Working Lunch newsletter
New data show Illinois childhood vaccination rates remain high, despite national controversy • Brookfield Zoo workers go on strike
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Working Lunch

Monday, May 4, 2026

How a weaker dollar is quietly making life more expensive

A hidden force is quietly pushing up costs for everything from your summer vacation to your weekly grocery bills: a weaker U.S. dollar.

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New data show Illinois childhood vaccination rates remain high, despite national controversy

More than 95% of children statewide had received 10 school-required vaccines as of October, including those against chickenpox, whooping cough, hepatitis B, measles and polio, among others.

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Brookfield Zoo workers go on strike

Some workers at the Brookfield Zoo walked off the job Monday after labor contract negotiations fell apart, according to their union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 727.

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Despite seasonal appeal, outdoor kitchens are a growing addition in Chicago backyards

Outdoor kitchens started to catch on during the early days of the pandemic, when residents started to reinvest in their homes, experts say.

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Formula 1’s electrical revolution is losing its spark after just 4 races. Could V8 power return?

Four races into Formula 1’s new era and the peak of electrical power’s influence on the sport may already be in the rearview mirror.

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As U.S. Steel announces clean steel facility in Arkansas, NWI activists want the same in Gary

Northwest Indiana green steel advocates weren’t surprised by the development, and worry about what it means for the future of Gary Works.

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Indiana gas prices surge one week before Gov. Braun can renew tax holiday

Gas prices rose to more than $5 per gallon in some parts of Indiana this week, and time is running out on Gov. Mike Braun’s gas tax holiday.

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Spirit Airlines built a model the industry copied. Then it collapsed.

Spirit Airlines, the scrappy discounter that once rattled the industry with cheeky ads and rock-bottom fares, took its final flight after 34 years of upending the business of flying.

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