CBS Chicago
NASCAR legend Tony Stewart tries drag racing at Joliet race track
CHICAGO (CBS) – Tony Stewart is already a NASCAR legend, but he's back racing full time on a very different circuit.His nickname is Smoke, because when he first started racing, he struggled with throttle control and the haze of smoke off the tire was a lot.Stewart's gotten better, so much so that he's now all throttle in his latest gig as a drag racer."It's a drastically different experience," Stewart said.Going 1,000 feet at over 330 miles per hour is not exactly what Tony Stewart is used to. The NASCAR Hall of Famer who dominated short tracks and stock car racing...
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's office still calls new Bears stadium plan a "non-starter"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some of the staff in Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's inner circle met with Chicago Bears executives Wednesday to discuss how the state might help fund a new stadium on the lakefront south of the present Soldier Field. The meeting was not in person but virtual—and notably absent was Gov. Pritzker himself. Pritzker has expressed doubt that the stadium plan would be a good idea for Illinois taxpayers. Now, it is up to the Bears to convince the governor's team otherwise. It did not seem Wednesday afternoon like the Bears had succeeded in that mission. In a statement,...
DNC protest organizer says pro-Palestinian marches won't stop until "Palestine is truly free"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One of the largest groups planning to march at the Democratic National Convention in August is taking the city to federal court, after officials denied every single application for a permit to protest in proximity to the convention.The U.S. Palestinian Community Network is one of more than 70 organizations involved in planning various protests during the four-day convention at the United Center.The largest of those groups, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network is one of two groups who have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, arguing the city improperly denied them permits to hold a pair of protest...
At least 1 person hospitalized after "chemical irritant" attack at Chicago Tech Academy
CHICAGO (CBS) -- At least one person was taken to the hospital on Wednesday, after someone sprayed a chemical irritant inside a charter school on the Near West Side. Police, fire, and school officials provided conflicting details on the incident, but all three confirmed someone sprayed a chemical irritant such as mace or pepper spray inside Chicago Tech Academy High School at 1301 W. 14th St. Police said officers were flagged down at the school around 11:45 a.m., after a female entered the school, approached a group of eight teen females, all between 15 and 19 years old, and sprayed...
Officers kill school shooting threat in Wisconsin, officials say
MOUNT HOREB, Wis. — Officials say that a school shooting threat was "neutralized" at a middle school west of Madison, Wisconsin, Wednesday morning, with no reported injuries to those inside the school.Shortly after 11 a.m., school officials posted on social media that an active shooter had appeared on the school's campus. The county's emergency management reported the suspect had a rifle.Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said at a news conference Wednesday evening that "deadly force was used" and the suspect is dead. Kaul said a number of officers are on leave following the incident, as is standard when an officer-involved...
Chicago area welcomes May showers this weekend
CHICAGO (CBS) — Warm spring weather is blowing into the area to kick off May, but an active weather pattern starts Thursday with daily rain and thunderstorm chances.Expect increasing clouds overnight, then a few scattered showers early Thursday. As a warm front lifts northward, the Chicago area will experience a huge temperature difference between communities north and south of Chicago. Afternoon highs will be in the 50s in Waukegan but lower 80s south in Kankakee.The warm front will also lead to thunderstorm development during the afternoon and evening.Another round of rain and thunderstorms swings through the area overnight Thursday into early Friday morning, leaving most with rain totals of 0.5" to 1". A chance of rain continues for Cinco De Mayo plans this weekend, although Sunday appears to be the drier day.Tonight: Increasing clouds. Low: 52Tomorrow: Periods of rain and thunderstorms at times. High: 74Friday: Early morning rain, then mostly cloudy. High: 71
Truck spills scrap metal, blocks highway in northwest Indiana
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A truck spilled a load of scrap metal in a crash Wednesday morning in Valparaiso, Indiana.Police said a commercial truck crashed near the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and State Road 49. The truck tipped over in the crash, spilling scrap metal on the road.Eastbound Highway 30 and the ramp from southbound State Road 49 to Highway 30 were closed after the crash.Police urged drivers to avoid the area.No injuries have been reported.
4 friends with Parkinson's disease cycling across the country to raise money for research
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four friends set off on a journey of a lifetime on Wednesday, cycling across America while raising money for two Parkinson's disease foundations. Chicago-area organizer Bill Bucklew is always on the move, and he is using the trip to show how to confront life's big challenges."I've run over 40 marathons, done 11 different triathlons. I've climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. I've walked across Great Britain. I've walked across the United States," he said.Each is a significant physical feat, and Bucklew has done them with Parkinson's – a progressive neurological disease that causes tremors, slow movement, and problems with balance."I...
Muslim activists plan rally in Springfield to call for ceasefire in Gaza
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A group of more than 200 people headed to Springfield on Wednesday to rally for a ceasefire in Gaza during the annual Muslim Action Day at the Illinois State Capitol.The annual lobbying day is meant to strengthen relationships between lawmakers and Muslim civic groups.Belinda Tibayan, a middle school and high school coordinator at Muslim Community Center Academy College Prep in Morton Grove, is bringing students along."Our students will take a tour of the capitol. They'll meet with the senators and legislators," she said. "I do want them to be engaged. I want them to be enthusiastic as they head on to college and then make sure that they do vote."In addition to health care and insurance coverage, the group hopes to talk to lawmakers about how the government is supporting Palestinians and other civilians in Gaza amid the war between Israel and Hamas.A guest speaker will also give firsthand accounts of the situation there as activists urge state lawmakers to support the call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Greene says she will force vote next week on ousting speaker
Washington — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Wednesday said that next week she'll follow through on her threat to force a vote to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, adding to the dysfunction that has become increasingly routine for Republicans in the lower chamber. "I think every member of Congress needs to take that vote and let the chips fall where they may," Greene said at a news conference Wednesday. "And so next week, I am going to be calling this motion to vacate."Greene, a Georgia Republican, has dangled the threat of removing Johnson as House speaker since late March after he...
