Latest news with #TheLantern
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Down to Business: After nearly 60 years, The Lantern's become a ‘generational place' for Naperville families
Business: The Lantern Address: 8 W. Chicago Ave., Naperville Phone/website: 630-355-7099; Owner: Mike Lococo of Naperville; General Manager: Jessica Laramie, 37, of Yorkville Years in business: 59 What does your business do? 'It's all about the history. It's a generational place. Families come here. We're known as a tavern. We're known as a bar. We're known as a restaurant,' Lococo said. 'Kids look forward to getting their (free) popcorn and suckers,' Laramie said. 'That's been going on for years. Adults now did it when they were kids.' What should people know? 'We have the coldest beer in downtown Naperville,' Lococo said. Did you start the business? 'No. I bought it two and a half years ago. Don Feldott started The Lantern in 1966. Our 60th year will be 2026. There's going to be a celebration all year,' Lococo said. 'One of (Don's) granddaughters, Kalie Feldott, is our other general manager,' Laramie said. Why did you buy The Lantern? 'Opportunity. A venture to take on. … Don passed away in 2021. Some of the family started running the business. They decided to sell. … I had been here before. I was here when I was 21.' What was your previous job? 'Property management.' How's the business doing? 'It's going great. We didn't change any of the recipes. They are 40, 50 years old. We're known for burgers. We make them fresh every day. We bring in the meat from Casey's (Foods). We have great food. … Our cooks, Ruben and Susanna Gallegos, have been here over 25 years,' Lococo said. How many employees do you have? 'Thirty-five. We've had employees here for decades. Our cleaner, we call him Rob Bob, he's here 5, 6 in the morning. No one's ever seen him,' Lococo said. 'His father worked here. Rob Bob is in his 60s. I will come here sometimes at eight in the morning. It's like if walls could talk. He tells me all the stories, the history that went on here 30, 40, 50 years ago.' Why is The Lantern important for Naperville? 'It's iconic. You'll get construction workers to attorneys to the mayor. Have lunch. Have a drink. This place is a staple. You saw the mural on the side (of the building). If you look up 'City of Naperville,' that's the picture that comes up first. I call this 'the beating heart of Naperville'.' Lococo said. 'We're known as the place to have the last drink (of the night). People try to get here an hour before we close to have that last drink,' Lococo said. What are your hours? 'We're open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, till 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday,' Laramie said. What about competition? 'We love to see other bars down here. We encourage people to open bars (downtown),' Lococo said. 'That makes it a destination place for all of us,' Laramie said. Any favorite stories? 'It was Christmas week. Really crowded. An older gentleman came in and said his daughter was getting engaged (in a park) down the street in 20 minutes and he needed room for 30 people. I accommodated him. … A lot of people meet here, get married, come back,' Lococo said. Are you here 12 hours a day? 'I used to be. Hiring good people is the key,' Lococo said. Any future plans? 'We will not go corporate. It's going to be a traditional, independently owned place as long as I'm here,' Lococo said. 'Maybe (start) a (weekend) brunch. We're working on that … We hope to bring back the block party in August of 2026. Everyone works that day. Some of our customers volunteer and help.' Any other special events? 'We have free karaoke every Tuesday night, from 9 p.m. to midnight. … We also do trivia every Wednesday. A sold-out house, usually a week ahead of time. It starts at 7 o'clock. The same deejay who does karaoke does trivia. The prizes are gift cards,' Laramie said. How about live music? 'Usually on Thursday nights. … On New Year's Eve we do two toasts. One at 5 p.m., one at midnight. A lot of the families come down here for the early toast,' Lococo said. This building is over 100 years old. Is it haunted? 'Maybe in the basement,' Lococo said. Any misconceptions? 'People may think it's a college bar. It's not. It's a family place. On a Saturday you get the whole T-ball team in here after a game,' Laramie said. What's your advice for someone starting a business? 'You've got to have good people working for you and don't be undercapitalized. … People think it's easy. It's not. There's a lot of moving parts. … I'm still learning,' Lococo said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
College Journalists Wrestle with Transparency as Students Fear Deportation for Speaking out
The Associated Press Emma Wozniak, editor in chief of the Ohio State University's The Lantern newspaper, talks with Nora Igelnik, campus editor at the paper's office in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday, April 24, 2025, as managing editor of content, Lucy Lawler listens. CHICAGO (AP) — Over the past few weeks, Greta Reich, editor-in-chief of Stanford University's student newspaper, has had almost two dozen requests to take down quotes, bylines, photos and opinion articles from current and former sources and writers. She and her staff at the Stanford Daily have been reviewing them on a case-by-case basis. 