DRock

Pentagon readying thousands of Guard ‘reaction forces’ as U.S. mission widens The Defense Department’s newly established “quick reaction force” within the National Guard is being readied for civil unrest missions in U.S. cities.

"The National Guard Reaction Force is expected to complete civil unrest training and be fully operational by April 1...23,500 troops across all 50 states and three territories, excluding the District of Columbia, the documents say."

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

‘Measure of a Man’ showcases Black Panther leader Fred Hampton’s Chicago legacy In doing her research, playwright India Nicole Burton says she found that “I cannot not write about this guy.”

If Fred Hampton was alive today, who knows what the landscape of Chicago would look like?

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/29/m...

Northwestern University report: Newspapers closing, news deserts growing for beleaguered industry Some 136 newspapers in the United States have closed in the past year, news deserts are expanding and web traffic to the nation’s top newspapers has dropped markedly this decade, according to a rep…

"Daily newspaper circulation that averaged between 50 and 60 million people at the turn of the century now stands at just over 15 million.

An estimated 365,460 people worked at newspapers in 2005, and now that number is down to 91,550, the report said." www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/20/n...

They were already living in one of Chicago’s worst apartment buildings. Then came the ICE raid. In what appears to have been a warrantless operation, the federal government will not say how many people were detained, who remains in custody and what happened to the children.

They were already living in one of Chicago's worst apartment buildings. Then came the ICE raid. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/i...

Ignatian Volunteer Corps connects 50-year-old-plus set with a chance to help those in need Ignatian Volunteer Corps has partnered adults 50 years of age or older — many who are retirees — with organizations supporting people in need.

Ignatian Volunteer Corps. Chicago has been connecting the 50-year-old-plus set with a chance to help those in need for 25 years.
"People come to IVC for the service and stay for the community," according to Cathy Buescher, IVC’s Chicago program manager. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/i...

The creators of this year’s ‘Exquisite Corpse’ want the horror to live in your head Rough House Theatre’s annual Halloween show is back at Steppenwolf, with puppets, artists and environments telling you stories that you won’t understand right away.

The creators of this year's 'Exquisite Corpse' want the horror to live in your head.
“I don’t know of anyone else doing a peep-show haunted house that operates as this machine that brings groups of 12 people in and around a room," said co-director Corey Smith.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/t...

Chicago Public Library honors Percival Everett, José Olivarez and Mary Dempsey The 2025 Chicago Public Library Foundation Awards are honoring author Percival Everett, poet José Olivarez and Mary Dempsey, former commissioner of the Chicago Public Library.

Chicago Public Library honors Percival Everett, José Olivarez and Mary Dempsey. The award ceremony on Oct. 21, will be online soon. Until then, hear what our local awardees had to say about receiving this nod now.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/15/c...

MacArthur 2025 'genius grant' winners include a Chicago photographer

Chicago news media groups file suit against ICE and DHS, alleging excessive force against reporters Chicago news media groups filed suit against ICE and Homeland Security, claiming excessive force against reporters and protesters of immigration arrests.

Chicago news media groups file suit against ICE and DHS, alleging excessive force against reporters www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/06/c...

Appeals court denies bond for ex-Speaker Michael Madigan pending appeal; must report to prison Oct. 13 A federal appeals court Friday denied bond for ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan pending his appeal on corruption charges, a decision that means Madigan will have to report to prison Oct. 13 to bein…

Madigan must report to prison, appellate court rules www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/03/a...

ChiArts won’t seek renewal of CPS contract, making its future unclear

mailchi.mp/headlineclub...

A protester talks to U.S. Border Patrol agents near the Newberry Library in Chicago’s Gold Coast on Sept. 28, 2025, after they walked through downtown as part of an immigration blitz show of force. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Roughly 20 bystanders and passersby started following the officers through downtown Chicago, chanting “ICE, go home!”

The crowd of protesters around them grew bigger, yelling “shame.”

📝 @adrianaperez.bsky.social + Cam'ron Hardy
📷 @briancassella.bsky.social

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/28/i...

Donald Trump’s National Guard threat taps into traumas long held by Chicago’s Black community The idea of increased patrols across the city weighs heavily on Chicago’s Black communities, whose relationship with law enforcement is rooted in historical tensions and present-day fear.

Donald Trump's National Guard threat taps into traumas long held by Chicago’s Black community

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/27/c...

Leo High School’s choir advances to ‘America’s Got Talent’ finale They were one of six acts that garnered enough public votes to advance in a live results show and were announced as finalists in a post from “America’s Got Talent” to Instagram on Wednesday night.…

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/17/l...

‘A wonderful space for joy’: Former Greater Grand Crossing school reopened as arts incubator The Rebuild Foundation and artist Theaster Gates hosted the grand opening of arts incubator the Land School this week, revamping a space vacant since 2002.

