1. Men of Steel
What happens when you get Chance the Rapper and Lin-Manuel Miranda together? Complex finds out.
2. The New Superstar in Town
Elena Delle Donne is the reigning MVP of the WNBA and the face of the league. She’s come a long way since almost quitting the sport. Chicago sits down with the Chicago Sky’s leader.
3. Chicago’s Black Picket Fences Have Never Stopped Gunfire
Kenwood—former home of the Obamas—is about 70 percent black. About 17 percent of residents are below the poverty line; about 31 percent have an advanced degree. Its wealthy residents take a huge financial risk in buying into their neighborhood. Ebony and the Chicago Reporter collaborate on a story about the neighborhood.
4. Mixed Signals: Do Chicago’s Crosswalk Buttons Actually Work?
Yes and no. Specifically about ten percent actually do anything; the rest are “legacy buttons.” WBEZ explains.
5. Officer in Laquan McDonald Shooting ‘Not the Monster’ People Think, Wife Says
Tiffany Van Dyke opens up about her husband, Jason Van Dyke. The Tribune gets an exclusive interview.
6. Chicago Government’s Resistance to Police Reform
The mayor didn’t muzzle his Police Accountability Task Force, and the result was damning. But will the results be similarly unrestrained? Aldertrack looks at the possibilities.
7. Playboy Magazine and the Architecture of Seduction
A new exhibit at the Elmhurst Museum explores its influence on the design world. Architect Magazine talks to its curator.
8. Past Due: Crisis Can Spur Decisions, But Are They Good Decisions?
Illinois residents better hope so, but it’s a pretty forlorn hope. WUIS looks at a state that’s always in distress mode.
9. Is the ‘Ferguson Effect’ Real? Researcher Has Second Thoughts
In 2015, homicides increased 17 percent in 56 large cities; two-thirds of the increase came from just 10 cities, including Chicago. What’s driving it? The Guardian follows the ongoing debate.
10. Well-Off Millennials Are Flooding Chicago’s Rental Market
People between ages 25 and 34, making 80 percent or more of the area median income, have come to dominate the Cook County rental market. It’s a big change from the last decade. Chicago magazine runs the numbers.