Another beautiful Friday, another newsletter with all the local stories you need to know from WTTW News.
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(Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
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Patty Wetli: “Thank god for parking garages” is not a sentence I ever expected to write, especially not here on the nature beat. But that’s where space-watching has led us. Perhaps you’ve heard of Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS?
It’s the shiny new thing in the sky, and it won’t come around again for another 80,000 years. Experts told me this one would be bright enough to overcome Chicago’s light pollution, and photos of it — posted to my new favorite Facebook group, Illinois Storm Chasers — led me to believe it would be worth chasing.
All I needed was to find a place with a clear, unobstructed view of the western horizon. Sigh. Have you seen Chicago, aka Obstructions ‘R’ Us? Buildings. Trees. Streetlights. Utility poles. Utility lines. You don’t really notice all this visual noise until you need for it to not exist.
I wracked my brain for a place with a view, one that wouldn’t require an hours-long drive there and back on a work night. The answer was a parking garage. I know, I know. Per Joni Mitchell, parking garages are the downfall of paradise. They’re also tall.
So, I walked to my friendly neighborhood garage, climbed to the top floor, stood on the roof and oh my, what a vista. I watched a spectacular sunset, found Venus and Polaris and raised my binoculars to look for Tsuchinshan–ATLAS. I was told it would look like a fuzzy star and I’m 95% sure I saw it.
I also saw the supermoon — unobstructed! — so bright and full and what seemed close enough to touch. To the south, there was the whole of the Chicago skyline, with the Hancock and Sears Tower blinking bookends. It was the last place I would have expected to spend a glorious star-gazing evening. I should have brought a chair and a bottle of wine. Next comet.
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A courtroom sketch depicting ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, left, alongside his attorneys inside the Dirksen Federal Building during jury selection in his corruption case. (Cheryl Cook)
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After a week of questioning, a dozen people have been seated as jurors in ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s landmark corruption trial. Jury selection remains ongoing and opening statements are not expected until next week
One additional juror was seated Thursday after none were selected following full days of questioning Tuesday and Wednesday at the Dirksen Federal Building, where Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain stand accused of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud.
That brings the total number of jurors to 12 — enough for a full jury. Four alternates were also seated Thursday morning, but two more are still needed before opening statements and the evidence phase of the trial can begin.
More about the trial:
The former House speaker is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his substantial political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself.
Among the allegations included in Madigan’s 23-count indictment are claims he arranged contract jobs for his associates — who did little actual work — with Commonwealth Edison and AT&T Illinois, and in exchange he offered political backing on Springfield legislation that was favorable to those companies.
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A Metra train is pictured against the Chicago skyline in a file photo. (Rudy Balasko / iStock)
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The Chicago area’s transit agencies are facing a $730 million fiscal cliff in 2026 when federal COVID-19 relief money runs out. At Thursday’s meeting of the Regional Transportation Authority board, there was a dire warning that if the General Assembly doesn’t find a funding solution for Chicago-area transit by the end of June, agencies will have to drop everything and immediately start planning for drastic service cuts of up to 40%. Some legislators and advocates back the idea of doing away with
RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace in favor of a new regional mega-agency, the Metropolitan Mobility Authority.
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Back in the Day: October 18, 1974 - Chicago Bulls Player Nate Thurmond Records NBA's First-Ever Quadruple-Double
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In professional basketball, if a player records a double-double, chances are they had a pretty good game. That means a player scored 10 or more in two of these statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. If you reach at least 10 in three of these, it’s a triple-double. On this day 50 years ago, the first quadruple-double in NBA history was recorded by Chicago Bulls center Nate Thurmond. During an Oct. 17, 1974, game against the Atlanta Hawks, Thurmond racked up 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocked shots. It’s an impressive stat line and his accomplishment should not be overlooked by the fact that the NBA only started tallying blocked
shots during the previous season. Thurmond had a 14-year NBA career and died in 2016.
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Outdoor Activity Ideas From Patty Wetli
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One of the new bison calves recently born at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. (Courtesy U.S. Forest Service)
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Every Friday, WTTW News reporter Patty Wetli runs down six fun things you can do outside in Chicagoland. We’ve listed three below and you can read the full list here.
WILL COUNTY: Baby Bison Boom
There are baby bison at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie! Want to see these cuties? Trails at Midewin are open daily; welcome center hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
COOK COUNTY: Fall Paddle Festival
Head to Skokie Lagoons for a festival celebrating activities on and off the water, including canoeing, fishing and archery. Fear not, there will still be pumpkin painting. The event is set for Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Tower Road Boat Launch.
LAKE COUNTY: Capt. Daniel Wright Woods birdwatching
Captain Daniel Wright Woods is prime bird-watching land. On Saturday, Oct. 19 at 9 a.m., a guide will help you look for migratory bird species.
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Read more
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With the weather likely changing soon, what’s one fun thing you did outside in Chicago
this year? Tell us what, where, and why it was a blast.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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Two standout answers from our readers:
I recently led a public art bike tour in Bronzeville. We saw a lot of powerful art and met some interesting people along the way. It's a treat to share experiences like this with other people.—@aka60643
We are new to Chicago. We moved here almost 2 years ago from the suburbs. Andersonville‘s Midsomer Fest, specifically the ABBA cover band, was a blast! Everyone filled the street and stood shoulder to shoulder to sing along and just have fun. —Diane H.
The Cubs lost last night. With their playoff hopes fading, the defeat hands the NL Central title to the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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