Chicago's most viral headlines of 2024
Insects emerged from the ground, the moon eclipsed the sun, a purse full of cereal was spotted and Chicago fell in love with a rodent-shaped hole.
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Insects emerged from the ground, the moon eclipsed the sun, a purse full of cereal was spotted and Chicago fell in love with a rodent-shaped hole.
A North Aurora woman is already counting down to 2041 because she can't wait for the drone of the 17-year cicadas to fill her front yard once again.
Bettina Sailer is already counting down to 2041 because she can't wait for the drone of the 17-year cicadas to fill her front yard once again. CBS 2's Noel Brennan reports.
The periodical cicadas that have blanketed parts of the American Midwest this spring are strange creatures, but they have nothing on some of their superfans. Cicada "superfans" from making an extended field day (or, rather, field month) with the twin emergence.
The "Bug Bites" event was inspired by the 17-year periodical cicada emergence across the Chicago area this spring and summer.
While there were no cicadas, a tostada with grasshoppers was among the items on the menu at the Bug Bites dinner at Big Star West Town.
Field Museum collections assistant Jim Louderman tells CBS 2 all about the bugs that could be observed, and even eaten, at Big Star West Town Tuesday night -- as well as why people should enjoy their time with the 17-year cicada this year.
Cicadas were not to be on the menu, but other insect-based dishes were, at Big Star West Town.
Veterinarians emphasize it's rare for a cicada-eating issue to turn into an emergency for pets. But with vets seeing such issues across the Chicago area nonetheless, experts have some advice.
Veterinarians emphasize it’s rare for a cicada-eating issue to turn into an emergency for pets. But with vets seeing such issues across the Chicago area nonetheless, experts have some advice. CBS 2's Tara Molina reports.
Christen Jeschke wrote the book to soothe her children, who were terrified by the onslaught of cicadas on the East Coast in 2021.
The growing noise of cicadas might give you a headache, or just become white noise, but for some people living with special needs the sound can be extremely disruptive.
While Ravinia says the summertime insect is no problem, those living near the venue in Highland Park are already sick of their ear-piercing mating calls.
While Ravinia says the summertime insect is no problem, those living near the venue in Highland Park are already sick of their ear-piercing mating calls. CBS 2's Jermont Terry reports.
Periodical cicadas used to reliably emerge every 13 or 17 years — but spring arriving sooner interferes with the bugs' internal alarm clocks.
From a big congratulations to Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy High School graduate Livia Brown to a cicada who just wanted to hang out. Here's what caught Suzanne Le Mignot and Mary Kay Kleist's eye this week.
They posted a graphic on Facebook stacking cicadas up with a bunch of other noisemakers.
Each was decorated by local artists and business owners.
Twenty-five hand-painted plaster cicadas now line the streets in Glen Ellyn. All perched on planters, benches, and other spots. Each was decorated by local artists and business owners.
CBS 2’s Ed Curran is tracking the noise, and says it is 76 decibels where he is – similar to a vacuum cleaner.
Ricardo Aguilar caught some in his granddaughter's backyard in Glenwood, and Elizabeth Gilewicz of Riverwood shared a helpful tip to keep the insects from climbing high on trees.
Scientists at the Field Museum will study its DNA to figure out why a tiny number of cicadas have blue or white eyes.
"It's a taste you won't find anywhere else, and it's only available once every 17 years!" Noon Whistle Brewing said.
Blue-eyed cicadas are genetic mutations that rarely occur.
Extremely-rare blue-eyed cicada was found in Wheaton. Now, it will be on display at the Field Museum as part of its rare collections, and the local family that discovered it talks about their fantastic find.
The Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 12-11 Thursday night in a game that lasted more than four hours.
University of Illinois researchers have found a correlation between more green spaces and less violence in neighborhoods. A group in Chicago is planting trees with the mission to bring beauty and safety to the whole city.
After an incident involving a helicopter landing for prom in a public park in south suburban Markham, city officials are taking new steps to gain control of the park district.
As Chicago's civilian police oversight body begins the process of searching for a new police superintendent, it has scheduled a series of meetings to gather public input.
An investigation was underway at a Far South Side funeral home after more than 50 decomposing bodies were found in the facility.
As Chicago's civilian police oversight body begins the process of searching for a new police superintendent, it has scheduled a series of meetings to gather public input.
Federal officials who want immigration agents to detain and deport Cook County Jail inmates have threatened Sheriff Tom Dart with prosecution if he doesn't give them access.
The Supreme Court in June struck down President Trump's earlier executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was hospitalized on June 14.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress over his refusal to answer questions during testimony before the committee last week.
The Trump administration is taking aim at power grid operator PJM Interconnection over rising electricity bills that affect Illinois and Indiana residents.
Chicago remained the most bed bug-treated city in the country, according to Orkin's latest annual rankings covering a full year of residential and commercial treatment data.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul this week warned residents cleaning up from last month's storms to be on the lookout for scams.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed several new consumer protections into law, including a ban on junk fees.
