Christiana Freitag

Christiana Freitag is an environment reporting intern and former freelancer at the Tribune. She holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University, where she focused on health, environment, and science reporting and data journalism. Her work has appeared in Inside Climate News, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and PBS.

Volunteers Kara Blain, from left, David Bippes, Kaeden Beaty and Cora Rambert pick up trash on May 31, 2026, with the Litter Caterpillars group under the CTA “L” tracks next to their vacant lot park in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

They built an Englewood community garden. Now they’re battling illegal dumping.

June 3, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Incidents complicate efforts to build trust and encourage community investment — something organizers say is critical to Caterpillar Park's long-term survival.

Boy, 2, dies after self-inflicted gunshot on Far South Side

May 24, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

A two-year-old boy was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in Pullman Sunday afternoon, Chicago police said.

4 teens injured in Little Village shooting, police say

May 24, 2026 at 1:14 p.m.

An early morning shooting in Chicago's Southwest Side left four teenagers injured and recovering in Mount Sinai Hospital.

Car hits 5 Chicago police officers clearing West Side crowd

May 24, 2026 at 10:34 a.m.

Five Chicago police officers were injured after an 18-year-old driver plowed through a crowd of officers clearing a large gathering early Sunday.

64-year-old woman killed in South Shore hit-and-run

May 24, 2026 at 9:48 a.m.

A 64-year-old woman was killed in a deadly hit-and-run crash in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood early Sunday morning, police said.

J'orge Garcia, founder and executive director of Windy City Bird Lab, center, and a crowd of birders watch for migrating birds passing through the “Magic Hedge” at the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, May 13, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

At peak time for migratory birds flying through Chicago, birding groups are tracking deadly window collisions

May 27, 2026 at 1:26 p.m.

As millions of migratory birds pass through Chicago each spring, volunteers race to rescue injured birds and document deadly window collisions while advocates push for bird-safe building laws.

Two eaglets are seen in their nest, right, in Chicago’s South Deering neighborhood while an eagle stands watch on May 7, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Name the eaglets: Chicagoans vote to name the city’s first bald eagles born in a century

May 20, 2026 at 6:52 p.m.

To celebrate the historic births, the Chicago Park District has launched a “Name the Eaglets” competition, inviting Chicagoans and beyond to vote for their favorite names for the two hatchlings.

Workers monitor the control room at the Braidwood Generating Station nuclear power plant on April 21, 2026. State legislation has played a key role in preserving nuclear generation. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

As data centers seek more power, Constellation launches nuclear plant upgrades to meet rising demand

May 18, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Illinois electricity providers caution that increasing nuclear power alone won’t be enough to solve the state’s looming energy challenges.

2 dead, 11 injured in pair of I-290 collisions Sunday morning

May 17, 2026 at 1:47 p.m.

Two separate traffic incidents on I-290, also known as the Eisenhower Highway, left two people dead and at least 11 others injured Sunday morning, according to state police.

Woman, 25, charged after fatally stabbing infant in Gage Park

May 17, 2026 at 4:38 p.m.

A 25-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of an infant girl Friday morning in the Gage Park neighborhood, according to Chicago Police.

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