Blackhawks pride around every corner
Chicago has unabashedly become a Blackhawks town, with the colors red and black, logos, gear, helmets, banners and flags around just about every corner. A few of the sightings this week along the North Michigan Avenue corridor. Click on photo to open up a full-screen gallery. (Scott Guthrie/Medill) Photo at top: In what has become […]
Chicago hosts Dutch king and queen
By Meghan Morris The king and queen of the Netherlands completed a whirlwind visit to the Windy City on Wednesday, taking on-stage selfies and tours of local educational institutions. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrived Tuesday night after spending time in Canada, Washington, D.C., and Grand Rapids, Mich. The couple came to the U.S. to […]
Founder of 1871 envisions the future of Chicago
By Yimian Wu The founder of the high-tech incubator 1871, philanthropist J.B. Pritzker, called for risk-taking and revolution to create Chicago’s “next big thing” at the annual luncheon of the Metropolitan Planning Council on Wednesday. “It is the idea that we are willing to take risks that is going to get us the next wave or the next answer. […]
Concrete of the future heals itself
By Meghan Morris This microbiologist uses a non-scientific term to describe his cure for cracking concrete: limestone-pooping bacteria. Henk Jonkers, a professor at Delft University School of Technology in the Netherlands, has created a patented mixture containing bacteria that, when exposed to water, produce limestone that fills microcracks in concrete. If these cracks aren’t filled, […]
Food industry looks to import eggs as bird flu spreads, prices spike
By Traci Badalucco and Christina Bucciere The egg product industry is feeling the effect of the biggest avian flu outbreak in U.S. history more than consumers, so far, as the virus has infected more than 35 million egg-laying hens across the country. The wholesale price of a dozen large eggs nearly doubled since the beginning […]
Sandor predicts a U.S. water futures market
By Lucy Ren Known for his invention of financial futures and carbon trading, environmental economist Richard Sandor predicted on Tuesday that Western drought will lead to the launch of a U.S. water futures market as soon as the next year. Scarce resources like water and air will replace crude oil as the most important commodities of the 21st […]
Ricketts v. Rooftops: A breakdown of Wrigley rooftop ownership
By Hannah Beery In the six years since the Ricketts family acquired 95 percent of the Cubs and Wrigley Field, the battle for surrounding outfield rooftop ownership has rarely ceased and the turmoil continues. One rooftop owner was indicted in March for underreporting attendance and revenue figures to state and local taxing authorities, as well as […]
Wilmette teen documentary spurs food allergy awareness, more training
By Traci Badalucco Restaurant workers need to know if a salad dressing has peanut oil or whether the pasta is made from eggs. With food allergies on the rise in the U.S., experts and consumers want food handlers in restaurants to improve their knowledge and awareness about ingredients. Allergy prevalence in the U.S. increased 50 […]
Yum’s decision in China: To dump or not to dump
Updated June 3 with comment from OSI Group LLC By Yimian Wu Hedge funds such as Third Point and Corvex Management favor Yum! Brands Inc., for one thing: China. But activist investors propose divesting Yum’s China division, which generates half Yum’s revenue, as a giant franchisee that would pay big, steady royalty fees. According to Bloomberg, the founder of activist […]
Chicago offers affordable options for beginner golfers
By Scott Guthrie Local golf courses reported less traffic Memorial Day weekend than in years past, reflecting a national trend indicative of the game’s decreasing popularity. “We were [only] down about 20 rounds,” said Tom Donovan, general manager at Robert A. Black golf course in Chicago. “But it’s nothing to scoff at.” Since 2011, an […]