Zareen Syed

Zareen Syed is a general assignment reporter for the Chicago Tribune with a focus on education. She previously covered the western suburbs, including Hinsdale, and occasionally works on food and feature stories on diverse topics. She鈥檚 an alumna of Columbia College Chicago and previously worked for NBC Sports Chicago, WGN-TV and Boston 25 News.

Produce for sale at the Low-Line Market in the 3400 block of North Southport Avenue in Chicago on July 14, 2026. Bethany Doerfler, senior clinical research dietitian at the Digestive Health Institute of Northwestern Medicine, suggested consumers consider purchasing produce from farmers markets while the cyclosporiasis situation stabilizes. Not only is the farmers market supply chain significantly shorter, reducing handling time and cross-contamination risks, but shoppers can speak directly with growers to learn about how the crops were fertilized or watered.聽(Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

What to know about eating at home and dining out during the cyclospora outbreak

July 16, 2026 at 9:46 a.m.

Here鈥檚 how to avoid consuming produce with cyclospora that can cause explosive diarrhea.

Ashton Spatz, center, a financial aid adviser with the University of Illinois at Chicago, assists Jessena Sanchez, left, and her daughter, Leslie Delve, a sophomore at UIC, during a FAFSA workshop on Feb. 23, 2024, at the Student Financial Aid Office. (Vincent Alban/Chicago Tribune)

The new FAFSA: Here鈥檚 what you need to know before applying for federal student aid for the 2024-25 academic year

February 27, 2024 at 6:48 a.m.

The FAFSA, which typically opens in October, didn鈥檛 become available until Dec. 31, after the government revised the form and changed the formula for student aid in an attempt to...

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Zareen Syed

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What to know about eating at home and dining out during the cyclospora outbreak

The new FAFSA: Here鈥檚 what you need to know before applying for federal student aid for the 2024-25 academic year