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My name is Andy Koval and I'm WGN News' digital reporter. I've been in journalism since 2013 and I pride myself on finding stories that slip through the cracks.
I've consitently been the top traffic driver at WGN News while maintaining a commitment to quality over clickbait.
Here's some of my best work.
OAK LAWN, Ill. - When a big rig got wedged under a Chicago viaduct in early April, a tow truck arrived in minutes. Then the trouble began. Tim Smith said the towing firm quoted his company, DPW Trucking, a few thousand dollars over the phone and he agreed.
MORRIS, Ill. - Grundy County's Board of Health recently shuttered its mental health services despite an increase in patients in recent years. The decision to close the behavioral unit, locate...
MORRIS, Ill. - Family and friends are "outraged" after a mother of three was shot and killed by Morris police responding to a mental health call in late September. WGN News obtained the body cam fo...
CROWN POINT, Ind. - Nearly a $1 billion budget gap has caused Indiana to drastically cut and change a program this summer designed to pay parents who take care of their children with disabilities. ...
CHICAGO - A 21-year-old lifelong Garfield Ridge native stepped in to bring back a staple of the community - Mini Hut. The Southwest Side institution, known for their secret buttercrust breading, started in 1972 at Archer and Mayfield. Owner Don Engel moved to Archer and Normandy in the early 90s and served the juicy chicken [...]
CHICAGO - Now in its second decade, the Cook County Jail chess program is thriving, competing internationally and above all - it's working. WGN News spent time at the jail to learn about the program, the method and madness behind organizer and director "Coach K" and how data shows it's effective with participants not coming [...]
Note: This story discusses suicide. Discretion is advised. TINLEY PARK, Ill. - A longtime elementary school teacher in Romeoville tragically died by suicide on I-80 early Sunday morning and his dau...
PORTER COUNTY, Ind. - A Northwest Indiana boy's death while in foster care has been ruled a homicide. Dakota Levi Stevens, 10, was pronounced dead after being transported to Memorial Hospital of South Bend on the morning of April 27. Two days prior, the Porter County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the 200 block of [...]
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. - Chuck Provow was a self-described "naïve" young man when he was drafted to serve in the Korean War while on the campus of the University of Illinois one day in 1951. He didn't want to join the Army, so the now 90-year-old, who lives in Highland Park, opted for the Marines.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - A suburban man who fought to raise awareness and improve communication skills for ALS patients died Sunday following a 10-year battle with the horrible disease. Eric von Sch...
EVANSTON, Ill. - Iconic Cubs fan Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers is going through some health challenges but is working to return to his favorite place on Earth - Wrigley Field. The 83-year-old's guiding light has been Wrigley Field ever since he walked up the steps to witness the magic of the Ivy.
CHICAGO - A newly-acquired collection at the Newberry Library gives a glimpse into Chicago's role during The Great Migration of African Americans. The images, which are believed to have been produced by the Methodist Episcopal Church between 1922-1923 on the Near North Side, offers a tremendous and clear look at how life was for those [...]
PALOS PARK, Ill. - A suburban combat veteran who inspires those with PTSD through his artwork is excited about his latest creation - a scrap metal cicada. Steve Kost, 51, wasn't even old enough to drink when he was touring the world as a member of the Navy SEABEES in the early 1990s.
UPDATE: Mr. Beef has been adopted! "Mr. Beef has been a great addition to our family and has been so much fun. He is so eager to learn new things," his new family said. Original story C...
CHICAGO - The Chicago band Friko is on the cusp of something special and released their excellent debut album Friday after grinding over the last five years. Lead singer Niko Kapetan sat down with ...
CHICAGO - Oak Point University announced internally Wednesday its closing at end of the semester in three weeks - leaving employees without a job and students confused and upset. Students and facul...
CROWN POINT, Ind. - Following a peaceful protest in Crown Point, the protesters were met twice by armed bystanders. On Monday, a group of around 40 protesters supporting the Black Lives Matter movement held a demonstration in the city's square, a popular area of Crown Point.
CHICAGO - Just like food and architecture, Chicago has always been a hot bed for music. The Second City is second to none with the variety of music that has been produced here. The creative explosi...
A Northwest Indiana mother received 42 years in prison for the brutal death of her 4-year-old son, who was starved and lived in a dark basement. In an amended federal lawsuit, text messages verified by WGN News provide a glimpse into the final months of his life.
NORTHBROOK, Ill. - France honored a 98-year-old World War II veteran Friday for helping liberate the country. WGN News spoke with PFC. Emil Hirsch to learn more about his Chicago roots, his war story and what he did after that tumultuous period of time. Like most people during the 1930s, Hirsch felt the effects of [...]
GARY, Ind. - A family in Northwest Indiana is mourning the loss of retired Gary firefighter and member of a groundbreaking high school state champion basketball team. Wallace Broadnax stopped at Clark gas station, located in the 2200 block of Grant Street in Gary, at around 7:30 a.m.
CHICAGO - With Fat Tuesday nearly here, lines across bakeries and grocery stores to pick up scores of beloved paczki can be traced back to Chicago's deep Polish roots. With the craze of getting paczki seeming to grow each and every year, it wouldn't be quite as popular if Chicago never turned into a massive [...]
LINDENHURST, Ill. - Over 1,400 people have signed a petition after a suburban school district removed a book reading program for being "left-leaning." In a 4-3 decision on March 18, the...
PORTER COUNTY, Ind. - For the last eight years, a father and daughter in Northwest Indiana have been educating first responders and students on how to work with people with disabilities. Tom Felter...
CHICAGO - A United States Army veteran was shot and killed while walking his dog Tuesday morning in Little Village. Jason Benitez, 30, was walking his dog at around 1:15 a.m. in the 3400 block of W...
CHICAGO - The Archdiocese of Chicago reached an $800,000 settlement against longtime South Side priest the Rev. George Clements and four others, according to an attorney representing the victims. The settlement, which was completed back in February, alleges the Rev. George Clements, who died in 2019, repeatedly sexually abused a boy from approximately 1974 to [...]
LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. - A call for a "sick/injured" raccoon sparked an investigation into a Northwest Indiana chief marshal for fraud and ghost employment, according to court documents. ...
CHICAGO - If you've ever wanted to travel back in time to the 1893's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, one resident's mission has been to make that possible. Michael Finney has alw...
OAKLAND - Two Chicago-area natives put their photoshop skills and advertising backgrounds to good use by recreating priceless works of art with a lonely twist. Jeff Roy, 29, from Lincoln Park, and Drake Paul, 30, from Northbrook, were seeing the effects of COVID-19 as it hit the Bay Area at the beginning of March and [...]