Stories by Patty Wetli

Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS is one of the brightest in years. We've got tips on how to view this visitor from the outer solar system, even in Chicago.

Starting Oct. 14, only partial overnight lane closures are planned on DuSable Lake Shore Drive between LaSalle Drive and Hollywood Avenue. Here’s what motorists can expect.

Here’s what you need to know about the event's logistics, from road closures to cheer zones.

The Space Weather Prediction Center absolutely nailed its forecast for Thursday night, with a spectacular display of the northern lights dazzling sky watchers across the U.S. from the Florida Keys to New York City’s Central Park. Or not.

This weekend’s picks of outdoor adventures will take you on a time-traveling tour of the region's natural history — from 400-million-year-old rock to an Ice Age “mountain” to more recent remnants of the Atomic Age.

A severe geomagnetic storm is heading toward Earth, likely to hit Thursday, and what that means for Chicagoans is conditions are ripe for another spectacular display of the aurora borealis (northern lights) in our neck of the woods.

“We’re finally addressing an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago,” President Joe Biden said in announcing a new EPA rule that speeds up the deadline for lead service line replacement.

“This has been kind of an extreme and somewhat stressful year for a lot of plants,” said Tom Tiddens, supervisor of plant health care at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Another week, another set of navigational challenges on North DuSable Lake Shore Drive as the number of lane closures increases to accommodate an ongoing resurfacing project.

Forest preserve districts in DuPage, Kane and Lake counties, along with the McHenry County Conservation District, are all asking either for tax increases or the ability to issue bonds to pay for land acquisition, habitat restoration and ongoing maintenance.

This week’s “Pick Six” — our weekly roundup of outdoorsy recommendations in each of the Chicago region’s six counties — ranges from an Ice Age trail to a day at the best beach in Illinois.

Local officials celebrated the completion of the Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization Project, which will protect the state’s only remaining natural shoreline from the devastating effects of erosion.

Halloween is still a month away but Christmas is already making headlines.

The schedule of DuSable Lake Shore Drive closures the week of Sept. 29 will ping-pong between northbound and southbound lanes, and a half marathon on Sunday brings added chaos for motorists on South DLSD.

The Chicago Archaeopteryx, unveiled this past May, is one of the most important fossils in the Field Museum's vast collection. It now has a permanent exhibit in the museum's Hall of Dinosaurs.

The National Weather Service is forecasting the worst to hit late Friday afternoon. Expect strong wind gusts from the northeast, reaching 45 to 55 miles per hour.

This week’s “Pick Six” — our weekly roundup of outdoorsy recommendations in each of the Chicago region’s six counties — ranges from a cool glacial remnant to a theatrical production that doubles as a hike.

DuSable Lake Shore Drive overnight closures for resurfacing work will extend this week from Irving Park Road to LaSalle Drive in all southbound lanes.

The Little Village shooting victims were among the 33 people shot in Chicago — six of them fatally — in 21 separate incidents over the weekend, according to police.

The Chicago Department of Transportation is shaking things up and shifting resurfacing work this week to the stretch between Irving Park Road and LaSalle Drive. Lane closures start Sunday afternoon.

This week’s “Pick Six” — our weekly roundup of outdoorsy recommendations in each of the Chicago region’s six counties — ranges from an unusual prairie remnant to a big day on the Fox River.

Opponents of a new Chicago Bears stadium called on elected officials to stop the transfer of public subsidies to billionaires. 

The partial eclipse will hit its maximum before 10 p.m. Tuesday, which is downright considerate of the moon on a school night. 

Thirty people were shot in 27 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. 

This week’s “Pick Six” — our new weekly roundup of outdoorsy recommendations in each of the region’s six counties — ranges from family-friendly fests to a mellow stroll around a bog.

The Trump International Hotel and Tower has been found in violation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and deemed a “public nuisance” to the Chicago River.