Marco VDM/E+/Getty Images In recent years, politicians and activists have increasingly set their sights on libraries. While some have sought to strengthen these community institutions, more still have attempted to reign in what they see as access to troubling materials, particularly as it pertains to children. Last week, for example, South Dakota passed House Bill 1239, which revises the criminal code to remove “affirmative defenses to dissemination of material harmful to minors” for librarians, teachers (including college and university professors), and museum educators. Effectively, the existing law would no longer protect these institutions or individuals representing them, from being prosecuted...
6 Best Kid-Friendly Day Trips From Chicago
skynesher/E+/Getty Images Spring break is around the corner and if you’re like me, you might have been holding out for a deal on flights or a place to stay with the family. Well, time is winding down, and let’s be real, for a family of four to fly anywhere in the U.S., it’ll cost you a pretty penny! Sometimes, taking a good old-fashioned road trip can be a better option for cost and convenience. Chicago residents know that the overcast cold of winter can get old, and even driving just a few hours south can lead to warmer temperatures and...
11 Dark Romance Books That’ll Make You Question Your Sanity
Rockaa/E+/Getty Images Hockey romances, seasonal romances, and fantasy romances — it’s just all anyone seems to be reading these days. If your typical romance fare just doesn’t quite do it for you, allow us to introduce you to one of its growing subgenres: dark romance books. These stories take readers into all sorts of tense scenarios and relationships, like a young woman who meets a wealthy arms dealer and steals away to his private island, or the one who finds herself romantically attracted to her stalker. If you’re considering diving into one of these dark romance books, be sure to...
ICE Agents Detained An Adult During Chicago School Drop-Off
Bloomberg/Bloomberg/Getty Images A Chicago-area charter school network informed parents that an adult was detained by federal immigration officials (ICE) outside a school building when dropping children off for class this week. WGN News has reported that the adult was, in fact, a father from the school. In the communication sent to parents, Acero officials said that at 8:15 a.m., agents from ICE and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives approached an individual in a car outside of Soto High School in the neighborhood of Gage Park. School staff escorted two students from the car into school, and no...