'It's a number that has been startling to see,' Reich said. Other student journalists on college campuses across the country are fielding similar requests. They are being asked to remove previously published content amid the Trump administration's crackdown on student protesters, fears of deportation for international students and what critics have described as unprecedented attacks on campus speech. Many young editors are beginning to reconsider long-standing journalistic practices around transparency to protect the people who appear in their reports. It's happening amid a climate of fear on campuses that is causing certain students to be reluctant to speak out publicly. Fears of deportation lead to a reassessment of transparency These dramatic shifts in student media escalated after Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University student from Turkey, was threatened with deportation and detained in March over what her lawyers say is apparent retaliation for an op-ed piece she co-wrote in the student newspaper. Öztürk was among four students who wrote the op-ed in the campus newspaper, The Tufts Daily, criticizing the university's response to student activists demanding that Tufts 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel. And Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist, was arrested in March and has been held in a Louisiana detention center for more than six weeks. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review. The federal government has since announced it will reverse the termination of legal status for international students after many filed court challenges, a government lawyer said Friday. The need to consider high-stakes safety risks has increased pressure on students in newsrooms that are meant to be learning labs for future journalists. Emma Wozniak, editor-in-chief of The Lantern at Ohio State University, where 12 students had their visas revoked, said it's 'taken a mental toll' on staff members. 'We feel an enormous pressure to do the right thing because the stakes are higher and we don't want to put anyone in danger,' she said. 'It's terrifying to think that something we put out into the world could have such a devastating impact on someone. And so we take that very seriously.' A chilling effect on campus journalism Earlier this month, the Student Press Law Center and other media rights groups issued guidance urging student journalists to be more flexible about requests to take down content. 'This is something we've never, ever done before,' said Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel for the center. 'It's unprecedented. But we felt it was important to respond to what we were hearing from students.' Hiestand said he's seen a surge in calls from student journalists facing requests to take down content, remove bylines or offer anonymous sourcing. Some of the calls have been from international students concerned about how to protect themselves while working in campus newsrooms. Many, fearing legal repercussions, have decided to retract their names in the bylines of published articles or opinion pieces. 'People are really concerned, really fearful,' he said. The Stanford Daily has seen multiple staff members step away from editing positions or from covering certain stories related to the Israel-Hamas war or President Donald Trump's campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Reich said. Certain students 'scared to have their stories told' Since returning to the White House, Trump, a Republican, has threatened funding for universities over what he calls 'wokeness' and diversity efforts in education, and he has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him. The Stanford Daily published a letter from the editor in April addressing a 'chilling effect we've noticed on campus and the fear of speaking to the Daily' and announcing more leniency in granting anonymity for students who feel threatened. Three days before, the Daily reported that six student visas had been revoked by federal authorities. Reich said she worries about the diversity in voices the Daily may be losing because international students especially are afraid to speak with reporters or join the newsroom. 'When we have an entire section of the student body scared to have their stories told, that's a significant portion of the life of Stanford that just isn't being told,' she said. 'It's wildly concerning.' Adam Kinder, editor-in-chief of the Columbia Political Review, said he's had about half a dozen requests from student writers wanting to put the publishing process on hold and a similar number of requests to take down previously published articles. Many of the requests have been from international students 'because of the very real fear right now, including the fear of deportation,' Kinder said. The publication reversed a previous rule restricting non-bylined articles. 'I don't think it's a coincidence that we're getting more of these requests than we ever had before,' he said. Worries that the 'first draft of history' could be erased Dylan Hembrough, editor-in-chief of the Alestle at Southern Illinois University, said he's also being more flexible with taking down previously published content, removing bylines from staff writers and offering anonymity. That includes for an upcoming story about eight international students at the school who have had their visas revoked. The Alestle's staff is working on a new policy for removing previously published content. 'Offering anonymity now is important because for some of these people, their lives could be completely upended at a moment's notice,' Hembrough said. 'People's lives are more important than a good story.' Jane Kirtley, a University of Minnesota media ethics professor, acknowledged that the current moment 'raises a whole new set of ethical issues that may feel much more existential.' But she encouraged student journalists to slow down when deciding how to weigh minimizing harm with other ethical standards, including to seek the truth and report it and to tell the full story of what is happening. Kirtley said anonymous sourcing and non-bylined work can appear less credible. Removing previously published content can have lasting effects, given that journalism is often called the first draft of history. 'You have to ask yourself, what am I doing to the historical record, especially amid attempts in the current administration to rewrite history,' she said.
