The Columbia Chronicle

BREAKING NEWS: Reports of shots fired near administration building, all advised to stay away from the area

September 15, 2020

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 2:30 p.m. with an interview from Ron Sodini, associate vice president of Safety and Security. Shots were fired at the intersection of Harrison Street and Michigan Avenue...

South Loop businesses hope return of students can provide “major boost” in business amid pandemic

August 10, 2020

When the ice cream shop Kilwins closed in the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, co-owner Jackie Jackson remained optimistic they would reopen in time for the summer months. Jackson, who co-runs t...

Artist & Craftsman Supply closed its doors this month, leaving the Columbia community in search of a new art supplies store.

Columbia students say goodbye to beloved art supply shop in the South Loop: ‘It felt like our store’

July 31, 2020

Whether it be for sketchbooks, tools or stationery, Artist and Craftsman Supply was the go-to shop for Columbia students and instructors. Emily Gibson, a 2018 illustration alumna, said the stor...

Nearly 200 Chicagoans came out to support the Back the Blue rally, many holding American flags in support of American law enforcement.

‘Black Lives Matter’ counter-protest causes friction with ‘Blue Lives Matter’ demonstration

July 26, 2020

Separated by a metal fence and a line of police officers with bikes, Blue Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter demonstrators came to a standstill in the South Loop Saturday. Blue Lives protesters—many ...

Roots Handmade Pizza offers an array of signature pizzas, including 3 vegetarian-friendly options.

Review: Roots’ pizza doesn’t have a ‘pizza’ my heart

July 22, 2020

The newly built, trendy two-story restaurant with patio seating and a retractable roof may distract you from what you are actually there for—the pizza. Until you take your first bite. Roots H...

South Loop yarn bomber strikes again, bringing joy and beauty for Pride month

June 29, 2020

Around the South Loop, crocheted purple pansies grow from a knitted plant bed, while mini cacti rest in the desert and a crocheted snail and gnome sit on a knitted log, waiting to be noticed by passers...

Columbia students impacted physically and emotionally by protests, police violence

June 10, 2020

Protests “I just remember telling [the police], 'Are you going to kill me, too?’ … Because it felt like I was on the cusp of death. ... I have never witnessed such a hatred from anyone." S...

A group of protesters destroy a police vehicle, slashing its tires and jumping on the dash to shatter the glass.

Columbia buildings damaged, thousands march downtown for George Floyd protests

May 31, 2020

Residents in the South Loop woke up to businesses and buildings damaged by broken glass, looted storefronts and spray-painted messages after protests escalated and riots broke out Saturday night. ...

Lightfoot sets citywide curfew, calls on National Guard as protests escalate

May 31, 2020

Protesters demanding justice for the death of George Floyd flooded the streets of downtown Chicago for the second day in a row on Saturday, May 30. Beginning in Federal Plaza at 2 p.m., hundred...

South Loop residents Jeff (left) and Allyson Harbert ran a marathon on their balcony to raise money for coronavirus relief efforts in Kenya.

South Loop ‘Qua-RUN-tine’ marathon raises money for coronavirus efforts in Kenya

May 12, 2020

Within the confines of their high-rise apartment in Chicago's South Loop, Jeff Harbert and his wife sprinted from one end of their cramped 6-by-10 foot balcony to the next, completing a marathon. “...

Coronavirus closures put strain on local restaurants, food service workers, delivery drivers

March 21, 2020

College campuses across Chicago have closed due to coronavirus, leaving the South Loop—and its restaurants—largely empty. Devil Dawgs, a Columbia student favorite, was hurt by this loss of clie...

Multiple armed robberies near Student Center

September 21, 2019

A string of at least six robberies near the new Student Center have students and local shopkeepers on high alert. Pandit Pahtak, store manager at the 7-Eleven, 801 S. State St., said he was cleaning ...