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A tragic fall from a scaffold at a construction site on Thursday left a 27-year-old ironworker dead and another worker in critical condition at a UChicago Medicine building. The accident happened when high winds knocked the workers from a scaffold to the ground, according to a Fire Department spokesman. The survivor was listed in critical…

Labor Day weekend may be one of the last major times of the year for recreation on the Great Lakes, but that doesn’t mean the end of potential hazards on the lakes. Data from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project shows that since 2018, roughly 20 people per year drown in one of the five…

If you’ve strolled down a street lost in thought, only to find yourself enveloped in a fog of toxic aerosol from an electronic cigarette, rest assured those days are about to end. The state of Illinois recently passed a groundbreaking law that will ban the use of vaping in all public spaces, including portions of…

The Great Lakes, Earth’s largest natural freshwater lakes, are popular summertime destinations for families from all across the world. Home to cities like Chicago, Toronto, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Buffalo, the Great Lakes region is home to over 85 million people, and accounts for over $4.5 trillion in economic activity. Major cities like Chicago and Toronto…

It’s all too easy to genuinely empathize with other people who have disabilities but never consider that it could happen to you—until it does. Whether it’s a catastrophic accident, a grave illness, or an ongoing medical condition, disability isn’t something anyone wants or anticipates, but approximately 1 in every 4 adults in the United States…

The number of electric bikes (e-bikes) on our streets may soon increase if the Illinois state legislature passes a proposed e-bike rebate bill. Illinois State Representative Kam Bucker (D-26th) has been working on the bill, HB3447, for the past two months. The legislation would provide a discount to residents who buy an electric bicycle. In addition…

In the coming weeks, the federal government is expected to decide on a proposed $31 billion rail merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern that will bring more freight traffic through the Chicago area. Their decision could be favorable even after a freight train derailment three weeks ago in East Palestine, Ohio, raises concerns…

Those bright orange signs and striping lines that designate a roadway work zone are popping up everywhere. They warn motorists to slow down and use caution but can challenge and frustrate even the safest drivers. Drive too fast or recklessly through a zone, and you can endanger yourself, your passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Even the…