WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Chicago writer, baseball fan, and high school teacher Billy Lombardo has made a name for himself as a poet. But this spring, he's out with his first novel. It's called The Man With Two Arms. Eight Forty Eight's book critic Donna Seaman talks to Lombardo.

Just when you thought you'd never put on a short-sleeved shirt again you look up and there are signs that the winter freeze is loosing its grip. The average temperature creeps up the thermometer. There seems to be a flicker of hope in people's eyes.

To learn how those affected by school closings really feel about the impact on their community we now visit the archives of WBEZ's production unit called The Factory, segments that were first heard on Vocalo.org and produced by Robin Amer.

Chicago is at the epicenter of a school reform strategy that's being taken nationwide.

An emerging drug has police officers and healthcare workers alike scratching their heads. K2, as the drug is called, provides a marijuana-like high. It's undetectable through regular means of drug detection which makes it even more difficult to get a handle on.