4,300 people take part in Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Illinois
An estimated 4,300 brave souls took part in the Polar Plunge in Lake Michigan this chilly Sunday, all to benefit Special Olympics Illinois.
Watch CBS News
An estimated 4,300 brave souls took part in the Polar Plunge in Lake Michigan this chilly Sunday, all to benefit Special Olympics Illinois.
Some brave souls were set to take a dip in the frigid waters of Lake Michigan on Sunday for the Polar Plunge, to benefit the Special Olympics. Chicago Park District Special Olympics administrator Eileen Guinane, Special Children’s Charities director Amy Taylor, and Chicago Fire Department Deputy District Chief Jason Lach join Suzanne Le Mignot with a preview.
Chicago's annual Polar Plunge returns to Lake Michigan this weekend.
The annual fundraising event benefits Special Olympics Illinois and Special Children's Charities.
The annual Chicago Ducky Derby will splash down in the Chicago River Thursday afternoon.
The Special Olympics is holding its annual Spring Games and the competition is coming to Chicago next week. Soldier Field is hosting the Special Olympics Spring Games Opening Ceremony on Thursday to kick things off.
Burbank Elementary School in Belmont Cragin received the honor. Meanwhile at Nathan Hale Elementary School, a band, Santa, and a real-life reindeer greeted students Thursday.
Thousands of rubber ducks splashed into the water and each duck was paid for online with money going to the Special Olympics. The first three to cross the finish line won a prize from their sponsors.
CBS 2's Marshall Harris talks to student-athletes at Homewood-Flossmoor High School including those involved in the Special Olympics team. It's a National Banner School for the Special Olympics.
The competition featured 150 athletes between the ages of 45 to 74.
They're going for the gold, even as the mercury was rising. That was the sentiment from players as the Special Olympics held its first-ever Golden Games for older competitors. CBS 2's Sara Machi was at the starting line with one participant who's been with Special Olympics since the very beginning.
There were more than 93,000 ducks in this year's race. The owner of the winning duck received a new SUV.
All those little rubber ducks are adding up to a big payday for the Special Olympics.
More than 93,000 adopted ducks swam up the river to benefit the Illinois Special Olympics.
The torch is headed to Bloomington for the summer games starting on Friday.
'That care and concern and bringing them in and bringing them to be part of that mainstream, it's happening and it's being led by the kids."
The Special Olympics Young Athletes Program brought together kids of all ages and skill levels. CBS 2's Andrew Ramos shows us the impact the games are having on the community.
This year's participating departments include Northbrook, Saint Charles, and Palos Park.
This year's participating departments include Northbrook, Saint Charles, and Palos Park.
This year's participating departments include Northbrook, Saint Charles, and Palos Park.
"I get emotional when I see him around other kids just like him because it's amazing what these kids can actually do. Especially in their situation."
It was a beautiful day to start the Special Olympics Chicago Spring Games, with track and field events. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray shows us the action from Dunbar Park on the South Side.
The games kick off Tuesday morning at Dunbar Park on the South Side.
Monday's rain couldn't dampen the spirits of thousands of athletes who took over Soldier Field. It was the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics Spring Games.
We showed you the celebration earlier this week, as De La Salle Institute and Southside Occupational Academy celebrated their unified team division two state championship.
A Northwest Indiana man has filed a lawsuit against Valparaiso High School, the Valparaiso Community Schools district, and the City of Valparaiso, after his 15-year-old son was seriously injured during an off-season football drill.
A former south suburban police officer – who already was facing multiple child pornography charges – has been charged with sexually assaulting a child.
Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
At least four people have died, and several others were injured after multiple tornadoes ripped through Southwest Michigan on Friday, authorities say.
Former President Barack Obama, speaking at the funeral services for Rev. Jesse Jackson Friday afternoon, credited Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s with setting the stage for other Black leaders, including his own successful 2009 presidency and re-election.
Gov. Pritzker told mourners that, while Rev. Jesse Jackson "was an ambassador of hope for the oppressed, who met with kings and queens and presidents and dictators and clergy of all the great religions," in Chicago "he was our neighbor."
From midnight raids to shootings, Kristi Noem, who was ousted as DHS secretary by Trump today, was at the center of many of the controversies of Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago.
The announcement comes amid criticism of DHS spending under Noem, and as Congress has allowed the department's funding to lapse.
Federal prosecutors are dropping their probe into whether Biden and his aides unlawfully used an autopen for pardons, a source said.
