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April 2008
American Gigolo
By Richard Babcock
Fifty years ago this April, a young man from Woodstock, Illinois, named Johnny Stompanato was stabbed to death in the bedroom of his lover, the movie goddess Lana Turner. Stompanato was a minor hoodlum and notorious Lothario, and news accounts eviscerated his character in the media frenzy after his death. Now a writer, also from Woodstock, follows a fading trail to find how a small-town Midwesterner landed at the heart of one of Hollywood's most enduring scandals. Read more
The Haunted
By Christopher Benson
Playwright Ifa Bayeza didn't set out to write about Emmett Till. Then Emmett reached out to her, she says, and refused to let go. Read more
Imaginary Friends
By Anne Halliday
We're not sure what to do now that the sketch comedy group Schadenfreude has returned. Laugh? Hide our children? Read more
Draft Picks
By Jennifer Wehunt
Just short jaunts from Chicago, these six drive-worthy microbreweries offer behind-the-scenes tours—and plenty of samples Read more
The Shining
Now in their second year, the Green Awards prove there is no end to our citizens' eco-accomplishments. With nearly 100 nominations to choose from, we narrowed the list down to five remarkable individuals who strive for a brighter, cleaner, and greener future. Read more