The Transportation Security Administration says the Real ID deadline is May 7. The Real ID requirements were established after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Enforcement of the new requirements was originally supposed to begin in 2008. Travelers take note: The federal government says it will start enforcing Real ID requirements at U.S. ...

Raising kids is expensive, and getting even pricier. It costs nearly $300,000 to raise a child from birth to age 18 in the U.S., according to a recent LendingTree study, which included cost estimates for necessities like housing, child care, food and clothing. The total estimated cost of $297,674 is more than a 25% jump from LendingTree’s 2023 estimate ...

Theyre back! Two male piping plovers were spotted Friday at Montrose Beach, according to Chicago Piping Plovers, an organization dedicated to protecting local plovers. The two banded birds were identified as Pippin, a plover that hatched in Wisconsin in 2023, and Uncle Larry, who hatched in Michigan in 2023. Pippin and Uncle Larry are confirmed ...

While Chicago-area residents have been subject to a weather roller coaster so far this spring, warmer days are ahead as the region prepares for summer. With trips to the beach merely weeks away, the Farmer’s Almanac recently released their weather predictions for this summer, aiming to keep everyone from gardeners to travelers prepared for the months ...

While known for Italian beef and Chicago-style hot dogs, renowned local chain Portillo’s is venturing into new territory at five locations in the Chicago area. For the first time in the chain’s 62-year history, Portillo’s will soon offer a breakfast menu under a new pilot, kicking off on April 15 and running through the summer. “A major ...

After a week that saw chilly temperatures, snowflakes and some of the coldest games in Wrigley Field’s history, things will finally warm up in the Chicago area to start the weekend. While no one should expect a taste of summer this weekend, sunshine returns, with mid-morning temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s throughout the region. The mercury will ...

Erik and Lyle Menendezs resentencing hearings can continue despite opposition from the Los Angeles County district attorney, a judge ruled Friday. Former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascn asked a judge last year to change the brothers sentence from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. That would made them immediately ...

Easter is right around the corner, and with the holiday approaching, we can expect to see some stores close their doors for the day. A variety of retailers will remain closed for 24 hours for the April 20 holiday, including restaurants and popular grocery chains. Here’s a list of stores that will be closed, according to USA Today: Target: The ...

The State Street bridge over the Chicago River is set to close for seven months of emergency repairs, following a recent inspection that found parts of the bridge in poor condition. The full closure is scheduled from April 28, through mid-November, the Chicago Department of Transportation announced Friday. The department was planning to repair the ...

The Chicago Bulls held Fan Appreciation Night festivities Friday for their final home game of the regular season, and the celebration wouldn’t have been complete without one of the team’s lifelong fans soaking in the action for the first time. After being surprised with tickets earlier this week, 95-year-old Ida made her way to the United Center with ...

An all-encompassing celebration of pop culture is taking place at the McCormick Place this weekend, with the annual Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, also known as C2E2, officially underway. The convention, which first took place in 2010, brings the universes of video games, comic books, anime, movies and pop culture together under one roof, with this ...

The Chicago Cubs are receiving praise for how the organization responded to a goose nest in a juniper planter in the iconic bleachers at Wrigley Field. The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it is sending a compassionate action award a framed certificate and vegan chocolates to the team. The Cubs had their home ...

Jimmy Thai, a popular restaurant in suburban Deerfield, alerted customers they will be changing their prices soon as a result of tariffs on some of their imported products. The establishment first shared the notice on Facebook, saying, “Never simple…but we will all get through these changing times and appreciate your continued support.” The ...

For the first time ever, all five members of the “The Breakfast Club” cast are set to reunite- and it’s all happening in Chicago. Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estvez, Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald are all in town for C2E2, Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, which kicked off Friday. C2E2 says this will be “the first and only ...

In a continuation of efforts to streamline services needed by Illinois residents at DMV locations, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is expected to unveil a new facility offering more options in Aurora. The new “DMV+,” located at 970 N. Lake St., Suite B, will be unveiled during a press conference Monday morning, with the facility slated ...

Just weeks after Forbes ranked the Chicago Cubs among the most valuable teams in Major League Baseball, CNBC arrived to a similar conclusion with their 2025 team valuations. Published earlier Friday, CNBC’s 2025 team valuations assess the average MLB team to be worth $2.62 billion, ranging from $8 billion with the New York Yankees to $1.2 billion with ...

Federal jurors consideringthe bribery caseagainst Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III have already seen him on video socializing with fellow Sen. Martin Sandoval and red-light camera executive Omar Maani at fancy steakhouses in the city and the suburbs. But Friday, prosecutors showed jurors evidence of Jones more private side, revealing late-night text messages ...

Attention gardeners: The Old Farmers Almanac has predicted the last frost dates across the U.S. for 2025 — and some in the Chicago area might be surprised. While there’s an age-old saying to never plant before Mother’s Day in the Chicago area, it appears the recent predictions might say otherwise. According to a map of the average last spring ...

The helicopter pilot killed in a tragic crash while on a tour in New York City, which also killed a family of five onboard, was from the Chicago area, NBC 5 has learned. The pilot was identified as 36-year-old Seankese Johnson, who grew up in Illinois. The National Transportation and Safety Board said Johnson had a commercial pilot certificate and ...

After sending a letter to parents of public schools students, police are bracing for the possibility of another so-called “teen takeover” in downtown Chicago Friday. An alert was sent to phones across the city Friday morning warning of a potential gathering at the city’s Millennium Park. “We know once these groups come downtown anything is ...

Stocks climbed higher Friday, extending their gains as the White House signaled it’s open to a trade deal with China, as Wall Street wrapped up a wild week. The S&P 500 advanced 1.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 606 points, or 1.5%. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.6%. Stocks took a leg higher Friday afternoon on comments from the White House ...

What to KnowA helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront Thursday.Six people, including three children, were pulled from the wreckage, according to Mayor Eric Adams. The victims included a pilot and five members of a family visiting from Spain.New York authorities have named ...

Publishers Clearing House, the legendary sweepstakes company once widely known for showing up at people’s homes and delivering giant prizes and checks, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. PCH made the announcement this week, saying it was using the bankruptcy process to finalize a shift away from its legacy business operations. The company ...

Multiple people are feared to be dead after a small plane crashed in Boca Raton on Friday. The crash happened in the area of Military Trail and Glades Road, not far from Boca Raton Airport and Interstate 95. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane, a Cessna 310 carrying three people, crashed around 10:20 a.m. after departing from ...

New York authorities have named two of the adult victims who died in Thursday’s fatal helicopter crash as Agustn Escobar and Merc Camprub Montal, a married couple from Spain. A spokesperson for City Hall said overnight that they were among the three adults and three children to have died in the accident. The names of the other victims have not yet ...