
By Adam Rossow If Iowa State forward Abdel Nader feels nervous coming home for the Sweet 16, he masterfully hid it Thursday afternoon at the United Center. In the first few minutes of practice, Abdel (pronounced Ab-DOOL) poked a ball away from a teammate, dribbled it simultaneously with the ball in his other hand, before […]
Program hopes to ignite passion, preserve culture with Mariachi in Chicago Schools
By Haydee Clotter Cesar Maldonado is currently an investment banker and grew up around Mariachi music his entire life. He didn’t have a music background but combined his passion for Mariachi music and his community. As a CPS alumnus at Davis Elementary School, Maldonado took it upon himself to start The Mariachi Heritage Foundation. The […]
Student loan debt and the fate of the Millennial Generation
By Kristen Vake Since the time she was 13 years old Nena Delgado has had a heavy weight on her shoulders. Her dad passed away that year, leaving her mom to provide for her and her younger sister. As soon as Nena was old enough to work, she did, and she soon became her mom’s partner in […]
With an assist from the Blackhawks, a family tries to honor their son’s last wish
By Caley Chelios For weeks, 5-year-old Ross MacNeill had been experiencing headaches. His mom, Kim MacNeill, took him to the doctor for an MRI. Shortly after, on July 3, 2009, she received a phone call she would never forget. The doctor said the test showed her son Ross — whom she called “the greatest bundle […]