Author: Cecil Larson

The Friendly Limits: The year of the stadium is on full display at two Chi-Town venues, with the NFL's Soldier Field and the MLB gem known as Wrigley Field hosting big concerts in 2022. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images) The Midwest Entertainment Mecca Reported Market Gross: $295,681,068Reported ticket sales: 3,291,100Average ticket price: $89.84 A poster child for the vibrancy of the Roaring Twenties, Chicago's treasured era theaters, the friendly confines of Wrigley Field and an electric blues institution make it one of the most revered and celebrated entertainment destinations in the country. As such, it's no surprise that we're finding Chicago venues…

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A new report from the US Global Change Research Program shows that rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, drought and other climate-related challenges are intensifies in the Midwest. It provides an insight into significant changes in life and livelihoods, as well as the opportunity to mitigate the impact of global warming,The fifth National Climate Assessment found that climate conditions are worsening, public and environmental health, and the region's economy are at risk.”Raising temperatures, extreme precipitation, drought and other climate-related events in the Midwest are affecting agriculture, ecosystems, cultural practices, health, infrastructure and waterways,” the report states.Hotter summers and weather that fluctuates between…

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The Midwest Film Festival (MFF), a beacon for local filmmakers, welcomes a new Director of Operations, NK Gutiérrez for the 2024 season. Gutiérrez was publicly announced in her new role in November Best of the Midwest 2023 Awards where he co-hosted the event with the MFF Executive Director, Erica Duffy. During the talk with the attendees, the importance of being present and embracing the messiness and wonder of the creative process was emphasized. All in attendance felt the importance of the moment as the festival, a staple since 2005, continues to grow, evolve and find success in its current iteration,…

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A pedestrian walks along Second Street SE as snow falls in Cedar Rapids on Jan. 9. A winter storm brought nearly a foot of snow to much of Iowa. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette) Several winter storms have passed through the Midwest since the start of the year, bringing deep snow and bitter cold. In Iowa, where treacherous roads have caused hundreds of accidents, snow piled up to 20 inches in some places – marking a winter with 180 percent more precipitation than normal, so far. Last week's storm reached as far as Memphis, where the mayor declared a state of emergency…

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A team at Stanford found that startup founders affiliated with the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah were more likely to reach a billion-dollar valuation or more, or unicorn status, with their startups. These schools are more likely than Ivy League universities to produce a unicorn, according to the report.Ilya Strebulaev, the David S. Lobel Professor of Private Equity and Professor of Economics at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, revealed that US startup founders who studied or worked at University of Cincinnati they were 3.3 times more likely to find a unicorn than average. Strebulaev's own…

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In 2022, refrigerators typically go one of two ways: The traditional stainless steel route (sometimes equipped with giant touchscreens), or the “seek and find” type—whereThe huge, essential appliance is disguised and hidden behind perfect cabinet panels, just like in this Martha O'Hara Interiors plan. For a seamless, finished look, ask your designer about these paneled cooler options.Design by Eminent Interior Design, photo by SpacecraftingHome heatingWe know fireplaces are nothing new, but we're seeing a shift in the way they're being designed and incorporated into dens, porches, sunrooms, living spaces, and more. Slogan Majestic Interior Design with this elongated, slim and…

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As someone who grew up in the Midwest, I know a thing or two about why this region has such a solid sports scene. While it has seen its share of bad luck—Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit anyone?—there have been some memorable things we can be proud of. After digging deep to find what it actually is – and no, it's definitely not that video from our high school – we give you the ones Midwesterners should look up to and appreciate. Although the small school located in Alliance, Ohio may “only” participate in Division III, there are many people in the…

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In his apartment, Pleasant Radford Jr. '14 MBA is surrounded by a grid of streets that make Minneapolis full of potential and opportunity, but also remnants of trauma. After George Floyd's murder, Radford will never forget the moment those same streets became the symbol of injustice he inhabits. As an optimist, Radford hoped that the trauma could birth a movement — sparking the change and progress needed to preserve the just values ​​envisioned in the Minnesota establishment. “On a personal level, I was trying to find ways to channel my anger into something that was productive for me and by…

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For two decades, Democrats have relied on a seemingly impregnable blue wall in presidential elections. The 18 states plus the District of Columbia that voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in six consecutive elections gave the party 90 percent of the electoral votes needed to win the White House. Successive Republican campaigns have tried and failed to storm that wall, but have repeatedly failed. Even George W. Bush couldn't get through in any of the states. Then, last November, three Midwestern brick-and-mortars collapsed. {mosads}Donald Trump won Michigan by 11,000 votes, Wisconsin by 23,000 votes and Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes. Trump…

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According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. A generous donation was recently made to Harvard Medical School (HMS) in an effort to target addiction prevention and treatment strategies in communities hit hard by the opioid epidemic. Eugenio Madero, CEO of Rassini International, an auto parts manufacturer with plants in Michigan and Ohio, was personally motivated to address this critical issue. Ohio, home to a Rassini manufacturing plant, has one of the five highest rates opioid overdose deaths between US states, an average of 14 deaths per…

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