1. What Happened to the Owners of Embeya?
The co-owners of the well-regarded West Loop spot fled the country, leaving massive unpaid bills and a legal mess for their business partners. Crain’s follows Komal Patel and Attila Gyulai.
2. These Fly Photos of Chicago Street Style in the 1980s Are a Parade of Yes
Jeff Wassmann’s series Chicago in the Reagan Era captures a city in transition. Timeline presents his work.
3. Despite Top Grades, Undocumented Students See College Dreams Deferred
Their performance can get them into their dream schools. Their citizenship status means they can’t get the aid they need to attend. Chicago talks to students from North-Grand High School in West Humboldt Park.
4. Fake ‘Corner Store’ Reminds North Lawndale of What It Doesn’t Have—Food
“Snacks & Liquor” advertises milk, eggs, “grocerys,” and more, but only for the television show it was built for. DNAinfo visits the facade at 19th and Kedzie.
5. The Fooditor Guide to Mexican Food on the West Side
It might be in the shadow of Pilsen and Little Village, but there’s diversity and authenticity to be found in Belmont Cragin. Fooditor picks the highlights.
6. The Case for Obstruction Charges
The investigation into Russian interference in the election has only just begun, but is there already a case against the president? Two University of Chicago law-school professors make the argument in the New York Times.
7. Planned Englewood School Closings Throw Harper’s Future into Question
The neighborhood has been promised a brand-new, $75 million, state-of-the-art school. But is that what it needs, or what its residents want? The Chicago Reporter explores the question.
8. Why the Cubs Shift Less Than Any Other Team in Baseball
It’s complicated. And the answer goes deep into how the team’s R&D department works. The Athletic analyzes the trend.
9. How Zoning Shaped—and Segregated—Chicago
The city’s 1923 zoning ordinance intertwined with redlining and contract selling to further divide it along racial lines. Chicago magazine tells the history.
10. The Waukegan Way: Hardscrabble Politics and Clean Energy
The blue-collar suburb’s demographics are changing. And its politics and economy may follow. NPR’s Latino USA reports from its mayoral race.