Boston Globe
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
College journalists wrestle with transparency as students fear deportation for speaking out
Other student journalists on college campuses across the country are fielding similar requests. They are being asked to remove previously published content amid the Trump administration's crackdown on student protesters, fears of deportation for international students and what critics have described as unprecedented attacks on campus speech. Many young editors are beginning to reconsider long-standing journalistic practices around transparency to protect the people who appear in their reports. It's happening amid a climate of fear on campuses that is causing certain students to be reluctant to speak out publicly. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Fears of deportation lead to a reassessment of transparency Advertisement These dramatic shifts in student media escalated after And Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist, was arrested in March and has been held in a Louisiana detention center for more than six weeks. Advertisement Meanwhile, more than 1,000 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review. The federal government has since announced it will reverse the termination of legal status for international students after many filed court challenges, a government lawyer said Friday. The need to consider high-stakes safety risks has increased pressure on students in newsrooms that are meant to be learning labs for future journalists. Emma Wozniak, editor-in-chief of The Lantern at Ohio State University, where 12 students had their visas revoked, said it's 'taken a mental toll' on staff members. 'We feel an enormous pressure to do the right thing because the stakes are higher and we don't want to put anyone in danger,' she said. 'It's terrifying to think that something we put out into the world could have such a devastating impact on someone. And so we take that very seriously.' A chilling effect on campus journalism Earlier this month, the Student Press Law Center and other media rights groups issued guidance urging student journalists to be more flexible about requests to take down content. 'This is something we've never, ever done before,' said Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel for the center. 'It's unprecedented. But we felt it was important to respond to what we were hearing from students.' Hiestand said he's seen a surge in calls from student journalists facing requests to take down content, remove bylines or offer anonymous sourcing. Some of the calls have been from international students concerned about how to protect themselves while working in campus newsrooms. Many, fearing legal repercussions, have decided to retract their names in the bylines of published articles or opinion pieces. Advertisement 'People are really concerned, really fearful,' he said. The Stanford Daily has seen multiple staff members step away from editing positions or from covering certain stories related to the Israel-Hamas war or President Donald Trump's campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Reich said. Certain students 'scared to have their stories told' Since returning to the White House, Trump, a Republican, has threatened funding for universities over what he calls 'wokeness' and diversity efforts in education, and he has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him. The Stanford Daily published a letter from the editor in April addressing a 'chilling effect we've noticed on campus and the fear of speaking to the Daily' and announcing more leniency in granting anonymity for students who feel threatened. Three days before, the Daily reported that six student visas had been revoked by federal authorities. Reich said she worries about the diversity in voices the Daily may be losing because international students especially are afraid to speak with reporters or join the newsroom. 'When we have an entire section of the student body scared to have their stories told, that's a significant portion of the life of Stanford that just isn't being told,' she said. 'It's wildly concerning.' Adam Kinder, editor-in-chief of the Columbia Political Review, said he's had about half a dozen requests from student writers wanting to put the publishing process on hold and a similar number of requests to take down previously published articles. Many of the requests have been from international students 'because of the very real fear right now, including the fear of deportation,' Kinder said. The publication reversed a previous rule restricting non-bylined articles. Advertisement 'I don't think it's a coincidence that we're getting more of these requests than we ever had before,' he said. Worries that the 'first draft of history' could be erased Dylan Hembrough, editor-in-chief of the Alestle at Southern Illinois University, said he's also being more flexible with taking down previously published content, removing bylines from staff writers and offering anonymity. That includes for an upcoming story about eight international students at the school who have had their visas revoked. The Alestle's staff is working on a new policy for removing previously published content. 'Offering anonymity now is important because for some of these people, their lives could be completely upended at a moment's notice,' Hembrough said. 'People's lives are more important than a good story.' Jane Kirtley, a University of Minnesota media ethics professor, acknowledged that the current moment 'raises a whole new set of ethical issues that may feel much more existential.' But she encouraged student journalists to slow down when deciding how to weigh minimizing harm with other ethical standards, including to seek the truth and report it and to tell the full story of what is happening. Kirtley said anonymous sourcing and non-bylined work can appear less credible. Removing previously published content can have lasting effects, given that journalism is often called the first draft of history. 'You have to ask yourself, what am I doing to the historical record, especially amid attempts in the current administration to rewrite history,' she said.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Cold case murder suspect in death of Ohio State student faces judge
