TV is fascinated by ‘zombie’ fungus. So is this Chicago scientist.
Field Museum researcher Matt Nelsen took WBEZ deep into collections to see the mind-controlling fungus that inspired HBO’s “The Last of Us.” Here’s what we learned.
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Six months with a Chicago shooting survivor: Fear, pain and frustration with police
He wants to help catch the person who shot him. First he has to get police to work with him — then he has to pick the right guy.
U.S. Housing Secretary Marcia Fudge gives Chicago $60 million to fight homelessness
The city received the largest sum of federal funds toward combating the issue.
A Woodlawn migrant shelter sparks anger — and reflection — among Black and Latino residents
Woodlawn residents say they’ve been kept in the dark about the shelter by the city, but some see this as an opportunity to come together.
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When it comes to police accountability, how much power does a Chicago mayor have?
WBEZ’s Patrick Smith explains how police accountability works in Chicago and how much power the mayor has in that process.
Take the Chicago mayoral candidate quiz
Get instant results to help you make a smart choice at the polls on Feb. 28.
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This 34-year-old wrote an opera that channels Aaliyah and ‘Gatorade’ gospel
The Factotum, the debut from Chicago baritone Will Liverman, is not your grandparents’ opera.
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Enrollment is shrinking at Chicago Public Schools. Here’s how the nine mayoral candidates would address it.
From school closings to shrinking enrollment and finances, the candidates for mayor have a lot to talk about for the future of Chicago’s schools.
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Paul Vallas will keep campaign contribution from former CPS board member
The decision marks an about-face from his stand in 2019, when he returned a donation from Deborah Quazzo.
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Lightfoot, Green blast Wilson for ‘rabbits’ remark at forum — but Wilson stands by his take on suspects
In a testy debate between nine mayoral candidates, businessman Willie Wilson was targeted for his repeated calls for police to be allowed to “hunt people down like rabbits.“
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Chicago mom fought Lurie Children’s Hospital for three years to get overbilling for newborn reversed
Illinois law bars insurers from charging out-of-network rates for neonatal care at in-network hospitals. But that didn’t keep it from happening to this Chicago family.
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This activist’s life shows abortion access is not just a ‘white woman’s movement’
Marie Leaner was one of the few Black members of a covert abortion network active in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s. On the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, she tells her story.
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A new exhibit in Chicago marries the art and poetry of South Asian women
“Testimonies on Paper” features 13 poems crafted in response to works of art from Chicago’s South Asia Institute.
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Nykia Wright departs as Chicago Sun-Times CEO
She joined the paper in 2017, leading it through new digital efforts and its conversion to nonprofit status as part of Chicago Public Media.
Chicago’s top doctor, Allison Arwady, is still standing
Frayed public health leaders left their posts in droves as the pandemic wore on. Not Arwady — she is steeling herself for her next front.
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Food businesses pop up in 875 North Michigan to offer ‘a little taste of the South Side’
It’s a chance for these shops “to have exposure outside their neighborhoods,” said Tamieka Hardy of the Greater Chatham Initiative.
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Some restaurants are still adding surcharges of up to 20% to your bill. Should they?
Nearly 11% of eateries taking part in Restaurant Week are adding surcharges to checks. The fees that started during the pandemic are illegal in New York.
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Can the Altgeld Gardens Memorial Wall be saved?
Some residents say the wall serves as a “historic monument” to those who lived in the community. It’s in danger of being demolished.
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Vallas gets help in Chicago mayoral bid from controversial ex-CPS board member
Vallas gave back $500 from Deborah Quazzo in 2019, but the businesswoman has donated $7,500 to his campaign in next month’s election.
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How to vote in Chicago’s 2023 municipal elections
How to register to vote, find your polling place and mail your ballot in Chicago’s election for mayor, aldermen and district council races.