Thieves burglarize parked law enforcement cars on Far Northwest Side
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago police are warning about a series of car break-ins targeting law enforcement vehicles on the city's Far Northwest Side.Police say the suspects are targeting both marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles. All of these incidents are happening in residential neighborhoods.Since Sunday, there have been at least three different break-ins in Forest Glen, Norwood Park, and Edison Park. Two of those break-ins are believed to have happened overnight. One officer who lives in Norwood Park said that he left his house Tuesday morning to take his kids to school when he noticed the window of his squad car busted out completely, but nothing was taken specifically. According to police, a dark-colored SUV pulled up to a parked car, where the suspect then broke the window and took whatever was inside the passenger compartment and trunk. It's not clear what was taken from the cars.Police were unable to specify what kind of law enforcement vehicles were being targeted. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bureau of Detectives – Area Five at 312-746-7394.
Rideshare passenger steals driver's car in Old Town
CHICAGO (CBS) — A passenger inside a rideshare stole a car belonging to the driver in Old Town Tuesday night.Chicago police said that just after 11:30 p.m., a man working the rideshare was inside a gas station in the 100 block of West North Avenue in Old Town when a woman drove away in his car. No injuries were reported, and no arrests were made. The incident was being investigated by Area 3 detectives.
Death of 10-year-old under investigation in Northwest Indiana
CHICAGO (CBS) — The death of a 10-year-old is under investigation in Northwest Indiana. Last Thursday afternoon, Porter County patrol officers responded to a house, in the 200 block of Falcon Way, for a "medical emergency."Police Sgt. Benjamin McFalls said a 10-year-old was taken to a local hospital and later died. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
Violence breaks out at some pro-Palestinian campus protests
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over to break up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.In addition, police and protesters clashed at the University of Arizona's Tucson campus, according to the Arizona Daily Star. After a couple of hours of scuffles between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators at UCLA, police wearing helmets and face shields formed lines and slowly separated the groups. That...
16-year-old shot while siting near window inside Woodlawn home
CHICAGO (CBS) — A 16-year-old was injured after someone fired shots into a home in the Woodlawn neighborhood. Police said the teen was sitting inside a home around midnight, on 62nd Street and Vernon Avenue, when someone outside fired shots. He was hit in the back. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he is expected to recover from his injuries. No arrests have been made.
Sunny, warm start to May in Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS)-- May starts off with sunshine and warm weather. Highs will be in the middle 70s with gusty breezes. Cloud increase tonight with rain returning by daybreak on Thursday. Most of the day will be dry. Although a spotty shower or thunderstorm is possible, the better rain chance arrives with a cold front on Friday morning. Friday highs in the low 70s.
Chicago dispensary operators are pleased about plan to reclassify marijuana, but not everyone is
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in 2020, and since then, the Cook County State's Attorney's office has expunged thousands of pot-related cases.Now, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is pushing for a historic shift—to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous drug. It would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and move it from Schedule I—alongside heroin and LSD – to Schedule III, alongside ketamine, codeine and some anabolic steroids.This move would not legalize recreational marijuana outright at the federal level.Supporters of rescheduling marijuana call the DEA's proposed move a step in the right direction—even though it falls short of federally decriminalizing marijuana. Those...
Pro-Palestinian tent encampments expand at University of Chicago, DePaul
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson came out Tuesday to support a growing pro-Palestinian tent encampment at the University of Chicago.Tuesday marked the second day of the protest on the Main Quad at the U of C's Hyde Park campus. Tents were first set up Monday just to the north of Swift Hall. The students are part of a nationwide movement calling for immediate divestment from countries profiting from Israeli business amid the war in Gaza.Students were also seen banding together for the event. Tents were cleared from Deering Meadow at the Evanston campus of Northwestern University on Tuesday...
Columbia protesters taken into custody after police enter campus
NEW YORK -- Columbia University protesters were taken into custody late Tuesday night after the school president asked the NYPD to clear them from campus.Police set up a massive presence outside the university before officers began moving in around 9 p.m.A dramatic scene unfolded as the NYPD brought in a large vehicle with an extendable ramp to enter a second-floor window of Hamilton Hall, which schools officials said had been occupied by protesters. Around 9:30 p.m., dozens of officers wearing helmets began to enter the building through a window they had pried open. Additional crowds of officers entered campus on...
Suburban Chicago seniors celebrate college acceptance ahead of Graduation Day
CHICAGO (CBS) — More than 130 seniors in south suburban Richton Park have something to celebrate ahead of Graduation Day.Their accomplishment is nothing short of extraordinary - but it's not unique to the school.Graduation day is weeks away at Southland College Prep Charter High School. But this class of 2024 deserved to be called out early.It's a tradition at Southland College Prep Charter High School in Richton Park. And for seniors like Lundyn Williams. Before they accept diplomas – they celebrate acceptance. "I have been accepted to 43 different schools and applied to 51," said senior Lundyn Williams.Williams may have...
CBS Chicago
43K+
Posts
933M+
Views
CBS 2 News bring you the latest news, sports, and weather in Chicago.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.