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While you may think of ozone as a welcome element in our Earth's atmosphere that protects us from the sun's harmful radiation, ground-level ozone that we breathe is a harmful pollutant.
Chicago has the largest air quality monitoring network in the country thanks to a partnership between the city, the University of Illinois Chicago, and local community groups.
El Paso, Texas, and Los Angeles, California, had some of the worst air pollution in the U.S. last year, according to a new report.
Wildfires are raging on the United States' West Coast. The Gifford Fire has already burned more than 4,000 acres in California.
Meteorologist Kylee Miller has more as the alert will enter its fourth day.
Chicago air quality remains in the top five worst in the world Friday with an Air Quality Alert in place from Canadian wildfire smoke.
Haze and smoke are expected to linger Friday and Saturday as northeast winds blow in cool, less humid air.
Hundreds of thousands of music fans packed Grant Park Thursday for the first day of Lollapalooza 2025 as Chicago air quality plummeted to unhealthy levels. Sabrina Franza reports.
The hazy skies in the Chicago area are the visible sign of the poor air quality on Thursday as smoke from Canadian wildfires sent Chicago to the top of the list of most polluted cities in the world.
The hazy skies in the Chicago area are the visible sign of the poor air quality on Thursday as smoke from Canadian wildfires sent Chicago to the top of the list of most polluted cities in the world.
The hazy skies in the Chicago area are the visible sign of the poor air quality Thursday as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts into our area.
The air quality unhealthy for sensitive groups.
An Air Quality Alert has been extended through Wednesday night for the Chicago area from wildfire smoke coming in from Canada.
"As soon as the rule was released, the EPA employees started talking about how terrible this was going to be for the state of Illinois," said Nicole Cantello, president of AFGE Local 704, the union representing EPA workers in the Chicago area.
As the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to revoke a key rule setting limits on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from fossil fuel-fired power plants, experts are concerned about how it could impact air quality in Chicago. Tara Molina reports.
Wildfires are still raging in Canada, where there have been dozens of active fires, and over 33,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes.
Anyone can visit the AirNow website and see information from the equipment used to monitor air quality.
Expect a complex of rain and storms to sweep across our area late Saturday, with rain most likely from Chicago southward.
While Friday's air quality is better, it's still a concern for children, teens, the elderly, and those with certain health conditions.
A Chicago Air Quality Alert has been extended through Friday as smoke from Canada wildfires has pushed the AQI into unhealthy levels across the region.
Itchy eyes, coughing, fatigue; just a few of the symptoms Chicagoans might be experiencing thanks to smoke from raging wildfires in Canada, which have drifted into Chicago, prompting an air quality alert through Friday night.
A Chicago Air Quality Alert has been extended through Friday as smoke from Canada wildfires has pushed the AQI into unhealthy levels across the region.
At times on Thursday morning, Chicago ranked second-worst in air quality around the world, right behind Dakar, Senegal, according to IQ Air.
Meteorologist Laura Bannon warns of air quality issues on Thursday.
Smoke from out-of-control wildfires in Canada is drifting into the Chicago area on Friday, and while conditions won't be as severe as when smoke from Canadian wildfires repeatedly blanketed Chicago two years ago, the haze is nonetheless raising public health concerns.
One person was arrested after a pickup truck struck an Illinois State Police squad car in Chicago's Grand Crossing community early Monday.
Six people were taken to the hospital after a crash on Chicago's Southwest Side Sunday evening.
The FBI on Monday morning was investigating a cybersecurity incident at Evanston Township High School that has closed down the whole campus.
Pope Leo XIV denounced the "scourge" of sexual violence by Catholic clergy and called for a "culture of care" in the Church ahead of an expected private meeting with victims in Spain.
Iran's military declares a halt to operations as Trump says Israel and Tehran are seeking an "immediate ceasefire" after a major escalation in the 101-day war.
Attorneys for the now-cleared "Broadview Six" defendants are seeking any possible evidence of pressure from White House officials on the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago to secure an indictment against the group.
In a surprise move, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday that he is putting a pause on all new state tax incentives for data centers and calling on lawmakers to pass new data center reforms during the fall veto session.
CBS News obtained a brief voice memo from Iranian American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who is being detained in Iran's Evin Prison and is pleading for help for him and other American captives.
New legislation in Illinois means new rules for electric bikes, scooters, and similar devices. Supporters of the legislation said the goal is to prevent injuries and fatalities, but some e-bike riders question the additional cost that would be involved.
Senate Republicans passed funding for the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement agencies following a "vote-a-rama." The measure didn't ban the administration's "anti-weaponization" fund.
An Illinois law banning "swipe fees" on taxes and tips — already delayed twice by lawmakers — appears to be on life support after a federal judge that once permitted it issued a permanent injunction against it this week.
A new study from the Cook County Treasurer's office underlines growing concerns about the impact the Illinois megaprojects bill could have on the county's property tax base and overall fiscal health.
As thousands of Chicagoans wrap up road trips over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, gas prices in the city have reached the highest levels seen in four years.
