Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Latest News”

What Being A ‘Victims’ Advocate’ Means for One Chicago Pastor

Pastor Donovan Price is the Founder of Solutions and Resources, a non-profit working to provide healing for survivors of gun violence in Chicago. He was also one of the people out trying to help victims’ families this weekend, when Chicago Police say 5...

Chicago Police Say Morale Is Worse Than Ever

First a pandemic and scrutiny over police brutality. Now, police say long hours are hurting efforts to improve officer mental health. Alexa James, a wellness advisor for the Chicago Police Department, speaks about the challenge of caring for Chicago’s ...

Why Signs of Climate Change Are More Severe Up North

Why does it seem like there are more severe signs of climate change, in our northern hemisphere, in the extreme northern areas like Alaska or the arctic? Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

Chicago’s Food Equity Council Pursues Fairer Systems

The city of Chicago recently released a food equity agenda. Angela Odoms-Young, a professor at University of Illinois at Chicago and member of the city's food equity council, shares details on what's prioritized. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Natalie Moore

Garfield Park Community Plaza Aims To Reduce Gun Violence

In West Garfield Park residents are hoping a new community plaza will start to turn the tide of gun violence, often concentrated in just a handful of Chicago's poorer, neglected neighborhoods. Reporter: Patrick Smith; Guest: Christyn Freemon

An Intro to Cosmic Zoom Media: A Watchlist from Zachary Horton

Negotiating differences in scale can be, to say the least, a complex undertaking—from the minuscule and microscopic to the vastness of human populations to the magnificent size of the space beyond our home planet. In his book The Cosmic Zoom: Scale, Knowledge, and Mediation, Zachary Horton considers the “cosmic zoom,” a trope that has influenced media forms for decades, and he uses this as a starting point to develop a cross-disciplinary theory of scale. Here, he gives us an intro to cosmic zoom media through a watchlist of seven films. The cosmic zoom, a media form that aestheticizes continuity across a wide range of scales, is ubiquitous today. It is used to evoke wonder at the cosmos, celebrate scientific knowledge and practice, render radically alien scales accessible to humans, paper over differences between scales, and re-center the human observer in physical and medial environments that seem to be slipping (scaling) out of our control.  Though cosmic zooms are not always visual, their most mesmeric versions have often been in time-based media. Here are seven cosmic zooms that exemplify the form: Eva Szasz, Cosmic Zoom, 1968 Canadian artist Eva Szasz adapted Dutch educator Kees Boeke’s 1957 book, Cosmic View, into this […]

The post An Intro to Cosmic Zoom Media: A Watchlist from Zachary Horton appeared first on The Chicago Blog.

CPS Schools For Dropouts Now Has 1 In 10 Students

One in 10 CPS high schoolers attend schools for dropouts. That number could grow as students emerge from the pandemic. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Sarah Karp

US Heatwave: Could Chicago See Extreme Temps Like Out West?

What's causing the dangerous heat from Death Valley to the Pacific Northwest? Illinois State Climatologist, Doctor Trent Ford explains, and shares whether it could move toward Illinois. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Lauren Frost

How IDOC Handles Solitary Confinement In IL Prisons

The Illinois Department of Corrections has been making changes to how it uses solitary confinement, in response to a lawsuit that has been dragging on for 5 years. Alan Mills, a civil rights attorney representing people imprisoned in the state of Illin...

Taylor Greene Helps Illinois Republican Congresswoman

The far-right politician from Georgia traveled to Effingham, Illinois to headline a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, an downstate Republican. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Dan Mihalopoulos

Despite U.S. Job Gains In June, Labor Shortage Persists

The US economy added 850,000 jobs in June, but despite the high number of job openings, labor shortages persist. Martin Eichenbaum, co-director of the Center for International Economics and Development at Northwestern University, discusses what's behin...

BGA: Why Carjackings By Chicago’s Minors Are Increasing

Carjackings continue to be a significant crime problem in Chicago, and many of them are committed by minors. Sidnee King details more from a new investigative report by the Better Government Association. Host: Melba Lara; Producer: Mark LeBien, Lauren ...

Fourth Of July Shootings Kill At Least 18 In Chicago

100 people were shot in the city of Chicago this weekend, according to Chicago police. Eddie Bocanegra, senior director of the Heartland Alliance program READI Chicago, shares what he thinks is driving these high levels of shootings. Host: Melba Lara; ...

Labor Action Sees Chicago Enact $15 Minimum Wage

This week, Chicago enacted a $15 dollar an hour minimum wage. Madeline Talbott, an originator of the Fight for 15 campaign, speaks on this milestone for a labor movement which began over a decade ago. Host: Lisa Labuz; Reporter: Odette Yousef

Assault Allegation Against Chicago Blackhawks Former Coach

A newly released university police report shows a student reported allegations against Brad Aldrich in 2018, at least the sixth recorded allegation against the former coach. Host: Mary Dixon; Reporter: Tony Arnold, Dave McKinney