Amazon’s HQ2 could be a big win for Chicago — and beyond

From the Saturday, Sept. 23, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST The City of Big Shoulders remains The City of Big Aspirations. But in recent years, Chicago has more often been The City of Big Losers when it comes to actually making those aspirations a […]

Another bad season for Monsters of Midway? Grin and Bear it

From the Saturday, Sept. 9, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST From 2010 to 2014, the Chicago Cubs lost 464 games, finished in last place every season, and made the Friendly Confines a downright hostile environment for winning baseball. It was a brutal stretch to […]

Frustrated Illini: U. of I. fails to lead on Native American issues

From the Saturday, Sept. 2, editions of The Daily Journal (Kankakee, Ill.) and The Times (Ottawa, Ill.) … The WISCH LIST I used to be a Fighting Illini. Now I’m just a frustrated one. And it’s not nearly so much because of the University of Illinois’ many losses on the football field and basketball court […]

Weighing in on ‘War Chant’ & What It Really Means

On Wednesday morning, I joined The Jeremy Werner Show on ESPN Radio in Champaign-Urbana to discuss the University of Illinois’ decision to ban its “War Chant” music from Illini sporting events but how the issue runs much deeper than a drum beat and football. You can listen to the podcast of my segment by clicking […]

Chicago’s ‘606’ remains a (public) work in progress

In advance of its opening in 2015, the advertising signage around Chicago promoting The 606 – the ballyhooed new elevated park winding 2.7 miles through the city’s Northwest Side atop a defunct freight line – promised to “Raise More Than Your Heart Rate.” But two years later, I find it still fails to make my […]