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Stories by Meredith Francis

A view of the Chicago skyline looking south from the lakefront
September 29, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Do you keep up with the news in and around Chicago? Take our September 2023 news quiz to test your knowledge of the headlines this month. 
Glasses of wine in a row
September 25, 2023 | Meredith Francis
October in Chicago offers plenty of food truck festivals, wine tastings, and more.
Elan, Bianca, and Carlos Lozano sitting on the front of a fire truck in 2014. Bianca is holding her daughter, Anabella.
September 20, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Carlos Lozano was 10 years old when a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels school in 1958. Some 65 years later, his daughter, Bianca Lozano, worked as the associate producer for the upcoming WTTW Chicago Stories documentary about the fire. They share what the experience meant to their family and the difficulties of discussing a traumatic event.
A joint image showing Cam Brenson eating escargot at Bisro Campagne on the left, and an image of the cassoulet dish on the right.
September 13, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Chicagoan Cam Brenson has taken to TikTok to share his journey of attempting to eat the cuisine of nearly every country without ever leaving the Chicago area.
The Crown Fountain in Millennium Park is pictured in a file photo. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
August 31, 2023 | Meredith Francis
There was a lot of political news this month in Chicago. Did you keep up with the headlines? Take our August news quiz.
Pierogis on a plate
August 29, 2023 | Meredith Francis
A popular Polish food festival returns this September, along with various Oktoberfest celebrations. 
"Empanolis" on a baking sheet.
August 25, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Alex Moncada didn't have much baking experience when he set out to make his "empanolis," which are a hybrid of an empanada and a ravioli. But Moncada found inspiration in the flavors and recipes from his mother's kitchen.
Brent Raska at Burning Bush Brewery next to brewing vats
August 16, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Brent Raska, the founder of Burning Bush Brewery, is used to getting questions about how he went from the pastor of a small church to the head of a North Side brewery. But he has found one common thread: community.
A view of some Chicago skyscrapers from the Chicago River
July 31, 2023 | Meredith Francis
Take our July news quiz to see how much you know about the stories in and around Chicago that made headlines this month.
A beer with an illustration of a cat behind it
July 28, 2023 | Meredith Francis
South suburban Homewood, Illinois is home to Rabid Brewing, a mythology-inspired brewery that the founders say is meant to be a welcoming place for people who might not stereotypically fit into the brewery scene.