Environment stories in Chicago

ROGERS PARK — Three years ago, the New 400 Theater went dark after more than a century-long run in Rogers Park. But on Friday, the projectors were back up and running, the popcorn was popping and excited moviegoers were lining up for showings of the latest “Spiderman” sequel. “It felt weird be

The Chicago area is expected to experience stormy weather conditions for the remainder of Friday, and the weather is already impacting some local events, including a major act planned at Lollapalooza. “Rain and plenty of it,” NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologist Pete Sack said, referring to the forecas

Neighbors are helping neighbors in south suburban Lansing just days after being hit by an EF1 tornado. They went door to door providing food and comfort for those affected by Monday’s tornado. Jennifer White became overwhelmed with emotion after seeing her neighbors and a group of volunteers

CHICAGO — With Lolla weekend in full swing, celebrity sightings are racking up across the city.  Charli xcx chatted with fans at Reckless Records, 1379 N. Milwaukee Ave, in Wicker Park Wednesday while a truck outside played tracks from her new album “Music, Fashion, Film.” View t

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for the Evanston area, with periods of heavy rain, thunderstorms and the potential for localized flooding expected through Saturday evening. Forecasters predict 1 to 2 inches of rain across the area, with isolated locations recei

“Repeated downpours” with embedded thunderstorms are in the Chicago area forecast for Friday and into Saturday, just as hundreds of thousands of concertgoers will be in Grant Park for days two and three of Lollapalooza for 2026. So what happens if it starts to storm during the festiva

Today, mini golf is a vestigial limb of the built environment, relegated to undesirable plots near freeway off-ramps and awkward spaces at Punch Bowl Social. But it was once revolutionary, offering recreation to those excluded from the manicured expanses of its larger counterpart. Curators Molly Blu

HUMBOLDT PARK — A Humboldt Park resident is raising money to provide swimsuits and swim diapers for children who lack proper swimwear at the pool in the neighborhood’s namesake park. Rachel Morris, who has lived in Humboldt Park for seven years, launched a GoFundMe this week after noticing

DOWNTOWN — “Lollapalooza, it is hot in here!” Between Friends front woman Savannah Hudson exclaimed into the microphone to a packed crowd at the Bud Light stage on Thursday afternoon. The sun blazed down on the growing Grant Park crowd with hot and humid temperatures continuing throu

WEST SIDE — A West Side nonprofit has set up sites to collect old, discarded tech products, with plans to refurbish the devices and distribute them to families in need. Fresh Supply, a Garfield Park nonprofit, this summer opened two recycling hubs to collect old and unwanted electronics. The hubs

Rain and storms move back into the Chicago area Friday, with “repeated downpours” starting in the afternoon and into Saturday morning “Rain and plenty of it,” NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologist Pete Sack said, of the forecast. “We’re gonna get soaked.” Ea

Governor JB Pritzker is calling for the Trump administration to reverse a work stoppage on a crucial project aimed at preventing invasive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. The $1.15 billion project near Joliet is essential for protecting the region's economy and ecosystem.

Indiana Dunes National Park officials on Thursday warned against swimming at five of the park’s beaches because of elevated E. coli levels. Testing done the day prior showed E. coli levels that exceeded water quality standards for swimming at Mt. Baldy, Central, Dunbar, Portage, Lakefront

A bluebird soars above the Lake Michigan shoreline, flying past beaches, harbors and familiar stretches of Chicago’s lakefront. For muralist Shawn Bullen, the bird isn’t just another detail. It’s a tribute to his best friend. Nearly a decade after painting his first mural with t

One of the largest music festivals in the world is back at Grant Park in downtown Chicago, bringing thousands of music fans together. Gates opened Thursday morning to the traditional mad-dash of spectators hoping to score front row access, with hundreds of thousands of fans expected to cross thr

The contractor killed after becoming trapped in a storm sewer during dangerous weather this week has been identified as an investigation into what happened continues. The body of 33-year-old Ivan Perez of Pasadena, Texas, was found Tuesday in the 5100 block of Washington Street in Downers Grove,

Grant Park is about to be flooded with fans for Lollapalooza 2026, which began Thursday and will bring highly anticipated performances across eight different stages. For everyone deciding what they will need to pack for the festival, here are some guidelines to keep in mind, according to the fest

WGN's Marcus Leshock and his daughter Ruby pick who they'd most like to see at this year's Lollapalooza in Grant Park.

Near the gazebo in Dvorak Park on a Monday evening in June, a group of about ten Pilsen residents gathered to paint cardboard and neon poster boards with phrases including “Metal Madness” and “Sims Must Go!” The group discussed their plans for a demonstration two days later, when more than 30 Chicag

Credit: Joerg Metzner July’s full moon, the Buck Moon, rises out of the waters of Lake Michigan at South Boulevard Beach at 8:30 p.m. on a clear Wednesday night. July’s full moon is known as the Buck Moon because it’s typically the time male deer regrow new antlers. Buck moon rising

Inspired by the Wild Mile, the Forest Preserves’ first floating wetland was constructed for under $600 at Schiller Pond, which has long been a catch basin for road runoff.

Lollapalooza gets underway today in Chicago's Grant Park. Here's what to know.

ROGERS PARK — An Italian restaurant has opened under the same Rogers Park roof as an Italian cultural center, and an Indonesian street food spot has opened in Uptown. Here’s more on the two new restaurants. L’Angolo Italiano Joins Cultural Center In Rogers Park L’Angolo I

CHICAGO  — Lollapalooza weekend has arrived in Chicago, with the four-day music festival bringing headliners Lorde, Charli XCX, the Smashing Pumpkins and more to Grant Park. But there’s still plenty to do for those not attending Lollapalooza. Jefferson Park is welcoming Italian Be

Phil Taitt has more on what could have spooked the horse.

The Chicago-area forecast looks to be “picture perfect” for the start of Lollapalooza festival Thursday, but conditions will turn rainy starting Friday afternoon. “A beautiful day, with temperatures in the 80s,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, of Thursday

The recovery mission is over and now comes the search for answers after a tragic incident in suburban Downers Grove. Two contractors became trapped in the storm sewer during Monday’s storms. One of them was rescued, but the other died. His body was recovered Tuesday evening after an extensive se

A GoFundMe has been set up in honor of Magdalena Jablonska's passion for rescuing dogs.