Mike is a Digital Producer at WGN-TV.
Mike Ewing
Recent Articles
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Investigators use DNA to identify teen’s killer in 1970s cold case, say other victims likely
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — Decades after 16-year-old Pamela Maurer was sexually assaulted, strangled and left on the side of the road in Lisle, officials said Monday they’ve found her killer — and believe he had other victims throughout the 1970s. Investigators say genetic clues pointed them towards Bruce Lindahl, who fatally stabbed himself while committing another murder in 1981, because police had the good sense in 1976 to preserve what is called DNA evidence today. “We finally put a name […]
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Cresco Labs launches ‘incubator program’ for minority-owned cannabis companies
CHICAGO— Chicago-based cannabis giant Cresco Labs is launching a “community business incubator” program for minority-owned companies in Illinois. In a statement, the company said it is accepting applications for an incubator program that provides technical and financial assistance to members of minority communities looking to apply for licenses and launch craft growing or infusing businesses. The Illinois Department of Agriculture will be issuing a limited number of permits for new cannabis companies, including to “social equity” applicants who are based […]
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Robbers posing as rideshare drivers targeting passengers on Near North Side
CHICAGO — Robbers targeting rideshare passengers picked up multiple people waiting for late-night rides in the Old Town, River North and Gold Coast areas in recent weeks, according to Chicago police. The most recent incident targeted a passenger waiting for a ride on the 400 block of West Ontario Street in the early morning hours of January 3. Once they mistakenly get into the offenders’ vehicle, police say rideshare customers find themselves in the car with multiple assailants who strong-arm […]
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Collegiate esports athletes take aim at a booming industry
Chicago’s Robert Morris University made headlines in 2014 when it became the first college in the country to offer esports scholarships. Today, esports are still skyrocketing in popularity thanks to streaming services like YouTube and Twitch. Here’s the story of the esports hopefuls who are setting their sights on this booming industry — in their own words. Grant Welling, League Of Legends player at Robert Morris University When I was a kid, my dad taught me how to play chess […]
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A night at one of Chicagoland’s last drive-ins
Drive-in theaters used to be a summer staple in the U.S., but few remain. Still, those left in the Chicago area say they’re seeing more support from neighbors who want to keep the tradition alive. Here’s their story – in their own words: Scott Dehn, Golden Age Cinemas My earliest memory is sitting out here with my mom and my dad, my grandma, my sister. I remember I was pulling in from the box office and I just look at […]
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Salon teaches foster parents how to style hair that’s not like their own
New foster parents face all kinds of challenges, including sometimes helping with hair that’s unlike their own. At Styles 4 Kidz, they teach parents how to help their kids look — and feel — their best. Tamekia Swint, founder of Styles 4 Kidz We serve families that are trans-racially adopting and fostering African-American kids and kids who have textured hair. So we teach parents real skills, hands-on skills, so that they can walk away knowing how to do and style […]
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Jell-O molds and ‘salads’ hold a strange, special place at the holiday table
Mike Lowe’s grandma served all the classics for Thanksgiving: turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie; but there was always this jiggly green dish called “sea foam salad” that seemed otherworldly (even if it was delicious). So this Thanksgiving, we can’t help but ask: What is that green stuff? It turns out “Sea Foam Salad” is just one of a wide range of Jell-O molds and “salads” that combine sweet and savory, using gelatin or pudding to bind together everything from pears and […]
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Chicago’s beloved puppet bike pedals on
For over a decade, the “puppet bike” has been a beloved fixture downtown and at festivals across Chicago. Meet the artists who are continuing the tradition, pedaling a pop-up stage across the city to spread joy. They tell their story, in their own words. Michael King, Puppeteer I met the puppet bike people at the Museum of Contemporary Art, they were outside it. I was flabbergasted. I tried it myself. I didn’t have any puppeteering experience or anything, but I […]
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Chicago’s alleys date back to the city’s founding, keep our trash off the sidewalk today
CHICAGO — Chicago has 1,900 miles worth of alleys, more than anywhere else in the United States. One in particular caught the attention of Don Posen in Lincoln Square, who wrote WGN to find out why some alleys have a groove down the middle of them. A quick email to the Department of Transportation and we had our answer: to help with drainage. “There are several ways to mitigate drainage problems in alleys – many alleys were constructed with drainage at […]
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Spooky stories of lost graves in Lincoln Park, ghosts in the river are rooted in history
Halloween is here, the time of year that we actually seek out the stuff that scares us, so it’s no surprise that many of our viewers wrote in and asked: where are Chicago’s spookiest spots? Tony Szabelski, Chicago Hauntings Well there’s many, many spooky spots in Chicago. I think this is one of the most haunted cities in the world. The first ghost stories come from the battle of Fort Dearborn. Then there are many about the Great Chicago Fire, […]
