Proximity to Phoenix Suns’ home boosts growth of FanDuel’s sportsbook
By Xiaotao Zhong Medill Reports PHOENIX – Since opening its first physical retail location in Arizona six months ago, FanDuel has been booming thanks to the recently rising local NBA team and the influx of out-of-state customers. “There is a positive momentum with gambling becoming more of a phenomenon as well as the fact that […]
WATCH: Meet ‘Korean Vegan’ Joanne Lee Molinaro, a NYT best-selling author who left her lawyer job to dedicate herself to being a social media influencer
By Winnie Hsu Medill Reports Joanne Lee Molinaro, aka the Korean Vegan, is now a New York Times best-selling author. Molinaro explored her career change from a law firm partner in Chicago to a social media influencer with 3 million followers on TikTok. Molinaro’s TikTok videos are one of a kind. She talks about her […]
When school is out, soccer at Chicago Fire youth camps fill void
By Xiaotao Zhong Medill Reports The Chicago Fire Soccer in the Community outreach program fired up recreational soccer camp for children of different age groups and skill levels across the Chicago area on Presidents Day at the Fire Pitch field in Roscoe Village. The program runs holiday camps, summer camps, tournaments and classes to provide […]
Chicago food influencers offer their top recommendations
By Jackie Walsh Medill Reports From deep-dish pizza to Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago is a food lover’s dream. Approximately 280 of the 7,300 restaurants in the city closed in the last three months of 2021 alone, according to data from the food and beverage analytics firm Datassential. COVID-19 and restaurant restrictions took a serious toll […]
WATCH: Hole 13 of Phoenix Open gives fans a close-up view, relaxing oasis
By Xiaotao Zhong Medill Reports The Waste Management Phoenix Open is known for attracting the largest and most energized crowds in any golf tournament. This is often based on the crowds at the 16th hole, where the mass of fans gather in an enclosed stadium that requires additional admission. While all eyes were on the […]
Twitter activist and educator Kristin Flanary advocates for caretakers and holistic health care
By Boutayna Chokrane Medill Reports Kristin Flanary’s husband almost died on her three times. In his 20s, Will Flanary battled testicular cancer — twice. Then, in May 2020, he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Kristin Flanary called 911. She performed CPR as her unconscious husband turned blue, then purple and finally gray. After paramedics arrived […]
March madness: Meet the growing number of ‘ice monsters’ who swim in Lake Michigan during its coldest month of the year
By Sarah Berman Medill Reports At 7 a.m on a Sunday in January, Steve Hernan and two other “ice monsters” are getting ready to descend into 33-degree Lake Michigan. The holdup: They’re still using an ax to free ice from a neon green ladder. Hernan, 54, is kneeling in the snow, leaning over the water […]
Even at Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend, Kobe Bryant’s shadow looms large over LA
By Jonathan Fernandez Medill Reports LOS ANGELES — Super Bowl Sunday and the Rams taking the trophy on their home turf – it’s the one day you would expect LA to fully live in the moment. But someone was missing. With the champagne flowing as the Rams celebrated their Super Bowl victory, wide receiver Cooper […]
WATCH: Western musical mixed with Peking opera — a Mu Lan story you have never seen before
By Ingrid Huang Medill Reports “The Ballad of Mu Lan” is a mix of Eastern and Western culture. Integrating Western classical music with Jing Ju, or Peking opera, director Alvin Chan created a musical about the Chinese heroine Mu Lan and her story of joining the army instead of her father. The play is produced […]
Formation of Negro Leagues remind us of players breaking down barriers — a lesson for this season’s lockout
By Joseph Acosta Medill Reports The lockout in Major League Baseball where owners and players can’t meet in the middle had players calling for Commissioner Rob Manfred to step down so a compromise can be reached. With the first games of the season canceled, baseball fans were losing faith in owners’ ability to make a […]