CBS News Chicago has learned that Illinois home insurance premiums are not only higher than the nation's average, but going up faster too.
With the cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce growing and consumers wary of the products on grocery shelves, many in Chicago are turning to local farmers market for fresh and safe greens.
East Chicago, Indiana is being placed on a precautionary boil water advisory starting Monday morning for planned installations that could affect water safety.
A new Northwestern Medicine study on long COVID shows women show more neurological symptoms than men.
A lettuce supplier to fast-food giant Taco Bell has been linked to a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, the CDC said.
Chicago just barely made the top 20 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 ranking of the country's fittest cities.
The Shops at North Bridge on the Magnificent Mile announced plans Thursday for a multimillion-dollar renovation project.
While the building that housed the flagship Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue has been torn down, the renowned Chicago restaurant chain is now set to open a new Lakeview location.
Nationally, data centers used 17.4 billion gallons of water in 2023 — a figure projected to reach 72.6 billion gallons by 2028, raising concerns about states' water supplies.
Chicago's Wishbone Restaurant will soon be closing after 36 years in business.
The Old Town Pour House isn't in its namesake neighborhood anymore, but it's returning to the central area of Chicago — specifically in the Loop.
Crews need about a week and a half to tear down the festival site before the city can begin its own inspection — and past cleanup costs have topped $1 million.
Vincent Pastore played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on all six seasons of "The Sopranos," which aired from 1999 to 2007.
If weather forces an evacuation, shelter sites are located at Grant Park North, Grant Park South, and Millennium Lakeside Garages, accessible through the vehicle entrance on Michigan Avenue.
Grant Park was filled with tens of thousands of people Thursday for the start of Lollapalooza, as warm weather greeted festivalgoers on day one of the four-day music festival.
Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
University of Illinois researchers have found a correlation between more green spaces and less violence in neighborhoods. A group in Chicago is planting trees with the mission to bring beauty and safety to the whole city.
An incident involving a helicopter landing for prom in a public park in south suburban Markham, city officials are taking new steps to gain control of the park district.
Police in the southwest Chicago suburb of Lockport were investigating a crash-and-grab burglary at a pizzeria early Thursday.
An investigation was underway Thursday evening at a Far South Side funeral home, after more than 50 decomposing bodies were found in the facility.
An investigation was underway Thursday evening at a Far South Side funeral home, after more than 50 decomposing bodies were found in the facility.
Federal agents who want to detain and deport Cook County Jail inmates have threatened Sheriff Dart with prosecution if he doesn't give them access.
A man from west suburban Berwyn is charged with trying to intimidate witnesses involved in the case of Nolan Wells, the Black teenager found dead after a 4th of July trip with friends in Mississippi.
University of Illinois researchers have found a correlation between more green spaces and less violence in neighborhoods. A group in Chicago is planting trees with the mission to bring beauty and safety to the whole city.
After an incident involving a helicopter landing for prom in a public park in south suburban Markham, city officials are taking new steps to gain control of the park district.
University of Illinois researchers have found a correlation between more green spaces and less violence in neighborhoods. A group in Chicago is planting trees with the mission to bring beauty and safety to the whole city.
Security video captured the moment a utility pole fell in a parking lot behind a La Grange Park, Illinois, animal hospital, igniting a fire that destroyed multiple cars.
An Illinois Tollway glitch that left thousands of drivers with unexpected warnings about unpaid tolls stemmed from an extra digit in codes within the system's computers, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
A South Holland woman said she was left high and dry after paying thousands of dollars to have her swimming pool fixed, only for the contractor to vanish.
An Elgin man has seen what he thought was the deal of a lifetime turn into weeks of frustration after a fake tracking number scam left him without goods or a refund after buying a game system on eBay.
The Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 12-11 Thursday night in a game that lasted more than four hours.
Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a throwing error in the 11th inning after Alex Bregman hit a two-strike, two-out homer in the ninth, and the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Wilyer Abreu homered for the fourth time in three games and the surging Red Sox beat the White Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright is very grateful for his historic four-year, $116 million contract extension. Wright thanked general manager Ryan Poles, who used his first 1st round draft pick to pick Wright 10th overall in 2023.
Chicago State University's new football team is just a couple weeks away from the first game of the Cougars' inaugural season.
A man has been charged with breaking into a home in west suburban Darien before leading police on a high-speed chase to his own home in southwest suburban Homer Glen.
Police in the southwest Chicago suburb of Lockport were investigating a crash-and-grab burglary at a pizzeria early Thursday.
Chicago police on Thursday were investigating a break-in at a bar in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
A candy store in Chicago's West Ridge community was burglarized early Thursday morning.
The Milwaukee mosque leader's former Israeli attorney testified in immigration court that Sarsour was coerced into confessions and was never convicted of any charge linking him to a terrorist organization.
