Chicago swimmer exercises in frigid Lake Michigan in middle of winter
While Barton Williams does not wear a wet suit, he does wear a diving hood, goggles, gloves, and booties for his feet. He carries a rope to prevent slipping on the ice.
Watch CBS News
While Barton Williams does not wear a wet suit, he does wear a diving hood, goggles, gloves, and booties for his feet. He carries a rope to prevent slipping on the ice.
We all know physical fitness is important – and even in these dark, cold days of winter, it’s good to keep moving. This week, one workout stood out in particular – courtesy of Barton Williams, a Chicagoan taking the “cold plunge” to an entirely level.
"We have the world's best water, and many, many households are drinking it through a toxic straw," said Rachel Havrelock, director of the Freshwater Lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
On Tuesday, a committee hearing is scheduled at City Council to discuss how Chicago is moving forward with replacing lead pipes. CBS 2's Noel Brennan spoke to leaders who believe this goal is not a pipe dream.
A witness says they saw three men running away shortly after the crash.
Police say officers responded to an auto accident and found a blue sedan that had veered off the road and into Lake Michigan.
The crash happened around 3 a.m., in the 3600 block of North Recreation Drive in the Lake View neighborhood.
Police said the man was able to escape the vehicle before it became completely submerged underwater.
A videographer with Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers got close to angry waves pulverizing the shoreline along 63rd Street Beach in Jackson Park.
Now here's something you don't see everyday, or ever: flamingos in Wisconsin.
Jim Dreyer, also known as ‘The Shark’, made headlines for trying to swim across Lake Michigan for a second time, this time without an escort boat. The 82-mile attempt was cut short due to dangerous weather conditions, treacherous waves, and equipment failure. Will he try it again? Dreyer spoke with CBS 2 on if there’s a chance for a third try.
Video showed rescue crews jumping from a chopper to save the man who went under.
A 25-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition after a water rescue in the "playpen" on Lake Michigan over the weekend. Northwestern Hospital did not reply to a request for information about the man's condition on Monday. CBS 2's Tara Molina had the story.
A 25-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition after a water rescue in the "playpen" on Lake Michigan over the weekend. It's unclear what his condition was as of Monday.
Emergency crews responded to Whiting Lakefront Park for a missing person last seen struggling in the water and going under the surface near the boat ramps.
Bryan Jackson has not been seen since he was on a boat near 31st Street Harbor since he went into the water near McCormick Place on Tuesday morning. CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reports.
He had a similar attempt last month that was also called off because conditions were too dangerous.
There is growing concern for safety along the lakefront now that Chicago beaches will no longer have lifeguards on duty, with the end of summer after Labor Day.
Divers were searching Lake Michigan for a missing boater near McCormick Place on Tuesday, after a man and a 14-year-old boy died and a woman was left in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Michigan in separate incidents within 24 hours on Monday and Tuesday.
Divers were searching Lake Michigan for a missing boater near McCormick Place on Tuesday, after a man and a 14-year-old boy died and a woman was left in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Michigan in separate incidents within 24 hours on Monday and Tuesday.
Chicago Fire Department officials said a person went for a swim off a 27-boat about a mile offshore from McCormick Place, and did not resurface.
Once the lifeguards hang up their rescue buoy for the season, we know the drownings tend to occur when no one is keeping a watchful eye.
Jim "The Shark" Dreyer, a 60-year-old marathon swimmer, is attempting to swim from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Grand Haven, Michigan.
Once the lifeguards hang up their rescue buoy for the season, we know the drownings tend to occur when no one is keeping a watchful eye. CBS 2's Marybel Gonzalez reports.
It turns out there are sharks in Lake Michigan after all. Well, at least that was the case on Monday. Jim "The Shark" Dreyer, a 60-year-old marathon swimmer, attempted to cross Lake Michigan by swimming 82 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Grand Haven, Michigan.
Nearly 80 NBA hopefuls are sweating in the South Loop at the NBA combine, with only 60 spots in next month's draft.
Democratic National Committee officials wrapped up a three-day visit to Chicago on Wednesday as the city seeks to host the party's national convention again in 2028, and local leaders said the stakes might be even higher this time around.
One in 12 accused criminals in Cook County's electronic monitoring program are currently AWOL, according to a new report from the county's chief judge.
The band said that Friday's concert will blend Filipino music and history into a one-of-a-kind experience.
Chicago and surrounding areas have felt climbing gas prices more acutely lately due to some refinery issues, but resolving those won't necessarily be enough to stop the skyrocketing.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is marking three years in office, a term filled with a mix of wins and losses for the man in the chair on the 5th floor at City Hall.
President Trump said Americans' financial situation isn't motivating him to make a deal, "Not even a little bit," and that he is only focused on preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
A month after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an attempt to halt any future scheduled pay hikes for tipped workers in Chicago, the City Council advanced a compromise to instead pause those raises for two years.
The operator of the Dali, a container ship that lost power and slammed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024, killing six people, is facing federal charges.
