Stories by Patty Wetli

Members of the SailGP international yacht racing league have converged on Chicago for an upcoming competition, but before taking their catamarans onto Lake Michigan this weekend, the athletes piled into canoes and helped install native aquatic plants along the Chicago River's banks.

A supercell system walloped much of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana on Monday night.

Chicago isn’t likely to break the 35-year-old record high of 99 degrees set for June 14 back in 1987, even though the heat index is expected to top 105 degrees. Which begs the question: What is the heat index?

The flag, dubbed “I Will,” was chosen from nearly 300 submissions. It was designed by Drew Duffy, a student at Glenbrook South High School.

Several sites in northeastern Illinois — including Waterfall Glen, Des Plaines Riverway, Hidden Lake and Wood Ridge forest preserves — will be sprayed with fake pheromones to confuse spongy moth males and disrupt mating.

Mild temperatures will give way to blistering heat this week, with the National Weather Service warning of temperatures in the mid-90s and peak heat indices of 110 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Winners will be announced in late July and will receive $500, plus bragging rights. For every eligible contest entry received, the association will donate $25 to South and West Side community gardens. 

Dolostone beat out sandstone and limestone for the honor of state rock. Never heard of it? Join us for a deep dive.

As Chicagoans prepare to head to the voting booth on June 28 for Illinois’ primary election, it’s emerged that scores of precincts across the city have been left without a polling place.

The Forest Preserves of Cook County will take over Daley Plaza Tuesday to spread the word about all the county's 70,000 natural acres have to offer.

“Birdsongs: Sounds of the Mississippi Flyway” is a newly released compilation of original instrumental songs inspired by, as the title suggests, the sounds of birds commonly found in northern Illinois.

Legislation signed Thursday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker now mandates the placement of rescue equipment along Lake Michigan access points, including piers.

A stalled movement to give the invasive Asian carp a more palatable name has regained momentum, and the big reveal is now set for June 22.

The greatest risk of bird flu outbreaks has passed, wildlife officials said. Poultry owners need to remain vigilant, though, and feeding ducks and geese should be avoided.

This year’s event will feature three days of a “bite-sized” Taste in Grant Park in July, as well as three days of Taste in the neighborhoods in June.

The beloved piping plover, dubbed the king of Montrose Beach, died May 13. Monty first captured Chicagoans’ hearts in 2019 when he and his mate, Rose, became the first pair of endangered Great Lakes piping plovers to nest in the city since the 1950s

Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the start of Chicago’s summer beach and boating season. Here’s what to know before you hit the sand and water.

Once considered extinct in the wild, the Mexican wolf is making a comeback thanks to a recovery plan involving breeding and fostering programs at places like Brookfield Zoo.

After having its dealers license temporarily suspended, Carvana is once again able to sell vehicles to Illinoisans, but can't issue temporary registration permits or license plates. 

On Wednesday evening, a memorial was held for the beloved piping plovers Monty and Rose, not so much to mourn the loss of the birds but to celebrate the wonder of their time in Chicago.

Early voting at the Chicago Board of Elections super site was to have started May 26, but has been pushed back to May 31 after late breaking ballot changes.

The bison, known as “Tyson” or “Billy,” has been on the loose since fall 2021 after escaping from a Wauconda farm. 

Mexico’s highly anticipated annual count of over-wintering monarchs was released Tuesday and showed a slight increase from the prior year, but there’s still a long way to go to ensure the butterfly’s survival, conservationists said.

Sturdy plastic snap-on can carriers are labeled as 100% recyclable. Which is true, just not when it comes to the single-stream recycling programs favored by cities like Chicago.

Imani, born in 2021 to Monty and Rose, has been spotted at Montrose Beach after being sighted last week in Minnesota.

A week after suffering the devastating loss of Monty, one half of Chicago’s beloved piping plover power couple, the city’s birding community has cause for celebration: One of Monty and Rose’s 2021 chicks has been positively ID’d on a beach in Duluth, Minnesota.