Chicago magazine December 2022

THESE ARE TOUGH DAYS. PANDEMIC. WAR IN EASTERN Europe. Political polarization. Social injustice. Gun violence. Inflation. Restrictions on women’s choices. So it’s heartening to see our 2022 Chicagoans of the Year step up amid all of that to make a positive difference (page 52). In this class of honorees, we have a showrunner who taps the power of humor in depicting everyday life on the South Side, a chef who traveled to Poland to feed Ukrainian refugees, an activist who is bent on ending the stigma of abortion and supporting those who come here for the procedure, a mentor who provides teen girls in underserved communities the resources they need to survive and thrive, and an artist whose beautiful work explores ugly issues of racism and inequality. Those are just the five…

WHEN PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID KASNIC and Chicago photo director Michael Zajakowski showed up in West Lawn to shoot Evan Cotter Jr., whose family’s home was damaged 50 years ago in the crash of a 737 (page 62), Cotter (pictured) had a surprise for them: a piece of the plane. After emerging from his house with a chunk of aluminum, fiberglass, and steel in hand, he led the crew to his childhood home, just two doors down. “That’s when the homeowner came out,” Zajakowski says. As it turned out, she had never heard about the crash. There wasn’t much time to chat about it, though. “I don’t think folks were too happy with us photographing outside their homes,” Kasnic says, “so it sort of sped everything up.”—JACK McGANN STRIKING A CHORD For Los Angeles…

@FrickeStyle via Twitter DeMar, reading articles about you lately is impressive. Always giving back to your younger teammates because you got that when you were young. Keep doing what you are doing. @karen_sparkes via Twitter “Crocs are the shit.” This dude is a legend. NBAKefka via Reddit Weird to be talking about Jim Boylen with a guy who never played for him. Boylen was a terrible coach but even he doesn’t deserve this, LOL. @HrobBulls via Twitter UNION LABELS Lots of gaps in this story [“State of the Unions,” November]. Might have been worth noting that Frank Manzo’s Illinois EPI is funded by labor unions. @CitizenVMachine via Twitter TWO IN ONE It’s sad that they keep converting these two-and three-flats into single-family [“Two-Flat, One Family,” November]. Chicago gets less and less affordable every time they do this. Nobody needs a seven-bedroom…

@jeburkezoo Deerfield resident and professional photographer Jan Burke typically makes her coffee at home every morning, but occasionally she treats herself at Café de Oro in nearby Riverwoods. “It’s a quaint little shop with lots of good light,” Burke says. Her contest-winning shot features a cappuccino, a change from her usual café mocha. “I splurged on one of their chocolate croissants and figured that a mocha was too much with that.” The heart-shaped swirl of foamed milk caught her eye, and she carefully set her cup in front of the greenery visible through the window before snapping away.—KATE DUBY WE ALSO LOVED… @kevinholik @plant.sanity NEXT CONTEST Post your best high-resolution shot of a fireplace on Instagram by December 15. Follow and tag @chicagomag and include #chimagcontest on your story or post to be considered. The winner…

1 The Chicago Fire Department will hold its first entrance exam since 2014 in December. The department wants diversity, so applicants don’t need a mustache or a Chicago accent. 2 Michelle Obama is coming to the Chicago Theatre Dec. 5 and 6 to promote her book The Light We Carry. The appearances, moderated by David Letterman and Heather McGhee, won’t be as big as her 2018 event, at United Center with Oprah Winfrey. 3 Cook County property tax second installments are due Dec. 31 — five months later than usual. The county is contending with a record number of appeals and replacement of a 1980s mainframe. 4 It’s been a while, Chief Keef. On Dec. 16, the 27-year-old drill pioneer, now living in L.A., releases Almighty So 2, the follow-up to 2013’s Almighty…

THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE ONCE-GLEAMING ARLINGTON INTERNATIONAL Racecourse, where bettors spent big money on the “sport of kings,” is now a destination for drivers of U-Hauls, delivery vans, and small trucks. They’ve come to cart off the last remnants of the 95-year-old track—chairs, wooden benches, kitchen ovens, bathroom signs, betting kiosks, and even horse blankets, all purchased in online auctions, some with bids starting at 50 cents. This fire sale was ignited by last year’s agreement by the Chicago Bears to purchase the 326-acre site. The team’s game plan calls for building an estimated $3 billion stadium and an adjacent entertainment, recreational, commercial, and residential complex — one of the largest in state history. The entire venture could cost up to $5 billion and take more than a decade to…