Democratic National Committee officials visited Chicago on Monday as the city made its official bid to host the party's 2028 convention – a rare move after having just hosted the event in 2024.
Chatham residents say they're losing a vital resource as Walgreen's prepares to close its store near 86th and Cottage Grove.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Chicago was $5.17 on Friday, up from $3.75 a year ago.
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Company customers are likely to see minor credits on their bills for the next three years, thanks to a $125 million settlement agreement announced Thursday by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Chicago gas prices are spiking as the war with Iran drags on, with regular gas nearing $6 in some spots and premium already selling for more than $7 in some places.
In the legal venue of anti-trust enforcement, the state is not taking on the Trump administration, but rather filling a void that state officials say the Trump administration has vacated.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday announced an expansion to the city's CARE Program, a specialized team that responds to mental health crises without police.
A Texas couple is filing a lawsuit accusing the AI company of guiding their teenage son in using drugs, resulting in a fatal overdose.
An American on the repatriation flight began showing symptoms of hantavirus and another "tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus," the Department of Health and Human Services says.
More than 100 people from a cruise ship dealing with an outbreak of the rare and deadly hantavirus are set to be disembarked.
The largest U.S. health insurer said it will eliminate approval requirements for some treatments, including select outpatient surgeries and other procedures.
Flight attendants at Chicago-based United Airlines have approved a new labor contract, marking their first pay increases in six years.
The Chicago Fire FC announced Wednesday morning that its new stadium in the South Loop will be named McDonald's Park.
U.S. prosecutors allege a man with multiple aliases used the name of the famed Astor family to scam a Mexican billionaire out of $450 million.
Thousands of people marched from the West Loop to Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago on Friday for May Day, with activists calling for workers' rights, stronger labor protections, and increased school funding.
A $170 million-plus plan announced this week will redevelop the Water Tower Place mall on the Magnificent Mile.
David Allan Coe also had hits with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" and "The Ride" among others.
Some youngsters got a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of making opera Sunday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Matt DeCaro, an actor who was a familiar face on the Chicago stage for many years, died this weekend.
Jake was at the funeral for one of his closest friends when he learned of his parents' deaths, he said.
Tickets for the 2026 Ravinia Festival season went on sale Thursday morning.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will be flying to Rome later in May to meet with Pope Leo XIV, his office confirmed.
This as 18 Americans are in quarantine in the U.S., including 16 in Nebraska.
More sunshine is expected Thursday before a few scattered showers return to the forecast Friday. Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest in First Alert Weather.
Democratic National Committee officials wrapped up a three-day visit to Chicago on Wednesday as the city seeks to host the party's national convention again in 2028, and local leaders said the stakes might be even higher this time around.
One in 12 accused criminals in Cook County's electronic monitoring program are currently AWOL, according to a new report from the county's chief judge.
The man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Chicago's Southwest Side on Tuesday night was identified.
A CTA bus was hijacked and the driver held at knifepoint and made to drive for miles overnight, Chicago police said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is marking three years in office, a term filled with a mix of wins and losses for the man in the chair on the 5th floor at City Hall.
More cuts may be ahead for Chicago Public Schools, as early budget plans show the district is facing a budget gap of $732 million next school year.
Democratic National Committee officials wrapped up a three-day visit to Chicago on Wednesday as the city seeks to host the party's national convention again in 2028, and local leaders said the stakes might be even higher this time around.
People in Lincoln Park and Lakeview have rallied against a plan to build a new industrial ComEd electrical substation in their neighborhoods, pushing local and state leaders to get involved.
Monday marks one year since Illinois enacted Karina's Law — legislation aimed at taking firearms out of the hands of people accused of domestic abuse.
Tenants at a South Shore apartment building said they've noticed their rent fluctuating by hundreds of dollars a month due to a change in how their utility billing system is set up.
A man from the Chicago suburbs lost $69,000 of his savings to a scam by a thief using an AI-generated U.S. Marshals badge to intimidate him.
Illinois lawmakers are trying to decide what should happen when artificial intelligence leads to serious destruction or even death, and two of the most influential AI companies in the world are backing opposing state bills trying to answer that question.
Nearly 80 NBA hopefuls are sweating in the South Loop at the NBA combine, with only 60 spots in next month's draft.
The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox will face off in the first Crosstown Classic series of this summer with three games at Rate Field this weekend.
The Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game set between the National League's top teams.
Chicago has come from behind in nine of its 20 wins. Kansas City has lost four of six following a five-game winning streak.
One of the best high school softball pitchers in the state takes the mound of a small school just south of Chicago.
A Chicago-area man who ran a business helping people apply for asylum and immigrant visas was recently sentenced to nine years in prison for fraud and child pornography.
Alex Murdaugh was convicted of his killing his wife and his son at the family's home in 2021.
Chicago police on Wednesday morning were looking for two people who broke into a restaurant in Printer's Row in the South Loop.
One person was killed and two others were seriously wounded in a shooting late Friday morning in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
Police across Chicago and the northern suburbs were investigating a string of overnight smash-and-grab burglaries targeting businesses.
