My latest for Block Club Chicago (with great photos by Colin Boyle) is a portrait of one Chicago high school — and how a teacher shortage, school politics and a lack of funding is having a detrimental impact on student learning blockclubchicago.org/2024/09/11/wit…

Has anyone tried adding their library card to Google Wallet and using it at Chicago Public Library ? Will they accept it?

To me, the ultimate point of a speed camera is to eventually no longer be necessary. That's why the revenue should go directly into fixing the street, not into the general fund.

The uncomfortable truth is that any large project, good or bad, requires some eminent domain. That's definitely the case with High Speed Rail, the same as it was with interstates.

Chicago needs a permanent festival ground. All these events are ruining the grass in parks for months and months. Parks aren't built for concerts like this.

There's been talk of demolishing the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, East Building forever. If it finally happens, it'd be an excellent location for festival grounds. Imagine having actual bathrooms and real concessions stands, and not destroying a bunch of grass!

Odds of a child getting kidnapped are ~1 in a million. Odds of a child born in 2021 dying in a traffic crash are ~1 in 93. Parents act like these stats are reversed. Paranoid about rare kidnappings and naive about the common driving. (Natl Safety Council tracks this stuff)

Underrated reason why some people really hate speed cameras.

BOLLARDS BOLLARDS BOLLARDS!!!

What's ridiculous is the Vance is the Jr senator of a state that has a lot of historically underpopulated cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, & Youngstown. Maybe the gov't could incentivize people to move back to existing cities with extra space!

Well concerts famously don't end at predictable times on pre-scheduled days. How would the CTA know there'd be high demand for transit at this time?

Exciting news! The endangered Pike House has secured $1.5M in funding for preservation, thanks to advocacy & partnerships BAPA, announced by State Sen. Willie Preston. Great to see this '22 Most Endangered place get the funding it needs! Learn more: 📰ow.ly/2fWk50TEvPp

My favorite thing about visiting Japan? Bollards EVERYWHERE!

a key thing you need to know in order to understand illinois is most people agree there are too many local governments which creates inefficiencies, corruption, etc. & at the same time if you suggest merging the average illinoisan’s community with another they’ll try to kill you

We need bollards everywhere.

After delays, automated ticketing of drivers parked in bike and bus lanes downtown begins today. For the next month drivers will only get warnings mailed to them. As of Dec. 5, drivers will get tickets in the mail after the first violation. Background: chicagotribune.com/2024/06/27/sma…

This is great, but I'm bummed Chicago didn't get NYC Bus's vehicle vaporizing technology. It'd really help move the buses faster. Maybe they can get it eventually.