Stories by Patty Wetli

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.

Tim Walz will take centerstage on Wednesday, the third night of the DNC, introducing himself to the American people as the Democratic party's vice-presidential candidate. 

If Night 1 of the Democratic Nation Convention was largely about honoring Pres. Joe Biden for his lifetime of service, Night 2 is about shifting the conversation toward "A Bold Vision for America’s Future.”

Lake County Forest Preserves has acquired a 41-acre property in order to protect its “rare ecological attributes,” which include the largest heron and egret rookery in the county.

Organizers of the Chicago River Swim have taken the city’s suggestion and will hold the open-water swim event in Lake Michigan on Sept. 22, with the goal of proving themselves for a 2025 plunge in the river.

The Democratic National Committee is using Trump Tower to troll the former president during the Democratic National Convention now underway in Chicago.

There were also a pair of police-involved shootings, one of them fatal, which are being investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

Waves topping 8 feet were recorded off Chicago’s shore Sunday. High waves and dangerous currents are expected through Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said.

VIP guests are arriving in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention, prompting a number of street closures in River North and the so-called "Viagra Triangle" as security is tightened around various downtown hotels.