Stephanie Lulay

The arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are a test for every MSM member with a platform. If you are not voicing your outrage at this blatant violation of the First Amendment, you are utterly discredited as a journalist.

Here’s how small businesses are supporting action during Chicago's general strike on Friday: blockclubchi.co/4qW4isG

Meet The Immigrant Seamstress Who Has Made Banners For United Center Legends For 40 Years Maria Estela Parra, a South Sider and Mexican immigrant, made Derrick Rose’s newly retired No. 1 banner — and virtually all others hanging from the stadium’s rafters — alongside her coworkers at W.G.N...

When Derrick Rose's #1 was raised to the United Center rafters Saturday, it capped a months-long effort led by Maria Estela Parra, a South Sider and Mexican immigrant who's helped make nearly every honorary banner at the arena. blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/29/m...

Meet the seamstress who has made banners for United Center legends for 40 years.

Maria Estela Parra, a South Sider and Mexican immigrant, made Derrick Rose’s newly retired No. 1 banner — and virtually all others hanging from the stadium’s rafters — alongside her coworkers. blockclubchi.co/3NSm9BV

Fugitive Ex-Loretto Leader At Center Of $300 Million COVID Scandal Arrested In Serbia Ahmed had been living abroad in Dubai — with federal prosecutors calling him a "fugitive" — since shortly before prosecutors brought charges against him in the Loretto Hospital case.

BREAKING: Fugitive Ex-Loretto Leader At Center Of $300 Million COVID Scandal Arrested In Serbia

The U.S. government has requested his extradition.

blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/28/f...

'Abolish ICE' Submitted 9,200 Times For Chicago Snowplow Naming Contest, Records Show Anti-ICE sentiments made up nearly 80 percent of submissions. Voting for the top five names opens Sunday and runs through Feb. 14.

Courtesy of a good journo friend who stays curious
blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/28/a...

"Abolish ICE" was submitted 9,200 times for Chicago's snowplow naming contest, records show. blockclubchi.co/3ZAnDTZ

A West Ridge crossing guard is earning praise after carrying students across a street flooded with icy water due to a water main break.
blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/22/c...

Cheese Grater Guy got prime seats to the Bears playoff game thanks to his favorite beer. blockclubchi.co/4aWS0Lo

Cheese Grater Guy Gets Prime Seats To Bears Playoff Game Thanks To His Favorite Beer Brandon Martinez went viral after he snuck a cheese grater into Soldier Field with some liquid courage courtesy of "Miller Lattes." The beer brand is returning the favor with two tickets to Sunday's B...

Cheese Garter Guy, worthy standard-bearer of this rare Bears playoff run blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/16/c...

How chains are changing Fulton Market, which was once the hot spot for indie restaurants and retailers. blockclubchi.co/4sDOETJ

Chicago’s Domestic Homicides Surged Last Year Even As Overall Violent Crime Dropped Martina Mosby was the first of at least 63 people killed in domestic homicides in 2025. Experts say the increase is in part due to federal funding cuts to victim services programs.

The rise in DV homicides led one legal aid org to offer guardianship & POA services

“No one wants to think about the fact that your abuser might murder you, but it is a real truth, & you can be prepared for it"

My latest for @blockclubchi.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/13/c...

Chicago’s Domestic Homicides Surged Last Year Even As Overall Violent Crime Dropped Martina Mosby was the first of at least 63 people killed in domestic homicides in 2025. Experts say the increase is in part due to federal funding cuts to victim services programs.

While homicides and most violent crime decreased in Chicago in 2025...domestic violence climbed. Domestic fatal shootings specifically rose by 50%.

Martina Mosby was one of 63 people killed in a domestic violence homicide last year.

✍️ @minabloom.bsky.social

blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/13/c...

A blue-collar worker has found fame as "Cheese Grater Guy" during the Bears’ iconic playoff win over the Packers. blockclubchi.co/3Nu2vfn

@blockclubchi.bsky.social is bringing neighbors together to reflect on Operation Midway Blitz in Little Village.

📅6 PM 1/20
📍Apollo's 2000
🤝Mariachi. Food. Shop immigrant-owned businesses. Hear from ppl most impacted w/ @franciagarciah.bsky.social

Free. RSVP:
secure.everyaction.com/ar7Aboam10KQ...

The Bears win!

The Bears beat the Packers in the playoffs as their storybook season continues, and Chicago is going wild.

blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/10/b...

Before federal agents killed a Minnesota mom, they killed a man in Chicago and shot a woman 5 times. blockclubchi.co/4jxafcA

Minn. Officials Say They’re Being Blocked From Investigating Fatal ICE Shooting Federal officers fired tear gas to disperse early-morning protesters as outrage mounted in Minneapolis over the killing of a 37-year-old woman in her vehicle.

Breaking News: U.S. agencies blocked Minnesota officials from investigating the fatal shooting a 37-year-old woman by a federal immigration agent, a state official said.

The archives for the old Curbed city sites have been offline for at least two weeks. If these sites are gone for good, it’s not just a loss for those who contributed to Curbed over the years, but a loss of ~15 years of reporting on new development, neighborhoods, and architecture criticism.

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

NEW: @blockclubchi.bsky.social debuted “Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City.”

The interactive project is part investigation & part archive — a permanent record of what happened when the federal govt used violence on its own people. blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

Rich reporting and storytelling here from the team at @blockclubchi.bsky.social. Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

We've been quietly at work, taking a look back at how Operation Midway Blitz changed Chicago and what happened after hundreds of federal agents detained immigrants. Unlike what the feds claimed, over 60% of those arrested did not have criminal charges.

READ:

blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...

The @blockclubchi.bsky.social team's Chicago roots run deep. For this project, we talked to neighbors across the city about how President Donald Trump's surge in immigration enforcement — operations Midway Blitz and At Large — have changed our city. blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/30/c...

Please take some time today to read the culmination of @blockclubchi.bsky.social's most intensive reporting undertaking in its history: An exhaustive account of a city under siege and how Operation Midway Blitz changed Chicago.

NEW: Our project, “Chicago Under Siege,” documents the fear people lived in, the ways they sought to organize and resist and the heartbreak they experienced under Operation Midway Blitz. blockclubchi.co/3Ye4GGa

Chicago has gone through a year like none other, and its residents have faced it with resilience. @blockclubchi.bsky.social's team has covered it all — from the onslaught of Operation Midway Blitz to the glimmers of joy around the city.

Chicago 2025 in Photos:
blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/29/c...

Block Club Chicago is nominated for three Chicago Reader Best of Chicago 2025 awards!

Vote Block Club for:
▪️ Best Newsletter
▪️ Best Independent Website
▪️ Best Newspaper

Voting is open through Dec. 31 — and winners are chosen by YOU. 🗳️

VOTE NOW: blockclubchi.co/3Ya97Sq

ICE’s Illinois arrests during Trump’s crackdown were among the nation’s highest — and most people arrested didn’t have criminal records.

Here are 4 other findings our investigative team discovered from ICE's own data: blockclubchi.co/3YM9x1i

Chicago Journalists Swap Bylines For Basslines In New Christmas Album For Charity The Chicago Media Chorus dropped its first Christmas album last week to raise money for StreetWise and spread holiday cheer.

It's been a difficult year.

Proud of these Chicago journalists for finding room for joy this season while raising money for those in need.

@latrace.bsky.social @ctoner.bsky.social @mauriciopena.bsky.social + more