1. The 2014 Guide to Chicago’s Private High Schools
CPS’s selective-enrollment schools are great but hard to get into. Here’s how to navigate the alternatives. Chicago compares and contrasts your options.
2. Logan Square Megamall Rich in History, But Neighborhood Ready to Move On
It’s racked up more than 100 code violations in almost 20 years, but it’s also been a “small-business incubator” for the Latino and Korean communities. DNAInfo tells the story of the Milwaukee Avenue institution.
3. The Heir’s Not Apparent
Vivian Maier’s work has become big business, with prints selling for more than $2,000 apiece. But who does her work, and the money it’s generating, belong to? The New York Times pulls the threads.
4. What Can Violence in Chicago Teach Doctors in the Navy?
Stroger Hospital provides a training ground for treating war-zone trauma. The Washington Post looks inside the new program.
5. Theaster Gates Curates a ‘Retreat’ Exhibition for Black Artists
In August, the art star held a two-day “Black Artists Retreat.” The results, on display through October 4, are stunning. The Sun-Times profiles the exhibition.
6. Judge Posner’s Gay Marriage Opinion Is a Witty, Deeply Moral Masterpiece
The 7th Circuit jurist shot down gay-marriage bans in Indiana and Wisconsin in memorable fashion. Slate analyzes the famous judge’s takedown.
7. How Civic Hackers Are Helping Local Journalism
Chicago’s community-oriented techies are rolling out data-driven apps about their city. Columbia Journalism Review tours their work.
8. Changing Political History, In a Closet Near You
Meet the ominous, charming, friendly, frightening voices behind election-season ads. WBEZ talks with local voice-over actors who narrate the campaign home stretch.
9. Q&A: Rick Perlstein on Ronald Reagan and His New Book, ‘The Invisible Bridge’
Missed the ’70s? They were weird. Reagan was a refreshing contrast. Chicago interviews the historian about his third book on the modern conservative movement.
10. Black and White and Blues: Chicago’s 1970s South Side Nightclub Scene
The late nightlife photographer Michael Abramson captured Perv’s House, the High Chaparral, and other hotspots across the city’s diverse music clubs. American Photo highlights the first major exhibition of his work in almost 40 years.