KFF Health NewsJan 5 2026 A couple of years ago, Matthew Hurley got the kind of text people fear. It said: "When was the last time you were STD tested.

Too Big To Say by Phil Bildner and Mike Curato, a LGBTQ+ Stand by Me for fans of The Trouble with Heroes and Hey, Kiddo Too Big To Say is a new upper middle grade novel with graphic novel elements, written by Lambda Award-winning author Phil Bildner and illustrated by Lambda Award-winning creator Mike Curato, about two friends who help each other make tough decisions while on a joint mission to hike up a mountain and climb a fire tower, pitched as an LGBTQ+ Stand by Me for fans of The Trouble with Heroes and Hey, Kiddo.

The space is still very much under renovation. Walls are being painted, backrooms are being cleared out and kitchen equipment is being acquired.

A Humboldt Park couple kicked off the new year by celebrating love with a historic ceremony. Melissa Nunez and Elizabeth Branske won Cook County's annual lottery for the first wedding of 2026, becoming the first lesbian couple to secure the sought-after spot.