How much is nature worth? The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is about to find out. The district’s board of commissioners has thrown its support behind a proposal for a ballot referendum that would put a property tax increase for the preserves directly in the hands of voters.
Stories by patty wetli
Second Father’s Day Tornado Confirmed in Suburbs as Cleanup Continues
An EF0 tornado, with maximum winds of 85 mph, touched down in Plainfield late Sunday, carving a 3.2-mile path to southwest Romeoville before dissipating near the Mistwood Golf Club, according to the National Weather Service.
Father’s Day Tornado Was a Severe EF3, Winds Up to 165 mph: National Weather Service
After conducting a preliminary survey of Sunday’s tornado site in the western suburbs, the National Weather Service said it has determined the twister was an EF3, the strongest to touch down in the Chicago metropolitan area since 2015.
Nature Museum Invites Visitors to ‘Wonder With Us Again,’ Sets Reopening for July
Though many Chicagoans found refuge in nature during the pandemic, the physical Nature Museum in Lincoln Park has been shuttered since spring 2020.
Tornado Rips Through Chicago Suburbs, Injuring at Least 5 and Destroying Homes
More than 1 million people were under a tornado warning late Sunday as a line of storms ripped through the Chicago area. At least one tornado touched down and left in its wake a path of destruction through Naperville, Woodridge and Darien, according to the National Weather Service.
Juneteenth Celebrations Set for Parks, Forest Preserves
Green spaces across the Chicago area will serve as the backdrop for a number of Juneteenth celebrations this weekend, from live music and dance to discussions about the new federal holiday.
Adler Planetarium Eyeing 2022 for Full Reopening, Some Popular Programs Will Return Sooner
A return to pre-pandemic business as usual is not yet in the stars for the Chicago cultural institution, though some screenings and public observing events will make an in-person comeback beginning July 3.
UIC, Kennedy-King Among Chicago Institutions Celebrating Windfall Donations From MacKenzie Scott
The philanthropist announced $2.7 billion in donations Tuesday to 268 organizations, including a number of Chicago-area institutions. The University of Illinois at Chicago received $40 million, the largest gift from an individual in school history.
House Music Heading Back to ‘Hoods Where It All Began, As City Announces New Summer Series
As part of the city’s reopening celebrations, a nine-part House City series is bringing free events to the Chicago neighborhoods where house music got its start.
Taste of Chicago is Kinda-Sorta Returning With Pop-ups
A “reimagined” series of pop-up food and music events will take place across the city in July, including a one-day reuniting of Taste of Chicago stalwarts, Eli’s Cheesecake and Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs.
Chicago Bringing Back Fourth of July Fireworks
Chicago is reopening with a bang. Details are still in the works, but Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced Monday fireworks will light up the sky to celebrate Independence Day.
June is Off to a Scorching Start, With Record-Setting Heat
Rockford’s weather station recorded a record-setting number of days reaching temperatures of 90 degrees or above in early June. Chicago’s average temperature for the month is more than 8 degrees above normal.
Chicago Jumps to Fifth in Annual Ranking of US Park Systems, With Equity Added to Metrics
Chicago gets high marks for access, with 98% of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park versus the national average of 55%.
Mount Recyclemore Sends a Message to G-7 Leaders About the Towering Problem of Electronic Waste
The towering sculpture, constructed near the site of this weekend’s G-7 summit, sounds the alarm about the growing problem of electronic waste.
Buying Native Plants? Brush Up on Your Latin and Watch Out for ‘Nativars’
There are natives and then there are plants known as “nativars,” and wildlife can tell the difference.
Monty & Rose Continue to Amaze. The Piping Plovers Are Expecting Again
Just a week after losing their first nest to a skunk attack, Monty and Rose have produced a second nest and laid one egg, the Chicago Park District announced.
Missed Thursday Morning’s Solar Eclipse? You Weren’t Alone
Chicagoans’ view of Thursday morning’s “ring of fire” solar eclipse was over before most people were awake.
Night at the Museums: Field, Shedd & Others to Stay Open Late Friday as Chicago Reopens Fully
To coincide with the reopening of Chicago, a number of museums will stay open late on Friday for an after-hours experience.
Blocking Neighbors From Douglass Park for Riot Fest a ‘Slap in the Face,’ Some Say
Where some see the return of Riot Fest as a step in the right direction for Chicago’s reopening, others say closing their neighborhood green space for a “riot for rich people” is a “slap in the face” to communities traumatized by COVID-19.
Urban Forestry Advisory Board Wins Key Committee OK, Headed for Full City Council Vote
“Trees need care like streets need repairing,” said Malcolm Whiteside, deputy commissioner for Chicago’s Department of Forestry, who threw his support behind the creation of an Urban Forestry Advisory Board.
Night Out in the Parks Makes Splashy Return in 2021 With Hundreds of Events
More than 450 free programs are scheduled this summer at parks as a way for Chicagoans to reconnect with the city's arts and culture offerings in their own communities.
Illinois Is a Natural Beauty in New Exhibit ‘Picturing the Prairie’
Artist Philip Juras spent more than five years visiting prairie remnants in Illinois, capturing the beauty of the state’s signature landscape past and present. An exhibit of his paintings is now on view at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Monty and Rose Lose Eggs to Skunk Attack
The latest chapter in the saga of Chicago’s beloved plovers, Monty and Rose, is a sad one, with wildlife officials reporting the couple’s 2021 clutch of eggs has been lost to a skunk attack. Plover monitors are hopeful the couple will build a second nest.
FDA Warns People to Just Say No to Eating Cicadas if You Have a Seafood Allergy
Spicy popcorn cicadas, anyone? Not so fast, the Food and Drug Administration warns, if you have a shellfish allergy. The insects are related to shrimp and lobster.
Illinois Now Has an Official State Microbe. Why?
Though it may have been one of the quirkier bills passed by the General Assembly, the designation recognizes the role Illinois played in the development of one of the world’s greatest wonder drugs: penicillin.
There’s an Avian Gender Gap and #FemaleBirdDay Is Out to Change That
To counter a pervasive, if unconscious, bias toward male birds within North American ornithology and hobbyist circles, a group dubbed the Galbatross Project launched Female Bird Day, now in its second year, running Memorial Day weekend.