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man arrested in connection to a cold-case homicide in which an Ohio State student was killed 25 years ago is set to face a judge on Wednesday afternoon. According to court records, Brian Swanson, who has been living in Cincinnati, is charged with the murder of 22-year-old Charles Ballard, who was found shot dead on Feb. 8, 2000. Swanson was arrested March 28 and will appear in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas for an arraignment hearing at 1 p.m. Charged with murder and aggravated murder, the investigation led police to Swanson, 48, after years of circumstantial evidence that tied him to Ballard's murder. For an earlier report on this story view the video player above. One dead after collision with semi-truck on I-71, north of Downtown, Columbus Based on a contemporary report from The Lantern student newspaper, Ballard was found the morning of Feb. 9 shot dead and partially burned in the basement of his East 17th Avenue apartment. Police said he was laying on top of a gun that may or may not have been used in the homicide. Ballard was shot three times, once each in the head, chest and abdomen and he was lying on the basement floor and on top of some paper, which was partially burned. The bottom half of Ballard's body suffered severe burns, according to The Lantern, and were less severe on his torso and clothes. Also burned was the basement door, which was left ajar, though police do not believe there was a struggle. It is still not clear how the fire was ignited. Details of the decades-long investigation were revealed on a Columbus police podcast called The Fifth Floor, which described a dispute occurred between Ballard and an employee at the BP gas station near Ballard's residence. Police said that on one occasion, the employee followed Ballard home before Ballard scared him away with a gun. On Feb. 18, 2000, police discovered that the same employee was seen about 90 minutes after Ballard's death, at 4:18 a.m., using an ATM card on North High Street. Officers questioned Swanson, who was wearing a mask while attempting to use the bank card. The name on the card was Ballard's girlfriend, who opened an account and co-signed it with Ballard. She told police she never was in possession of the ATM card and that it was Ballard's card. $370M project would bulldoze Latitude Five25, renovate Wedgewood Village The employee, now believed to be Swanson, said he found the card and was considered the main suspect in Ballard's death. The ATM card and ski mask were submitted into evidence, but he was not charged in what was described as a 'suspicious incident.' The link between that incident and Ballard, however, was never confirmed, as the evidence appeared circumstantial, police said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Cold case murder of Ohio State student sees arrest 25 years later
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An arrest has been made in connection to the fatal shooting and burning of an Ohio State student 25 years ago. According to court records, 48-year-old Brian Swanson is charged with murder and aggravated murder in the death of Charles Ballard, a 22-year-old student who died on Feb. 8, 2000. An earlier report from The Lantern stated that Ballard was found shot dead and partially burned in the basement of his East 17th Avenue apartment. Police said he was laying on top of a gun that may or may not have been used in the homicide. Groveport police chief reinstated after sexual harassment investigation The victim was shot three times, once in the head, chest and abdomen and was lying on the basement floor and on top of some paper, which was partially burned. The bottom half of Ballard's body suffered severe burns, The Lantern said, and were less severe on his torso and clothes. The basement door, which was open, was also burned, though police do not believe there was a struggle. It is still not clear how the fire was ignited. The Columbus Division of Police official podcast, The fifth floor, described a dispute occurred between Ballard and an employee at the BP gas station near Ballard's residence. Police said that on one occasion, the employee followed Ballard home before Ballard scared him away with a gun. On Feb. 18, 2000, police discovered that the same employee was seen about 90 minutes after Ballard's death, at 4:18 a.m., using an ATM card on North High Street. Officers questioned the employee, who was wearing a mask while attempting to use the bank card. The name on the card was Ballard's girlfriend, who opened an account and co-signed it with Ballard. She told police she never was in possession of the ATM card and that it was Ballard's card. Red Cross kicks off campaign focused on home fire safety The employee, who said he found the card, was then considered the main suspect in Ballard's death. The ATM card and ski mask were submitted into evidence, but he was not charged in what was described as a 'suspicious incident.' The link between that incident and Ballard, however, was never confirmed, as the evidence appeared circumstantial, police said. Swanson, who lives in Cincinnati, was arrested Thursday. Both charges, which were filed Thursday in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, include a three-year firearm specification. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
