All articles tagged with #chicago area
Australian fast-casual Guzman y Gomez abruptly closed its Naperville location along with seven other Chicago-area restaurants, citing weak U.S. sales and a decision to stop expanding. The company will wind down operations and not move forward with announced new sites, with co-CEO Steven Marks saying the U.S. performance was not acceptable and branding in Chicago and through suburban drive-thrus was challenging.
A tornado watch is in effect for the Chicago area through 11 p.m. (8 p.m. for DeKalb and McHenry counties), with severe storms possible—damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes. Flash flood warnings continue along the Des Plaines River and Fox River. Storms are moving west to east tonight and are expected to taper off, followed by cooler, drier weekend conditions with possible frost.
Severe storms swept through Chicagoland Friday evening, triggering multiple tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings across several counties. The main threats are damaging winds, large hail and the potential for tornadoes, with localized flooding possible as rivers rise. The Chicago area sits in a Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather, with activity expected roughly from 5 p.m. to midnight as storms move west to east. Utilities prepared crews for possible outages, and a cooler, drier weekend is forecast afterward.
Severe weather threatens the Chicago area Tuesday night with tornado and flood watches in effect across multiple Illinois counties (and Indiana), a ground stop at O’Hare, and peak activity anticipated between 6 p.m. and midnight; residents should seek shelter if warnings are issued, and ComEd has crews on standby for possible outages.
Donna Miller won the Chicago-area Democratic primary, blocking former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s bid to return to Congress. Miller, a Cook County commissioner, ran on lowering health-care costs and expanding Obamacare and is heavily favored to win the deep-blue district. Her campaign drew millions from a pro-Israel AIPAC-linked super PAC, though she said there was no formal endorsement; she was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune editorial board and Rep. Brad Schneider, with encouragement from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries ahead of the vote.
Illinois voters are voting in midterm primaries for six open U.S. House and Senate seats, with the retirement of Sen. Dick Durbin triggering crowded races led by Raja Krishnamoorthi, Robin Kelly, and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. The contests feature intense fundraising and outside spending from groups tied to Israel, cryptocurrency, and AI, and several House seats around Chicago are open due to retirements. Gov. JB Pritzker’s influence looms over the Democratic field, while Republicans run in contested primaries as well. Most Democrats are favored in November, but the day focuses on who will lead Illinois’ delegation; minor polling-site ID issues were reported in one county where showing ID is not required.
An Elgin man, a U.S. citizen, was briefly detained during a Chicago-area immigration enforcement operation, which involved aggressive tactics and the destruction of his home, but he was later released after verification of his citizenship. The operation targeted illegal immigrants, with authorities making multiple arrests, sparking community protests and concerns about immigration policies and enforcement methods.
Severe thunderstorms caused widespread power outages and damage across the Chicago area, with over 68,000 ComEd customers affected, downed trees, and infrastructure damage, prompting emergency responses and evacuations.
Niche's 2024 "Best Places to Live in the Chicago Area" report ranks Naperville as the top spot, with Clarendon Hills, Long Grove, Hinsdale, and Evanston also making the list. The Loop is the only Chicago neighborhood included. The report also features rankings for other Midwestern cities and suburbs, with Carmel, Indiana, and Long Grove, Illinois, receiving high marks. Overall, the report provides insights into the best places to live and raise a family in America, using a rigorous methodology to guide decisions on where to live.
A winter storm warning is in effect for the Chicago area, with heavy snow and gusty winds expected through Saturday afternoon. Accumulations of 6-to-12 inches are possible, with the heaviest expected north and west of the city. Areas south of Interstate 80 may see snow transition into rain before turning back to snow in the late afternoon. Final totals could reach a foot in parts of DeKalb and Kane counties, with heavy snowfall projected for McHenry, Lake, Kane, DuPage, and northern Cook counties. Snowfall totals are expected to be lower in southern Cook and Will counties, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy counties, Kankakee County, and northwest Indiana.
The National Weather Service has issued Flash Flood Warnings for multiple counties in the Chicago area, including Cook, DuPage, and Will counties. The warnings are in effect until Sunday afternoon, with potential rainfall of 1 to 3 inches. Flooding has already caused road closures on Interstate 55 and eastbound Interstate 290, and the CTA Pink Line has been temporarily suspended. Motorists are advised to avoid driving through standing water, and both NASCAR and the Chicago Cubs have delayed their events due to the weather.
Severe thunderstorms hit the Chicago area for the third time in 24 hours, with a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A tornado warning has been issued for DeKalb County, and severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for several other counties in Illinois and northwest Indiana. The Storm Prediction Center has placed parts of the Chicago area and all of northwest Indiana at an "enhanced risk" of severe weather. A wind advisory will be in effect until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, with wind gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour possible.