Robert Burke 🏳️‍🌈🚲🪴

The city's icebreaker boat, the James J. Versluis, has been shattering the lake since 1957

It is a near-constant winter battle to keep ice from plugging up the water-intake crib openings some 20 feet below the surface.

A demonstration of where you can find the drafts feature in the top right corner of the post composer on Bluesky.

v1.116 is rolling out now!

For all the overthinkers and perfectionists out there, we're launching Drafts.

Wasn’t the O’Hare branch signaling redone in such a way that would allow for future automation? Like they left space in the design for equipment or something?

Acting CTA chief lays out priorities after dodging fiscal cliff Nora Leerhsen sat down with the Tribune after one year on the job.

Acting CTA chief lays out priorities after dodging fiscal cliff. Interview with acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen by @taliasoglin.bsky.social www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/a...

Wrong Home Alone 2 star

Photo showing a woman falling forward while holding a stroller handle, as the stroller with a child inside tips backward on an icy, unshoveled sidewalk.

I pulled out my cellphone to document how difficult these conditions can be and why efforts like #PlowTheSidewalks matter. Just as I was taking the photo, she slipped and fell. Everyone appeared okay, but the moment has stayed with me all day.

Illinois Sees Its Worst Flu Season in Recent Years as Vaccine Skepticism Grows At least 100 people have died from the flu this season in Illinois, with 77 of those deaths occurring this month alone, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Flu cases are increasing rapidly in Illinois as the state sees its worst flu season in more than 15 years.

https://to.wttw.com/4bRnwLa

Illinois recorded its third consecutive year of population growth, according to the US Census Bureau.

We're strengthening what helps people choose to stay and build their lives so families can raise their kids, workers can build careers, and entrepreneurs can grow businesses.

The officer who shot Alex worked for DHS for 8 years. The officer who shot Renee worked for DHS for over 10 years. Both are considered “highly trained.”

The problem isn’t "training." DHS was built to violate our rights and has been empowered to act with impunity. We must MELT ICE and dismantle DHS.

Got the slides with notes incl. Some highlights, then the slides.

This pilot is over in August 2026. The expansion of the zone includes 550 bus stops, 32 miles of bike lanes, and 1.3 miles of directional bus lane. Commercial Loading Zones and unpaid parking meters will gain enforcement.

Certainly appears moms with whistles won the Battle of Minneapolis.

We are going to win

Live updates: Top Border Patrol official Bovino expected to leave Minneapolis as Trump sends Homan to the state | CNN Tom Homan is headed to Minnesota after the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in an encounter Saturday with federal agents deepened outrage over the Trump administration’s surge, part of its nati...

Sending Tom Homan to Minnesota is like pouring gasoline on a fire.

The chaos is the point — let’s stop sending Trump officials in and start sending Trump’s agents home.

AHIL endorsement graphic for Daniel Biss

Abundant Housing Illinois is excited to endorse Daniel Biss for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District! 🏘️

Gregory Bovino Gets Demoted The Border Patrol chief was the public face of a traveling immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.

BREAKING Greg Bovino has been removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and will return to El Centro Calif, where he is expected to retire soon. A stunning turnaround after Pretti killing. Bovino's traveling blue city crackdown is over www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

A statement from Toni Preckwinkle on her campaign Instagram says: “Minneapolis is facing yet another deadly consequence of a federal agenda built on terror and cruelty. Untrained, masked militarized forces are inflicting violence, fear, and trauma on our streets, acting at the direct orders of President Donald Trump and his allies. This is not law enforcement; it is federal brutality. Local governments, we must stand united against an administration that sends armed forces into our communities with no accountability, transparency, or respect for human life. It is time to abolish ICE. It is time to end federal occupation of our communities.”

Toni Preckwinkle has called for the abolition of ICE.

[P] Reuters is quoting two anonymous but verified sources that Air Force One was forced to turn around because President Trump somehow managed to eat a bunch of rope and clogged the airplane toilet with the rope and now he's tied to the toilet because a bunch of the rope is still inside his butt

everybody calm down, air force one had to turn around because president trump accidentally flushed his tie down the toilet and his face is pinned to the seat. he's panicked and squealing. karoline leavitt tried to help but she transforms into a bat after 10pm and can't lift him with her tiny wings.

They put some down by the library too. Never seen a bike locked to that “books” “rack”

I can’t believe the signs there are NEW. Worst wayfinding on the system

*laughs in milwaukee ave subway (because i can’t get out)*

wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage

Support for abolishing ICE hits a a new high Americans have turned sharply against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and say it too often resorts to violence

"YouGov has ICE at 39% favorable, 52% unfavorable...But this top line really understates the intensity of public backlash to ICE and its tactics. In February 2025, just 19% of Americans held a strongly unfavorable view of ICE. Today, 40% do."

open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...

Tired: Paying $30 for an Uber with some rando who is getting underpaid and might be a terrible driver

Wired: Paying $2.50 for more space with a unionized professional driver

We are two days away from the true Metra happy hour: on New Year’s Eve, trains that arrive or depart downtown after 6pm are free but alcohol is prohibited after 7pm, so from 6-7pm you can drink a beer (BYOB) and ride Metra for free

Limiting your applicant pool to whoever can drive out to the Chicago burbs is certainly a choice

All stations have plans to become accessible, it’s just a matter of $ and when. There is a preliminary design that adds an entrance across Clybourn and exit at Clybourn/Halsted. It’s next in line for funding.

Geoffrey Baer in a Chicago bridge house looking at a big brown and yellow wheel

Geoffrey Baer trimming the ivy at Wrigley Field

Have some extra time over the holidays? Definitely watch the new PBS Chicago Works special with Geoffrey Baer

In just fifteen minutes they've already hit the bridge houses, the Cubs scoreboard, and trimmed the Wrigley ivy!

Protecting the prairie means a stop to sprawl, which also means sustainable growth needs to come from the areas we’ve already built out: infill and density.

And making the urban core *more* auto-dependent blows a hole in the simple geometry of making more space for more people.