🌪️ About that tornado warning

Yes, Tornadoes CAN Hit Chicago

Yesterday, shortly after a pitch-dark video call with the City Cast Chicago crew, a citywide tornado warning went into effect. It lasted till 11:15 a.m.

ICYMI: Tornadoes can technically hit Chicago.

A myth: Growing up, I always heard tornadoes couldn’t touch down in the city due to the lake and skyscrapers. But these do not, in fact, protect against twisters, according to meteorology professor Victor Gensini.

A tornado spike: Illinois leads the country for numbers of tornadoes so far this year. As of June, 173 tornadoes had hit Illinois, shattering the state’s previous record. Experts say tornado alley may be shifting.

• The climate culprit: With climate change, increasingly humid Midwest air is a key contributor to tornadoes.

In the city proper: A massive derecho touched down in Rogers Park in 2020.

• In June, fast-moving bands of thunderstorms in Chicagoland also qualified as a derecho.
• In July, tornadoes hit the suburbs of Harvey, Homewood, Hazel Crest, and Lansing.

Pay attention: In Chicago, sirens go off for three consecutive minutes when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning.

• On your phone: You’ll likely get an alert about the threat. You can also follow KWO39 for updates, get weather alerts from the Red Cross Emergency App, and use the FEMA App for shelter maps.

What to do: This probably wasn’t Chicago’s last tornado warning. Be prepared for the next one.

• Before: Prep an emergency kit.
• During: Take immediate shelter inside, away from windows, on the lowest floor you can find. (If you’re in a vehicle, drive to the closest shelter.)
• After: Safely document and report damage, avoiding any broken power lines.

Meanwhile: Non-tornado summer storms continue.

• See a downed power line? Call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON-1. Always assume a power line is energized and dangerous.
• See fallen trees and debris? Call your local alder or 311.
• Need an outage update? Check this map.

Police Failing To Find Loaded Guns On Suspects

Since the Swedish Hospital shooting killed one police officer and injured another in April, cops have twice failed to find loaded handguns on people arrested and searched. That means internal investigations. [Block Club]

Custodian Murder-Suicide at Mark Twain Elementary

After learning he would be transferred from Mark Twain Elementary, a longtime custodian allegedly shot his colleague, a 48-year-old woman, before turning the gun on himself. The shooting took place inside the Garfield Ridge school, but no students were present. Classes resume there Aug. 24. [Sun-Times]

The Threat of Nurdles (Also, What Are Nurdles?)

Nurdles are industrial plastic pellets that are becoming a growing source of contamination in the Great Lakes. Illinois is the first state in the region to designate nurdles as a source of pollution, requiring companies to implement mitigation plans and report nurdle spills. [Tribune 🔒]

Empty Downtown Offices Become Housing

Thirty-five office building conversions are currently proposed or underway downtown. All but four are residential conversions that would bring over 4,500 new units to the area. The city is subsidizing several near LaSalle Street. See the map. [Crain’s 🔒]

Bally’s Casino Pause, WNBA Transphobia, and How Would You Spend 24 Hours in Chicago?

Bally’s Casino recently hit the brakes on all non-gaming construction in protest of Chicago’s forthcoming expansion of video gambling terminals. On today’s podcast, we get into it, plus what happened at the Sky vs. Fever game, and how we’d spend our last 24 hours in Chicago.

Queer-Inclusive Wrestling Growing in Chicago

Freelance Wrestling, often hosted at Logan Square Auditorium, is one of the city’s most visible queer wrestling outlets. Recently, champion Devon “Twin City Twister” Monroe was the center of the top storyline. [Windy City Times]

• Wanna see some wrestling? Get tickets here.