All articles tagged with #chicago
Kacey Musgraves kicked off her Middle of Nowhere Tour in Chicago with disco-ball flair and urged fans to donate to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, turning the show into a fundraiser for immigrant aid while taunting MAGA figures and drawing backlash from Fox News and Newsmax.
Hemp-derived THC beverages helped local Chicago breweries like Marz Community Brewing, Hopewell, and Revolution reach new customers as craft beer faced declines. Now, looming federal and state rules—including a December federal ban tightening THC limits and a November shift to selling intoxicating hemp products only in licensed dispensaries—threaten the market’s future. Enforcement timelines have been delayed, but producers say they will adapt and press for sensible regulations (mg caps, testing, taxes). The outcome remains uncertain, with some vendors forecasting a pause rather than an end to THC drinks.
Kacey Musgraves kicked off her Middle of Nowhere tour in Chicago by performing atop oversized bedazzled disco balls shaped like testicles during Rhinestoned, joking that ‘it takes a lot of balls’ while her nana watched. She celebrated turning 38 with a quip about being a geriatric millennial, and the tour runs through February with a Wembley finale in London. The piece also notes she had previously canceled three tour dates with no explanation.
Chicago will not host the 2028 Democratic National Convention after the DNC narrowed finalists to Boston, Denver and Philadelphia, eliminating Chicago (and Atlanta) from consideration; the convention is scheduled for August 7–10, 2028, and the DNC has not explained why Chicago was cut. Chicago had bid to host again after the 2024 DNC, which drew visitors and significant economic activity, but the party will choose the 2028 host city later this year. Houston will host the 2028 Republican National Convention.
A Block Club Chicago roundup highlights 28 weekend happenings across the city, from the return of Dine Out On Broadway in Lakeview and the Lakeview Taco Fest to back-to-school supply drives, street festivals, art crawls, and family-friendly activities—from Ravenswood’s Thirsty Ears classical festival and West Loop Art Fest to community walks and pop-up markets—offering free events, ticketed experiences, and options for all ages.
Chicago-area mosquito districts report higher populations of the invasive Asian tiger mosquito, which is active in daylight and can take multiple blood meals, making residents feel more bites this summer. Researchers say it’s now the third-most common species in traps around the north suburbs, partly due to warm, damp conditions that boost breeding near homes. The species can transmit diseases like West Nile, so residents should eliminate standing water and use bug spray to protect themselves outdoors.
Experts say the invasive Asian Tiger mosquito is active during the day and spreading across Chicagoland, driven by heavy rainfall that creates standing-water breeding sites; while the species is mainly a nuisance rather than a disease threat in Illinois, residents should drain standing water, report it to 311, use EPA-registered repellents, and consider using a box fan outdoors to deter bites.
The Cubs walked off the White Sox for the second straight game at Wrigley after the Sox again walked Pete Crow-Armstrong with the winning run on second; Seiya Suzuki came up big and Alex Bregman delivered the game-winning RBI, giving Chicago its 13th walk-off win of the season.
Five Chicago-area high schools are among the nation’s top 100 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings, led by Northside College Prep at No. 30 and including Payton College Prep, Lane Tech, Jones College Prep, and the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora; the rankings cover about 27,000 schools and assess six factors—college readiness, state assessment proficiency and performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rate.
NASCAR will not race on Chicago’s streets in 2027 after the city and the series couldn’t finalize a date; the Grant Park event is replaced by a return to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet on June 25–27, with officials saying they remain open to a future Chicago return.
Two commercial jets from American Airlines and United Airlines suffered tire bursts during landing at Chicago O’Hare within hours of each other, prompting FAA investigations; passengers were evacuated safely with no injuries, and authorities say the incidents may be unrelated to earlier tire problems at Chicago-area airports.
Bally’s, burdened by a heavy debt load, warns its future is in substantial doubt as a Chicago casino project faces a video-gambling dispute, signaling possible restructuring and heightened liquidity risk for the company.
Sixteen teens (ages 13–19) were arrested for misdemeanor criminal trespass at the shuttered Congress Theater in Logan Square after police responded to a trespassing call; two were cited for fake guns and four faced reckless-conduct charges. The incident followed a viral rave at the vacant venue the previous week and occurs as redevelopment plans—including affordable housing and commercial space—face added scrutiny and costs.
Chicago is forecast to see a line of severe storms Wednesday (9 a.m.–2 p.m.) with damaging winds, heavy rainfall and frequent lightning, and a brief tornado cannot be ruled out south of the city. The setup follows Tuesday’s storms that caused widespread outages and three Illinois tornadoes; Illinois has logged over 200 tornadoes in 2026. The National Weather Service urges residents to have multiple ways to receive warnings and seek shelter if a warning is issued.
Chicago is rapidly becoming a national data-center hub with dozens of facilities citywide and more planned across Cook County, attracted by cheaper power, abundant water, and a favorable central location, but the growth raises concerns about electricity and water use, higher utility bills, noise and emissions, and strain on infrastructure. Regulators have paused new state tax incentives, the city has imposed stricter permitting and review rules, and proposals like the POWER Act seek to shift infrastructure costs to centers and require environmental disclosures, while public opinion remains mixed.