How Chicago’s flag came to be
A century ago, author Wallace Rice covered the floor of his living room with colorful rectangles. He'd spent six weeks combining shapes and symbols, trying to find just the right...
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Wilmette’s Robbie Fulks up for first two Grammy Awards on Sunday
When Robbie Fulks began making his 12th studio album, he set a lofty goal for himself. The country-folk singer-songwriter-guitarist, who lives in Wilmette, recalls saying: "It's boring doing the same...
Chicago police were condemned in 1904 for drinking, slouching, ignoring crime
Too many of Chicago's cops weren't doing their jobs. Slouching in unkempt uniforms, they drank whiskey in saloons when they should have been walking their beats. And they ignored crimes...
Terri Hemmert narrates ‘Rock and Soul’ a cappella concert
In her classroom at Columbia College, WXRT-FM disc jockey Terri Hemmert helps students prepare for a future in radio. She does it by teaching them about the past. Since the...
Long before iPhones, cops battled phone use in fight against gambling
It's probably safe to assume that shortly after man first harnessed the power of fire, someone committed the first act of arson. And so it has gone with every great...
Waco Brothers release first album in 11 years at FitzGerald’s
The Waco Brothers used to make studio records at a fairly brisk pace — releasing seven albums from 1995 to 2005 with their rousing mix of punk guitar riffs and...
Former Live frontman Kowalczyk plays ‘Throwing Copper’ unplugged
At the height of the grunge era, the Pennsylvania rock band Live's second album, "Throwing Copper," was on the Billboard charts for a year before it finally reached No. 1...
A New Documentary Pays Homage to Chicago’s Breakfast Queen
See Breakfast at Ina’s at the Chicago International Film Festival.
A New Documentary Explores the Quiet Philanthropy of Julius Rosenwald
The Hyde Park resident started "the single-most important funding agency for African-American culture in the twentieth century."
‘Now Arriving’ remembers fancy free time at Chicago airports
There was a time when you could walk into airports without worrying about metal detectors. You could greet friends — or even celebrities — as they exited airplanes, coming down...