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.
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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.
The White Sox broke through against Michael King (3-2) in the sixth and then chased the Padres' top starter in the seventh.
Habitat for Humanity and By the Hand Club for Kids broke ground on the project last spring.
The airline ran out of cash, failed to secure a $500 million federal bailout, and felt the pressure of surging fuel prices.
The Cubs had not won 10 in a row at home since they had 14 straight victories at Wrigley from May 18-June 22, 2008.
The victim was a passenger on the bus when six male suspects surrounded the victim, took his property, and punched him in the face multiple times in the face before leaving the bus.
Elmwood Park, Center Cass, Oak Lawn Hometown, and Atwood Heights are among the Illinois districts being investigated by the Justice Department over classroom instruction on gender and sexuality.
Negotiations over a $500 million dollar government aid package for Spirit stalled after bondholders balked at the terms.
The longest shutdown of a federal department in U.S. history came to an end on Thursday when President Trump signed a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security following a breakthrough on Capitol Hill.
The Coast Guard will run out of funding to pay personnel on May 1, with the first missed paychecks expected May 15.
Illinois lawmakers are not planning to pursue a constitutional amendment on redistricting after a key U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday.
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.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
The second-largest physicians' group in the U.S. has issued a surprising switch in breast cancer screening recommendations.
A new $48 million wellness center opened Thursday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The goal is to improve the health and quality of life for people on the West Side of Chicago.
La Rabida Children's Hospital went all out for Earth Day on Wednesday, with volunteer cleanup efforts by staffers and activities for patients and families.
It has been several weeks since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois, abruptly shut down — and then on Wednesday, it just as swiftly partially reopened, with some services available.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 80% of deaths related to pregnancy are preventable, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
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.
The Holiday Club in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood will soon be going out of business, as the building that houses the popular bar is set to be torn down.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Lincolnwood Village Board approved a pre-development agreement with the mall, providing a roadmap with the property owner for further preparations and government approvals for redevelopment.
The only remaining location of Pal Joey's pizzeria in Batavia, Illinois, will soon be going out of business, its owner announced this week.
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.
The victim suffered trauma to the body and was taken to Mt. Sinai, where he was pronounced dead.
Breezy southwest winds Sunday, helping push highs into the 60s. Meteorologist Laura Bannon has the latest.
PAWS Chicago picked up the 25 dogs after Ridglan Farms agreed to surrender its state breeding license to avoid animal cruelty violations.
More than 300 people teamed up to help clean up and restore Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.
They spent Saturday putting the final touches on the homes, focusing on painting, flooring, cabinetry, and landscaping.
The airline ran out of cash, failed to secure a $500 million federal bailout, and felt the pressure of surging fuel prices.
Chicago police said that during the argument, the driver drove onto the curb, hitting the victim before leaving the scene early Saturday morning.
Habitat for Humanity and By the Hand Club for Kids broke ground on the project last spring.
The victim was a passenger on the bus when six male suspects surrounded the victim, took his property, and punched him in the face multiple times in the face before leaving the bus.
Ford Motor Company is recalling over 179,000 vehicles due to a front seat issue that can increase the risk of injury in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
More than four months after a Chicago woman battling ALS was told she couldn't get a disabled parking placard in front of her home, the sign is up and her life is about to change.
An elderly woman has essentially abandoned her home of three decades because of constantly broken elevators at her high-rise condo building on the Southwest Side of Chicago.
Violent retail crime is on the rise in Illinois, according to a new report from the Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association.
A top administrator in the Libertyville school district has been placed on leave after a fiery school board meeting focused on how the district handled allegations of grooming leveled against a former teacher.
Potholes along one stretch of road in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood are so bad, people say they damage their cars just getting to work.
The White Sox broke through against Michael King (3-2) in the sixth and then chased the Padres' top starter in the seventh.
The Cubs had not won 10 in a row at home since they had 14 straight victories at Wrigley from May 18-June 22, 2008.
Munetaka Murakami hit his majors-leading 13th homer of the season to highlight a six-run second inning, Colson Montgomery added his ninth home run, and the Chicago White Sox beat the San Diego Padres 8-2 for their fourth straight win.
Michael Busch had two hits and two RBIs, helping Colin Rea and the Chicago Cubs top the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5.
The Kentucky Derby saw a field of 18 horses Saturday in the first leg of the 2026 competition for horse racing's Triple Crown.
Chief Geoff Guttschow, who has an autistic child who drives, says the Blue Envelope Program gives officers a tool to recognize when a driver may need additional communication support.
A woman has been charged with shooting a 15-year-old boy outside an indoor track facility near Gately Park in Chicago in 2024, after getting into a fight with another woman during a back-to-school event in the Pullman neighborhood.
Sexual abuse charges were filed this week against a Park City, Illinois, police officer.
Attorneys for the man convicted of the murders of two girls in Delphi, Indiana, have filed a new brief with the Indiana Court of Appeals to overturn his case.
Attorneys for a woman convicted of killing her 69-year-old landlord in Chicago's Arcadia Terrace community have filed an appeal.
