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Axios Chicago
Here's what building Millennium Park looked like
Millennium Park is celebrating its 20th birthday this weekend, meaning many Chicagoans remember it before it transformed into the 24.5-acre gem it is today.The big picture: One who remembers is Ben Campney, a former city employee who photographed the construction.Flashback: Before it was green space, a pavilion, a fountain and home of "The Bean," it was a big parking lot and old railyard.Catch up fast: Millennium Park opened July 17, 2004. Construction started in 1998 and includes designs by major artists and architects. Frank Gehry designed the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and BP Bridge; Anish Kapoor created Cloud Gate (aka The...
The Kaufmann Quiz: Chicago suburbs
I don't care what anyone says, it's OK to be from the suburbs.What if someone says they're from Chicago, but then upon further examination, you find they're from Naperville?I don't get mad; instead I ask them about the Riverwalk.The big picture: It's mid-July, which is a great time to get out and explore what the suburbs have to offer. You are bound to come across a street festival, carnival or some wild hot air balloon launch that you were previously unaware of.In honor of our awesome suburbs, I have a quiz!Play past quizzes:1984Chicago prideChicago local TVChicago DadsFancy foodiesChicago homesChicago summer traditionsNicknames and name changesChicago MothersChicago radio historyClosed Chicago restaurants & barsFamous Chicago stuntsHow well do you know 1992?
Chicago's Wabash YMCA is still telling the story of African American history
An historic YMCA building in Bronzeville is getting $50,000 to help preserve its place in telling the African American story.Why it matters: The Wabash Avenue YMCA at 3763 S. Wabash was a critical destination during the Great Migration and during the Civil Rights Movement, but it closed more than 50 years ago.Carter G. Woodson first announced Negro History Week, which became Black History Month, at the Wabash Y.Driving the news: The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced Thursday that the Wabash Avenue YMCA is a recipient of an African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grant.Zoom out: The fund was created in 2017 to help preserve places and cultural assets that ensure the African American experience is documented in the re-telling of American history.Zoom in: The Wabash YMCA building is now run by Renaissance Collaborative, Inc., and the grant will establish art exhibits and tours about its history.What's next: After restoration of the building and new programming, Renaissance Collaborative expects to re-open the building in the first half of 2025, a spokesperson tells Axios.
Rihanna's Savage X Fenty's opens in Chicago suburb
Rihanna's Savage X Fenty has opened its first Illinois store in Orland Park.Why it matters: Savage X Fenty apparel has been lauded for celebrating all shapes and sizes, but Chicago shoppers were only able to purchase online until now.Driving the news: The 3,600-square-foot store opened Friday in Orland Square Mall, one of six new U.S. stores the company plans to open in 2024. Line at new Savage x Fenty store. Photo: Moyo Adeolu/AxiosWhat they're saying: "What we've learned is that more and more people want to touch, try and buy. They don't want to go online, and I think this...
Flights at Chicago airports canceled, delayed amid nationwide FAA ground stop
Data: FlightAware; Note: Circles sized by share of flights; Map: Axios VisualsFlights at O'Hare and Midway airports and around the globe were canceled or delayed on Friday due to a major technology outage affecting Microsoft systems.The big picture: The massive online outages disrupted travel, banking and news outlets worldwide, as CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company that services multiple industries, went down worldwide.The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that it is "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines" and that several airlines had requested "assistance with ground stops for their fleets."George Kurtz, president and CEO of CrowdStrike, said...
Bears start training camp earlier than most
The Bears start their 2024 training camp today, among the earliest in the league.The big picture: Players and coaches report to Halas Hall in Lake Forest early, because the team will play in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1.Context: The Bears may need the extra time to get the new arrivals acclimated to the playbook. Several new players, including rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, will sport the blue and orange in 2024, giving the Bears offensive firepower they haven't had in years.Who's new: Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze, running back D'Andre Swift, wide receiver Keenan Allen, safeties Kevin...
Ryan Arnold leaves WXRT
Longtime disc jockey Ryan Arnold is leaving WXRT. The big picture: The veteran broadcaster, who helmed afternoons and evenings at the station since 2013, resigned after his hours were cut back. Arnold's full-time afternoon drive position was cut this spring, so the broadcaster shifted to a part-time role without a set time slot. What they're saying: "I literally grew up at WXRT," Arnold tells Axios. "The highlight of my career has been my lifelong relationship with WXRT, a connection that began when my mother started at the station in 1984." Between the lines: The station is owned by Audacy, which...
Bob Newhart's Chicago legacy
Bob Newhart died Thursday at 94, but his legacy will live on in Chicago forever.The big picture: Newhart, a stand-up comedian and actor with a dry sense of humor, was one of Chicago's greatest exports.Zoom in: Newhart was born in Oak Park, grew up in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side, went to high school at Saint Ignatius and college at Loyola. He made a name for himself performing at clubs like Mr. Kelly's in the late 1950s.Yes, but: It wasn't until he starred in the 1970s sitcom "The Bob Newhart Show" that his connections to Chicago were cemented...
Poll: Should Chicago adopt a 25 mph speed limit?
Northwest Side Ald. Daniel LaSpata has introduced an ordinance to lower Chicago's default speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph, a proposal that prioritizes bicyclist and pedestrian safety. Catch up quick: The speed limit reduction, plus a measure that would allow people to submit photos to 311 showing trucks...
Here's what's happening in Chicago this weekend
This weekend, jam to local and international acts in Union Park, celebrate 20 years of Millennium Park with rapper Common or get tickets to Sad Summer Fest. 1. 🥁 Pitchfork Music FestivalBlack Pumas, Jamie XX, Carly Rae Jepsen, Brittany Howard and Muna headline this year's Pitchfork Festival.Why it matters: Hosted in Chicago for nearly 20 years, this music event has elevated the Windy City as a music hub. Plus, it's great exposure for local acts — they open each day.Zoom in: Black Duck, Angry Blackmen, Lifeguard and Akenya are among the Chicago acts performing.What to expect: Outside of the music,...
Brookfield Zoo is preparing to celebrate its centennial with a massive renovation
Brookfield Zoo is undergoing an estimated $500 million transformation to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2034.Why it matters: The zoo's Next Century Plan will revamp more than half of the zoo's 200-acre footprint in the southwest suburb, with a special focus on conservation in response to the threat that climate change poses to biodiversity.Driving the news: Brookfield Zoo this week announced a four-phase, 15-year project, which has already begun, including the first-phase renovation of the dolphin habitat and work on the Tropical Forests, which includes a new gorilla conservation center.By the numbers: A spokesperson for Brookfield Zoo tells Axios the...
Semicolon opens on Michigan Avenue
Semicolon Bookstore has opened its new location in the Wrigley Building.Why it matters: The new Semicolon store is the only Black woman-owned bookstore on the Mag Mile.The big picture: It's the second location for Semicolon, which also has a store in the West Town neighborhood. It's part of the city's storefront activation grant program, which aims to fill vacant storefronts and support small and local businesses. Books on display inside the bookstore. Photo: Moyo Adeolu/AxiosWhat they're saying: "I'm so glad y'all are here, standing in a space that was created by the brand I created five years ago. … This...
Photos: Storms cause trees to fall across Chicago
After Monday night's derecho, the Chicago area woke up to startling images of uprooted trees — everywhere.The big picture: The City's Department of Streets and Sanitation says that since Sunday's storm it has received 2,394 emergency calls for downed trees, broken limbs and debris.Many of the fallen trees and limbs downed power lines and caused extensive property damage.And some big, old, beloved trees perished from the high winds. Limbs lie along a street in Rogers Park. Photo: Moyo Adeolu/AxiosWhat's next: DSS says crews are actively working to clear damaged tree parts. Residents are encouraged to dial 311 to report storm debris. Fairfield and Iowa in Ukrainian Village. Photo: Courtesy of Matt Planer Skinner Park. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios Tree smashed through a windshield on car near Skinner Park. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios Randolph and Green Streets, in front of the former Little Goat Diner. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
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Axios Chicago, anchored by Monica Eng and Justin Kauffman, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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