Small Businesses Ask: What Are We Going to Do Next?

The sign posted on the front door of Maguire’s Irish Pub in Petaluma pretty much says it all: “We Don’t Know What the Hell We’re Gonna Do.”   It’s a sentiment shared by many Marin business owners, as well as those across the Bay Area. With the third shut down enacted on December 8 by […]

The Importance of Play-Based Learning Amid the Pandemic

Play is essential for children. Unstructured, imaginative play is key to so many aspects of a child’s cognitive growth, including language development, the nuances of socialization and creative problem solving.  The research on the neurological effects of play is clear: “Play is not frivolous: it enhances brain structure and function and promotes executive function, which […]

Mariano's to Offer Rapid Covid-19 Antibody Testing

Here is some good news: Covid-19 antibody testing just got easier. Starting today, antibody testing is available at Mariano’s pharmacy locations throughout Chicagoland. The FDA-authorized rapid antibody tests are conducted using a finger-prick blood sample. The test will inform patients if they have previously been infected with Covid-19. You can register for the test here. […]

How Your Favorite Chicago Restaurants Have Pivoted in the Pandemic

In late October, when Covid-19 cases surged and updated restrictions were announced, we wondered how local businesses would continue to survive. After months of barely making ends meet with capacity limits and outdoor dining, the restrictions on indoor dining combined with winter months and darker hours, are putting a new level of stress on the […]