A local author and blogger's hilarious take on parenting in her new book "I Want My Epidural Back."
Stories by brandis friedman
From Vietnam to Michelin: The Journey of Chef Ryan McCaskey
May 2, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
In the final days of the Vietnam War, an effort to rescue thousands of babies from the country brought one of them to Chicago. Brandis Friedman shares the story of how he rose to become a Michelin-starred chef.
James Beard Awards Gala Pays Homage to Role of TV Dinner
Apr 28, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Brandis Friedman takes a look at the inspiring dishes being served after next week's James Beard Awards – and how television is a main ingredient this year.
Confessions of a Mommy Blogger in New Book on ‘Mediocre Parenting’
Apr 21, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
So what if the kids have a television for a babysitter and a Big Mac for dinner—five nights in a row? They're alive. These are the hilarious confessions of Chicago mommy blogger Karen Alpert, who is out with her second book, "I Want My Epidural Back: Adventures in Mediocre Parenting."
Karen Lewis: Rauner Holding Schoolchildren ‘Hostage’
Apr 20, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
As the head of the Chicago Teachers Union warns of a strike, the district makes one last pitch to reach a contract agreement.
Transforming the Classroom to Personalize Learning
Apr 6, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Some schools are changing the structure of the classroom and how students are learning. Brandis Friedman visits one West Side charter school that's taking a personal approach to learning.
Cook County Court Removes Cellphone Lockers
Apr 4, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
People who took public transportation to the Cook County Court building Monday at 26th and California were surprised to find that the lockers they used to protect their phones were gone. And with a courthouse cellphone ban in effect, it left many not knowing what to do.
Chicago Teachers Picket, Rally During 1-Day Walkout
Apr 1, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey started his day at Roosevelt High School in Albany Park. He hopes Friday’s walkout sparks action on the state budget. At Beasley Elementary in the Washington Park neighborhood, CTU President Karen Lewis rallied her troops and argued funding is exactly what the strike is about.
CPS, CTU Announce Plans for April 1 Teacher Walkout
Mar 29, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Parents of Chicago Public Schools students still searching for alternatives to attending school this Friday will have their pick of 262 contingency sites announced today by the district. Meanwhile, the Chicago Teachers Union has released a tentative schedule of events, which includes picketing schools and rallying downtown during rush hour.
CPS Scrambles to Prepare for April 1 Teacher Walkout
Mar 24, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
The Chicago Teachers Union says the vote for a one-day strike passed overwhelmingly. But a vocal minority still opposes it.
Report: Cook County Leads in White Youth Employment, Black Youth Joblessness
Mar 22, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Criminal backgrounds, homelessness and lack of education and opportunity are all factors in preventing black youth between the ages of 16 and 24 from finding employment, according to a report released by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Great Cities Institute.
Report Highlights Struggles in Chicago's Segregated Communities
Mar 14, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Great Migration, but a new report from the Chicago Urban League says many blacks still live in racially segregated and impoverished neighborhoods.
CPS Sues Former CEO, Asks Principals to Save Cash
Mar 10, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Chicago Public Schools has filed a lawsuit against former Chief Executive Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennett. The complaint, filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court, seeks $65 million in money damages and civil penalties.
State Commission Overturns CPS Decision to Close 3 Low-Performing Charters
Mar 2, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Three Chicago charter schools are celebrating a victory today: a state commission has ruled they will be able to remain open, despite Chicago Public Schools' plans to close them for poor performance.
Exploring a School with No Classrooms
Mar 1, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Imagine a high school where classrooms aren't divided by subject matter, and there aren't even class periods or bells – and teachers are told to teach however they want. That's the reality for a high school in California profiled in the documentary, "Most Likely to Succeed."
CPS Teachers Among Those Laid Off in Latest Round of Cuts
Feb 29, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Chicago Public Schools students could see their teachers on the picket lines sooner than expected, as the district announces how many employees are being laid off today.
Study: Slow Thinking Reduces Crime in Chicago
Feb 23, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
It sounds simple: slow down and make better choices. Most of us don't do that as well as we could, but researchers are studying how the simple act of slowing down can reduce crime. Brandis Friedman has the story.
Group Calls for Special Prosecutor in Laquan McDonald Case
Task Force: Police Videos, Reports Should be Released in 60 Days
Feb 16, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Sixty days: That’s the maximum amount of time Chicago Police should take before allowing the public to see recordings or reports of police-involved incidents. The recommendation from the Mayor's Police Accountability Task Force comes on the same day as a group of attorneys and elected officials calls for a special prosecutor in the case that led to the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Basketball Hall of Fame Finalist Sheryl Swoopes Heads LUC Women's Team
Feb 15, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
The basketball legend is now a coach here in Chicago, and she's helping the Loyola women's basketball team give it their best shot.
‘Rocket Docket’ Sends Low-Level Jail Inmates Home
Feb 11, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is finding a way to keep certain criminal defendants at home and on the job, instead of in jail while they await trial. Brandis Friedman takes a look at how a two-year pilot program designed to release inmates jailed for low-level offenses is working so far.
CPS Principals Learn How Deep Budgets Will Be Cut
Feb 9, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Today, Chicago Public Schools principals are learning just how deep their budgets will be cut after last week's announcement that the district was slashing more than $100 million from annual school budgets.
‘Downton Abbey’ Costumes Come to Chicago's Driehaus Museum
Feb 9, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Afternoon tea in the parlor and dressing in black tie just to have dinner at home: that was everyday life for the fictional, aristocratic Crawley family. Starting today, Downton fans can get an up-close look at those fashions in a new exhibit at the Driehaus Museum. Brandis Friedman takes us inside.
Examining the Impact of a State Takeover of Local Schools
Feb 3, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
In a report released last month, researchers say they have no consensus over whether local control of a school district is any better for student performance or financial management than state control of a school district. Brandis Friedman takes a look at one district where the state is in charge to see how its schools are faring.
Chicago Public Schools Announces More Cuts
Feb 2, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Just a day after the Chicago Teachers Union rejected the school board's latest contract offer, Chicago Public Schools is announcing cuts. CEO Forrest Claypool says the district is still working to avoid teacher layoffs, but some staffers will lose their jobs in order for the district to save money.
Chicago Teachers Union Unanimously Rejects District's Latest Offer
Feb 1, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
Members of the Chicago Teachers Union bargaining unit say they spent hours and hours considering the school board's "serious" contract offer. But on Monday, the group announced that they could not accept it.
Restoring Classic Cars is Driving Force for Better Futures
Jan 25, 2016 | Brandis Friedman
For many young men, their first car is also their first love. But for some of Chicago's at-risk teens and young adults their first car isn't theirs to drive–but theirs to fix. Learning classic car restoration is more than just a trade, it's a chance to pave a new future. Brandis Friedman has the story.