“Come to the community, listen to what we have to say, listen to what we want, what we desire, what we dream about.”
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/19/a...

Leo High School’s choir advances to ‘America’s Got Talent’ finale

Lifeline Theatre’s ‘Rabbits in Their Pockets’ is inspired by African and Caribbean oral traditions The play, in part, is about “how we find our Black joy where there seems to be no joy anywhere else,” says director Christopher Wayland. We spoke with playwright Kimberly Dixon-Mays.

'Rabbits in Their Pockets' brings Black joy to the forefront @lifelinetheatre. Here, I speak with playwright Kimberly Dixon-Mays.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/12/r...

Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance gives $500K to 11 local nonprofits serving girls Michelle Obama, former first lady and founder of the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance, granted $500,000 to 11 Chicago organizations.

Mental health and trauma kits.
Mentorship, sisterhood and building confidence.
The @obamafoundation.bsky.social's Girls Opportunity Alliance is striving to uplift and empower girls with $500k in funds given to local girl-serving organizations.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/09/o...

“We are each other’s harvest: We are each other’s business: We are each other’s magnitude and bond," serves as a mantra In “Chicago’s Soul:The Words and Music of Gwendolyn Brooks and Curtis Mayfield." The next concert is 5 p.m., Sept. 13 at Garfield Park, free.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/09/c...

Black McDonald’s operators detail history of alleged racial discrimination in lawsuit For 25 years, Robert Bonner was committed to working for McDonald’s. But a lawsuit alleges McDonald’s thwarted Bonner’s attempts to sell his stores.

McDonald's lawsuit: "Our experience with McDonald's is what introduced us to hard-core racism..."
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/08/m...

As girls flag football continues to grow, Chicago Bears look to middle schoolers This summer, the Chicago Bears held several events that brought together local girls flag football teams at training camp.

Now that girls flag football is sanctioned in Illinois high schools, the @chicagobears want to bring middle schoolers into the fold. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/26/g...

The Chicago Reader finds new life with new buyer: ‘I’m grateful that it’s going to have a future’ The Chicago Reader was purchased by Seattle-based Noisy Creek, which also owns alternative weeklies The Stranger and the Portland Mercury.

Noisy Creek Media acquires the Chicago Reader. Plans on doubling down on growth, sustaining local journalism, and shared services are developing.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/26/c...

The Chicago Reader finds new life with new buyer: ‘I’m grateful that it’s going to have a future’ The Chicago Reader was purchased by Seattle-based Noisy Creek, which also owns alternative weeklies The Stranger and the Portland Mercury.

www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/26/c...

Manifesting ‘Destiny’: Danita Patterson building talent pipeline for Chicago’s expanding entertainment industry The Hyde Park native has been part of Hollywood for decades, but she doesn’t think people should have to leave Chicago to be in the industry.

Danita Patterson is passionate about bringing more production to Chicago, so she created Destiny Outreach.
“Our state is trying to make this where when you graduate there’s work in your backyard to do film/ TV, in front of or behind the scenes.”
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/11/h...

Floating Museum lets the public walk through history with latest inflatable, ‘for Mecca’ “For Mecca,” a mashup structure that people can walk through, draws on notable original Bronzeville buildings.

The Floating Museum's latest inflatable is both a celebration and a reckoning. "for Mecca" asks the question: What and who do we choose to memorialize? It's open to the public today from 1:30-6 p.m.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/09/f...

Project Unloaded empowers Chicago teens to change the narrative on guns and violence through social media More than 50 Chicago teens spent six weeks crafting anti-gun violence social media campaigns with the help of Project Unloaded.

"Getting to the place of shared understanding in the room is the heart work — not the hard work.”
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/07/p...

Leo High School choir headed to ‘America’s Got Talent’ quarterfinals in August Members of Leo High School’s choir are taking their fame in stride now that the melodic prowess of the 22 young men from the South Side Catholic school for boys has gone global.

This month, almost two dozen young men from Leo Catholic High School will venture to California to compete for the grand prize on 'America's Got Talent.'
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/28/l...

Black Panther Party’s Illinois history recognized with heritage trail The Black Panther Party Heritage Trail in Illinois marks 13 locations in Chicago where it the political group made history.

Too much history is being erased, overlooked, or being interpreted through a lens not our own. A new heritage trail that focuses on the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party aims to share its history on its own terms. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/02/b...

Block party shows UnBlocked Englewood’s progress on repairing South Side homes UnBlocked Englewood is acquiring vacant lots and repairing dozens of buildings on the South Side. The transformation has far been beyond the neighborhood’s expectations.

I wrote about "unblocked Englewood" when the concept was just getting underway. Now, progress can be seen in smiles and beautification. The brainchild of social justice artist/activist Tonika Johnson, the work continues. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/06/u...