1. The Teen Streets of John Hughes’s Chicago
The son of a roofing salesman, Hughes used the city’s affluent suburbs to explore status outside the city limits. The New York Times follows his path.
2. Chicago’s First Scapegoat: Jay Cutler
The embattled QB has given the Bears what is, for him, a typical season. Why’d he get benched? Grantland breaks down his year.
3. Secrets of Prize-Winning Journalism: This American Life’s Harper High School
Alex Kotlowitz, Ben Calhoun, and Linda Lutton describe how they reported the epic piece. Poynter goes inside their process.
4. Toronto Gallery Buys Jeffrey Goldstein’s Entire Collection of Vivian Maier Negatives
The late Chicago street photographer has become an industry long after her death. A gallery owner explains how that works. Steven Bulger of the Stephen Bulger Gallery talks to Street Shootr.
5. New Hope or a Phantom Menace?
Preliminary designs for George Lucas’s lakefront museum were roundly panned. But let’s open up the pods before we dismiss it. The Architect’s Newspaper re-examines MAD Architect’s radical vision.
6. Rents May Be Going Up, But Albany Park Residents Say They’re Not Going Anywhere
The northwest-side neighborhood looks like the next frontier in gentrification. A community land trust hopes to keep costs down for current renters. WBEZ profiles Casas del Pueblo.
7. Tribune Study: Chicago Red Light Cameras Provide Few Safety Benefits
Commissioned by the paper, experts finds that some red-light camera locations have resulted in mixed benefits—and others might be making things worse, challenging the city’s narrative. The Tribune investigates.
8. Why Chinese Millionaires Are Investing in Chicago Real Estate
The price of high-end downtown condos has rebounded from pre-recession levels—thanks to huge investments from foreign brokers looking for a more affordable market than the coasts. Chicago explains why they’re buying up luxury real estate.
9. I Was Addicted to ‘Serial.’ Now What?
If you were too, you’ll appreciate this guide from local radio pros. The Third Coast Audio Festival picks some hits.
10. Remembering Lee Sandlin, a Genius of Midwestern Letters
Author of three books and some of the best longform essays to appear in the city, the Chicago writer passed away last weekend. Chicago remembers his work.