Stories by Daniel Hautzinger

Commuters at the 95th Red Line Station pay their fares to an unusual soundtrack: music from a DJ booth. Called AESOP, the booth is a public art installation by Theaster Gates meant to enliven commutes. Two of the booth's DJs share some of their favorite tracks to spin. 

The semifinalists for the James Beard Awards, the Oscars of the food industry, have been announced, and, as usual, Chicago is well-represented on the list. Find all the Chicago semifinalists here, as well as times they have been featured by WTTW.

If weekend closures of Red Line stations are an inconvenience, comfort yourself with the thought that it could be worse. More than 25 years ago, the Green Line—like the Red Line today—needed maintenance and modernizing. Back then, the CTA shut down the whole line—for more than two years.

Hazel Johnson described her Southeast Side community as existing within a "toxic donut," surrounded by landfills, industrial facilities, incinerators, and more. Her activism on behalf of marginalized communities led her to the White House and the title of the "mother of environmental justice."

As Max and Oskar continue to investigate the ruthless traditions of St. Florian's, both of their professional prospects are put in jeopardy. Both also try to grapple with their complicated personal relationships, in the finale of Vienna Blood. 

In the finale of Sanditon, everything nears a happy ending as the midsummer ball approaches and Tom's plans for the town begin to bear fruit. Charlotte and Sidney try to figure out where they stand in their relationship, as do Esther and Lord Babington. 

Imani Muhammad bakes pies with an unexpected filling: navy beans. Bean pie is a dessert important to African American Muslims, but it’s hard to find, even in Chicago, which houses the headquarters of the Nation of Islam.

Max's nephew, a student at an illustrious military academy attended by the sons of Austria's elite, has been traumatized by events at the school, possibly involving the apparently accidental death of a fellow student. Max and Oskar investigate. 

Sidney finds himself confused in what he wants by the return of an old acquaintance as Sanditon's regatta takes place. An unexpected turn of events drastically alters the relationships between Esther, Edward, and Clara. 

Vivian Harsh helped make Bronzeville's library a center for African American writers and intellectuals, hosting speakers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Zora Neale Hurston and amassing a collection of books and manuscripts by the likes of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright.

At Chicago's National Cambodian Heritage Museum, which is unique in the United States, exhibits and a memorial help honor victims of the Cambodian genocide and educate younger generations, while cultural classes help those generations connect across a traumatic divide.

Max and Oskar continue to search for a killer terrorizing Vienna's outsiders and immigrants, eventually discerning a complex pattern in the murders. Clara puts herself in great danger to try to help Max with the investigation. 

Sidney and Charlotte are once again thrown together as they both try to rescue Georgiana after her disappearance. The experience leads Sidney to re-evaluate his approach to life. Meanwhile, Edward and Clara vie for Lady Denham's estate. 

The Academy Awards are this Sunday. Need to bring something to a party, or want an extra dip for your own gathering? Try this baked artichoke dip with goat cheese and pesto from the stalwart Chicago restaurant Uncommon Ground. 

A suspect in the brutal murder of four women at a brothel is quickly found, but Max has doubts, despite the evidence. Oskar comes to regret a mistake, while Max continues to struggle with an obsession—despite his recent engagement.