There's no relief in sight for drivers at the pump as the war in Iran is directly driving up the cost of gas. Analysts expect more of the same unless something changes soon.
Drivers in the Chicago area can expect to start paying more at the pump this week, as oil prices have spiked amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Palatine, Illinois-based Weber has issued a recall of more than 3.2 million metal wire bristle grill brushes because you could ingest the bristles.
This is after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed an ordinance that would have banned most hemp-derived products this weekend.
This week marks Identity Theft Awareness Week, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza emphasized some safety tips Monday for avoiding and dealing with identity theft.
When a doctor was told there was no cure for his daughter's condition, he was motivated to transform not only her health, but the lives of thousands of others.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
It has been nearly six years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the many questions doctors are still working to answer concerns the long-term effects.
Leaders from Cook County, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository denounced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a grant from The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation for a new cancer center.
Capital One is laying off more than 1,100 workers at the former Discover headquarters in north suburban Riverwoods.
A new development at the southeast corner of Chicago's East Lakeview community would clear away a medical office building and replace it with a residential high-rise.
The City of Aurora, Illinois, is seeking input from residents about data center development.
Not one, but two hotels are now planned or proposed for Chicago's Northalsted LGBTQ+ nightlife district.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
Actor and filmmaker Bruce Campbell told fans that he is in treatment for cancer and will cancel some upcoming public appearances.
Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, known for his hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl," has died.
A 19th-century George Méliès film, thought to be long lost, has been found among a box of brittle movie reels that a Michigan donor brought to the Library of Congress, officials said.
Streaming giant Netflix declined to match Paramount Skydance's $31 per share offer for Warner Bros. Discovery.
After the Double Door closed in Wicker Park, there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Now that is not happening anymore.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
Thousands of members of the public attended the memorial for Rev. Jackson at House of Hope Friday, and a refrain they all shared comes from Jackson's most well-known poem: "I am somebody!"
There's no relief in sight for drivers at the pump as the war in Iran is directly driving up the cost of gas. Analysts expect more of the same unless something changes soon.
President Trump insisted Friday the war in Iran will not end unless Iran completely surrenders. He also ruled out any possible ceasefire talks with Iran.
The People's Celebration allowed former presidents, family members, and people from all over the world to honor the icon of the Civil Rights Movement.
Two rounds of storms are hitting the Chicago area on Friday. Here's what you can expect.
A Northwest Indiana man has filed a lawsuit against Valparaiso High School, the Valparaiso Community Schools district, and the City of Valparaiso, after his 15-year-old son was seriously injured during an off-season football drill.
A former south suburban police officer – who already was facing multiple child pornography charges – has been charged with sexually assaulting a child.
A Chicago woman who is pregnant with twins has returned home safe, after escaping the bombing unfolding in Israel amid the ongoing Iran war.
A Chicago senior citizen said his phone has been ringing off the hook with hundreds of unwanted spam calls that have made his beloved landline virtually unusable. New efforts in Springfield could bring real relief.
A proposed Illinois law hopes to create more oversight on private companies to protect consumers from skyrocketing utility prices.
The three women said they are working to make their way back home, but without any help from the U.S. State Department.
If you feel like you're drowning in a sea of text alerts and desperate email pleas for "just $5" this election season, you are far from alone.
A north suburban school bus driver became a victim of sophisticated scammers who are targeting more people and more vulnerable populations to make more money.
Just three days after losing Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman to a stunning early retirement, the Bears have found his successor, acquiring Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots for a 2027 fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Nick Foligno is joining his brother Marcus with the Minnesota Wild, who made several moves on NHL trade deadline day Friday.
The San Francisco 49ers are hiring former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as a defensive assistant on coach Kyle Shanahan's staff.
The Chicago Bears are in discussions with the Buffalo Bills to finalize a trade that sends Moore to the AFC East, according to CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Northwestern was in control before Purdue got back in the game with a 9-0 run in the second half.
A Chicago man has been charged with a string of burglaries targeting video gambling terminals at businesses in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by three juveniles on Chicago's Near South Side this week.
A woman was held up by gun-wielding robbers in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood early Thursday morning.
Two women are dead in Pennsylvania and a man is dead in Illinois, after an apparent murder-suicide, police said.
Chicago police on Wednesday warned of a string of charity scam incidents in the on the Near West and South sides in recent weeks.