Stories by Patty Wetli

The Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners approved a special event permit for Riot Fest on Wednesday, a decision that did little to bridge the divide between residents of Lawndale who welcome the fest and those who want to oust it from Douglass Park.

A "who's who" of buildings has been announced for the annual Open House Chicago "urban exploration" two-day festival, set for Oct. 19-20.

At the end of August, participants in the Sihek Recovery Program, of which Brookfield Zoo is a member, took the first small step toward one day bringing birds and birdsong back to Guam.

Victims of shootings in Chicago ranged in age from 21 to 38 years old. 

Resurfacing of DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Lawrence and Hollywood avenues will continue in the upcoming week. Fewer lanes will be open to traffic, and Sunday’s full closure of northbound lanes starts mid-afternoon.

Looking for adventure or relaxation? Area forest preserves have you covered.

Large numbers of birds will be passing overhead overnight Thursday and Friday as fall migration heats up.

Though murders were down 12% from August 2023, the number of shootings and shooting victims was slightly higher, according to Chicago Police Department data.

The 12-foot-tall statues — “Maurie” and “Flaurie” — were removed Wednesday, but fear not, it’s just for a little buffing and polishing.

The Bears head coach Matt Eberflus does own an apiary on his Lake Bluff property but leaves the beekeeping to others.

Temperatures and precipitation weren’t too far above or below normal, but those tornadoes that hit the Chicago area in mid-July rewrote the record book.

According to preliminary Chicago Police Department data, 29 people were shot in 27 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Lawrence and Hollywood avenues will be shut down overnight this week for resurfacing. Start planning your alternate route.

Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and the official end of the Chicago Park District’s outdoor swim season.

“I fell hard for Monty and Rose, the first piping plovers I ever met, and I can now bring my love and passion to their offspring and kind,” Tamima Itani told WTTW News.

It’s one thing to read about the male turtle’s mating “dance.” It’s another to witness it with your own eyes.

For many Chicagoans, visiting Judy and the rest of the small herd at Brookfield represented their sole chance to encounter a bison — the national mammal of the U.S.

“The reality of climate change can be debilitating, it’s hard to know where to even start,” said state Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D- Grayslake), who introduced the bill in the General Assembly. “But now anyone can help restore native habitat right in our own yards.”

And yes, the salted caramel spice cake can be made into a shake.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 35 people were shot over the weekend in 28 separate incidents.

Chicago is under an excessive heat warning through Tuesday night, with temperatures expected to soar into the mid- to upper-90s and humidity that will make it feel even hotter.

After a string of fall-like days, the real August is showing up this weekend to reclaim summer. 

Folks at home may have seen a celebration of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz when balloons dropped on the final evening of the Democratic National Convention. The balloon crew knew otherwise — this job was personal.

Work started before the final balloon even hit the ground, but it will take a couple of days for crews to fully clear all of the barriers around the United Center and McCormick Place.

It's Kamala Harris’ turn to deliver the goods on the final night of the Democratic National Convention, as she accepts a historic nomination for president of the United States.

The nine-acre garden was built on top of an underground parking garage.