Consumer and environmental advocates said Monday that they found overcharges buried in the most recent rate-hike request by Nicor.
One week away from Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, with gas prices remaining high, negotiations were set to resume Monday at the largest oil refinery in the Midwest.
Dr. Peter Stafford was working with a missionary group in the Congo when he came down with the virus last month.
While 330 Ebola infections are confirmed in central Africa and huge challenges remain, hundreds more suspected cases "have been cleared out," the WHO says.
June is World Infertility Awareness Month, and Northwestern Medicine on Monday shared the story of a woman who is celebrating the birth of her second child after a tumor disrupted her fertility.
The Centennial Park Aquatic Center in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park has been closed to the public after two recent cases of E. coli infection.
Menopause can feel like a major turning point for millions of women, with symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog can make women feel like their bodies aren't their own.
Walgreens is set to close in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood on Thursday, and there's growing concern about where families will get their medications.
The owners of Gene & Georgetti steakhouse are suing a concessions operator over their expansion at Midway International Airport.
DraftKings announced Monday that it is closing its sportsbook operation at Wrigley Field after only about two years.
After more than 80 years, there will be no Ann Sather restaurant location in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community, effective in June.
Flight attendants at Chicago-based United Airlines have approved a new labor contract, marking their first pay increases in six years.
"Schmigadoon!" — which was tied for the most nominations, with 12 — won Best Musical, and "Liberation" took home the honor of Best Play at the 2026 Tony Awards.
Anthony Head played librarian and mentor Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and recently appeared in "Ted Lasso."
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is on the cover of Madden NFL 27, the first Bear ever to grace the primary cover of the massively popular video game.
Peabo Bryson, a two-time Grammy-winning singer and songwriter known for Disney movie hits "Beauty and the Beast" and "A Whole New World," has died at age 75.
You may never have heard about it, but before Bob Dylan got to Manhattan and blazed his trail to fame, he spent about a month on and around the University of Chicago campus.
The FBI on Monday morning was investigating a cybersecurity incident at Evanston Township High School that has closed down the whole campus. Lauren Victory reports.
A man is dead after police said he was shot multiple times in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side.
The inbound Kennedy Expressway was shut down for a period of time at the Nagle Avenue curve for a crash as the morning rush began early Monday. Lauren Victory reports.
This Thursday, leading Chicago advocacy organization Ascend Justice will celebrate people making a difference in the lives of survivors of violence, abuse, and exploitation at is annual Celebration of Courage. Joining Marissa Perlman are Champion of Justice Award winner Dr. Nora Rowley and Ascend Justice chief executive officer Margaret Duval.
A 13-year-old was being questioned early Monday in a shooting that left four boys between the ages of 12 and 14 wounded in Chicago's Bronzeville community over the weekend, a police source told CBS News Chicago. Darius Johnson reports.
A person of interest was being questioned early Monday in a shooting that left four boys wounded in Chicago's Bronzeville community.
The inbound Kennedy Expressway was shut down at the Nagle Avenue curve for a crash as the morning rush began early Monday.
The FBI on Monday morning was investigating a cybersecurity incident at Evanston Township High School that has closed down the whole campus.
Stacey King, who played on the first three NBA Champion Chicago Bulls teams with Michael Jordan in the 1990s, has died.
One person was arrested after a pickup truck struck an Illinois State Police squad car in Chicago's Grand Crossing community early Monday.
The Obama Presidential Center has been built with sustainability literally in its foundation. But its infrastructure for clean energy, environmentalism and climate change resiliency will also help the communities around it on Chicago's South Side.
A driver in Carol Stream says a band of hungry squirrels caused nearly $30,000 in damage to three different luxury vehicles because of plant-based parts they view as a tasty snack.
Legislation protecting Illinois customers receiving professional massages from sexual assaults and harassment is now on its way to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
Could banning cell phones make Illinois classrooms better places to learn? State lawmakers are betting on it, sending a bill to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk to do exactly that.
Feel Free, a kratom drink, is easy to buy and increasingly popular, even as doctors and medical experts grow more concerned about its health impacts, addiction rates and deaths.
Two-time Gold Glove shortstop Dansby Swanson was held out of the Cubs' starting lineup for a second straight game.
Brandon Marsh homered for the third straight day and drove in two runs as the Phillies beat the White Sox in South Philly.
Stacey King, who played on the first three NBA Champion Chicago Bulls teams with Michael Jordan in the 1990s, has died.
Jacob Gonzalez hit his first major league home run, Colson Montgomery also went deep and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3.
Golden Tempo made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner and the second woman to train a Belmont Stakes winner.
One person was arrested after a pickup truck struck an Illinois State Police squad car in Chicago's Grand Crossing community early Monday.
Chicago police early Monday were investigating a stabbing that left a man dead in the Auburn Gresham community.
A man is dead after police said he was shot multiple times in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on Chicago's West Side.
A person of interest was being questioned early Monday in a shooting that left four boys between the ages of 12 and 14 wounded in Chicago's Bronzeville community over the weekend.
Police in the west Chicago suburb of Lombard were investigating a homicide that took place in a residential building this weekend.
