Lauren Leazenby –

Signage at the ticket booth at The Second City, photographed Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, in Chicago.

Chicago arts organizations are pushing inclusion efforts — but do audiences see them as effective?

September 24, 2020 at 6:04 p.m.

In the midst of a summer of racial reckoning, Lyric Opera asked its audience: How do we combat racism? And they answered: Bring diversity to the main stage, foster a...

Cheri Tatar, left, gets assistance from her wife, Amber Mandley, going up the stairs at their Irving Park home.

COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities have prompted some seniors to receive care at home instead

September 18, 2020 at 3:19 p.m.

This year threw Amber Mandley an extra curveball: Her wife, Cheri Tatar, had a stroke in May. Due to hospital COVID-19 protocol, they weren't able to see each other for...

Without a personal trainer or instructor, working out at home can be like working out in a vacuum.

Exercising at home? Here are 5 ways you might be screwing up your workouts — and how to avoid common pitfalls.

September 16, 2020 at 10:49 a.m.

Gyms and fitness centers have reopened but for some, exercise is still an at-home activity. Yet without a personal trainer or instructor to tell you your push-up form is wrong,...

Jacob Bond, of Des Plaines, has his picture taken sitting next to the "This Is Fine" dog meme at the MEME Museum exhibition in the 6th Dimension Space + Gallery, 2511 W. North Ave., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Chicago.

‘Life is but a meme’: Humboldt Park Meme Museum is ‘relatable’ in difficult times

September 13, 2020 at 5:47 p.m.

Memes are the comedy language of the internet — from "mocking Spongebob," "cat at the dinner table," and "Kermit the Frog sipping tea" to classics like "LOL guy" and "Doge."...

The view from the 52nd floor outdoor space.

As homes become offices, gyms and more, COVID-19 has upended how we think our living spaces should work

September 10, 2020 at 11:55 a.m.

Your home is working overtime during the pandemic. For many, what was once just a dwelling has become classroom, office, restaurant, gym, movie theater and more. COVID-19 has not only...

Refrigerated van offers local nonprofit a way to tackle food insecurity worsened by COVID-19

September 4, 2020 at 10:51 a.m.

In just the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, food and clothing pantry Care for Real registered more new clients than it did in all of 2019 — and...

Participants gather and shout "All Power to the People" at the One Million Man March rally at Daley Plaza in Chicago on June 19, 2020.

What you need to know about Black Lives Matter in 10 questions

September 3, 2020 at 4:15 p.m.

You've seen it on protester signs and in your neighbor's yard, or maybe it's painted in block letters on your street — but what is Black Lives Matter? What's the...

Details of the stage area are seen Oct. 10, 2017, at the Congress Theater in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. An investment group has plans to start a $65 million renovation in the next three to four months, with a goal of reopening the 1920s-era building in 2019.

Foreclosure suit may derail Logan Square’s Congress Theater rehabilitation

September 1, 2020 at 3:46 p.m.

The multimillion dollar restoration of the iconic Congress Theater in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood has been in the works since 2015. But, a recent foreclosure lawsuit may have dealt plans...

Back to school: Here’s what some kids are saying

August 31, 2020 at 1:51 p.m.

By Abel Uribe, Lauren Leazenby and Milan Polk baiduhai August 20, 2020, 9:45 a.m. Lorenzo Grippe is not excited to start 4th grade online, but he understands the impact...

The River North candle is inspired by the rich scent of the aged timber lofts of River North, with notes of sandalwood, amber and musk.

What does Andersonville smell like? Or Pilsen or Hyde Park? A candlemaker customizes scents to fit the ‘personality’ of Chicago neighborhoods

August 31, 2020 at 9:33 a.m.

Lakeview smells like the summer breeze coming off the lake, rainwater and hints of jasmine and citrus — or, at least, that's what the neighborhood smells like in candle form,...

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