Vikki Ortiz Healy – Page 2

Nalini Patel, 12, loads the dishwasher as part of her chores at her family's home in Evanston.

Parents pay boys twice as much allowance as girls, company finds. Here’s why.

December 12, 2018 at 6:45 p.m.

In an era when many parents make concerted efforts to ensure that boys and girls have equal opportunities, a recent analysis of American families showed that boys are paid twice...

Shelly LeGere, mother of Annie LeGere, hugs Illinois state Rep. Deb Conroy before Gov. Bruce Rauner signed an amendment to "Annie's Law" at Elmhurst City Hall on July 31, 2018.

3 years after Elmhurst teen’s death following sleepover, Rauner signs law to equip first responders with EpiPens

December 12, 2018 at 10:34 p.m.

Three years after a 13-year-old Elmhurst girl died following a severe allergic reaction during a slumber party with friends, Gov. Bruce Rauner joined her family Tuesday to sign an amendment...

Sham, 2, talks to family members Khaled, from left, Abdulmajeed, Mohamad and Baraa Haj Khalaf, and Fattoum Bakir on July 16, 2018, at their apartment in Skokie.

Refugees who have settled in Chicago feel gratitude, guilt amid immigration crackdowns

December 12, 2018 at 9:48 p.m.

Any day now, Baraa Haj Khalaf will give birth to a baby boy, who will enter this world with the freedom and opportunity his refugee family has worked hard to...

As some airline seats get bigger, experts caution against ‘fat shaming and bias’

December 12, 2018 at 10:11 p.m.

With passengers on some United Airlines flights poised to get more seating room, health experts caution against shaming people for their size, as obesity continues to be chronic health condition...

Dozens of people hold hands and pray for immigrants and their families, as well as elected officials and others, outside the detention center in Broadview on July 13, 2018.

‘Chicago is the lighthouse’: Local Catholic leaders take the lead in supporting immigrants

December 12, 2018 at 9:15 p.m.

Leaders from the largest Catholic dioceses in the U.S. are meeting in Chicago this week to express their strong opposition to immigration crackdowns ordered by the U.S. government in recent...

Chicago-area mosquito abatement districts are seeing higher numbers of the bugs this summer, thanks to heavy rain followed by hot, dry conditions.

Chicagoland mosquito fighters struggle to keep up with this summer’s surge of blood suckers

December 12, 2018 at 9:07 p.m.

You’re not imagining it: There are significantly more mosquitoes than usual for this time of year in the Chicago area, thanks to a combination of heavy rain followed by hot,...

Products with cannabidiol for dogs are for sale at Happy Dog Barkery on July 3, 2018, in Downers Grove.

To calm dogs spooked by fireworks, pet owners are using treats made from marijuana plants

December 12, 2018 at 8:34 p.m.

As the sound of July fireworks sends terrified dogs running into closets, under the bed and possibly even away from home, many pet owners and veterinarians are buzzing about a...

Diane, who did not give her last name, smokes outside her building in the Dearborn Homes housing development on June 28, 2018, in Chicago.

As public housing buildings go smoke-free, health advocates mobilize to help residents quit

December 12, 2018 at 8:24 p.m.

Tasha Fontaine has repeatedly urged her 19-year-old son to quit smoking in apartments they’ve shared in Chicago and Melrose Park, but the mother’s warnings were never enough to stop him...

Toys R Us will close all stores this week after announcing its bankruptcy last fall.

So long, Toys R Us, from a kid who grew up

December 13, 2018 at 7:11 a.m.

When I was a kid, I used to beg my parents to take me to Toys R Us, for reasons that made sense to my 6-year-old brain. The logic went...

Animal activist brings vegan pop-up dinner to Chicago: ‘Kindness to animals is also good for people’

December 13, 2018 at 7:09 a.m.

Chicago, a city known for steakhouses and meat-and-potatoes eaters, doesn’t seem like an obvious stop for a vegan publicity tour. But Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, said...

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