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William Shatner playing Riot Fest with his heavy metal band
William Shatner is playing Riot Fest with his new heavy metal band - but has a fun list of demands in his rider. The iconic 95-year-old actor was announced Thursday and will play with his new band The *uckers. Just like the John Stamos demanding different items last year, Shatner has requested several unique things for...
Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps postponed due to wildfire smoke
Poor air quality due to wildfire smoke from Canada has forced Thursday's Major League Soccer game between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Fire at Chicago's Soldier Field, along with a scheduled postgame concert, to be postponed. The game, which was expected to draw 40,000, will be made up on Oct. 6. Heavy, pungent wildfire...
Chicago Cubs use scoreboard rain barrels to conserve water at Wrigley Field
Keeping Wrigley Field green takes more than sunshine and a dedicated grounds crew. It also takes water -- and one Cubs employee found a creative way to conserve it. Water conservation is a key part of the Chicago Cubs' sustainability efforts, and because Wrigley Field is more than 100 years old, the team has had to thi...
Smoke from wildfires blankets Chicago area, with skyline disappearing under hazy skies
Hazy, smoky skies from more than 100 wildfires burning in northern and western Ontario have moved into the Chicago area, with poor air quality expected through at least Thursday night for all of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. As of early Thursday morning, the air quality tracking website AirNow.gov showed cur...
Chicago barely makes top 20 in American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 America's Fittest Cities ranking
Chicago just barely made the top 20 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 ranking of the country's fittest cities. Chicago came in at number 19, with a personal health rank of 43 and a Community + Environment rank of 12. The ranking takes into accounts a number of personal and public health behaviors and co...
National Hot Dog Day is Wednesday, and there are numerous deals in the Chicago area
Every year, National Hot Dog Day is celebrated on the third Wednesday of July, and there's no shortage of deals in the Chicago area. The observance will take place Wednesday, and plenty of national and local food spots will offer special discounts and meal offers to customers. From free hot dogs to limited-time food sp...
Illinois Tollway proposes highest rate hike in history: How much rates could go up and when
The Illinois Tollway Monday night held its first public hearing over proposed rate hikes that could be the largest in state history. The proposed hikes, part of a $26.5 billion capital program, would fund the next 15 years of roadwork on the tollway system, NBC 5 traffic and transportation reporter Kye Martin said. If ...
Ultra-rare, extra-smelly 'Corpse Flower' begins to bloom at Chicago Botanic Garden
It's a rare sight (and smell) indeed at the Chicago Botanic Garden, as an infamous "Corpse Flower" has begun to bloom. Officials at the Botanic Garden made the announcement on Monday, as one of the garden's "Titan Arum" flowers began blooming Monday morning. The flower, named "Alice," will...
