Patty Wetli looks back on the year in nature. Plus, more local stories from the staff at WTTW News. 

City in a Garden: What a Wild Year

Photo of comet watching on the 606 (Credit: Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

Remember the solar eclipse? I almost don’t. Which is crazy, because in the moment, the experience was so intensely beautiful, I thought I’d hold onto the feeling forever.

But then came the cicadas. Remember the cicadas? I almost don’t. Which is crazy, because for a hot minute there, cicadas were all anyone was talking about, if you could hear them over the insect’s incessant racket.

As we get ready to ring in 2025, I’ve been looking back on the past year, and my gosh, it was wild, in the absolute best way. I didn’t just get to witness my first ever total eclipse of the sun, I saw my first aurora and my first comet. What made these moments even more incredible was how many of you were giddily reveling in them too.

Back in October – remember October? – when I dragged my husband out of the house on a work night to go comet hunting, I felt a smidge foolish. As we walked toward the 606/Bloomingdale Trail, where the intrepid Chicago Astronomer had announced he’d be setting up his telescopes, I legit wondered if we’d be the only people there.

We were not. I heard the crowd before I saw it, a hundred or more people patiently waiting their turn to look through an eyepiece at a streak in the sky. I don’t know what was more magical, the comet or the spirit of community.

I love that nature still has the power to inspire awe and wonder. I love that so many of you love it too and are so passionate about protecting, conserving and enjoying the natural world around us in this great big city. Cheers to 2024, and cheers to whatever brings us together in 2025. 

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Advocate Health Care Announces $1B Investment to Expand South Side Services

(Rendering courtesy of Advocate Health Care)

Chicago’s South Side residents have a 30-year life expectancy gap compared to their North Side counterparts. Advocate Health Care is working to address that disparity with a new $1 billion investment plan that includes replacing Advocate Trinity Hospital with a new facility.

Stakeholders say the goal is to improve the health and well-being of residents by focusing on prevention, disease management and increased access to care. The $1 billion investment includes $500 million focused on ambulatory services and access to ambulatory care; $200 million toward chronic condition management, social drivers of health and maternal health; and $300 million for replacing Trinity Hospital. The new facility will hold 52 beds, replacing Advocate’s current 205-bed hospital. Despite the decrease in beds, officials are confident this new model will better serve the community.

The new facility will reside on 23 acres on the old U.S. Steel South Works site south and west of Lake Shore Drive and north of 81st Street. The future quantum computing campus also has plans to start building on the southern end of the site.

Also From WTTW News: 

• CTA officially secured $1.9B in federal funding for its Red Line Extension project. 

   

  
  

  
  

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Outdoor recommendations from Patty Wetli

Every Friday, WTTW News highlights the best ways to enjoy nature, indoors and out.

• Celebrate the winter solstice at Thatcher Woods in River Forest, Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Presented in partnership with the American Indian Center, this event will feature indigenous storytelling and songs and activities like tracking and shelter-building. Click here for more details.

• If you’re heading to Downtown Chicago this weekend, swing by Lurie Garden, which was designed with four seasons of interest in mind — or “winterest” in December.  

• Take a break from the holiday bustle and join a Christmas Eve bird walk at Humboldt Park, 9:30-11 a.m. Beginners welcome. Advance RSVP required; click here for details.

Back in the Day: December 20, 1976 - Richard J. Daley Dies 

On this day in 1976, Chicago’s 48th mayor Richard J. Daley died at age 74. He governed the city from 1955 to 1976, getting elected to a then-record sixth term in 1975. Shortly after 2 p.m. on Dec. 20, Daley was on his way to lunch when he collapsed in the Near North Side, suffering a massive heart attack. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later. A politician who became synonymous with Chicago and was known as the “last of the big city bosses.” Though his 21-year term was a record, it was soon broken by his son Richard M. Daley who served for 22 years from 1989-2011. His other son, William M. Daley, was the United States Secretary of Commerce and White House Chief of Staff.

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Where is the best place to get away from the Chicago winter? Whether it's a local oasis to warm up or an out-of-town destination, let us know and tell us why.

Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to say: 

For several years I've taken my bicycle on an Amtrak train and stayed in New Iberia, Louisiana.  It's a small town along the Bayou Teche. I'll take the bike on Amtrak for $20 to Hammond, LA and get a ride to New Iberia. — Robert K. 

Garfield Park Conservatory... Visit both a tropical jungle and a desert in an afternoon.—Brian S.

• Amanda Vinicky hosts "Week in Review." 

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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry