Emanuel Ready To 'Take A Whoopin'' In Sunday's Polar Plunge
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Friday he'll know better than to bet against Chicago's kids, after he ended up having to eat his words when he challenged them to read 2 million books last summer.
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Friday he'll know better than to bet against Chicago's kids, after he ended up having to eat his words when he challenged them to read 2 million books last summer.
Members of the U.S. Coast Guard station at Calumet Harbor have been training today for what they expect will be an increase in lake rescues in a season that's already seen more people on the ice or in the water than usual.
Last week's brief thaw melted much of the ice covering Lake Michigan, but three of the Great Lakes still remain nearly entirely on ice.
It's been so bitterly cold for so long in the Upper Midwest that the Great Lakes are almost completely covered with ice. The last time they came this close was in 1994, when 94 percent of the lakes' surface was frozen.
The Commander acknowledges there's some irony in the name: Biscayne Bay, for a Coast Guard ice breaker which is moored at Navy Pier.
The long deep freeze across the Upper Midwest this winter has left a whopping 80 percent of the Great Lakes covered in ice.
By meteorological standards, the winter of 2014 has been nothing short of impressive.
Placing dam-like structures in Chicago waterways would be an almost foolproof method of preventing Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan, while a less pricey electric barrier system also has solid prospects for shielding the Great Lakes from the invasive fish.
A sailboat left floating at the dock at the end of last season is now frozen in the ice-covered water, a curiosity to local ice fishermen, and people who pass by on the lakefront path.
An Army Corps of Engineers report has a U.S. Senators, local mayors and waterway industry representatives speaking out against one of its solutions to stop the spread of Asian Carp.
Firefighters rescued a dog from Lake Michigan on Friday, after the animal fell off a ledge on the South Side.
About 12:15 a.m., a 31-year-old man was heard screaming for help from the water near where the river meets Lake Michigan.
A U.S. Coast Guard ship loaded with more than 1,200 Michigan Christmas trees has arrived in downtown Chicago.
Witnesses saw him driving east on Balbo Drive at Lake Shore Drive, but instead of making a left turn, he kept going, onto the sidewalk, down a pedestrian path, and into the lake.
Local officials are issuing a new warning of damage to Lake Michigan and problems for homeowners as a result of climate change, reports WBBM's Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
Windy conditions at the lakefront will make for very choppy conditions on the lake, with dangerous pounding waves prompting a warning for anyone who might want to go swimming, despite the chilly conditions.
A male Jet Skier who went missing several miles off the shore of Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon was found safe, police said.
Indefinite discharges of raw sewage into Lake Michigan won't cut it for a coalition of environmental groups, which Thursday asked a federal judge to set aside a proposed consent decree.
The National Weather Service warned lakefront visitors Thursday that swimming conditions are going to be dangerous in Lake Michigan, due to high waves and rip currents.
A southwest suburban family is thankful for their rescuers and their smart phone. They became stranded on a sinking vessel on the lake off Portage on Labor Day when they called for help.
Officials closed North Avenue Beach Monday afternoon, blaming hazardous surf. Meanwhile, nearly half of Chicago's public beaches remained under swim advisories.
The body of a man was found in Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon on the city's South Side.
The man's brother last saw him going into the water with a raft and then took a nap. When he woke up, his brother had not returned.
Lakefront visitors are being advised to check the flags at Chicago beaches before going into the water on Friday, because of possible danger of rip currents from choppy conditions.
The National Weather Service is warning people to stay out of Lake Michigan today, because of large waves and dangerous rip currents along the lakefront in Illinois and Indiana.
Chicagoan Laura Hubka designs and creates all the hats at her pop-up shop at the Drake Hotel; a mix of serious and whimsical, colorful and nifty neutrals.
During this season of giving, many Chicagoans are generously helping Christmas special for other families. See what groups across the area are doing and what you can still do this holiday season.
Matas Buzelis and Nikola Vucevic each score 24 points as the Chicago Bulls pull away in the fourth quarter for a 136-125 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A man has been charged with stealing hundreds of cases of ice cream from delivery trucks in northwest Indiana.
Over the weekend, 50 young men between the ages of 9 and 25 embraced the cold and handed out toys, water, and food in the South Shore neighborhood.
The alternative budget proposal championed by a group of Chicago aldermen won a crucial first full City Council vote on Friday, setting up a final vote on Saturday
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
Village leaders in Broadview, Illinois, voted down a proposal that would limit the setting up of additional detention centers in the area.
The Justice Department has released records from the Epstein files, the first documents to come to light under a new law signed by President Trump.
A jury convicted a Milwaukee judge on one count of felony obstruction Thursday, the Associated Press reported, after she was accused of helping a man who was in the U.S. illegally evade federal immigration authorities.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
The Oscars ceremony is moving to YouTube starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday.
The nearly 100-year-old cinema will close briefly after New Year's Day and reopen on Jan. 9 with a showing of Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother."
Known as a popular Hollywood director, Rob Reiner also had a lengthy record of political and civic activism, especially in California.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
Meet a woman who creates beauty off the top of her head. Laura Hubka does it with style.
During this season of giving, many Chicagoans are generously helping Christmas special for other families. See what groups across the area are doing and what you can still do this holiday season.
With an end-of-the-year deadline fast approaching, it looks like Chicago aldermen have agreed on a city budget to avoid a shutdown, with a final vote expected on Saturday. This plan didn’t stop Mayor Brandon Johnson from making a last-minute effort to revive a controversial measure of his own.
In the South Shore neighborhood, a group of teens recently took over the street to give back to their community. Over the weekend, 50 young men between the ages of 9 and 25 embraced the cold and handed out toys, water, and food.
The alternative budget proposal championed by a group of Chicago aldermen won a crucial first full City Council vote on Friday, setting up a final vote on Saturday
The Justice Department has released records from the Epstein files, the first documents to come to light under a new law. Follow live updates here.
Chicagoan Laura Hubka designs and creates all the hats at her pop-up shop at the Drake Hotel; a mix of serious and whimsical, colorful and nifty neutrals.
During this season of giving, many Chicagoans are generously helping Christmas special for other families. See what groups across the area are doing and what you can still do this holiday season.
A man has been charged with stealing hundreds of cases of ice cream from delivery trucks in northwest Indiana.
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
Homeowner and Army veteran Kaliff Chilembwe's property tax bill has seen an increase of 118%.
Matas Buzelis and Nikola Vucevic each score 24 points as the Chicago Bulls pull away in the fourth quarter for a 136-125 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Zachary Bolduc scored twice and Lane Hutson had three assists as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1.
After years of planning, Chicago State University is officially launching its first football team. The school is launching the only NCAA Division 1 football program in the City of Chicago.
The Bears will be severely depleted at wide receiver for Saturday's rematch with the Packers, as both Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III will be out with injuries.
The Bulls shot 56.2% overall and made 14 of 36 3-pointers on the way to a rather convincing win after losing eight of nine.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
Village leaders in Broadview, Illinois, voted down a proposal that would limit the setting up of additional detention centers in the area.
A grand jury this week indicted a man on charges of setting a young woman on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train last month, and also setting a fire outside City Hall.
Three teens have been charged with robbing a person who came to buy items that had been offered for sale in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Two days after the shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was shot to death at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
