Writing stories about Chicago and the people who make it, for @BlockClubChi
Joined January 2020
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I'm honored to be joining @Nytimes in June as a reporting fellow!
Thankful for 5 great years in Chicago, where @BlockClubCHI took a chance on me. I covered a bit of everything and found a city full of colorful people with unmatched pride for their communities. You'll be missed.
Mar 31
We’re pleased to introduce the 2026-27 @nytimes fellowship class. nytco.com/press/introducing-…
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My last story for Block Club is about the city's oldest bowling alley — in the basement of a Northwest Side catholic school.
Immaculate Conception's alley has survived 102 years with students as pinsetters and a Monday league still chasing a perfect game.
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Cheese Grater Guy salutes @mack_liederman at his @BlockClubCHI going away party
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Chicago Tonight | Week in Review: Illinois Commission Releases ‘Midway Blitz’ Report; Government Shutdown Ends, with @HeatherCherone @monicaeng @mack_liederman @JakeSheridan_ & host @ndblumberg news.wttw.com/2026/05/01/wee…
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Skyway Lanes, the city's last Black-owned bowling alley, survived for a year after a viral fundraiser.
On Sunday its bowlers left with pins — and without a place to play.
Sights and sounds from Skyway's last day w/ @colinbphoto:
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Former Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese wore a wire against his father.
Now he's selling Cameos for $15 and speaking 4x a day at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas.
As the mob retreats, a few "celebrity gangsters" like Calabrese are stepping into full-time jobs:
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I talked shop with @JacobyCochran @JustinKaufmann about Bears stadium moves, CTA security and where the Bulls go from here for @CityCastChicago
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
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Cubs on Wrigley Rat:
“As an open venue in a big city, rodent abatement is something we do year-round. We understand how important it is for our fans to have a positive experience and keeping our ballpark clean and safe is always a top priority.”
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Comedian @Tompapa on seeing the Wrigley Rat from his seats in Section 14:
“Everyone was very excited. It was like a Mickey Mouse sighting at Disney Land.”
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South Side icon Filbert's Root Beer is turning 100 years old.
The third-generation business started during Prohibition but dates back further to milk deliveries via horse and buggy.
Ron Filbert still bottles soda on a 1920s-era machine in McKinley Park.
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The infamous "Puffy Coat Bandits" were caught again red-handed last week at a Downtown Cheesecake Factory.
Police now believe the theft ring has been going on for five years with at least 10 members.
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Mar 31
Skyway Lanes, Chicago’s Last Black-Owned Bowling Alley, Closing After 'Surge' Of Support Fades
A sad update to a bittersweet struggle of the last year for this South Side staple.
✍️ @mack_liederman @BlockClubCHI
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After 92 years, Erie-LaSalle Body Shop was sold to a national chain — with its iconic Chicago neon sign quietly hauled away to a restoration warehouse in DeKalb.
“We need to figure out how the goal of preservation becomes more important than profiting.”
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Waymo is sending cars — with drivers, for now — onto Chicago streets today for mapping and data collection.
The company needs Illinois state driving law to change before it can launch self-driving cabs.
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Warlord star chef Trevor Fleming has been sharing sexual photos of women without consent and berating staffers for years, witnesses said. It was an open secret in the industry — and it’s time for accountability, they said. Solid reporting
@ArielParrella blockclubchicago.org/2026/02…
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A statue of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini will replace the removed Columbus statue in Little Italy's Arrigo Park.
The city held a public vote to pick an Italian-American for the honor. Results:
Cabrini: 1,500 votes
Enrico Fermi: 648
Antonin Scalia: 597
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Breaking: Mayor Brandon Johnson uses second veto of his term to block city ban on intoxicating hemp products.
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From Jan 2023-Oct 2025, Black drivers received 30k traffic tickets across Chicago — 21k more than white drivers.
Data crunch w/ @BauerJournalism shows Black drivers were over-ticketed 6x their population share in some majority white North Side areas.
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Feb 11
Facebook removed Chicago’s most popular ICE sighting page. Now, its founder is suing. blockclubchi.co/46K4h2C
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Feb 7
This is a great round-up of Operation Midway Blitz cases that have collapsed at Chicago’s federal courthouse.
From @CharlesThr47541 and @mack_liederman, via @BlockClubCHI: blockclubchicago.org/2026/02…
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